God Is - Part 5

We are in a series that started last month here on Sundays, where we are talking — the title of the series is just "God Is," and then each week we've been talking about a different character quality, or trait, that God is. And today I want to talk about: God is Wonderful. God is Wonderful.

Isaiah 9:and6 is a very familiar passage of Scripture to many. says: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. And the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." As a prophet was writing and talking and describing the things that the Spirit was leading him to write and pen, he lists God's first name as Wonderful.

Mark 11, verse 15 — Jesus speaking, talking here. It says: "And they come to Jerusalem. And Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrow the tables and the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And He taught, saying unto them, 'Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But you have made it a den of thieves.'"

God, I'm so thankful for Your Word. So thankful for the truth that is there. I pray that You'd be with us for the next few minutes, Lord. Let our hearts and our minds be anointed to receive Your Word, which is already anointed. Accomplish in this service Your will and Your purpose. In Jesus' name we pray, and amen.

Next Sunday, the man of God that's coming — Brother Adam Hunley — is tremendous man. He's a friend of mine, and it's a high honor to have our Global Missions director to be with us. I hope you'll be here. He's a tremendous preacher. I'm looking forward to next week.

This building that we are in here today — this is the house of God. It is made of metal, and sheetrock, and there's several components that go into it. Lots of concrete. It was built for the purpose of worship. There is a certain uniqueness to this building, because of its purpose, and its design, and its intent. We have set this room especially apart, as to be a place where we come together, to fellowship and worship with His people, to be in His presence, to hear His Word.

But the church is much more than just a building. It's all things being put together, that make up the church. The reality is, this building could go away, but you and I — we are the church. We make up the church. We are the body of Christ — the men and the women. It's the methods of God. It's the message we preach. We are here today, and we are all a part of this thing that is called the church.

And our Scripture that I read to you here, at the very beginning of this message — Jesus said, and made the statement, that all nations would notice there was something different about His house. They may not understand all that we do. They may not even respect every decision that we make. But there was something unique about His house, that all nations would take notice of, and pay attention to. No longer are the courts considered to be holy ground, in which we are in. Often times people look at church as just simply another place that is there. Even government has a hard time in distinguishing the difference between the separation of church and state. Things are not respected the way that they were at one time. Often times the church is treated as something that is just commonplace.

That's what Jesus was dealing with, as we read that Scripture there in Mark. The place of worship had become a place where money was exchanged. It was a place where animals were walking through the temple courtyard. It had become nothing more than what maybe you and I would view Walmart [as]: a place where you could go get things that you needed, the moment you needed to get them. And because of that, the house of God had become polluted, and God was not happy about that.

Say, Israel had been taken captive by Rome. They were under Roman rule. But it was not Rome that had corrupted the house of God. The irony: it was Israel. It was the Israelites themselves that had polluted the house of God. Yes. If this thing called the church ever fails to be separated place, if it ever fails to be a holy place, if we ever lose that something that causes all men to respect this thing that's called church, if we ever lose the glory, and the wonder, and the awe of what we do here in this place — then we are losing ground, and we are going backwards.

Paul addressed this in Ephesians chapter 6, verse number 12, when he says: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness and high places." We read this verse of Scriptures, and I think often times we immediately recall to our mind that this is something that takes place in the House of Congress, or in the White House, or in some political movement there. But I'm here to tell you, we have to be very careful that we are not treating the church as common place. The key to maintaining what goes on here, in this house of God, is to make sure that this is a unique place that we always honor and respect, every time we enter the door here.

Now, I understand full well, as long as we are the church, we are going to confront and battle the world at the church doors. But it's beyond the church doors. It's here in the house. It's here in the sanctuary. It's here in this service today, that I'm having to confront worldliness, and ways of thinking — not just from those that don't call themselves a member of this church, but even amongst the membership itself. We are struggling, because we have forgotten to have a proper respect, and reverence, and awe for the house of God.

