Sunday Evening Worship | Pastor McCool

lord bless you i'm going to let you move to your seats again we greet you in the precious name of jesus what a privilege it is to be back in the house of the lord on sunday night here at first apostolic church saying welcome to all of our guests who are joining us online whatever platform that you may be tuning in we're glad to have you worshiping with us honored to have you uh joining us so good to see everyone here in the house of the lord and just one more time thank you brother sister viber heathcock for being with us and we're so glad that we sometimes get to folks who are tuning in to the service from the great country of germany and uh comment on our uh our uh internet ministry and we're thankful for all those who join us around the world for being in service with us i want to get right into the word of the lord i would again join with the voice of bishop mccool and those who've gone before me of saying thank you first apostolic church for your faithful service in the kingdom of god and i also applaud what a mighty word we heard this morning from pastor anthony and we're just blessed to hear so much wonderful preaching and ministering to our hearts and i have to take just a moment periodically to say thank you to all of the staffs and teams of first apostolic church our technical staff our audio video staffs our media staff our music staff and teams our singers and uh musicians what incredible jobs they do but i also say a special thank you to all of those who work in kid's quest who work in sunday school for the mighty mighty work that you do every sunday and every wednesday ministering to our students to our kids thank you so much all who work in some capacity our greeters our ushers our security teams thank you for ministering in the kingdom of god here at first apostolic church i would call your attention tonight to the book of hebrews the sixth chapter the book of hebrews the sixth chapter and we're going to read just a few verses beginning with verse number nine six hebrews six beginning with verse number nine but beloved we are persuaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation everyone say better things say better things and things that accompany salvation though we thus speak for god is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love which ye have shown toward his name in that ye ministered to the saints and do minister and we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end that ye be not slowful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises for a few moments tonight i would speak to you on this subject better things things that accompany salvation let's pray savior i love you god i thank you for your mighty presence that we've already experienced lord for the mighty work of restoration that you've already done in this house lord for your forgiveness for your power for your love god now i pray that your word would keep us reminded tonight of the awesome opportunities that you have afforded us who serve you and have experienced the salvation message be with us mightily in all that we do in the name of jesus we pray amen and amen salvation is without question the greatest eternal promise that there is that's without discussion salvation is the number one promise if nothing accompanied salvation it would be enough to live a life anticipating going to heaven salvation's enough that that the praise team got me excited to say if you never do anything else you've already done enough that should always be our cry lord if you don't do another thing for me you've already done enough when you saved me you did enough so never mistake the salvation message and the accomplishment of receiving the baptism of the holy ghost after repentance being baptized in jesus name living a godly life that should be enough but hebrews said there are some better things there are some things that accompany or go along with salvation you see in my lifetime i've purchased a few things that when i purchased them i paid the price for the product i was getting but when i got it something extra came with it i remember in particular going to a perfume and cologne counter and i was buying perfume for sister jamie i mean the smell of the cologne or rather the perfume by itself was enough because man she smells good but you know when i made the purchase the lady at the counter said well because you bought this you get this and you know i'm going to give you some of that and i'm going to give you a tester of this and there's this little bag that goes with it hey folks i'll give you a secret if you'll wrap all that stuff separately you look like a big spender you know i mean there was stuff that went with the purchase that i wasn't expecting the sin of the fragrance was worth the purchase but the extra stuff just made it that much better let me tell you salvation is enough but there's some stuff there's some better things that come along with living a saved sanctified life david said it this way in psalms blessed be the lord who daily loadeth with benefits even the god of our salvation salah that settles it he also said in psalms 103 1 bless the lord o my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name bless the lord o my soul and forget not all his benefits i didn't come to preach to you about salvation because you know it already but those of you who are saved i want to remind you of the benefits that go along with being saved there's some stuff that comes along with it there's some extra things don't tell me there's a better life than living a saved life don't tell me there's some way of living that's