You Have a Gift | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

So good to see you in the house of the Lord as our custom as our custom is to come on midweek service and worship God and classes going on all over the campus here. And I'm thrilled this evening to be able to teach them uh the u we used to call this the adult Bible study uh group. And I'm I'm glad to come and to minister the Bible tonight. No, brother Hammond was saying something about um how his day went, you know, and and um I'm going to tell you something. What I'm going to preach tonight, if I went on how my day went, um I'd have a different title tonight. This very day, um two animals made their way to my house. A lost dog. A lost dog. He's somebody's dog. All right. And uh somebody called and said, "If you know if there's a dog lost here in the community, we put it on Mirabel Speaks Out." And u there's another app called uh uh Paul Paul or something, Lost Paul or something like that. And we put it on that and little fellows up under the bushes there at the house and and I went and got some baloney and kind of coached him right in just really, you know, and he's on my back porch right now. I believe he's on my back porch right now. And then no sooner had I got that dog situated, a buzzard, so hit me. Am I not telling you? Mama, am I telling the truth? A buzzard with a broke leg hopped up through my yard and onto my front porch. All right. I am a dog lover. Turn with me in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 35. The buzzard isn't on my back porch. Although if the dog is back there, it might be good for him to No. Okay. Exodus chapter 35 verse number 29. You know, as a preacher's mind works, you know, you you know what I preach tonight? Lost dogs and broke legs. You know, but Exodus 35 and verse number 29, the children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses. And Moses said unto the children of Israel, see the Lord hath called by name Beel, the son of Ura, the son of her of the tribe of Judah. and he have filled him with the spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, and to devise curious works, to work in gold and silver, and in brass, and in the cutting of stones, to set them in the carving and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work, and he had put in his heart that he may teach both he and a holab the son of a hiss of the tribe of Dan. them hath he filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work of the engraver and of the cunning workman and of the embroiderer in blue and purple in scarlet in fine linen and of the weaver even of them that do any work and of those that devise cunning work well here's what I want to minister to you tonight to every person under the sound of my voice. Every person under the sound of my voice, every person that's watching online tonight, I want to minister to you this subject. You have a gift. You have a gift. Let's go to God in prayer. Father, I love you tonight. Lord, I thank you for your love and for your mercy. I thank you, Lord, that you have given me the ability, Lord, to minister your word. For I can only do it, Lord, by the anointing of the Holy Ghost. I can only do it, God, with your help. God, without your help, Lord, I'm sounding brass and tinkling symbol. Lord, you're my everything. And God, these are your people tonight. These are your sheep tonight. These are the ones that you shed your blood for. Father, I just ask that you would anoint my mind for the next few moments that I may impart to these people, Lord, that they are a gift, that they have a gift. In Jesus' name we all pray. And everybody said, "Amen." >> You may be seated. I want to issue a challenge tonight. I think it's good that it's coming on the eve on the eve of the movement conference. But I want to issue a challenge to the church tonight to everybody tonight that you begin a journey tonight to discover your gift. To discover your gift. Every person under the sound of my voice tonight has a gift. Every person has this gift. It's interesting. Our scripture reading tonight is of course talking about the tabernacle in the wilderness. This was this this mode that God orchestrated. This mode, this tabernacle in the wilderness. this way that God orchestrated that man could come into his presence. This Old Testament type of New Testament salvation was only one gate. There's only one way that you could enter God's tabernacle. There was only was only one way that you could enter that tabernacle. And just like today, there's only one way that you can enter into the presence of God. There's not a multiple uh multiplicity of of ways. There's not any way you want to choose. It's not a Burger King gospel. Uh special orders don't upset it. Have it your way. No, it's not. It's a Jesus is the only way >> into this tabernacle in the presence of God. And once you get in that tabernacle, the first piece of furniture that you encountered was that brazen altar. That place where the animals came in. They came in living. But at the altar they met death and there was the shedding of blood there of that animal. There at that altar is that priest worked on the slaughter of that animal. It was quite gruesome and quite messy. And uh as he emptied the blood of that animal into bowls and uh he took that bowl around the altar and there at the labor that place that it would just look like a huge uh uh what we would refer to a bird bath. It just looked like a a huge bird bath on a pedestal. And there around that that labor it is called was mirrors. There were mirrors that was around the labor and the priest could see to wash himself there at the labor. As a matter of fact, it was very important the washing because God had had stipulated that the priest was to wash at the labor that he die not. I I would imagine those priests whether they felt like they needed to wash or not, I would say they went ahead and washed their hands there because God said if they don't wash, they will die. And then they would go into what was called the holy place. And there was the table of bread that they would eat. And there was the altar of incense that represented prayer that ascended up into the presence of God. And uh then there was the candlestick that would light because once they stepped into the holy place uh they needed a light. They were