We must be careful. We believe in prayer. Come on. I believe that prayer changes things. I believe that prayer can do anything that God can do, and God can do everything. We are all be known as people of prayer. But this word that's translated "prayer," in the verse of Scripture I read to you to start, is not a supplication. It's talking about a reverence, and a respect, and a wonder. What Jesus was saying was: when people looked at His house, there was an awe and a respect, even if they didn't fully understand. There was something special about it being the house of God.

When people see you, you should be living life in such a way that people are drawn to you, even if they don't understand all that you do, or the why behind what you do. As you've heard me say before: Scripture indicates, and declares, that you and I should live in such a way that people would say, "What a good God there is." Because God made you — not for you to be lifted up, but that He would receive glory, that He would receive honor, that He would receive respect, by the choices and the lifestyle that you and I live.

Right now, I know that flies in the face of this me-centric world we live in today. All right? It flies in the face of even mainstream Christianity, that has so watered down and diluted the Scriptures that it is of no effect anymore in people's lives — that is just an experience for you and I to have. It's much more than an experience. It is a life I live, dedicated to a God who gave everything for me. And if I'm doing my part right, men will be drawn to the God I serve. They will see the light that shines out of me. They will taste the salt of the world that I live in, because of me. That's what God has called us to do.

I'm troubled by this generation. I'm worried that we're in danger of losing something. I'm not worried that we're going to lose our standard of holiness. I understand: as long as preachers are in this pulpit, we're going to have to confront the world at the door back there. I understand that. I'm not afraid of — us losing our talent. We have more talent and ability than we've ever had. I've been in this my whole life. Where the most talented generation that there has been. I'm not worried about us having money. Where the most prosperous generation that there has been. But what I fear is that there's an hour coming, when this thing called the church will begin to traffic in a truth that we no longer feel. I feel that we're going to come to an hour when we have singers that will come to a platform, for the purpose of performing rather than praising, and preachers in the pull pit for manipulating rather than ministering.

Don't get me wrong. I believe in holiness and separation as much, if not more, than anybody in this place. And you've heard me say before that you cannot behave your way into heaven, but you can misbehave your way into hell. We are saved by grace, and that alone. It's a gift from God. It's nothing that you and I can do in our life. Holiness does not save us, but holiness is homage I paid to a God who did save me. It's what He's asked of me to do. I no longer belong to myself. I belong to the One who purchased me at Calvary.

The first and the greatest commandment — we read about in Matthew chapter 22:35: "Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him the question, tempting Him, and saying, 'Master, which is the greatest commandment of the law?' And Jesus said unto him, 'Thou shalt love thy Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shallal love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.'"

Jesus said it was on these two things that everybody hinges on. This means that every "Thou shalt not," and every "Thou shalt," in the Book, are there to accomplish two things: to make me fall more in love with God, or make me fall more in love with you. And any preacher that stands in a pulpit right here, and has any other agenda besides those things, is out of order. Is out of order. This pulpit is not meant for me to put you in your place. This pulpit is meant for me to show you the love of God, and how you're supposed to live your life, to pay Him honor for what He has done, and for you to love your neighbor as yourself. It's a conditional thing. My vertical relationship is directly tied to my horizontal relationship. And I will never love God more than I love the least of you, in my life. Oh, I know that's not popular. I know some of you are struggling with that. But that's what the Book tells us. That's what it tells me. That's the life I'm supposed to live, for my God.

Psalms 33:and8 says: "Let the earth fear the Lord. And all the habitants of the world stand in awe of Him." Psalms 89:7: "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence of all that are about Him."

Over the last few weeks, as we've been going through this series, we've talked about so many things that God is: that He is our Redeemer, and our God. And He is the Truth. And there's a few more weeks to go before we end this series. But today, I want you to know: there's something about God that's wonderful. Amen. Amen. Yes. There's something about God that is wonderful. That as the prophet was pinning those words — as the Spirit moved on him — the first word he came up with, to describe Him, was Wonderful. Oh, He is wonderful. He is wonderful. He is wonderful. He is wonderful.

