Why the Bible? | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

I want you to lift up a shout. Come on. I want you to lift up a shout. I'm about to preach the word. We need to clear our minds right now. Lift up the name of Jesus. Say it loud. Say it in faith. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Oh, I'm about to receive the word of God today. Can you say amen? If you have your Bibles, turn quickly with me to turn quickly with me today, I believe, to the book of Genesis. The book of Genesis, chapter number one. The book of Genesis, chapter number one, and we're going to begin reading at verse number three. Can you say amen? >> Amen. We know the Bible today has the Bible today has his word. If prayer is communicating with God, his word is God communicating with us today. Genesis chapter 1 verse number three. And God said, "Let there be light." And there was light. Psalms 33 and verse number six. Psalms 33 and verse number six. And Psalms 33 verse number nine. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. Verse nine, for he spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast. Something God laid on my heart earlier this week in prayer. The title is simply three words today. It is a simple title, but I believe it will have a profound effect upon us. Why the Bible? Why? Why the Bible? Father, in the name of Jesus, today I bring my mind and my attention, God, before you. God, we hear we set your word upon a pedestal. God, thy word is exalted even above your name. For what good would your name be if your word could not be depended upon? Lord, today give us the ability to concentrate, to focus our minds upon your word that we may reap the rich benefits of how your word will change us. Lord, we'll give you all the praise for the work that you're going to do today. In Jesus name we all pray. Everybody said, "Amen." Give him a hand of praise before you're seated. If you love the word of God, give him a hand of praise right now. If you were raised in the church as a child or if you have worked in children's ministry in a church, you have sung this song many times. The B I L E. Yes, that's the book for me. I'll stand up on the word of God, the B I L E. >> I got a few of you work in children's ministry and we shout Bible. Why would we have a song such as that? Because we're wanting to educate our children at a young age about the Bible. The B I B L E. Why is the Bible important? We could ask. The Bible is important because it contains the mind, the will, and the ways of God, our creator, our savior, and our sooncoming king. Why the Bible? Why should I have a Bible? Why should I go to Bible study? Why should I read my Bible? Why? Because inside the pages of the Bible is contained the mind of God, the will of God, the ways of God. You you cannot truly comprehend or understand to fulfill God's will to be pleasing to him if you don't first discover the will of God. Well, just what pleases God. What what pleases God? And can I give us all a news break? Can I give us all a news breaking news today? Do you know that God can be pleased? He can be. And God God help me to pray. I I I I certainly never want to be a a preacher that people just walk away and say, you know, it just seemed like that he's never happy. It seems like he's never pleased. It seemed like as a church, we're never we're never pleasing. We're never Lord, I I never want to be that kind of pastor because I'm going to tell you something. Your presence here this morning pleases God. Pleases God that you had time that you can choose on what you do with it. And instead of going and doing something else from 10 to 12, you said, "No, that's the day that I go to the house of worship to worship my God." But we wouldn't know that, would we? We wouldn't know that, would we? If it wasn't that the word of God that contains the mind of God and the will of God would have told us about assembling together in into his house. You see, creation that I read you today, let there be light and there was light. Creation was brought about by the spoken word of God which is simply now listen to this today. When he said let there be light and there was light, it was simply that was the expression of God's will and God's ways. And so when God spoke that word, let there be light, he expressed his will and his creative his creative power. We know the Psalms that we read today said, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made." Psalms 33 and6. Read it again, please. And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. Verse number nine, "He spake and it was done." He spake and it was done. He commanded. He spoke it, it was done. He commanded and it stood fast. So we first understand when we when we when we lay hold on the Bible that was there there was first the spoken word of God. In other words, God spoke his word. He expressed his will. Then we understand in the book of Gen, the book of Exodus chapter 31 and verse number 18, the Bible will now introduce us to the written word of God. We have first the spoken word of God in creation and now in Exodus 31-18 it says and he gave unto Moses when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount si two tablets of testimony tables of stone written with the finger of God. So now understand that first in the beginning there was the spoken word of God which was the expression of his will and his ways and then there became the written word of God when God would write on the tables of stone the the commandments for the children of