The Unknown

I'm going to read from three different passages of scripture today but don't get nervous it's not long if you'll give me just a minute I'm going to try my best to set it up what I feel like the Lord has for us today on this sered Sunday we go to Mark chapter 14 and then John 2 and John 6 to set this

up from Mark 14:12 says now on the first day of the unleavened bread when and they killed the Passover Lamb his disciples said to him where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover and he sent out two of his disciples and said to them go into the city a man will meet you carrying a picture of water follow him John 2 verse number five and his mother said to the servants whatever he says to you do it and there was set there six water pots of stone according to the manner of purification of the Jews containing 20 or 30 gallons of Peace Jesus said to them fill the water pots with water and they filled them up to the brim John 6 and9 there is a lad here who has five barley Loaves and two small fish but

what are they among so many then Jesus said make the people sit down that there was much grass in the place so the men sat down in the number about 5,000 and Jesus Took the Loaves and when he had given thanks he distributed to the disciples and the disciples to those sitting down and likewise of the fish as much as they wanted for just a few minutes on this serice Sunday I want to preach from a simple title The Unknown the unknown will you help me pray Jesus your presence is here so strong we feel you close we feel you near God I pray just for the next few minutes that you would anoint our minds and our hearts to receive your word and what you have for us today in Jesus name we pray and amen it is serve Sunday here at Center Point

and I'll add to my appreciation and thanks to all of you who week in and week out are so dedicated and committed here in your Ministries and your activities that make this church possible it has been said by Pastor Wesley it is a true statement without you it just wouldn't happen so thank you thank you for those who tirelessly give and we celebrate you for all that you do everyone is important I'm going to say that every one is important that means you it means everyone in this room it means everyone who has ever created is important and God has a plan and a purpose we believe that everybody has a Ministry we do we do that you can clap for that that's a good one everybody has a Ministry you may not have a pull pit Ministry but you have a Ministry you

have something that God designed you to fulfill in his kingdom and you have a purpose and a plan we all like reading the stories that are in the scriptures we like to grab on and enjoy the ones that are filled with the all inspiring Feats and could only be accomplished by Supernatural means big things where God steps in stories like David and Goliath stories like Daniel in the Lion's Den Paul shaking off the Viper Into the Fire Peter walking on the water and many of us remember these stories especially if you happen to have grown up in church you remember probably going to Sunday school or a life class as a little one you hear these stories and they stuck with you grabbed a hold of those things because it was bigger than life it was something that couldn't be done in the

natural and I love those stories you can read through Hebrews chapter 11 it's the it's the chapter about the faithful that is there notable men and women Abel Noah Abraham Moses and Rahab among the many that are listed there these stories also grab us as well and it's easy to read about what they have done and how God come alongside them and be guilty I know I have been of saying to myself well God that was them but that's not me they have a name that's written down in the scriptures it's carried on throughout time but I want you to know that there are others who have been listed in the Bible that are unknown or unnam that are there but they are equally as important in what they did and their purpose and their plan in fact without those men and

women being there even though we don't have their name I wouldn't have a scripture reference for today what I read you and just just those three short passages are not the only examples but there are many that are there of men and women who we don't have their name but yet they contributed in a significant and a mighty way throughout eternity I think it's important to set up from the beginning of a message today and my plan is not to be long I want us to have an opportunity in a little while not only to spend some time with God in the altar but have a have a chance to walk out and see if there might be a place for you to be a part of ministry here at centerp Point because we believe in that we believe that everybody has a