And there's so many things in this world that are there to capture our attention, for us to be captivated by. There's so many things that we can be a part of in this life, and even experience. But I'm afraid of — is because of mankind ability to closely be able to simulate stuff that's out there, that we got to be careful that we don't get captivated by the temporary, and we miss out on the eternal. There's a lot of stuff going on right now, and we are slowly continuing to shift and change, into a place where it's going to be very difficult for you and I to know what is real, and what is fake. And I mean, we're running headlong into those things. That's why you got to be careful that you don't ever lose the wonder, and the awe, and the respect for the Almighty God. You got to be careful that you come into the house of God, and you don't find yourself sitting there, when the presence is moving in this place, and, because it's become common to you, and something you experience on a regular basis, that you don't pay any attention. It bothers me when the saints of God can sit down, when God's presence is powerfully moving in the place, as if it's something that's just common. Oh God, help me to never be in Your presence and not be moved, to a point where I worship, and I'm thankful for the fact that the God who created all is moving in this place. Don't let me ever lose the wonder. Don't let me ever lose the wonder.

He's our God. He is Jehovah Gyra. Jehovah Shalom. Jehovah Ni. He is El Shai, Elohim, Adonai. But when Isaiah was pinning those words, the first thing he came up with is that He is Wonderful. Wonderful. More wonderful than anything I have ever experienced in my life. He is the greatest. There is nothing above Him. There is nothing bigger than Him. There is no greater moment than when I come into the presence of the Almighty God.

But I got to be careful, because there's so many things trying to copy that. That was privilege in my life, to have been raised in the church. I've been privileged in my life — and that made me better than anybody else — but with each passing year of life, I realized just how blessed I was, that from the earliest time I was brought into His presence — my earliest memories are being in the house of God. As far back as my mind can go, I remember experiencing church. Right? I was there. My mom and dad were faithful to the house of God. They brought me in, and they exposed me to truth, and to a reality of a world that I didn't know any different. I just assumed everybody knew what it was like to be in the presence of God.

I remember what it was like when I was 12 years old, over on Spring Street — our church that we were in, before this church. And we were there, and I remember that February day when, in that altar, I raised my hands up, and Clayton Neil was praying with me that day. And he told me — he said, "You're so close to receiving the Holy Ghost, Kevin. And the moment you speak in tongues, I'm going to start dancing everywhere." And just a few minutes later, I heard him dancing everywhere, and didn't realize I was speaking in tongues, because God had filled me with His Spirit. I remember those moments. I remember services where we were slain in the Spirit. I remember shouting. I remember sitting under the church pews, and watching the ladies dance, and watching the high heels go around, and wondering if I can stick my hand out there, and back and forth. I remember playing with my car. I was just — I was in the house of God. That was the life I grew up in. Didn't understand how great it was, that that was my experience. But it also was something that I had to be careful of, because I been raised in the house of God. I had been comfortable with His presence.

Now, for those of you that's your first time in Apostolic service, sometimes you're not always comfortable. You think we're a little crazy. You wonder why we dance, and shout, and sing about, and do all the things we do. And you can usually tell the first-timers by the look on their face. We know we're a lot — We get it. But we can't help ourselves, when we're in His presence. Now, what we have to be careful of is that those of us who are used to it — we also know how to fake it. Amen. We know how to fake it. We know how to go through the motions. Now, be very careful, because in doing so, we start treating that that is holy as if it's profane. Got to be careful with that, because it causes us to have some confusion, sometimes. And we don't mean it. It's not something we set out to do on purpose. But we got to be careful with it, because it can cause us to drift over into a place that's really dangerous to be.

You guys okay with me? Leviticus 19:30 says: "You shall keep My sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary. I am the Lord."