not out in the courtyard anymore and they needed light. And then there stood the there stood the veil, that beautiful veil. And uh once a year that priest would reach and take that veil. He'd pull that veil back. He would step into the Holy of Holies. And there he would sprinkle the blood upon the mercy seat. And Israel would have their sins pushed up one year until the next year when the priest would do it all over all over again. And we know this was the Old Testament. The priest in the Old Testament never sat down because he had to keep doing this year after year after year. But we know that our great high priest Jesus Christ, we know that when he offered up himself, he seated himself because the work had been finished. But Moses is um speaking here and they're getting ready to start erecting uh the tabernacle. They're getting ready to start making the material. They're getting ready to make the altar, to make the labor, and all of this. But you got to realize, these are not educated people. They're not educated. The Israelites have been in slavery for 400 years. They lack education. The only skills that they have is hard manual labor. But now, God asked that a tabernacle would be made. And he talked about engravings of gold. And he talked about on the high priest shoulder there were to be stones that would be cut and then the engravings of the names of uh the 12 tribes of Israel would go upon the priest shoulders. And not only would the stones uh need to be cut and polished and engraved, but then on his breastplate there there was what was called a breastplate. And there was 12 different stones that were engraved and put into the uh breastplate with their names there. And uh it was that if you see the typology here, the priest bore the shoulder, the burden for the people. The priest had the burden for the people. But he not only had the burden for the people, he had the heart of the people. See, sometimes if you have a burden alone, you can get weary. But if you've also got the heart of the burden, you can make it. And so these things have a lot of typology meanings. But it was time to build this. But I've got a bunch of uneducated people. They they've not worked with they've not worked with stones. They've not worked in wood and engravings and cutings, and they've not worked in these things. They've more or less been bath labor. They they uh helped to haul the stones and what whatever. But that's no problem to God because God chose a man and God gifted that man with the ability to do the engraving. God gifted that man with the ability with the ability to cut the wood. Right? But God not only gifted one man, he gifted another man. He said, "Now you're going to go get another man, and your gift is going is going to become is going to come upon him, and he's going to have the same gifting." You see, uh what I'm wanting to get through to all of us tonight is that God of his own choosing gives each of us gifts to do his work. God has a gift. How many believe in John 3:16? >> For God so loved, Could you help me quote it tonight? For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him would not perish but have everlasting life. Right? So what did God do? God gave his only begotten son for the salvation of the world. But let me add something to that that that fits like a hand in a glove. God has not only given his only begotten son into the world, but God has given his church to the world. The church is a gift from God to a lost, hopeless, dying world. Right? The church, you and I, we're the light of the world. We are the hope to the hopeless. And the world decides to do with us just like it did Jesus Christ. The world can either believe upon the church and the message the church carries or the world can crucify the church and the message that it carries. But be you well assured you can crucify the savior but three days later he's coming out of that tomb. and be well assured that upon this rock I will build my church >> and the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church of the living God. So he gives you and I he gives us he gives us gifts so that the work can go forward. So my challenge to us on the eve of the movement conference, why don't you seek after to discover God? What is my gift? God, I I want to know I I I want to know God, I want to know what my gift is. Well, let's travel on to uh Exodus chapter 36 and um verse number one. It says um then wrought Belia and Holab and every wisehearted man in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the tabernacle according to all that the Lord had commanded. So now we're seeing it fulfilled now. God gave them wisdom. Isn't it amazing? These two men along with other men begin to develop skills they didn't know they had. They begin to develop. Why? Because it was a gift. It was a gift from God. They begin to develop things they didn't even they didn't even know that they had. Go on down to verse number three of the same chapter. And they received of Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary to make it with all. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning. Now look at this. It's amazing when when we all understand what God's trying to do. When we all understand what God's trying to do, then we all know that every one is needed. All right? We we understand that every one is needed. That's a you know, that's a that's a trick of the enemy to tell someone you won't be missed. You're not important. You you you see you will be missed and you are important because you have a gift that helps everybody helps the the the the whole. Um it was said that David gave a testimony and David was saying David said a lion came and took one lamb out of the flock. I went after him. I smoked him. I believe it was the bear. I went after him and I smoked him. Well, David, chill out, buddy. You got a whole lot more lambs here. Why don't you just chill out? Why did you go risk your life to fight with the bear when you got more lambs back here than you? You got more lambs than what the bear took away. Well, it's easy to know why he went and fought because if we let the enemy come and take one lamb, guess what he's going to do? He's going to come back and take another lamb. And he's going to take another lamb. And he's going to take another lamb. And I don't normally make reference speak