Israel to follow through the ten commandments and on and on he would write on the tables of stone. Then there was the written there was the written word of God. God began to move upon men and holy men of God. And I'll read this in a few moments. But holy men of God spake or wrote as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost. And so we would have the we would have the written we would have the written word of God. As a matter of fact, the the the the word Bible comes from biblios. And biblios is a part of the uh uh tree or part of the plant to where paper where paper uh was was formed from this uh part of a plant was called biblio. And now we we have what we call the bible. And notice it's not just called bible. And the word bible just simply mean book book. But we not only have Bible, we not only have a Bible, we have the Bible because it is the book of all books. Why? Because it contains the mind of God and it contains the will of God. Well, let's travel on because it doesn't stop. We first begin with the spoken word of God and then we go to the written word of God that could be passed down hundreds of years. And then we come to John chapter 1. Gospel of John chapter 1 verse number one. Now John chapter 1 verse number one is going to sound a whole lot whole lot like Genesis chapter 1 verse number one. John chapter 1 verse number one. In the beginning was the word. Sounds familiar doesn't it? In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. Verse two. The same was in the beginning with God. Now you understand. In the beginning was the word. What is the word? It's an expression. It's an expression of thought. In the beginning was the expression. In the beginning was the thought. That's what the word logos here means. Thought or plan. So in the beginning was the thought, the plan, the idea. And the thought plan, the idea was with God. And the thought plan the idea was God. The same was in the beginning with God. It was God's will for there to be light and God said let there be light and there was light. But before even in creation there was one thing that God wanted to speak and create but the timing was not right and that speaking was when God would create himself a man. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. Look all the way down to verse number 14 of the same chapter. And the word, the thought, the plan, the expression, was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth. God was manifested in the flesh to fulfill his word. To fulfill his word. Now, we have a lot of we have a lot of people today that have to understand who Jesus Christ is. Jesus Christ is God. First Timothy 3:16. Jesus Christ is God manifested in the flesh. In the beginning was the word expression and the word was with God and the word was God. And then John 1:14 and the word the expression became flesh and dwelt among us. There was light before there was light. >> There was an earth before there was earth. There were trees, plants, birds, giraffes, animals, lakes, rivers, fish. Everything we see here in creation was already there, but it wasn't here until God said, "Let there be light." And the expression gave light. So, in the mind of God was this plan. It says in the book of Revelation that Jesus Christ was the lamb slain before the fa before before before the foundation of the earth. Now, if he existed as a man before in eternity, you've got some problems here trying to explain an eternal sunship because there is no such thing as an eternal sunship because there is there was a time that it was just the word. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. The plan was in eternity just like the light was in eternity and the trees were in eternity. But it didn't come to pass until God said. And so in the fullness of time when God spoke his word, we now have in the beginning we now have and the word was made flesh. Now why did he come? Why did Jesus Christ Why did God come in the flesh? Matthew 5:17. I believe that we can see some truth here today. Matthew 5 verse number 17. Listen to Jesus. Listen to God in the flesh. Think not that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to do what? Fulfill. Because in the law, in the law, what we would refer to as the Old Testament, that's what he's referring to as the law. That's the reason when he came to his own and his own received him not. And they were studying the law. What did he say to them in in the book of John? He said to the religious leaders, "Search the scriptures, for in them you think you have life, but these are they which testify of me." In other words, he was saying he was saying the law is telling that I'm going to come. The law is telling all about me. Well, how did he fulfill the law? Well, let's go to Matthew chapter 1 verse number 22. Now, all this was done that it might be fulfilled, underline that word, fulfilled, which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying that's under the law. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us. He said, I have come to fulfill the law. It was written in Isaiah 7 verse number 14 that a virgin would conceive and bring forth a son, and they would call his name Emmanuel. Jesus stood right there, Brother Hammond, and said, "I am the fulfillment of Isaiah 7 and 14." Well, let's go on over to the next chapter. Matthew chapter 2 verse number 15. Matthew chapter 2 and verse number 26 23 also. Listen to verse 15. and was there and he was there until the death of Herod, speaking of Jesus being taken being being taken into Nazareth or being taken, excuse me, into Egypt and was there until the death of Herod that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet. Sounds familiar. Saying, "Out of Egypt have I called my son." Because Herod was going to kill all the baby boys under the age of two years old. The angel of the Lord spake of Joseph and Mary. And they took the child, the babe, the baby Jesus into Egypt. But not just because that was a good place to go. He had to fulfill the law. He had to fulfill the scripture that out of Egypt I have called my son. Look at verse number 33. Verse number 23, excuse me. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, he shall be called a Nazarene. You see, even where he lived was all in the fulfillment of the Old Testament law or the prophets. Now, this may be a lengthy read today, but follow me in Hebrews chapter 10, verse number one. Now the problem, the reason we have Hebrews is because the early apostolic church wanted to go back under the law. They were glad for the born again of the water and the spirit. They were glad for the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, but they wanted be offered because have no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, now this is when God came into the world as a man. When he cometh into the world, he saith, sacrifices and offerings thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sins, thou had no pleasure. This is spoken into the law. Look at verse seven. Then said I, lo, I come in the volume of the book, it is written of me to do thy will, oh God. In other words, now the man Christ Jesus is saying this was written, this was written in the Old Testament or under the law that is written in the volume of the book. It is written of me to do thy will. Verse seven. Here it is. Verse eight. Above when he said, sacrifices and offering and burnt offerings and offerings for sin, thou wouldest not. In other words, God did not accept the blood of bulls and of goats to take away human sin. Neither had pleasure therein, which are offered by the law. Verse nine. Then said he, lo, that means to look, examine, look. Lo, I come to do thy will, oh God. He taketh away the first, that's the law, that he may establish the second, that's salvation. By which by the which will we are sanctified through the offering, not of blood of bulls and goats, but the offering of the body of Jesus Christ for all once for all. Now verse 11. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftent times the same sacrifice which please pay attention to this which can what? >> Never do what? >> Take away the best the Old Testament could do was to point but he could never take away. But that look at the first three words of verse 12. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth, expecting till his enemies be made his foottool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Now, aren't we thankful today for the spoken word of God? And we're thankful for the written word of God. But are we thankful today that when the word became flesh, the word became flesh, fulfilled the written Old Testament law, and now once and for all. Can I tell you, the blood of Jesus Christ is just as powerful right now as it was 2,000 years ago when he hung there on that cross. It never gets old. It never gets stale. It never gets outdated. When it comes to God, it's just as real. Could we take a moment and just glorify his name? I praise you today, God. Second Peter chapter 1 verse 16. I told you that I would read this to you earlier. Listen to second Peter chapter 1:16. Peter is writing and he says in verse 16, "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables." When we made known unto you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty, he said, "Let me tell you something. We have not given our lives to a fable. We have not given our lives to some traditional story that's been passed down. We have not followed cunningly devised fables. Verse number 17. For he received from God the Father honor and glory. When when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven, we heard when we were with him in the holy mount. Stop right there. We're going to read a little further. He said, "We have not followed cunningly wise fables, stories put together by philosophers. We have not given our lives up to something that's just the product of of of of of a philosophical way of putting something together." He said, "Can I tell you about the time we went to a prayer meeting with him? He took Peter, James, and John. He took us up to a mountain, and there he began to pray. And as we watched him there as he began to pray, we noticed something about him. His garment be to shine. But the light came not from from above. The light came from within. His flesh, his garment begin to shine. But not the shining of like a spotlight coming on. It was his flesh illuminating. It was his garments illuminating. Now, you understand with me today, don't you? You you you understand with me today that you put a bulb in a lamp and then you put the shade over the the the bulb, right? The light does not come from the shade. The light is just catching the the the the shade is just catching the light. The the the shade is not the light. You take the shade off and put it in a dark room and it's dark. But the shade is simply catching the light and dispersing the light. We understand today that the flesh was not God. The flesh was because of virgin birth, the miraculous conception. But what was on the inside