I'm worried that — we got to be careful that we don't end up watering down our relationship with God. We have learned how to preach, and how to sing, and how to be separated, and how to be holy. We've learned how to pray, and we've learned how to go through the motions of worship. But my fear is, we may end up losing the all and wonder of God. We can come into a service, and we can be engaged in the service, or we can be disengaged. It doesn't bother us either way. It bothers me. It bothers me deep, when I see this going on.

In my own personal life, I don't want to ever reach the point where I can come in contact with the presence of God, and it does not create a sense of awe and wonder inside of me, who God is, and what He's doing. And I believe that we got to be careful with that, because I've seen, so many times, it has a detrimental effect. I've seen so many people end up becoming angry at God. In my 29 years of ministry, I've ran into so many people who are just angry with God. I've discovered this truth, that is there — this common bond and thread at the heart of most all those who are angry at God: their view of Him, their view of God and His goodness, is directly attached to their own experience of happiness. They didn't see God is Lord of — and all His awesome glory. And their functions in theology — they have reduced Him to being a divine conser. Please listen to me. Please listen to me. His job, in their mind, was to make sure that all their days are good — that He's nothing more than just a divine waiter, delivering the good life to them on a divine platter. But here's the reality: most people that are angry with God are not angry with Him for being God. Come on. They're not angry with Him for having failed to delivered on the promises that He gave. They're angry with Him because He has not cowered down to all of their demands, and expectations, and what they have craved in their life. And they're all self-replacing, to be lord of their life. And he reduces them to being no more than an indentured servant. They treat Him no differently than they would treat Santa Claus — giving Him a bad review on Yelp, when their expectations have not been met.

Oh, we got to be careful that we don't lose the awe and wonder of who He is — to give Him His just doe and respect. You got to be very careful, when we find oursel being mad because God has not met my demands. Oh, be careful. Be careful, Center Point. Be very, very careful about how you justify your grudge with Him. Come on. How things have not gone according to your plan, and your expectations, and how your life was supposed to be. And how, when you look around, and there are others that have this, and have that, and it's just not fair. Oh, be very careful when you ask for what is fair. Be very, very careful about the mindset of what is fair. Because fair — if you got what was fair, what you deserved, is a devil's hell. What you deserve is to not have been died for. That's what you and I deserve. We didn't deserve Calvary. We didn't earn Calvary. We didn't earn that blood being shed. We didn't earn that redemption plant. But He freely gave it, in spite of our failures and shortcom he. He gave it, in spite of you and I not holding up our end of the bargain. You been — very careful about what you say is not fair. What's not fair is that He died — God, of all-perfect One — for you and me. That's not fair. So it's not about being fair. I don't want what's fair. I want mercy and grace in my life. I want the wonder and the awe of a God who would do the unthinkable. Oh, let us never lose the wonder. God is wonderful.

Proverbs 16:18 says: "Pride goes before destruction, and a holy spirit before fall." I don't know if you know this or not, but Proverbs 16:18 is the exact middle of the Word of God. It's the middle. Everything before and after hinges on this one thing: that pride goes before a fall. Oh, be very careful that we don't get so built up into what we are owed, and what we deserve, and what we have done, and the accomplishments we have, that we forget the One who gave the ability and the right, the talent and the skill set, and the time, and the breath, and the heartbeat, and all those things that you and I take advantage of, and think that we're going to do it on our own. Be very, very careful that pride doesn't cause you to stumble and fall, when we have a God who's so wonderful, and gracious, to give you all those things. Than You, Lord.

Every wisdom, and every pearl of knowledge, centers around this thing. Psalms 4:4 says: "Stand in all, and sin not. Commune with your heart upon your bed, and be still." Hear me this day. Hear me this morning. There's a definite relationship between the loss of reverence, and the increasing condition of sin in the church. Jesus said, in Matthew 24:12: "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Oh God, we must be careful. We must be mindful, or we'll be a generation that loses the wonder of God — the He has become some side attraction, that I can turn off or turn on anytime I need it. That when life's not going right, that I can just bend — being in His presence — to get myself back where I need to be. But the moment everything goes well, I can pause for a while, and go back to doing the things that I really want to do. Be careful. Be very, very careful.