to the devil during a service, but I would today. When you come around here, Sloohoot, to take one person, I want you to know you got a fight on your hands because when I see them getting cold on God, I'm going to turn up my prayer heat a little bit. When I when I see them getting a little bit weak, when I see them getting cold on God, why? Because if he takes one lamb, he'll come back. So now these gifted men, they begin they they begin to work. And then verse number um let's u let's go down to verse number um I ended verse number three. Let's go to four. And all the wise men that wrought all the work of the sanctuary came every man from his work which which he which they made. And they spake unto Moses. I love this. They spake unto Moses, saying, "The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded to make." And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed through the camp, saying, "Neither let man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary." So the people were restrained from bringing for the stuff they they had was sufficient for all the work to make it and too much. You think about that. There was no scarcity. You see when everybody at First Apostolic Church realizes that everyone has a gift, there is no lack. No, it becomes we've got more than enough. We've got we've got an abundance that is flowing and thank God we fit into that because we're able to help other churches around the country. Aren't you thankful for that? We're able to be a blessing around our country because we see this as we see this as the work of God. Well, I could tell you this giftedness called Bizel to make the ark. He was the one that made the ark of the covenant. He was also the one that made the brazen altar. As a matter of fact, if you would turn to second Chronicles chapter 1 verse number five, you're going to find that this man made something. This man made something that outlived him. He made he made something that outlived him. The Bible says 2 Chronicles 1:55, "Moreover, the brazen altar that Belleiel the son of Ura the son of her had made, he put before the tabernacle of the Lord. And Solomon and the congregation sought unto it." Now here this man makes the brazen altar. He makes it. He dies. ANOTHER GENERATION SOLOMON comes along and somebody begin to say where is that altar? Where is that altar that that that be beel made? Where is that altar that he made? And somebody went and found it and they sought after it. Can I tell you your gift to the body of Christ is going to far outlive you. If God carries his coming, if God carries his coming 50, 100 years from now, we'll all be gone. But what our gift is doing is when we're gone, our gift is still blessing generation after generation after generation. You have a gift, Brother Tony. Hear me. You have a gift. Brother Mayo, Sister Gracie, you have a gift. And Sister Seven, and I'm not going to name everybody, but I want to make my point. We all have a gift. Brother Offer, you have a gift. But I think that we need to go on a journey and to seek after what is what is the gift. Number one, it'd be a tragedy. Wouldn't it be a tragedy for you to have a gift, Sister Glenna? Wouldn't it be a tragedy? And just bear with me. I'll probably be name calling tonight. I'm not I'm not There's a difference between name dropping and name calling. All right. Wouldn't it be terrible to have a gift and be ignorant of it? To have a gift and be ignorant of the gift. You just wouldn't it would wouldn't be something to to die with a gift that you never discovered in your life. Well, I think I've got I think I've got a passage of two or scripture that can help us to kind of see how this is true. Acts chapter 19, we'll begin reading at verse number one. Please, before we read this verse, please don't live your life ignorant and settling for less than the giftedness that you have. Let's look at Acts chapter 19 verse one. And it came to pass that while Apollos was at Corenth. Paul having passed through the upper coast came to Ephesus. Finding certain disciples, he said unto them, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since you believe?" And they said unto him, "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. We are ignorant. We are ignorant of this Holy Ghost." In other words, this is is the Holy Ghost not referred to as a gift. We are ignorant of this gift. We we don't know about this gift. But what's amazing is they were John the Baptist disciples. They had been converted by John. They had been baptized by John saying that they were to believe on him which was to come. They were to repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. They were to repent for one coming after me is mighty. That was John's ministry. John was to prepare the way. And and and and and so they had obeyed John. But somewhere along the way, they just fell away from the mainstream news. SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, they just kind of fell away from from from what was really happening. And uh Jesus Christ came. Jesus Christ hung on a cross. Jesus Christ died for the sins of the people. Three days later, Jesus rose again. 50 days later, the power of Pentecost fell on an upper room. They 120 spoke in other tongues as the spirit of God gave them utterance. THE CROWD GATHERED ROUND THE UPPER ROOM. What meanth this? Peter went to preaching the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He began to preach the identity of Jesus Christ and he brought his altar call and he said, "You have by wicked hands crucified the just one but God has raised him up." And they said, the crowd said, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" And Peter said,"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." 