of the flesh was Elohim. The same God that said, "Let there be light." The same God of the Old Testament, Jehovah, Yahweh, the I am that I am, was inside of that vessel. And now and now he's praying. We were on the mountain with him and he begins to pray and and we begin to look and there was a change happening to him. His garment begin to glow. His flesh begin to glow. And then there was a voice from heaven that said, "This is my beloved son." And if you want to get technical with the word, this is my beloved son. In whom? In whom? in whom? Because the mystery is God in Christ. It was God in flesh. And that's the mystery. And he said, "This is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased." We heard it. We heard it. Now, stay with me now, Sister Angela. We heard it. Peter's talking in in in the book of Peter. We heard it. We were there. We saw the illumination. We heard all of this. We've not followed cunningly devised fables. We heard this. That's verse 18 of 2 Peter 1. But look at verse 19. This is where I want I this is where I want you to be. Verse number 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy. Now wait a minute, Peter. You saw him. You physically saw him. You physically heard Kim. But Peter said, "No, no, no, no, no, no. We have something that's more sure." Is that what the word says? More sure. We have something that's more sure. Word of prophecy. Where unto ye do well that you take heed, pay attention to it. as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts. Knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. What does that mean? This is not the prophet's own interpretation. The prophet did not come up with this on his own. It's not a private man-made interpretation. Then how did we get it? Verse 21. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Do you understand why the Bible is important today? Do you understand today? It's not an ordinary book. It's not it's not just an ordinary book today. This book contains the mind of God. This book contains the will of God. This book contains the way of God. And ladies and gentlemen, hear me today. Sit on the edge of your pew. If you plan to be in the rapture of the church, this earth is going to burn up with heat. And if you plan to get out of here, you got to get your faith in the word of the living God. Take a moment and praise him right now. Come on, take a moment and praise him right now. Oh, but brother Carpenter, brother Carpenter, but how can we know the Bible is true and that it is correct, the correct interpretation? How can we know? How can we know that the Bible is true? How can we know that it is the correct interpretation? because you know the carpenter over the times and the ages and it's been changed from this language to that language. Can I tell you the only way you can know the Bible is true is the same way that Noah knew the word of God was true. Noah, the end of all flesh has come before me. Build a boat. Flood's coming. I'm going to destroy the earth. Build a boat so many feet wide, so many feet high, so many feet long. I wonder if that's really you. I wonder if that's really true. You know how we know the word of God is true? The only way you can know the word of God is true is by the same way that Noah knew it, by faith. Noah prepared an arc to the saving of his family. The only way you can know his truth. Stop watching a history channel. Stop looking for an archaeologist to find bones or parchment or or the shroud of Jesus or whatever you want to call it. Stop looking for that. Our faith is not to be built on a stone, a cloth, a place in Jerusalem. But our faith is to be grounded in the word of God. How can you know it's true? Because I believe with all my heart that it is the spoken word of God. It is the written word of God. And Jesus was the word. Abram. Abram. Yes. Get up from where you're at. Take your wife Sarah. Go into a place that I will show you later. And I will make of you a great nation. And I will bless them that bless you. Curse them that curse you. How did Abram know? I mean, come on, Noah. Come on, saints. Come on, brother Patterson. Come on, brother Sullivan. Noah didn't have this. Abraham didn't have this. All he had was a voice. The Bible said by faith, Abraham went out not knowing where he was going. So if you're ever waiting on an archaeological find, you're waiting on some shroud. They got a they got a piece of cloth and oh, it's got the blood of Jesus and the DNA and all that. Please, I'm sorry, but I'm just going to say it like I feel it. I have no faith in that because that could be proven wrong. But my friend, when it comes to the word of God, I believe the book that I hold in my hand today has transformation power. I believe that this book today took a 16-year-old boy that was headed down the wrong road and turned his life around. He didn't do it on his own. He wasn't born again on his own. He was born because somebody opened the book and told that 16-year-old boy that was getting in trouble, you need to repent. Turn your life over to Jesus. Be baptized in Jesus' name and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And you need to Oh yes. And this book here has brought life. How can you know? How can you know it's true today? Well, the Bible's been this and the Bible's been that. Oh, I get it. I get it. I I get what you're I I I get as brother Hammond says, I'm picking up what you're throwing down. that God had a plan, but man messed it up. So the plan God had for us, man got in there and messed