We are a generation that is so free to criticize every aspect of our life. Every aspect. And it has spilled its way into the back door of the church, where we criticize leadership, and the man of God, and wonder while we're losing the battle against morality in the coming generation. Is there any wonder, when they hear us tear down all the things around us, and decide, "I know that's what the Word of God says, but I don't believe it's"? Be very careful. Be very, very careful, when you lose the respect for the position.

I'm just a man. I'm just a man. Nothing more. I'm just a man. There's nothing special about me. I'm just a man. But the office I hold is special. It's special — nothing to do with me. Please know, I'm just a fallible man. And I need God as much today as I've ever needed Him in my life. I got to have Him in my life. It's nothing about me. But whoever holds the office — whoever holds the office — to be respected. I'm not here on this kick that I want you all to bow down, and kiss my ring. That's not what this is about. But there's something about respecting the positions that are there, that makes a difference. There's something about it that's just different. There's a connection into Him, and in every area of our life. And we got to be careful that it just doesn't become common place. Because He is wonderful. He is wonderful. And He is deserving of our respect, and honor, and — admonition. We got to be careful, because coming to church is not like going to any other place. It's not like it. The presence of God will go with you everywhere you will go. Nothing can separate you from those things. But there's something about when we come in here. There's something about it that's just different.

We are we are generation that has developed this take-it-or-leave-it attitude. Proverbs 16:6: "By mercy and truth, iniquity is purged. But by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil." Once again, the Scripture here, talking about fear, has the connotations of reverence and respect. Look here: being afraid of hell is not going to make people go away from evil. It's just not. Having a fear of that, it's not going to make people turn around. People are only going to stay away from evil when they have a true reverence, and respect, and wonder, for God. That's what's going to make — that's what makes the difference.

I know I'm slowing down. I'm doing this on purpose, because you got to let it settle in your mind, that you cannot just be comfortable in the presence of God, and treat it like it's any other thing you do in life. Because it's not. It's different. It's different when you feel His presence movement. It's different when you come into His house, and into His sanctuary. We should come into His house differently. We should enter in with an awe, and a wonder, and respect. We should enter in with worship automatically being a part of what we do. That I get to go to church. I get to go to His house. I get to be in His presence. What an honor it is. Because He is wonderful. Don't ever — don't let us ever be guilty of losing the wonder of God.

second Corinthians 7:1: "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Paul said, in this verse, the only way you can perfect holiness is with a fear. Again, that the word — go look at it. Study out. Search it. It is an awe, and a wonder, and a respect. We have to be careful that we don't become too arrogant. Paul admonishes, in Romans 11, not to be high-minded. Don't come in here thinking you deserve this. Instead, you come in here, and you're like — your mindset should be, "God, I can't believe You're letting me be here again."

The only difference between the Pharisees and the disciples was: the Pharisees gloried in all the things they didn't do, and the disciples gloried in Jesus. They gloried in Him. That's where my glory is. All of my accomplishments that I could do on my own — they're nothing. They're nothing. I haven't able to do anything on my own that was worthwhile to speak of. It was all just a bunch of trash. But anything that I've ever been able to do, with any purpose or any meaning, was because He has walked with me, and He has gifted me, and talented me, and giving me the abilities. Without Him, I'm nothing. Without Him, I'm less than nothing. But with Him — He takes the brokenness of a man, and says, "If you'll give Me your life, I'll show you what I can do in My kingdom with you." And He's still — He's still after men and women.

Stop getting stuck down on your failures and your mistakes, when there's a wonderful God who's saying, "Just bring Me what you got. I'm not asking you to bring Me anything but what you have. Don't bring Me anything but that mess of a life you got, and I'll do something great in wonderful — as long as you don't lose the respect, and reverence, and awe for who I am."