3,000 were baptized that day, and 3,000 was added to the church. And the church of the living God was birthed. It was birthed there on the day of Pentecost. But here in Acts 19, that happened in Acts two. But in Acts 19, you got people that got out of the mainstream news. Don't don't get isolated, folks. Don't Don't just come to church. Get in church. >> There's a difference between attending church and being in church. >> Get in the mainstream of this thing. Get get IN THE THING. HEY, I GOT A GIFT. GOD, THERE'S A GIFT ON THE INSIDE OF ME. I'VE GOT A GIFTEDNESS ON THE inside of me. Because can I tell you something? Can I tell you something? There had to be something Paul just has any of y'all tonight would would you if you've ever said this would you raise your hand and if you if you've never said it would you raise your hand all right you ever you ever been looking at something or someone or something or some situation and just say honey I just can't put my finger on it something don't feel right you ever done that you ever done it now you tell the truth Tony, he's not just ready. Okay, want to make sure it's I don't know that there something about I just keep putting my finger on. You think that's how Paul was when he got among John the Baptist disciples? You think he just start talking to him for a few minutes and Silas, I uh I I just can't put my finger on this. They talking about John and they talking about repentance and I just can't put my finger I can't put my finger on this. Can I tell you you'll never find your gift unless you have the Holy Ghost. >> You'll never find your purpose until you receive this wonderful lifechanging gift of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. >> And so John Paul I kind of kind of see him. I'm kind of acting this out. Silas, I can't put my finger on it. Then he said, "Let me I'm just going to ask him a question. Have you all received the Holy Ghost since you believe?" >> And they said, "We're ignorant. We've not heard where there be any Holy We ignorant of this gift." He said, "You haven't heard?" He said, "Well, then how were you baptized?" They said, "Oh, John baptized us." He said, "There it is." See, John's baptism was under the law. John's baptism had an expiration date. Although John's baptism is in what we call the New Testament in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, it was a baptism under the law. It had an expiration date. And the expiration date for John's baptism was Calvary. You see, you could be baptized under John, believing on him which was to come. It was a baptism. Now, watch this. It was a baptism. Care what Hollywood shows you that John didn't sprinkle and John didn't baptize using the titles. Okay, you watch chosen and you you'll get frozen. All right, you just you just you might say you might get burnt, but anyway, you know, so just believe on him which is to come, which is Jesus Christ. And it was a baptism to show that you had repented. But the New Testament baptism is in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of repented sins. You see, he forgives you when you repent. He forgives you, but he washes them away when you are baptized in water. According to scripture, when you're baptized in water in Jesus' name, he washes those sins away and you become justified just as if you had never lied, never committed adultery, never stole, never been a sinner. He He washes those sins away. He said, "Well, how will you baptize?" They said, "Unto John's." He said, "Well, that's it." And he explained what I just explained. And you know what they did? They said, "Baptize us. We want our gift. >> We want to discover our gift. Verse number three. Acts chapter 19 verse number three. And he said unto them, unto what then were you baptized? And they said unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, and boy, I hope this happens here tonight. I hope we leave here tonight saying, I heard brother Carpenter say, "I had a gift inside of me." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues and prophesied and the and all the men were about 12. Here's 12 men that are ignorant of the gift. But watch this. Not only now everybody everybody everybody should have the gift of the Holy Ghost but there's other gifts that can differ from one another. We can have gifts that differ from one another. And uh that's another gift after we've received the same spirit. The Bible says they spake with tongues. Look at verse six. They spake with tongues and they and prophesied. 1 Corinthians 13 and2 says this. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries, watch this now. Not only did God give them the gift of the Holy Ghost, which everybody must receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to be born again. You got to be born again of the water and the spirit. Everybody must receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. But after you receive that initial gift of the Holy Ghost, God can give you another gift that's going to help fulfill the big calling of the church. And they were given the gift of prophecy. Oh, I don't want to be ignorant about a gift that God wants to give. Let's go on that journey now. Let's go on down in Acts chapter 19. Let's go on down to verse um let's go on down to verse number 11. Let me say this. I said don't live your life ignorant and settling for less than your giftedness from God. We just learned this in Acts chapter 19, didn't we? But here's something. Don't try to operate in a gift that you haven't been given. Now, let me say it again. Don't try to operate in a gift that you haven't been given. I'm going to preface it with this. Been privileged to pastor you wonderful people. For over half my life, over half of our lives, me and Sister Carpenter have been here. And I've been privileged to pastor you. But the first three to five years was the most miserable time of pastoring that I had. It was miserable. It was horrible. And I'm going to tell you why. I wanted to be just like my pastor. Okay? And my pastor, it can not only preach well and teach good, but he's a tremendous administrator. He's a tremendous organizer. He's a tremendous His mind is is is brilliant in organizing and things. So when I started pastoring in my mind, my wife was just a pretty little thing that would sit on the pew and uh you know, she just the pastor's wife sit on a pew and I would do all the trying to get the let's come in this way and let's come in that way and let's organize this. It was horrible. It was me. How many choir members are here? How many choir members here remember years ago when I used to set in choir practice? Wasn't that terrible? >> It was horrible because I was going to make sure. Oh, it's terrible. I'd hear I'd hear brother Phil or Sister Carpenter say, "Now we need to be quiet. No, nobody talking. No, nobody talking." And I'd sit back there and sure enough, somebody start talking and I just couldn't handle it. Hey, DID YOU HEAR THE CHOIR LETTER? >> NO, there's no talk. SHE ASKED NOBODY TO BE TALKING. WE WE WE NEED TO, you know, she can't do the choir pray. And I mean, I was really that way. And I expected Sister Latrica, I expected to get praise from her on the way home. Like, thank you, honey, for being there. Thank you for doing what? And what did I get? I really wish you wouldn't do that. You're telling him not to talk? I said, I didn't tell him not to talk at all. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's a woman's world. And you know what? I finally figured out I couldn't administrate. That was not my gifting. And it's still not my gifting. But you know what I'm thankful of? I'm thankful that God has raised up people all over this church that has the gift of administration. And coupled with the gift of preaching and the gift administration, we can grow a great and a mighty lighthouse here in Marville, Tennessee for the glory of God. We can have outreaches. We can have daycarees. We can have schools. We can have webcasts. We can have all kind of ministries to the correctional center. Why? Because somebody has realized I may not have the GIFT OF PREACHING, BUT I'VE GOT THE GIFT OF THIS or I've got the gift of that. Do y'all see where I'm going tonight? >> The most miserable time in my life is when I tried to operate in a gift that I didn't have. A gift that I didn't have. And I'll tell you some of the first signs that you're trying to operate in a gift that you don't have is a thing called spiritual frustration. All right? Spiritual frustration. But that's a personal thing. Let's let's see if we can find somebody trying to operate outside the their their gifting. Verse number 11, chapter 19 and verse number verse number 11 of the book of Acts. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul. Okay, it's kind of simple. Verse 11. Simple. Anybody need us to elaborate on verse 11? And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul. So that from his body was brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons and the diseases departed from them and the evil spirits went out of them. Now let's stop there for a moment and uh brother Ericson is there way you get a microphone turned on would you go to verse chapter one of Corinthia or 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse number nine here. Let's let's look at Paul for a moment. Here's a man that has a gift. All right. And it's the gift of healing. It's the matter of fact when when when he reads it in a moment. Well, go ahead and read it now, brother Eric, if you can. >> Verse nine. >> Verse nine. Yeah. >> To another faith by the same spirit. To another the gifts of healing by the same spirit. >> Okay. Now, I want you to read it again, but I want I want to draw attention to something. Would you please notice that the word gifts is plural? and not singular. There is not a gift of healing. There's gifts of healing. Why? Because there's different healing. We We are made up of body, soul, and spirit. There's people that need a healing in their soul. And there's people that need a healing in their spirit. >> And then there's people that need a healing in their bodies. All right. But what did you say God does, brother Eric? Would you read it again? >> To another faith by the same spirit. To another the gifts of healing by the same spirit. So evidently, thank you brother Ericson. Evidently Paul had this gifts of healing and he had it so powerfully in his life that people kind of people I don't know how it started but the handkerchiefs and we have a thing we do now. We'll anoint a handkerchief and send it out but but they they could get handkerchiefs and aprons from Paul and take it and people that had been sick were healed. And so Paul had the Paul not only had the gift of the Holy Ghost, Paul had the gifts of healing. People were getting healed. God wrought special miracles from Paul. Now let's go back to Acts. Verse number 13. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, boy, you could stop right there and preach. Hey, some people can't get good teaching because they're vagabonding here and there and getting a little touch of this, a little taste of that when they need to settle down. and certain of the vagabond Jews exorcist took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus saying we adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches well look at that gift Paul's got he just says the name of Jesus and boom a crippled leg is healed He just says the name of Jesus. And people that have issues of blood, they drive up. He just says the name of Jesus in this. And so you guess what they did? He just says the name of Jesus. Well, Paul, Paul, that little girl was sick with the devils inside of her. And Paul turned and said, "In the name of Jesus, you devil, come out of that woman." And and the devils came out. Well, these vagabond Jews saw the giftedness that Paul had, and so they thought that looks good, and so they decided, hey, we'll just do the same thing. And and and so they went up to a devil-possessed man, and they said, "We adjure you in the name of Jesus Christ whom Paul preaches." Well, let's see what happens. Verse 14. And there were seven sons ofKeva, a Jew and chief of the priest which did so. They they found a demon-possessed man. They went up. We adure you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches to come out. They did the same thing. But here's what happened. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are you? You you see don't try to operate IN SOMEBODY ELSE'S GIFTS. Find your giftedness and operate in it. >> Because if you will operate in your giftedness, I want to tell you something. The devils will say, "I know Jesus and I know you too." Paul was operating. He was operating in his gifts. They said, "And and and who are you?" And the man, verse 16, in whom the evil spirit was, leaped on them, overcame them, prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. Can I tell you something? You said, man, they thought that was real sharp. We adjure you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, come out. And the devil said, "We know Jesus and we know Paul, but we don't know you." And the devils tr caused that man to reach and begin to scratch them and claw them and and and they tore their clothes off of them and wounded them that these sons ofKea ran out of the house and down the road naked and bleeding and wounded. Can I tell you, you will really end up in an embarrassment when you try to operate in somebody else's gift. Let's go on a journey AND LET'S FIND GOD, WHAT IS MY GIFTEDNESS, GOD? WHAT HAVE YOU gifted me with? Could we just give God a little praise right now? If you want to find if you want to find your giftedness, let me submit to you, they may have very well, they may have very well, these sons ofKeva may very well have been given the gifts of healing. But you don't get any gift until you first receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. All right? Look with me in Acts chapter 11 and I believe it is verse number 18. Acts chapter 11 verse number 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, "Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted granted or I'm safe to say gifted repentance unto life." Do you know that repentance is a gift? I'm so glad that God gives us the gift of a second chance. >> I'm so glad that God gives us a gift to turn around. >> And that's what repentance is. God gives us a gift of repentance, a gift to turn around. Look with me in the verse before that. The verse before that says this, 17. For as much then as God gave them the light gift as he did unto us who believed on the Lord Jesus, what was I that I could withstand God? And of course what this is, this is the rehearsal. This is the rehearsal of the Gentiles coming in the church. Because when Peter went down in Acts chapter 10 and the Gentiles, Cornelius was baptized in Jesus name and filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke with other tongues. He Peter got in trouble because he being a Jew went under a Gentile's roof. And so in Acts chapter 11, they called Peter before the Jerusalem council and they're saying, "Why did you go? Why did you go to the Gentiles? Why did you do something that's against our custom to do?" And Peter began to rehearse the whole manner, the whole manner in Acts 11. He began to go through it. And I just read you the two verses that he came up. He said, "Who was I?" Can you see him standing before the the those people? And he said, "Who was I that I could withstand God when he gave them the same gift as he gave us who received it at the beginning." You see, that just knocks the props out of the false doctrine that the Holy Ghost was only poured out on the day of Pentecost. This was 8 to 10 years later. And he says, "They got the Holy Ghost speaking with other tongues just like we did at the beginning." And so he's he's he's rehearsing this. I'm glad to have the gift of the Holy Ghost. You can't find any you can't find your second gift until you are filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Turn with me to Romans chapter 12 verse number one. Romans chapter 12 and verse number one. Paul said, "I beseech you." Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. Now we know we live in a culture today that they just tell us it doesn't matter what your body does. It doesn't matter what you look like. It doesn't matter what you do. God knows your heart. All right? You hear that? Oh, God. God God knows what's on the God knows what's on the inside of my heart. And uh so they they they don't look at this verse the way they should, but we are. Amen. He said, "I beg you." Writer writer of over half the New Testament said, "I beg you." That's what the word beseech means. I I beg you and I I want to join in with the great Apostle Paul tonight and I want to look at us, all of us, and myself included. I beg us. I beg you. Let's present our bodies a living sacrifice. A living, let's let's present all of us. It's it's you you know, let's present every bit of us a a living sacrifice. Here's the standard. holy, acceptable unto God. We need to stop asking what's acceptable in culture. We need to start asking what's acceptable unto God. Acceptable unto God, which is your folks, listen to me. It just makes sense to serve God. Can anybody please don't stand because I will I will embarrass you royally tonight. Could anybody tell me of a better life than living for God? Could anybody tell me of a better wholesome life? A better life that brings health to your family? A better life that brings health to the community? Do you all realize that Mville, Tennessee tonight is a better city because of the church? How many can testify tonight you were the first one that came into your family? You were the first one into this wonderful apostolic bornagain Jesus name water baptism experience. You were the first one out of your family and you had a family messed up. You had a family you you had a family of turmoil and all but all of a sudden you got in and then she got in and then some more got in and then you look around and say man OUR FAMILY IS BETTER OFF RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT JUST MAKES SENSE. just your we don't ask you God doesn't ask you to do things that are harmful to your health which is your reasonable service and be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed don't let the world form you God have mercy on us let's not let the world tell us our values I know it's election time. We went and voted early today and I I asked for you two. But can I tell you the Democratic Party, not the Democrat party can tell me what my values are. My values come from this holy book. This is where I get my values. This is where you ought to get your values. And if the Bible says it's wrong, I don't care what YOUR CONSCIENCE SAYS. I DON'T CARE WHAT CULTURE SAYS. If the Bible says IT'S AN ABOMINATION, IT'S AN ABOMINATION. AND JUST WRITE IT DOWN. IT'S JUST simply Come on. DO YOU BELIEVE IT TONIGHT OR DON'T YOU BELIEVE IT? >> YOU'LL NEVER FIND YOUR GIFTING BEING WRAPPED UP IN THE WORLD. Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove test what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Now I've got my body. You'll never You'll never find your giftedness until you present your body to God. You'll never find your giftedness until you get rid of rebellion. You'll never find you'll never find your giftedness until you do one thing called submission. All right? And I know we have a crazy world out there today that anytime a pull pit mentions submission, they start thinking Kool-Aid and poison. They start thinking, you know, blind faith. That is not blind faith. Submission is simply seeing something that is right and saying that I submit. I submit myself to this. Listen to this verse three because we can go on now. We got our bodies presented. For I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, that's men or women, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Can I tell you something? He's saying you better think in proportion to your giftedness. You you you you need to think you need to think in proportion to your giftedness. You know why? We are servants. We are servants. And the very moment we start thinking we ought to be served is the very moment we lose sight of our giftedness. We're not here to be served. We're here to serve. I came tonight to offer several gifts. You did too. We came early to the prayer room to offer the gift of prayer to God. We gathered. The music started. We begin to praise God. What were we doing? We were offering our gifts of praise to God. And now the word of God is going forth. And we're taking our minds and we're trying to wrap our minds around the word of God. Why? because we want to offer ourselves you you know it's not well I I don't get out I don't I don't get anything out of church. Could I just ask you a real simple question? What are you putting into it? Well, I just don't get anything out of it. Well, what are you putting into it? You know, if you're not putting prayer into it, you're not going to get anything out of it. If you're not putting your heart into it, you're not going to get anything out of it. If you sit and analyze things through a carnal mind, you're going to leave here and I just don't get anything out of it. I just don't understand it. But if you can ever learn to submit your flesh to God and not think overly, not be overly exalted, opinion of yourself. I'm just a servant. I'm just here to learn. I'm just here to find God. I'm just here in need of God. God can begin to say, I'll open your eyes and I'll show you the giftedness. Look at verse four. For as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office. Listen, we now now we stop. We've covered that that universal gift of the Holy Ghost. But now it's different giftings. It's it's it's different. It's different giftings. Now, see, there there's some people here, and I believe with all my heart, there's at least two ladies that's in this church. At least two. Their names, Sister Boy and Sister Sutton. And I believe that these two women and others are gifted to pray. I believe, Sister Boy, that's your gift to the body of Christ. I I really do. You carry a burden. You carry a burden to pray. Uh, and Sister Sutton, you you carry a you carry a burden. And and other ladies, I just may I'm just naming two, but can I tell you something? I don't ever want them or you to think they're not important. They may never lead a special. They may never get up here. They may they may never. As a matter of fact, to my knowledge, I don't know if Sister Sutton or Sister Boy has ever stood behind this pull pit. But that doesn't mean their gifting is inferior. Because I'm gonna tell you what powers the pullpit is prayer. >> What powers our church service is? Prayer. What causes a group of denominational preachers in Mville to get together and they make a statement about First Apostolic. You know what they make the statement? They make the statement that they don't understand our doctrine. But if you ever visit them, you can't deny the anointing that you feel in THEIR SERVICE. I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT THAT IS. THAT IS PRAYER. >> THAT IS A GIFT FROM GOD. THAT IS A GIFT FROM GOD. IT'S REAL. IT'S STILL HERE AND I'M THANKFUL FOR IT. ONE HAS THE GIFT TO PLAY AN ORGAN. ONE HAS THE GIFT TO SING A SONG. THE OTHER HAS A GIFT OF PRAYER. BUT WE'RE ALL HERE TOGETHER. Come on, praise him right now with me. IT'S ALL IT'S ALL THE GIFT. WE'RE ALL WE'RE ALL MAKING AN IMPACT. We're all I want us to start. I'm about to quit. But I want us to start our own apostolic me too movement. All right. I want us to start our own apostolic brother Ben. I want us to start our own apostolic me too. Here's why. Because next week when movement starts, you're going to hear a lot of preachers get up here by this pull pit. They gonna call my name and they gonna call brother Erikson's name and they gonna call brother Nolan's name and they going to call Sister Carter's name. But can I tell you, you need to start a me too movement. And when they say that, you need to under your breast say me too. Brother Perry, I don't know if your name will get mentioned next week, but every time you hear him say, "Brother Carpenter this and Brother Carpenter that," you ought to say, "Me, too, cuz I got news for you. It's not one man's gifting that HAS MADE FIRST APOSTOLIC CHURCH, FIRST APOSTOLIC CHURCH. It's a bunch OF PEOPLE THAT GET TOGETHER THAT HAVE WE HAVE THE SAME HOLY GHOST GIFT, BUT WE'VE GOT DIFFERENT OFFICES THAT WE OFFER. WE OPERATE IN. OH, thank God for our daycare. Thank God for women THAT ARE GIFTED TO SIT IN A CLASSROOM WITH LITTLE CHILDREN. THEY GET AMUSED. THEY LOVE IT. THEY FEEL THEIR LIFE IS COMPLETE WHEN THEY'VE GOT LITTLE CHILDREN. I WOULDN'T LOSE MY EVER LOVING MIND IF YOU LOCK ME IN THAT ROOM WITH THOSE KIDS. BUT THERE'S WOMEN THAT ACTUALLY LOOK FORWARD TO IT. Aren't you thankful for our school teachers that have giftings to be school teachers today? Aren't you thankful for our Sunday school teachers today? And all over this campus right now, all over this campus right now, there's a gifting. Brother Sto has a has a gifting. He's not only just he's not only speak Spanish, but he has a gifting to reach. He's he's got a he's got a calling. And I know this will go out on the internet, but I think we have got the best in brother Sodto. I believe WE'VE GOT THE BEST IN that man. And I thank God for that gifting. I thank God. Y'all understanding what I'm saying tonight? >> I thank God. I thank God for Jeremy Stafford. Thank God with a a man of gifting a man a man he's a police officer in Severable and a man that's got his got got his ears open to uh Homeland Security. He's got his ears open to different things because we're living in a demonic culture today that is spewing violence on houses of worship. But I want