Ministry and we want you to find a place where you can get plugged in around here but when I look at what goes on in scriptures we look through this pages that are there and all that that is laid out and we see these key pieces in the kingdom of God that are so important and many times it's by the unnamed or the unknown or the unnoticed their name is there it's not publicized but it did not exclude them from being used mightily for the kingdom of God they were just happy to be a part of what was going going on to be there and be present many often times feel insignificant and feel like they're never going to have any recognition especially in our society that is so me Centric and me driven all around us it doesn't help the matter the world's

mindset today says look at me and look at what I can do but the kingdom of God says look at him the kingdom of God it says it's not about me it's not about my Sacrifice it's about what he has done and it's about the sacrifice that he gave and the price that he paid so that I have an opportunity to even be here today in his presence Ministry is not limited to only a pull pit We Believe here at Center Point again that everybody has a purpose and a role and a part to play in the kingdom of God I say it many times everything that makes you you God intends to use for his kingdom some may may may say that you're weird or you're unique or you're different but everything that is in your personality every Talent every ability everything

that that makes you you God put there for a reason and for a purpose it's not an accident it's not a mistake maybe you weren't planned by your mom and dad but you were planned by the almighty God you did not surprise him he was putting you together in your mother's zoom and he was placing things inside of you that he wants to draw out of you to use in his kingdom for his purpose and his plan and there is no greater feeling in this world than to know that you are doing what God designed in created you to do it's hard for me to explain that and it wasn't always easy for me to even discover myself I never planned to be a preacher I never intended to be a pastor that was that was not a goal that I had as

a young man not that there's anything wrong with someone who who dreams about that but that was not where I was headed my grandfather was a pastor for many years and we were always very involved in church but when I thought about a vocation and a job it was not this was not in my plan this is not my intention I went into the medical field I was a medical sonographer I had a good job I made good money I had a great plan but God had other plans for me and if I'm being honest with you as I was pursuing my own passions and desires I was miserable in that because I was not fulfilling what God had for me it didn't have a sense of purpose it didn't have the sense of meaning that it should have had and finally

one day I just raised my hand and said God I don't know what it is you plan to do with me but I'm tired of being miserable so what whatever it is you want me to do I'm in and I would love to tell you that it's been this perfect adventure and there was no problems but that's not been the reality I've had ups and downs and I've had struggles and there's been times that I've thought about walking away but there's always been this overwhelming sense of purpose that I knew that God had me where he wanted me to be Ministry is not easy it's about sacrifice and I feel like that's evident in the pages of scriptures that God did not hide his plan for us he show Us by doing it first and then he invites you and I can you

imagine that that the king of glory the creator of all the universe says I want you to be a part of what I'm doing he didn't ask just the best in fact when you read this he's all about the Misfits he's all about the broken he's all about the abused he's all about the out Outcast and the ones that society says is worthless and no good those are the ones he comes and says you know what I can use you I can use your brother Brokenness I can use the things that you think are worthless and are no good I'll use those things I'll I'll make them beautiful I'll make them impactful I'll make them powerful for the kingdom what an amazing God we serve that doesn't just throw us away that says no bring me your ashes and I'll make a life that's beautiful

out of them oh we ought to love God right now thank you God that you don't give up on us but you're willing to use our Brokenness For Your Glory and for your kingdom your life has purpose your life has meaning I don't care how old you are in this room I don't care what mistakes you have made I don't care what declarations that you have have put out there that you didn't keep I want you to know that you are still qualified for Kingdom work you're still qualified for Kingdom work he has a plan for you when I look at these individuals and if you'll give me just a few minutes this morning I'm going to unpack what I feel like God laid on my heart for today for this church I picked up on a few things that I feel like important

if I go back to the story in John chapter 6 we're beginning at verse number nine it says there is a lad here I think it's important to notice that he was he was there he wasn't absent he was is present for what's going on sometimes just being here is half the battle have you noticed that have you noticed that sometimes just getting to the house of God is a fight in itself I'm sure that if I was to maybe do a little poll around the room today that probably somebody in this room was fighting when he pulled in the church parking lot somebody had a kid probably losing their mind or maybe you was losing your mind or your spouse lost their mind or some some mind was lost lost and he pulled in the parking lot and there may have been a conversation

going you better act right I'm not going to put up with this we're going to the house of God get out of this car and put a smile on your face right now and act like you love Jesus I don't know who that was for but that felt good saying that we may or may not have had one of those conversations before we didn't today because we drove separate sometimes just getting to the house of God is half the battle when I look at the story I think it's important to note that the first thing that was listed about this unnamed lad is he was there as they were looking around for somebody to help out with the problem that they were experiencing somebody was present I think it's important that you're in the house of God today because you being here is