it all up. And we don't have the true plan of God today. Well, if you believe that, then you believe that man is more powerful than God. You believe that God can have a plan that man can mess up. You believe that God can have a will, but Satan can come in and man can mess up that will. Let me read you a little something. If you believe that, then you would have to believe what God said in Genesis 17:19 is not true. Genesis 17:19. And God said, "Sarah, thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and shall call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him." So then you believe that when Abram took his wife down to Egypt and Pharaoh said, "That's going to be my wife. That's going to be my woman." that that was the end of God's plan. It's not what the word says. The word says in Genesis 12 verse number 17, "And the Lord plagued Pharaoh in his house with great plagues because of Sarahi, Abraham's wife." Can I tell you something? Man's tried to tamper with it. But I believe today that we hold in our in our hands the word of God from Genesis to Revelation. That is all that we need to get out of here and to live a life that'll bring glory and honor to him. Has man tried to tamper with it? You better believe it. Has Rome tried to burn every copy it could? You better believe it. Has has has throughout the dark ages has man tried to stamp it out? You better believe it. But God looked down and said, "That's my plan. That's my will for man." and the gates of hell didn't say they wouldn't try, but they will not prevail and overcome. I'm glad today to be in a church where the word of God is still marching on and on and on and on. Your true plan for happiness is not in how much money you make and who you're married and how well off your kids are. Your true plan for happiness is written in the word of the living God. If you believe that, could you take a moment and just worship him? >> His word says to open your mouth and praise him. His word says to open your mouth and praise him. >> Don't have to understand it today. Come on, praise him with me right now. Praise him with me right now. Oh yes. Oh yes. It was the plan of God for God to become flesh. It was the plan of God for God to be for God to conceive or to cause there to be a conception in the womb of a virgin girl. That was the plan of God. It was the plan of God for God to take on human flesh that could be offered as a sacrifice. It was the plan of God for God to take on human flesh and display all of the characters and qualities of God. But you see, you don't understand. There's a wicked king named Herod. Herod's going to kill that child. Oh, he is. Matthew 21:13. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there thou there there until I bring thee word. For Herod will seek the young child to destroy him." Verse number 16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceedingly ro wroth, and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coast thereof from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Can I tell you what, Herod? You may kill a lot of children, but you will not kill the Christ child. Why? Because my plan is in him. Oh yeah, there's been a lot of books that have been messed up through history. But look at me, brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen, today and those that are watching online today. God's truth is marching on. Hell can't defeat it. The fires can't burn it. The floods can't drown it. Man can't do away with it. You can't explain enough of it to get it to lose its value. Thank God today for his word. So, I hope I put to rest today all the people that want to say, "Well, you don't know anything about the Bible. The Bible's been through so many different changes, and the Bible's been and there's so much this and there's so much taken out." And it's so amazing today, too. It's so amazing today, too. people trying to prove their doctrine and they'll want to go in there and when you read them truth they'll say well now that really shouldn't be in there really oh that that really shouldn't that really shouldn't be in there oh but it's in there what you want to say to prove your point if we believe there's one verse that shouldn't be here we're all a bunch of glorified fools this morning. >> We're wasting a lot of time. We ought to eat, drink, and be merry and go on our way to a grave will return back to dust. And that's all there is about living. But if you believe that today, you're of all men most miserable. For if in this life we have hope in Christ, we're of all most me among men most miserable. But you listen to this 5'7 inch greeney preacher today. I'm aging just as long as you are. Death is slowly beating a drum to catch up with all of us. And one day all of us, if Jesus doesn't rapture his church, one day we'll have heart failure. One day we'll have cancer. One day there'll be an unexpected car wreck that'll take the lives of us in this place. And our bodies will be as dead and lifeless as ever before. But if you've been born again of the water and the spirit, to be alive is Christ, but to die is gain. to be absent from the body. Oh, one of these days. One of these days, you hear me now? I'm not trying to get any sympathy. I'm just trying to tell you the truth. One of these days, they're going to roll my old carcass down this and they're going to say, "There he is." You're going to remember everything I've done. You're going to remember everything I said. But hear me right now. I'm not there. I'm not in that body any