Reverence is not optional. And sacrifice is not sufficient to develop a relationship with God. Service will never constitute a claim to Christianity, or to ministry. Hebrews 11 talks about Moses — talks about a lot of people, but Moses is one of them. If you're familiar with Scripture, Hebrews 11 is the faith chapter. Talks about all these men and women, and what they did, and how they were faithful, and what God did through them. Hebrews 11 tells us that Moses, he chose to suffer affliction, rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

Moses was born into a crazy time, to where Hebrew boys were being killed. His mom protected him. God's hand was upon Moses. To shorten the story down: she came to a point where she can no longer hide him, so she decided to build him a little basket. And she put him in the basket. And she took him down to the river bank, and, in faith, floated him out, saying, "God, he's more than I can do. You got to take care of him." And most of us know how the story goes. And he happened to float over to the other side, to where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing. And she hears the baby crying, and she has one of her maids go over and pick him up. And, as God does these amazing things, he ended up backing his mama's arms, and being nursed. But he grew up in Pharaoh's palace. He got the best educations. He wore the best clothes. He wore all this stuff. But there came a point in his life when he chose to leave that, to be separated from those things. And we find him for 40 years tending sheep — and his father-in- — for his father-in-law, over on the back side of the mountain. And it comes up to this moment, to where there's a burning bush. And as the bush is burning, He begins to speak, and says, "Take your shoes off, because standing on holy ground." And Moses takes off his shoes. And at this point, he begins to ask Him questions about who God is.

And I had this moment, as I was reading that, that I realized: he'd been serving, and living separated, for a God he didn't even know. Jesus — for a God he didn't even know. Sister Sue — it made me wonder how many of us are living a life that we don't even really understand. Separated to a God we don't know. You don't even know. I don't know who I'm reaching for with this, but I'm telling you: this life is the best life lived, only if you understand the Who you're living it for.

Look, we're not going to be Pharisee, and throw down a bunch of laws and lifestyle convictions, and say, "You got to do this." If you've been here around for any time in my tenure, leading this church — you know, and it was the same way when Bishop led the church — we put the emphasis on: you need to know the God first, you're doing this for. Otherwise, it doesn't make any sense. Because if you don't know the God that you're doing it for, there'll come a moment in your life when the pressure will overwhelm you, and you'll willingly walk away, because you never developed a wonder, and an awe, and a respect. But when you do have an awe and a wonder for Him, no matter what comes your way, you know and understand: He's never going to put more on me than I can bear. No matter what I'm going through, I'm not by myself. My God stands with me. That's why it's important. You cannot lose the wonder, and awe, and understanding of the God you're supposed to be serving.

I've seen the generations that preceded me, who reached a certain age in our life, when it no longer made sense to do what they were doing, because they never had a respect, and an awe, and a wonder, for their God — because they didn't know Him. And many of our friends and family have walked out the door, and never come back in, because they never had an awe and wonder for God. He is wonderful. He is wonderful. But if you ever lose that reality in your mind, there will come a moment when you will easily walk away, and think nothing of the fact you're turning your back on the God who gave it all for you. It's broke my heart, because I have so many of my friends, and my family, who talk so common and plain about the things of God. And there's — no respect there. And it breaks my heart. And I pray that God somehow will continue to pull them back, to a place where they can make amends, and get back to where they need to be, because they've lost the all, wonder, and respect for who He is.

We have to be sure that we always keep an awareness of our spiritual condition. Hebrews chapter 12 talks about Esau as a profane man. The word "profane" here does not speak about his vocab ulary, but it means his carelessness, or callousness, with sacred things. He sold off his inheritance, because he didn't think much about it. But please listen to me this morning: what he sold was not anything physical. Because the best I can tell, by reading through this Book — the best I can tell, Brother Elkins — is that he still got all of his daddy's inheritance. That's not what he sold off. But what he sold off was the blessing. He sold it off, because he was so consumed with his flesh, in a moment, that he thought nothing of the blessings of God. Please listen to me: you can't treat it as common things. There's something very special about having a respect, and an awe, and a wonder, that you don't misunder understand the value. Yeah, he was hung up in his hunger, over a bowl of beans, that he was willing to say — what — use his words: "What use is it to me, anyway?" Oh God, help us. Oh God, help us, that we don't treat it like it's something common — that for a temporary moment of pleasure, I'll give away the eternal blessings of God.