is making Ministry possible for you who knows who it is that God wants to use in the house today it isn't always about me in fact it has very little to do with me ever at all I just happen to be the guy behind the pull pit but I'm here to tell you that that you have an important part to play just by being in this room the disciples dismissed him a little bit and said well it's just a lad but I don't want you to tell you he didn't have to be qualified he was present in fact when I look at I look through scriptures I've already said that there are a lot of people that would have been disqualified by your opinion and my opinion but I love the fact that he doesn't disqualify off that in fact he he's willing to

go to Great Links in fact at one point he says I want you to go find me find me a cult that or a donkey that no man has ever ridden on he hasn't even been broke in because you know what he doesn't need you to be broke in when he puts your anoint his anointing on you he'll take care of that so quit trying to be qualified in your mind he's looking for a willing vessel he's looking for somebody to say hey I'm here God if you need to use somebody I don't know what talent or ability I might have but I'm here I'm present so maybe just maybe you can use me and I want you to know that's the attitude that God's looking for today in the house if for somebody just to be saying hey I'm here I'm here God I'm

president that's what happened to this young man he just brought his lunchable he had he had some Goldfish crackers and a fish stick that would be today's equivalent what he had but his presence positioned him for participation in a miracle it's hard to be a part of a miracle if you're not present when the miracle is taking place I'm going to tell you right now there there there's this trend in our culture today that I can attend when it's convenient for me there's a lot of research out there recent recent studies and you can you can spend time in the weeds with this if you want if you want to search it out later but Church attendance in America has declined and here's the here's the deal it's not that people are not members of the church overall membership itself if you get down into

the weeds of it membership itself has not declined as much not nearly as much not nearly as significant as attendance has declined what they've seen especially since 2020 is those who were two to three month attender at church now they're a one to two Monon attender and the one to two Monon attender is become an occasional attender and the occasional attender has become a Christmas and Easter attender they're still part of the church church right but their participation and being present has dwindled down I want I want you to know that it's hard to be a part of the miracle if you're not where the Miracle's at it's hard to contribute to the kingdom when you're in your kingdom so I just want you to know from pastor's heart I'm glad you're here today because you being here first of all it makes it a

whole lot easier when I have somebody to preach to I've had to do that over the years I've had some times when we had you know when during the lockdown and covid and during inclement weather when it's just me and a few here and all I have is them cameras out there it doesn't feel nearly as good as it feels right now it's important for you and I to be a part we need to be Dependable to the kingdom of God it's not about talent and resources it's about faithfulness and obedience I'm going to say that again it's not about talents and resources it's about faithfulness and obedience God is not in the talent search business yeah he he'll take an untalented person again I this Bible is full full of examples of untalented the Misfits and the broken that's that's what he

that's what he's drawn to because there's the thing with Talent is a lot of times talented people get a lot built up in their own self and then then they feel like well it's about me and then I need some praise and I deserve some accolades on there and then then they don't things don't go their way they leave and then you know what's the church going to be without me I want to tell you like the circus goes on whether the monkeyy there or not we'll just find another monkey like God's God's willing for any vessel I mean he will use a donkey if he has to that wasn't intended for any person so don't Point any fingers his will will be done but part of you and I fitting into the kingdom of God is for you and I to be

willing to stand on the side saying Lord put me in whenever you need me cuz I'm here I'm here if the if the church is open I'm going to be there if there's an opportunity Lord I want to be a part of what's going on he's looking for a willing heart and a willing vessel he's not looking for a bunch of excuses right here's the thing about excuses if you need one you'll find one every time if you need a reason to not go to church there will be a convenient reason for you not to go every single time every single time something's going to pop up that's there but you need to have a heart and a mind that says you know what unless I just can't for the biggest I just I'm going to be there if the