better than being a child of god i'm a witness there's some stuff that goes along with it there's some blessings he went on to say after he stated forget not all his benefits the psalmist started itemizing some of the benefits notice who forgiveth all our iniquities who healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies who satisfy thy mouth with good things i mean that's better than brewster's ice cream so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles forgiveness healing redemption loving kindness satisfaction renewal of thy youth man that's better than botox face lifts tummy tucks and hair color in a bottle i'm telling you it's the best life in the world when you're serving jesus don't tell me there's anything better it's too late i've got the best he's given me the best if you're serving him you know what i'm talking about you see he woke me up this morning he started me on my way he established my goings he's given me a wonderful light wife he's given me wonderful children and grandchildren he's given a fabulous church man there's some special things that go along with serving god and salvation verse 11 said and we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end let's get another vocabulary edition what does that term assurance really mean the term assurance defined means the state of being sure or certain about something listen if you're not sure of your salvation you need to make it right tonight if you're not assured assured of the blessed hope if you're not confident in what jesus can do for you when you just repented your sins when you take on his name in baptism when you're filled with his spirit did you see more she experienced it wednesday night she received the promise on wednesday night when she threw up her hands she repented of her sin and god filled her with the holy ghost she went down in the water in jesus name she got the promise it's for everybody in the house salvation is for all of us it's the greatest life there's there's a blessed assurance that term assurance means a strong feeling of confidence about yourself or about being right listen i have no doubt i have no doubt because a long time ago i knelt and all bishop read it in his tidbits from the past i was at a camp meeting in auburn hills michigan pontiac michigan then and i went to an altar and a camp meeting service and the holy ghost fell i spoke with tongues i was filled with the holy ghost when i was seven years old we were out at boyd's bridge and i went down in the water and i was baptized in the name of jesus i've never had any doubt about it in my mind i've never thought about going back god's been too good to me he's provided too much for me i've got assurance a strong and definite statement that something will happen or that something is true he said do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end this is not a temporary thing i'm going to make it to the end i'm confident of it i'm excited i'm looking forward to that blessed hope not just now but until the end the blind helm writer fanny j crosby in 1873 penned these words blessed assurance jesus is mine oh what a foretaste of glory divine heir of salvation purchased of god born of his spirit washed in his blood this is my story this is my song praising my savior all the day long but there was more to her lyrics but remember fanny j crosby was blind yet she would write this in the second verse perfect submission perfect delight visions wait she's blind but she penned these words visions of rapture now burst on my sight you see she might have been physically blind but when you've got the assurance that god loves you and he cares about you and he's looking after you there's some things that you can see that the human eye could never see there's some visions of beauty there's some visions of rapture there's going to be a coming of christ for all the believers i'm anticipating it i'm not afraid i'm not a frightened i want you to know i'm excited jesus is coming back for me [Applause] i hope all y'all make it but i'm assured he's coming back for me and i hope you feel the same way about yourself angels descending she wrote bring from above echoes of mercy whispers of love and then she penned this verse perfect submission all is at rest i and my savior am happy and blessed watching and waiting oh don't you realize you can't see what's around you fanny crosby don't you realize that blackness of the human life you're not seeing all the colors of this earth you see she was seeing some things that a lot of folks with 20 20 vision could never see because she was experiencing the wonderful blessed assurance watching and waiting looking above filled with his goodness lost in his love is that your story tonight can you claim in the darkest time of human existence you still have blessed assurance hebrews 10 22 said let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith that means there's no doubt having our hearts sprinkle from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised you see a lot of folks mix up assurance with a different word that's close some folks are looking for blessed insurance they think if they're good enough that they're paying their spiritual premium just in case there really is a heaven listen he didn't say we needed blessed insurance he said we need the assurance of faith i don't need to do something nice just to make sure i get to heaven i want to have the blessed assurance that i'm diligently doing all i can for christ because he saved me he called me he blessed me if you have the assurance of your personal relationship with him there's no backing up on diligent service you