The story goes so deep. The Bible says, in Hebrews 12:16: "Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For you know how that afterwards, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected. For he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." David was a murderer and an adulterer, but he found a place to repentant. Samson was a fornicator, but he found a place to repent. Jacob was a deceiver and a surlan, but he found a place to repent. But Esau found no place to repent. Because when you lose the wonder, you lose any common ground on which you can even approach God. He didn't even respect Him, so how could he repent? Because "what value is it to me?" he said. He could even find a place to bow his knee, because there was no longer respect, that he was bowing down to the God of all. If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, then surely irreverence is the beginning of idy.

Our problem is that we are so blessed. We're like the house of Abinadab, when the Ark of the Covenant was lost. It was lost under King Saul's reign. It stayed there for the remainder of his ten years being king. But when David became king, he realized, "Hey, we're missing something. We're missing the presence. We're missing the representation of God." So they decided to go get it back. Now, the problem with it wasn't that they wanted the presence of God back. The problem was, they didn't take the time to read the Word, about what to do to get the presence of God back. It was supposed to be bore on the on the shoulders of the priests, and the Levites were supposed to bear the ark. They didn't take the time to read that. So when they go to bring it back, we see this story: as they Place the ark on a cart, and the cart's heading back into the capitol city there — and then, all of a sudden, it hits a pothole, and Aza reaches his hand up just to steady the ark. And when he does, and he touches the ark, God strikes him dead.

I'll be honest with you, Sister Freeman: I struggle with this for a long time, cuz I feel like this dude's just trying to do something good. How is he being punished? He was just trying to do something good. But the problem was, the presence of God — the presence of the ark — had become common. See, See Aza was Abinadab son. And the Ark of the Covenant had been set in the living room. And he passed by it every day — going to work, going to school. It just became common thing that was there. It was just like another piece of furniture. It was just common place. So when the ark shifted — because it was so common, and he was so used to just seeing it — he thought nothing of respecting the fact that you're not supposed to touch it. Because there was no respect, and there was no honor. What seemed like a good deed was actually dishonor, as he steadied his hand to catch it, and God struck him dead.

This why we got to be careful. I know this is a message that I'm preaching to the church today. You got to be careful that you come in here, week in and week out, and we experience the presence of God, and His move, on a common — it's very — every service, we feel God move in this place. But that's a wonderful thing, as long as you are always having the mindset of what it is we do. But the moment — the moment you allow it to become common — it's easy for you to sit down, when God's moving. It's easy for you to have your thoughts a th000 miles away, and to be thinking about everything you got to do, because Monday's coming. It's easy for you to be caught up of all the things that are not right in your life, and pay no attention that the God who created all is moving around you, and you treat it like it's any other thing. Got be careful. Be careful what that does to you, that you don't respect. Be careful that, when God is moving, and people around, in the altar area down here in the front, are moving, and you never budge from the seat you set and be — be very careful. "Pastor Kevin, I just don't feel like, you know, that I should have to do these things." Be very careful how you think about what you should and should not do, in His presence. Be very careful you don't find yourself — because here's what I have seen happen, 100% of the time, for those who lose the A and wonder: they immediately become critical. They immediately become judgmental. And it becomes all about them. All becomes about what they think is right, and what they think should happen, and what their experience is. And they miss the fact that the God of glory has walked into the room, and you don't pay Him any attention. You don't bother to even acknowledge His presence. And you will let Him walk right by you, and not give Him one word of praise.