doors are open I'm going to be a part of what's going on I feel like we got Bible for that 1 Corinthians 15:57 but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ therefore my beloved Brethren be steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord Hebrews 10:23 let us hold fast the confession of Our Hope without woring for he who promised is faithful and let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some but exhorting one another and so much more as you see the day approaching as you see the day approaching so much more as you see the day approaching as we're into these last days it's not time

to be playing hookie but it's time to be more evident and more more present in the moment that God's doing something in these last times and maybe just maybe I have a part to play too another thing that I see that was in these these passages of scriptures is there was a willingness to do whatever needed to be done whatever needed to be done I feel like that's evident in that story in John 2 Mary the mother of Jesus says this his mother said to the servants whatever he says to you do it that's powerful there's a whole message right there yeah Mary was cool before Nike ever got a hold of it she was the original just do it yeah that was not Phil night that was Mary the mother of Jesus whatever he says do it I like that attitude

I like that mindset God whatever you needed me to do I'm going to do it whatever is asking me why do why does so many people have to have everything explained to them why why do we have to be about debating and questioning and you know they you know what I see when I read this is I don't see them saying hey we didn't need water we know he turned water into wine they didn't know what was going on the command says was fill it water you know if that happened in 2025 there'd be a committee saying hey hey I think you've misunderstood the task we need wine so we don't understand why we have to go out and put water in here because the request is not for water it's for wine so evidently you don't know what you're doing that's a whole lot

of the mindset in Ministry today that's a that's an attitude that's in the church is I don't understand why we have to do this so I don't feel like I'm going to do it that's not what I see when I see what's going on here is I see some folks said hey whatever you said the lady said whatever he said do it we're going to do it we don't have to have it explained to us we just want to be a part of what's going on in the kingdom of God not only did they do it but the word goes on to say that they filled it to the brim in other words they put as much water as they could possibly put in the pot they didn't stop and say well we put a little bit in there nothing's happened I guess we missed

it no they didn't stop until the task was complete they didn't question it they didn't struggle with it they didn't form a committee they didn't subit a letter they didn't send an email they didn't post about it on Facebook they didn't send out a message on social media says Pastor lost no they just simply did what was asked for them to do there's something about having an attitude that says Hey I want to be involved in Ministry and whatever is asked of me I'm just going to do it I'm just going to have a good attitude I'm just going to have a good heart it doesn't have to be explained to me I'm just going to get involved what an opportunity they've asked me to be a part of the Kingdom building process I want to get involved if they want me to fill water

pots I'll fill water pots they want me to empty trash I'll empty too many people are looking for a pull pit Revival doesn't happen by you seeking the spotlight Revival happens when you simply say God whatever it is that I can do I will do this is the first miracle that was there and what they simply did was be obedient to what he asked of them to do whatever it is he says do it and when you do it go all in fill it to the brim and watch the miracle happen many people are wanting to serve only if they get recognition but the true Kingdom mindset is I'll do whatever if someone needs to reach them I'll reach them somebody needs to pick them up I'll pick them up there something needs to be swept I'll sweep it and so many of you have

such such a sweet attitude such a sweet Spirit about you and I want you to know I appreciate your willingness to do this but there's more work to be done it's going to take us all it takes the entire body to fulfill the mission that he has for us to go be the church takes the whole church to be the church right so let's all find a place where we can put our hand to the plow Proverbs 6:6 if you want to know what to do it says go to the ant you sluggard cons I didn't call you Slugger that was the word of God consider her ways and be wise which having no Captain overseer or ruler provides her supplies in the summer and gathers the food in the Harvest the kingdom of God moves forward not by Talent alone but by faithfulness and

dedication and obedience wherever you are get to work I say many times around here and I and I give all credit because the first time I heard it was Bishop Ronnie Mullin out from California who says the perfect will of God is the present work at hand quit sitting around trying to discover the will of God just get to work and the will of God will meet you where you're at I'm going to say that again they didn't receive it very well I'm going to go over this side they're dead over there the perfect will of God is a present work of hand whatever you see to do just do it and God will meet you his will will meet you where you're at if you're sitting around waiting for those greater big Epiphany moments in all likelihood you're not going to have one