longer. I'm in the presence of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Hallelujah to God. Brother Widner wasn't there. Sit the Yoko wasn't there. Sister the Wood wasn't there. Nobody is there. They're in the presence. Oh my. I've got eight minutes and a few verses to go. Take my body out to either Grand View or Sherwood. My wishes are to go to Sherwood. It's busy out there. So, Carpenter's wishes are Grand View. It's quiet and peaceful. probably end up at Grand View. I'm so Thank you, Lord, for your word. Thank you, Lord. Could we just take a moment and worship him right now? Have your Bible. Maybe you'll take it and put it to your bosom. Oh, precious word of God. >> Precious word. Follow me closely. Musicians, would you come? Follow me closely. Quickly. John 12:46. Listen to our Lord. John 12:46 I am come a light into the world that who so believeth on me should not abide in darkness. If any man hear my words and believe not, I judge him not. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejectth me and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. Jesus said, I've come to be a light. The word like there is information. The word light, there is knowledge. I have come to be a light in the world that whoever would believe upon me would not abide live in darkness. Oh friend, he said I come to give information. Should you choose, he said, not to hear my words and should you choose not to believe, I judge you not. You see, we live in a day when people don't really believe in God anymore because of swift judgment. Well, I sin. Nothing happened. This sin doesn't. This is Can I tell you the only reason judgment hasn't come is because God is merciful. But judgment is coming. He said, "I came not to judge the world. That's not what I'm here for. I'm here to redeem the world. But if you choose to reject me, verse 38, and you choose not to receive my words, you have one that judges you, the word that I have spoken shall judge you in the last day. Revelation 20 and 11 is the last day. John picks up the curtain of prophecy and shows us into the future. I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was no place found for them. You may not show up when you're summoned to an earthly court. You may be summoned to court here, and you may choose not to show up. But there's coming a judgment throne room. to where there's no hiding place. You'll run, but the judgment will find you. John said, "And I saw the dead, small and great." Small and great means popular, famous, rich, stand before God, and the books, please notice plurality. And the books were open. And another book singular was open, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books plural according to their works. The sea gave up the dead which were in it. Death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them. They were judged every man according to their works. Death and hell were cast into a lake of fire. This this is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Can I tell you today? Can I be a good pastor to you? You choose this morning whether let this word give you instruction, inspiration. You choose today to either do it your way or to do it Yahweh. You choose today. That's why you ought to study the Bible about everything in your life. You ought to study the Bible about every attitude in your life. Why? Because this Bible has the mind of God, the will of God. Should you choose today to write me off as another loud screaming red-faced preacher, that's your right to do. But I'm here to tell you that if you don't let the word change you, you will face the word one day. 66 books, all the dispensations of time, you'll face the word. You'll be judged according to your works. Did you know? Did you know? And I heard brother Osborne say this and it's such a truth. He said, "Brother Carpenter," he said, 'I've heard people say that you will be judged according to what you know. He said, 'I don't believe that, Brother Carpenter. He said, I believe we'll be judged by what we had the opportunity to hear and didn't take the opportunity. Now, what what does that mean? What does that mean? God may have a word for you tonight in the Sunday night service or Wednesday night service. We say, "Well, I wouldn't be here. I'm not going to be accountable because I didn't hear it." No, no, no, no. You had the opportunity to hear it. Something else came into place there. And so, you'll face that one day. I beg you this morning. I plead with you this morning. Say yes to God and his word. Now say yes to God and his will. Now you ever notice the Bible is broke up into two parts. Old testament, New Testament. What is a testament? It is the will of the testator. You go to hear a will being read. What are you hearing? You're hearing the will of the testator. the one that wrote the will out. You're hearing his will. What have you heard for the last 45 minutes? You've heard the will of the testitator say, "Let me change your life. Let me speak into your life just like I did the earth and the earth brought forth." I close with this. God will be would be an unjust God if he allowed you and I to sin and do whatever we want and go to heaven. Adam, I command you, do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. For in the day that you eat, you shall surely die. Adam ate. God brought him the consequences. Thorns, thistles, sweat of your face, you'll eat bread. From dust thou art to dust thou shalt return. Can I tell you before there comes judgment of the last day there's condemnation. Adam