you good people to know that God has raised up men in this church that feel a calling. They keep one ear. They keep one ear on what's going on in the auditorium. And they keep another ear and an eye out to keep you and I safe. And I thank God for THE GIFTING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST. The gifting. The gifting. The gifting. Why don't you stand with me tonight? Come on. Why don't we use the Why don't you use Why don't you use the eve of movement to say, "God, I'm going I'm going to seek after my my gifting." And it might surprise some of us. We know what our gifting is. We just got to accept our gifting. I'm sorry. Giftings from God are not like a meal you order at a restaurant. You can't send it back to the kitchen. You either use it or you lose it. All right? Because the Bible said, and I got it down in my scripture tonight, that God has set in the body as it has pleased him. So, whatever your your gifting is, go after it. Go after it. Seek God for it. Because I'm going to tell you, we will never become the church that Jesus Christ intends for us to become until we all find our gifting and it finds its place in the church of the living God. Bible speaks. The Bible speaks of people that are gifted in teaching. They're gifted. They're gifted in teaching. The Bible says that. The Bible says in Romans, and I can't I can't leave you without this. I can't leave you without this tonight. The Bible says in Romans, if you go back to Romans 12 and 6, just for a moment, please. Romans 12 and 6. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us. Here's a gift where the prophecy let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith. He said, "If you've been given the gift of prophecy, then prophesy." Or ministry or ministry. That's serving. That's serving. Could be serving on the fit team. That could be serving. That could be serving meals. It could be a number of things. Or ministry. Let us wait on our ministry. Or the gifting of teaching. See, I I believe with all my heart, Art Snitzer, I believe with all my heart God's gifting in your life, sir, is teaching. Believe that. Believe that with all my heart. You're you're you're gifted. You You unwrapped your calling. And I'm glad that I'm glad that that that that you unwrapped it. And I know you've been teaching for years and all that, but I'm glad to see the fruit of the teaching. all over the world. You hear me? >> There's churches, there's churches that have turned and embraced truth because that man got on a computer. He didn't sit around and said, "God, I I want a big conference to preach at." I'm going to tell you what, that stuff ain't all it's cut out to be. >> Let me just go on. Thank you. Could we give the Lord a hand for a man that's got the and he that exorteth on exhortation. Hey, some folks get you you've been gifted to exhort. You said, "Well, you've never let me up there. You you you've never let me up there behind." No, no, no. You got to realize something. You don't have to have this to exhort. >> You find somebody in the lobby tonight that needs some exorting. And just if you if Now, if you got Now, if you got the gift to gab, that ain't right. Well, you got the gift of suspicion. >> I hope I'm right tonight. I hope I know I'm right. Or he that exorteth on exhortation. He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity. Can I tell you some folks are blessed their gift, their gift is the ability to give. their their their gifting is is the ability to give. Do it with simplicity. He that ruleth with diligence, and I love this, and I'll end here at the end of verse eight, he that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. Can I tell you, God raised some of you up from this church. I may not see the person that's here that needs a little mercy talk tonight. Like, so good to see you. So good to have you back. So good to see you in the house of God again. Now don't you you you know it's so good. Just just love on them a little bit. I may not see them tonight, but God could give you the gift. And you know what? We do it with cheerfulness. We are so glad, aren't we? We're so glad to see people that that may have wandered a little bit. Some people wonder and they wonder out there and some people wonder in here. But when they wander out there and they make their way back, we are so glad you've made your way back. >> We are so thankful that you've made your way back. You don't have to say it. You don't have to say one thing. When you WALK THROUGH THAT DOOR, YOU WERE SAYING, "I GOT TO GET BACK. I GOT TO I GOT TO GET BACK TO WHERE I NEED to be and with cheerfulness. Let's pray right now. Father, >> oh Lord God of heaven, oh Lord God of heaven, in in the name of Jesus, God, Lord, it is it's your will that we all find our giftedness. It's Lord, it's your will, God, that we find that special calling that you have on our lives, God. And Lord, I pray over First Apostolic tonight. I pray over every man that's here and every woman, every child. Lord, I I pray God that we can in the next few days as the movement is getting ready to start. And God, the Holy Ghost is going to stir us like never before that God, we would we would find with clarity our calling. We would find with clarity our giftedness, God. And we would not only find our giftedness, we would put our giftedness into action. And Lord, just be with us tonight, God. Take us from this place, but not from your presence, Lord. Lord, bring us back Saturday, Lord. When the community comes here, Lord, for this fall harvest, I I pray when the community comes here, Lord, let the Holy Ghost be on these grounds. Lord, you know as well as I know that the enemy says that October 31st belongs to him. But the devil na never made one day and the devil never made ONE NIGHT. AND OCTOBER 31ST IS NOT THE DEVIL'S NIGHT. THE OCTOBER 31ST, GOD IS YOUR NIGHT. LORD, I know there'll be people here that are MESSED UP IN THEIR MIND. BUT MAY THE CHURCH BE HERE AND MAY THE CHURCH SHINE FORTH. AND MAY WE GIVE A HOPE, GOD. LORD, may we invite people TO SUNDAY SCHOOL ON F ON SATURDAY NIGHT. AND LORD, MAY THEY be at church the next day. Lord, we'll give you the praise and give you the honor and give you the glory. In Jesus wonderful name we all pray. Amen. And amen. God bless you, church. See you Saturday night here in the parking lot.