of those moments where he's just going to Sky right across the sky and says Hey Kevin I want you to get involved in Ministry that would be cool and it's an awesome story but that isn't how it happened for me it was me wrestling in prayer one day and I finally realized I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired so I said you know what if you need somebody to teach I'll teach you need somebody to go I'll go you know what Bishop you know what the spotlight was I got it was Woodberry that's what Bishop offered me hey I feel like I got a call to preach that's good you want to go to Woodberry no hey and that was before they got a Taco Bell they're big time now there was no chain restaurants there but I just Tred to keep a

right heart I'd love to tell you I got up there and everything just fell into place but I was miserable for the first six months but what was going on is God was working a lot of stuff out of me he was working a lot of Pride out of me he was working a lot of wrong expectations out of me it was about 6 months sin before I finally truly relinquished all of me over to him and at that point things started turning a corner I started viewing that people had value yeah I was wanting to have a I was wanting to have the pull pit time right I was wanting to do that I was want to have all this I was wan to teach the Bible studies I'm going to tell you one of the first converts I ever had his name was

Isaac first con he stunk the High Heavens oh my word I don't think he knew what soap was when I baptized him he got out there was film in the water like motor oil was in there but God was showing me something the ones that I didn't think was worthy he loved he loved he was he was reaching for the ones he was he was showing me a real life example that I was one who was putting who it was that should be the kingdom shared with and who who it should not that that wasn't for me to determine my job was to simply be obedient and walk through whatever door opened for me I learned a lot in those first first few months of ministry I learned a whole lot it was there I learned a whole lot of the important lesson

of God whatever it is you want me to do I'll do it and what happened along the way this was never this was never a goal for me I've said this many times this me being senior pastor at Center Point abst Church it was it wasn't even on my radar I was just looking for the next open door I was just willing like hey is anybody doing this can I do that is anybody anybody that can I do that now I can look backwards in my life and I can show you how with each turn and each Open Door how I got to hear but that's not what I was in the Forefront of my mind it was just simply God whatever you want me to do I'm I'm speaking I'm speaking to some folks in this room today I'm here to tell you

that there's a whole lot more for you than what you expect but the next right step is to look around you and see what it is you can put your hand to doing right now quit looking for a spotlight quit looking for a Pulpit look for an opportunity to tell someone about his love to tell someone about that what he's done for you take your testimony outside these walls and watch God what watch what God will do another thing I seen it was in this was there was a willingness to stand out in society and we have to be careful none of us none of us like being made fun of none of us do it's not a natural thing we got to be careful how we approach living for God Mark 14 verse 13 and he sent out two of his disciples and said

to them go into the City and a man will meet you carrying a picture of water follow him what's interesting about this is this was not the cultural norm of the Day Men didn't carry pictures of water that was not normal you go back and read your scripture it's the only instance you find of this it was always the women who were at the well the women who were filling the pot now I'm not trying to be sexist and the word of God is not trying to be sexist I'm just telling you what the cultural norm of the day was and Jesus as he's he's beginning to explain to his disciples about where they're going to go prepare the Passover meal he says look I want you to do this I want you go go you're going to go find a man carrying a

picture of water immediately they've been thinking well that's odd that would be easy to spot because that's not something that's normal so I'm going to tell you there's something about our Apostolic identity ladies and gentlemen that is very very important it's not old school it's not old fashion it's with intent and purpose and god-given the Bible talks about living in the beauty of Holiness now you can live by some Holiness lifestyle convictions and you can still be a bitter person that turns people away that's a real deal in the apostolic church but when it is done right people may not understand it but they're drawn to it they're drawn to it what Jesus was saying here is you going to see somebody there that stands out in the crowd I want you to go follow him think about it this Unknown man was being and

was living in such a way that his life could be used for God for God to say when you see this man you'll know him go look for a man carrying a pcture of water that's going to be outside the norm of society and when you find that person you go talk and you go follow him and he will tell you what to do we have an opportunity in our world today to truly live out and I know it gets abused it gets abused and we get Rak over the coals and you can get on and you can look on social media and you can find U all of the apostolic upci haters and pastors they're out there it's unfortunate that some Churches have mishandled some things and some pastors have not done what they should have done I hate that it bothers me