I'm really burdened — and musicians can make their way — I'm really burdened for my generation. I'm really broken. I grew up in this. I grew up in this, where there were very, very few churches in the Apostolic movement that look like this. Very few. Very few that had the comforts and the convenience that we have. Very few that had the accessibility, financially, that what we have — that have the time, talent, abilities, like what we have. And I'm thankful for it. I thank God. I come in — every time I come into the sanctuary, I look up, and I said, "Thank You, God, that You've given us all that You've given us."

We got to be careful, because we can become complacent. And contentment can settle in. Before long, we're no longer digging for what it is that God really wants to do. We're just happy, and enjoying what we have. And He walks among us, and we're just like, "Oh, hey God, how You doing? It's good to see again. Lord, yeah, just glad You're here today, God. But if You don't mind, we got a few things we're going to do. Just sat right over there for a minute. We'll get to You in a second." "What you talking about, Pastor Kevin? We never knew that." Oh, you may never say those words. But your actions speak really, really loud — when I can watch His presence move across this sanctuary like a wave, and there are those who are tuned into to what's going on, are — those who are still new to what's going on, and they are so just enamored, and smitten, by His presence. And yet there are some who said here — yeah, God's here. He is wonderful. He is wonderful. I don't know of a better word I can put, to say that He is wonderful. And there should always be a wonder about us, every time we come in contact with Him. There should always be something inside of us that is saying, "I have to worship Him. I have to thank Him. I have to give Him my life, my abilities, my time. Everything I have belongs to Him, because He is wonderful."

Pray — if we're not careful, we will begin, as I said earlier — as you stand with me to your feet — that we will traffic in an unfelt truth. I'm not saying, necessarily, that every time that there's an Altra call, you ought to be down here, just snotting up the carpet, and rolling around the floor. This is just how I believe: this ought to be a place that you regularly visit. This ought to be a place that you — this place isn't just for people who are sinners, that need to be filled with His Spirit. This place is for saints, who are still trying to get life worked out. This is a place where people who live out there in the world — and junk has a way just jumping up on you — that come down. This is a place where people reverence and respect what's going on.

Now, I know there used to be a mindset that the only time you came down here is when you really needed God to just fill you with His Spirit, or you needed a healing in your life. But otherwise, if you were doing okay, you stayed in the pew. I don't get that. I don't get that, when I read this. I don't — I'm sorry. There's something about physic Ally acknowledging, through my actions, that He is Lord of my life — that I step out from where I am, to say, "God, I want to show You I'm committed to You." This isn't about anybody else watching you. Forget that. Forget that. Forget that. And if you're keeping tally about how many times someone comes down — "Oh, they back down there again. I'm glad they needed to be" — I rebuke you, in Jesus' name. If anybody needs to be down here, you ought to be the first one down here, putting your list down, and walking away from it. But down here's were the wonder and the a — yes — where the worship's at. Hallelujah.

There was something about it. See, I'll end with this: when David realized the mistake — that mistakes were made — when David realized mistakes were made, he said, "Go get the Book. Let's read what we're supposed to do." And then, when he read what we supposed to do, he said, "Okay, priest, get out there. Put it on your shoulders. And you know what? I'm going to get out in the front, all right? And we're going to take a few steps. And we're going to sacrifice. And we're going to worship. Why? Because He's a God that's wonderful." And they take a few more steps, and they sacrifice again. And David would start — he start dancing. Why would the king dancing? Because he said, "Look, if anybody's going to set the example, I'll set the example. Then, when we're coming before His presence, we're going to do it with singing, and dancing, and shouting. Why? Because He is worthy. He is worthy. He is worthy. He is wonderful. He is wonderful. He is wonderful."

It's time to worship God. It's time to worship God. He is in this place. And our God is wonderful. He is deserving of praise, and adoration, and worship, and honor, and glory. So I tell you: this is open. If you need salvation, come on down. You need a healing, come on down. If you need to get your mind back right, with a God who is wonderful, come on down. And let us worship God together.