lived the life of condemnation with every thorn with every sweat that trinkled off his head condemned. But then finally Genesis 5 and5 and all the days that Noah lived were 930 years. The last three words, "And he died." Just stand with me this morning all over this building. Would those in this room that know the value of the word, begin to lift up a prayer for those that may be stumbling over the word right now. with those in this room right now that know the value of the word. Begin to intercede and pray for those today that are stumbling with the word. They're stumbling with the word. Oh God touch Lord. Come on pray this morning. Come on pray this morning. I am telling you young lady. God has the plan for your life. I am telling you young man, God has the plan for your life. I am telling you young married couple, God has the plan for your marriage. I am telling you tormented couple, God has a plan for you today. God has a plan. Please pray right now. Please pray right now. Oh God. Oh God, in the name of Jesus, oh mighty God, mighty God, mighty God. I want you to hear this last verse before I call everybody into this altar today. Hear this last verse. God speaks to the angels. And God said, "Now that man has become as one of us to know good and evil, he must be banished from the garden. He must be banished from this place. Flaming cherubam with a sword, hasten here to the gate. Stand here and keep guard, lest Adam eat of the tree of life and live forever. Man is not going to be allowed to be a sinner and have eternal life at the same time. I banned him from the tree of life. And Adam was driven from the Garden of Eden. May have been possible for him to have looked over into the garden and to have seen the tree, but to ever touch it again, to ever touch it again. He would die at 930 years old, never being able to touch it again. But hear me today. God's got a plan. Because in Revelation 22:14, Revelation 22:14, blessed are they that do, not just hear, not just hear it. Blessed are them that do his commandments. How are they blessed? That they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city. hear me today. When we obey his word, when we obey it, not just hear it, but we obey it. I repent of my sin. God, I'm sorry for the way that I've lived. I'm sorry that I've been stubborn, self-willed. I've done it on my own. I've had little regard for prayer. I've had little regard for you in my life. But that changes today. That changes right now. I'm giving it all over to you. I'm repenting right now. That's what repentance is. That's what repentance is. It's dethroning yourself and putting him on the throne of your life. God, I'll be baptized in your name this morning. I'll be baptized in your name this morning. I receive the Holy Ghost this morning. I submit myself to your will and to your way this morning. One more time, a prayer for those that need to obey the light right now. Come on. Come on. A fervent prayer. Jesus, please touch them. Jesus, please touch these people today. Oh God, please touch these people today. Oh God, please touch them right now. Oh God, please touch them right now. God. Oh God, please touch him right now. If you're one of those that want to repent and put him on the throne of your life, come out of your pew right now in Jesus name. Come out of your pew right now in Jesus name. If you're tired of the way you're living and you're tired of doing it on your own, come out of your pew right now. Come out of your pew right now. Come on. That's it. Come on. Gather up around the altar. Gather up around the altar. I'm tired of the way I'm living. I'm tired. I have no joy. I have no peace. I have no contentment. I have no rest. I have no sleep. I am tormented. I'm doing this. I'm taking pills. I'm drinking. I'm doing everything I can that's going to stop this morning because I'm giving him all of my life. Come on. Right now. I'm walking to the altar this morning. With every step I've said, God, I'm putting you on the throne. God, I'm putting you on the throne of my life, God. God, I am tired of the way that I've been living. I'm tired of having no life. I'm tired of having no joy. I'm tired of having no peace. I'm tired of the way I'm living. I'm tired of having no peace. I'm tired of seeing the reaping of sin in my life. I'm tired of seeing the reaping of sin in my marriage. I'm tired of seeing the reaping of sin in my child. I'm tired. I'm tired. I'm tired. Come on, pray right now. Take about three steps forward, everybody. Take about three steps forward. Get in the altar good and tight. Come on now. Y'all, if you're praying with somebody beside you, put your hand over on right now. I'm tired. I'm tired. I'm tired. I'm tired. I'm tired. I'm tired. I got to have a drink. I got to have living water. I got to have satisfaction. I'm tired. I'm tired. I'm tired. Oh God. Oh God. That's it. That's it. He's speaking right now. Live. Live. Live. Don't you hear it? Live. Live. Live. Get rid of pride. Open your mouth. Raise your hands. Cry out to God. Get rid of pride right now. Live. Live. I shall live and die not. I shall live and die not. I shall live and die not. I shall live and die not. Come on, shout it. Put your hand over on somebody. Pray with them right now. You got to eat of the tree of life. You got to eat of the word of God. You got to eat of the word of God. I came not to condemn you. I came not to judge you. I come to give you life. Jesus, help me. I surrender all. I surrender all. Come on. God is moving right now. Find