down and those who have been victimized it breaks my heart it does it breaks my heart heart but I'm telling you it does not negate the word of God it does not diminish nor take away what God has asked for you and I to do there's a reason for it there's a reason why it's put there because God's looking for someone to stand out to truly be the salt and the light that he wants us to be Savory Pleasant and when we are he will Point people to us brother cumins was telling us a testimony I'm not going to tell it it's his story to tell he may come back again and tell it sometime but there was an instance where that happened he was he was over there in the country where they're going to serve and there was an opportunity

where somebody's just looking for the word of God and they happened to be there standing and God was using them that's what God does see we complicate the process it's not about you and I having a name it's not about you and I being in the spotlight it's about you and I being willing to be obedient and to follow after wherever it is that God leads us even if we're unknown there's something about the unknown they're still seen they're still seen is stand out they stick out there they and there are a beacon of light and a hope in the world where there's so much noise and there's so much it's so interesting to me how everybody wants all this you know be individualistic and be your own person but yet when you look at the whole of culture everybody Blends in together

and then there's us apostolics we still pla right on through yeah that's how he intended it to be peculiar is the term it's not weird It's Curious people are curious and what happens is again we complicate this process it's about relationship we talked about this earlier in the office it's about living the life in front of them that all of a sudden when they are they are faced with a struggle in their life they look at you and say hey you got it together I don't understand everything you do and you look a little funny you even talk a little funny but hey there's something about you that I feel peace that is there they feel the com comforter that's in that spirit is in us right and when we're living it the way we're supposed to be living it they're drawn

to us like a bug to a light they can't explain it you bugs are bugs don't think about what's going on they just go to the light they get zapped sometimes but they're bra in hey I hope they get zapped with the Holy Ghost when they get around us don't you yeah there's a message there I didn't even think about that somebody write that down I beig good one to preach there is a call to be different Galatians 5:1 says Stand Fast in Liberty wherewith Christ has made us free Romans 12:2 be not conformed to this world Apostolic living is not by chance it's by choice this doesn't happen to you it's what you choose to do there's a danger when we try to blend in Paul talked about Deus hath forsaken me I don't know the full story none of us

do right God hasn't given us that revelation of what what Demus really did but I feel like somewhere somewhere along the way he got enticed and that enticement will always lead to entanglement stand firm if we're not careful we'll be risk and drawing back into the very thing that God delivered us out of what he's pulled us out of if the world can boldly push its agenda then we have should should have the ability to boldly stand for righteousness in this last day he's calling us to that let you and I be the church you want to be the church I want to be the church I don't want to just be it in name I want to be it in my lifestyle choices and my convictions and everything that I do look here's the deal you may disagree with me wholeheartedly but I'm going

to tell you this I have come too far I have seen too much God has done too much for me when they say that when we sing that song like we did while ago oh my life you have been faithful that is my testimony all my life he has been faithful I was 14 years old I didn't even know what was going on I I'd been raised in church I didn't always live for God if y'all can believe that or not I had some Heathen times my wife she was a good girl her whole life I me no I was I was a boundary Pusher if you put up a fence I wanted to know why I wanted to push against it I wanted to straddle it I wanted to get on the other side and hang on that was me that's