see again another vocabulary builder that term diligence means characterized by steady earnest and energetic effort painstaking oh god let me be diligent it didn't mention super colossal it said steady god's looking for some diligent for some steady servants ernest we take it serious energetic in effort not given a half-hearted effort but energetic in everything we do unto christ painstaking we pay attention to the details why we're doing it for the king he saved me i've got blessed and assured there's some things that go along with this i guess that term diligent can be contrasted by the opposite of being slowful for verse 12 also said that ye be not slowful be diligent not slowful slowfall means isn't this a fine word a declination to action or labor you're declined to do much ambulance and in parentheses lazy spiritually apathetic and inactive that's being slowful proverbs 12 24 said the hand of the diligent shall bear rule but the slowfall shall be under tribute now what does that mean that means if you're not diligent in your business you're going to oh everybody all the time you're going to be slowful and you're going to be paying tribute all the time verse 27 of proverbs 12 said the slowfall man roast us not that which he took in hunting he's so lazy he goes out and gets him uh uh something on the hunting trip and he's too lazy to cook it but the substance of a diligent man is precious mom and dad used to teach it to me this way waste not want not god's people are diligent in their provisions we take care of what god has given us we look to be active in not being slowfall but earnest energetic painstaking in our efforts proverbs 19 24 says a slowful man hideth his hands in his bosom have you ever seen those folks that will go to more effort to avoid work than they would if they'd just gone ahead and worked i have please i won't paint with paint with too broad of brush but i have a hard time understanding with all these help wanted signs it's all around the city now some of you think i've stopped preaching started meddling okay just stay with me but there's folks will stand out in the heat and the cold the rain and the snow with the sign looking for a handout so they can buy enough alcohol or dope so they can't pass a drug test to get a real job i have a hard time figuring that out god's not looking for slowfall people now look if someone has had an issue had a problem i want to minister to them but god does not like slow fullness folks that put their hands in their pocket and in their bosom he said the slope of man hideth his hand in his bosom and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again too lazy to eat now boy that's lazy too lazy to strike a lick and a snake if it was about to bite them they used to say romans 12 9 said let love be without dissimulation that's cons concealing your thoughts or your feelings abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good be kindly affecting one another with brotherly love and honoring preferring one another not slow full in business let me back up and be pastoral just a minute hear me take care of your business you want to have a good testimony oh bless god i'm on fire i want to be a good witness pay your debts have a good name in the community don't let it be when those apostolic folks come around boy i don't do any business with them they beat me out of this i didn't i am still preaching in the house tonight let me tell you you we don't need to be slowful in business we need to be the best business people that they are whatever we do if you're an employer or an employee you need to be the very very best that there is because you have a testimony and furthermore it'll take care of you i mean romans put being slowful in business or rather not slowfl in business in the cat same category as being fervent in spirit serving the lord rejoicing in hope patient and tribulation continuing instant in prayer he put a good prayer life in not being slowful in business in the same category bless god i want you to pray pray pray pray pray for an hour pray in your prayer closet but don't pray and then go out and beat people in business furthermore let me tell you church family let me get real close and pastoral and i realize we're probably not going to walk the bench backs when it preached like this nobody's going to be running right now but hear me when we do business with each other keep your business business and your spiritual relationship spiritual relationship if you hire somebody from the church have an agreement that you both understand completely if you need to sign a contract sign a contract don't ah he's my brother i just know he'll take care no find out what it's going to cost and what they're going to do oh i know she'll pay me i know he'll no no no no don't call looking for favors we got police officers in the church don't go hitting our police officers up to fix your tickets slow down well we don't even have a big enough podium for me to hide behind tonight hear me keep your business business keep your spirit spirit and they will intertwine one with the other if you'll do what god has called don't be slow for business be fervent in spirit he said see there are other things there are better things that accompany salvation this will keep you from getting sideways and have a dust up with somebody in the church because you rented or bought something from them and you're not pleased with you didn't get a good uh understanding of what your business dealings were there are some other things verse 12 said the promise of god come promises of god rather come through faith and patience this is the better things