somebody to pray with. Find somebody lay your hand on right now. Oh God, please touch us this morning. Oh God, please touch us right now. Oh God, please touch us this morning. Oh God, please touch that alcoholic right now. Oh God, please touch that alcoholic right now. Oh God, by the authority of the name of Jesus, I rebuke the spirit of alcoholism. The spirit of Christ must come. The spirit of anointing must come. I rebuke the spirit of drug addiction. I rebuke the spirit of chemical dependency right now. I rebuke that spirit and I pray that the Holy Spirit I pray the Holy Ghost come right now and would set you free. Come on. Come on. Whatever you're struggling with, give it to Jesus right now. Come on. Whatever you're struggling with, give it to him right now. Freedom is here. Deliverance is here. Come on, help me pray, church. Help me pray, church. If you're not battling with anything right now, that means you got to help me minister right now. You got to turn around and help me minister. There's life here. There's life here. There's deliverance here. My God. >> My God. My God. My God. My God. Come on. Yield to conviction right now. Yield to conviction right now. Yield to him right now. Dethrown yourself. Dethrone yourself right now. yield to him. You don't want to face that book in judgment. >> I need you to help me pray right now. >> Lay your hands on somebody right now. >> You got to yield yourself right now. Life is life. Life life is life. I'm tired of living. >> I'm tired away. I repent. I change my mind. I repent. I change my mind. >> Oh yes. Oh yeah. >> You want to be baptized, we got water. >> You want to be baptized, we got water. >> You want the Holy Ghost, lift up your hand right now. >> Lift up your hand right now. >> God, I repent. >> You're in the driver's seat now. You're in control of my life now. Yes, God. >> Yes, God. >> Oh, yes, God. Yes, God. Yes, God. Yes, God. Yes, God. Yes, God. >> You're in the driver's seat now, God. >> You're in the driver's seat, God. You're in the mercy right now. God, >> you're in the mercy right now. You're in the mercy right now. God, you're the Lord of my life right now. God, you're the Lord of my life right now. God, you are. You're the Lord. I have no cry. You're the Lord am I. You Lord am I. I believe. I receive your word. I receive your word. I am in every. >> Come on, shout it. I believe. >> I believe. I believe >> that you victory. Hallelujah. >> Hallelujah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Yeah. Heat. I cross your blood and by your stripes I have and every you will I believe. I believe that you victory and I see power. I'm born again. I believe I believe that the gates of hell will not prevail. Your church is still alive. Heat. Heat. Heat. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. You are always >> Thank you Lord. Thank you God for your love and mercy. Thank you God for your love and mercy. Thank you God for your love and mercy. Thank you Lord for your love and mercy. You set suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for such is the kingdom of God. >> Thank you >> Lord Jesus have your way. Trapper Butler, upon the profession of your faith and obedience to the word of God, I now indeed baptize you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. And the Bible says you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in Jesus name. >> The word says, "Oh God, oh God, you Yeah. Heat. Heat. Praise you. You are. How many are glad for the word this morning? So glad for the word of the Lord. So glad for the word of the Lord this morning. We're going to have a word of prayer and dismiss you. They asked me to make the announcement that this coming Wednesday night, we are not cancelling our service here. All right. I always want tell people we're not cancelling it. We're moving it. We're moving it over to 5020 Pleasant Ridge Road in Knoxville, Tennessee, where the tri-state District Camp will begin on Wednesday night, Thursday night, and Friday night. So this coming Wednesday night, if you show up here to church, they'll probably maybe put something on the doors uh for those that may show up. U but um you need to hear this announcement. You may show up and think the raptures happened. All right? So you need to hear that announcement. Go over there to Knoxville, avail yourself of those of those services. Let me say this before we pray and dismiss that repentance, brother Hyde, is not us thinking less of oursel. Some people think repentance is us beating the daylights out of oursel. Repentance is not thinking less of oursel. True repentance can only be acquired when we think more of God. When we think more of God, we will automatically begin to straighten things up in our life. I know we all don't have the same challenges today. Uh I know we don't all have the same things. But whether it's an addiction you're battling with or a marriage situation you're battling with or whatever, can I tell you that God's word has the answer >> for your life? God's word. Let's pray. Father, we love you today. Thank you, Lord, that for your word. Thank you, God, for how it's already changed our hearts. And like a like a like a shower, your word has showered us today. Lord, I thank you. And I ask, God, that you would go with us. Keep the word in our hearts. bring us back at 5:30 tonight in the prayer room 6:00 tonight for another great service to honor your name and to see what you will do among us as your word is being preached in Jesus name we pray everybody said amen