I still struggle with that you push I push back every time 10 out of 10 times you push me I'll push back even with the Holy Ghost in me I still push and then I ask God to forgive me I'm praying God is working I'm a work in progress at 14 I said to my mom and dad's Living Room Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir You' heard me say this story Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir saying that's how old I am they were cool then music's playing I'm just weeping and crying trying to now I know that was how God was talking to me at 14 I didn't understand that but I remember this kept going over and over in my mind and in my spirit that God was speaking to me give me your life and I will always take care of you my life doesn't

make sense it doesn't make sense how things have happened to me it doesn't make sense if I put it down on paper and I let you read my story it doesn't make sense without the light of him shining on it he has been faithful to me there's been hard times there's been difficult times and we've faced situations I have and in our married life we faced stuff that doesn't make sense and we went through through struggles families dealt with stuff but I'm telling you all my life he has been faithful he has always always always taken care of me so you can't convince me not to live this life you've come too late you may all dismiss me but I promise you the best life you can live is to go in all to go in all to say God here I am broken

flawed M he purchased flawed material in each and every one of us and he paid the highest price possible and he was so happy to do it so why would we ever stand in opposition why would we have any other response but saying God here I am everything I have everything I am it belongs to you purchased me long ago my Redemption price was high as I bring this to a close today there's a story some of you may be familiar with it's been a while since I read it I came back across it again I thought appropriate for today it's a story of William bordon Jr he was born in 1887 into a wealthy family he was the heir of a dairy Fortune after a world tour as a teenager he felt called to be a missionary despite the shock of his

privileged peers his family stood in opposition to it his dad was so Furious told him and said you're wasting your life like what are you doing this is it's not right you have so many opportunities why would you choose this while at Yale University he led a massive spiritual movement influenced over a thousand students to join Bible studies he later attended Princeton Theological Seminary preparing to serve Muslim people in China before he went to China though he stopped in Egypt to study Arabic tragically he contracted spinal menitis and died at the young age of 25 years old The Story Goes that his father was so distraught and he was so upset he's so frustrated that his son in his mind had just thrown away his life in this Pursuit when they packed up his belongings in Egypt and shipped them back home it was just

one small box and when his father came into the house and seen the box that came in and knew it was the son's belongings he was so mad he was in such a fit of rage he threw the Box against the wall and the Box busted open and out popped the Bible landed on the ground his dad went over and he picked up the Bible and he seen a handwritten note from his son that was inscribed on the pages that simply said no Reserve no retreat no regrets no Reserve holding nothing back from God no retreat never turning back from this call and no regrets to fully surrender to God's purpose on the tombstone that those erected for him when he passed away because he's buried there in Cairo the tombstone says this apart from the faith in Christ there is no explanation for such

a life you may never be in the spotlight you may never be known in society or even in the in the who's who in the apostolic ranks but it's not about your name being in light lights it's not about you having this reputation your role in the kingdom of God is just as important it's just as vital as everyone is here in pages of scripture I feel like it's important that we recommit ourselves to what it is that God has for our life it's served Sunday part of my mission today is to try to encourage you that if you're not involved in ministry here why not why not are you so important that you can't commit to doing something for the kingdom of God see here's what I feel is there's there's a number of you in this room today that you have some struggles

in your life and you're facing some stuff and I felt like in prayer God led me to say these words today you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing with your life and he's trying to get your attention here's what I know about God is he is a gentleman in everything he does he's not going to yell and Shout over the noise in our culture more often than not the way he speaks is going to be very similar to how he spoke to the prophet in a Ste Small Voice which means that you and I we have to find a place where we can get rid of the distractions we can get rid of the noise so that we can hear what he's trying to tell us everyone has a Ministry everyone has a place you belong in the kingdom of God and I'm

hoping today that we can recommit ourselves to showing up to doing what needs to be done and to standing out for Jesus you may not be known today but you are not unnoticed he sees you he knows you he's calling you for your Kingdom Purpose and his plan so as you bow your heads with me today as we begin to pray I'm just curious as to who it is that's going to step forward in dedication and say God I'm willing I'm willing to find my purpose I love you God I'm so thankful for what you do every every every day of my life God I know that you have a per a plan and a purpose for every person that's in this room today I pray God that there would be a hunger and a desire inside of us a holy boldness rise up

for us to find out what your purpose is God I pray that some would have a courage to step back out in faith again to trust one more

time God bring us to a place where you truly can be Lord of all of our life in Jesus name this altar is open and if you'd like to have some time maybe to hear that voice again and find a place where you can write some wrongs place where you can ask for him to lead you guide you and direct you this altars open