apparently doubt and impatience frustrate god's promises if faith and patience bring the promises of god let me give you a biblical example abraham got a promise from god but he was impatient god promised him that he would multiply his seed as the sands of the seashore as the stars in the heaven he would his seed would be innumerable but you see abraham couldn't wait on god for at the time abraham and sarah were childless and abraham got ahead of god's promise and he had a baby by hagar her handmaiden abraham and sarah conspired together for this to be so and you know what that relationship still haunts our world even today that relationships and the offsprings of that relationship haunts our world today much of the unrest in the middle east goes all the way back its seed to abraham and sarah being impatient and lacking faith to believe what god had promised them you see how many sometimes receive a promise from god a promised blessing but act with impatience and doubt and frustrate the promises of god in their lives i've seen young folks get too impatient to get married i had a young man i'll just put it this way in the 64 years of this church's existence that's as much as you need to know call me he had moved away from knoxville but he called me one night he said brother mark i just want to let you know i'm about to get married i said oh really i said who are you going to marry he said i don't know yet but he said i am going to get married that's probably not the best way to do it folk young folks don't try to get ahead of god make sure if god has promised you he's going to give you a proper mate that you date in the church and you marry in the church let me say that you date in the church and then you well there's nobody here we'll stay in church if she or he shows up and you're out someplace else you'll miss him anyway be at church be faithful go to camp meetings go to conferences go to national youth convention look if you go to the garbage can to eat that's what you're gonna feast on if you go to the places of the world looking for a mate that's what you're going to find stay in the church stay faithful god will have the right person for you he'll send the right one don't get ahead of god same happens sometimes with job opportunities oh god i want you to provide for my need provide me a job but we get so ahead and the enemy will hang and dangle something out in front of you that's going to cause you to totally be away from a commitment to god that you're going to have to be so committed to that job that you can't come to church you can't look after your family oh you're making money but that's all you're getting hear this preacher there's better things for you than that there's better existence than that god has something better for you if you will not be impatient and full of doubt oh let me move very quickly let me give you just one more no i won't say just i'll say at least one more example of a promise from god that brings better things malachi 3 10 says bring ye all the tithe in the storehouse that there may be meat in my house and prove me when the lord says prove me he means prove me prove me now herewith saith the lord of hosts if i will not open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive and i will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time of in the field saith the lord of hosts and all nations shall call you blessed for ye shall be delightsome land saith the lord of hosts my house is blessed my family is blessed my children are blessed my health is blessed that's not just a nice little song that's people that's standing on the promises that know how to give of what god has provided for them those who have sacrificially given i know where some of you came from and i also see where you're going because you've been faithful you stood on the promises without doubt oh hear this preacher tonight god has some better things for you he don't want you to have more money than you've got money at the end of each month he wants you to be blessed hear me i'm not preaching a health wealth and prosperity message this is not an investment service but i'm here to tell you he's promised it he said prove me look around you look around you bishop testified to it a church that's been free to give who've given up their resources who've given of their time who given of their prayer we're in a building tonight that we shouldn't be able to have if you looked at all of our paychecks there's folks who work here at apostolic christian school and apostolic kiddie academy that because they have sacrificed for christian education they sacrifice to have their kids in the school they've sacrificed and worked in our child care or in an apostolic christian school folks do not understand how they're blessed like they are it's not because we pay the top salaries among all educators but it's because god has blessed them with their faithfulness and somebody hear me in this house i'm not making this up there's too many would testify to god's blessings for his abundant promise oh what a promise but there's too many with impatience who would trust more in a lottery ticket or a risky investment or even playing a football board rather than paying their tithe and giving their offerings invest in the work of god and let it bless you let me also tell you about and i will make this the last blessing musicians start making your way up let me tell you about one other better thing that we need to be reminded of tonight let me remind everyone of the blessings of unanswered prayers really there are no unanswered prayers the real truth is sometimes we just don't get the answer we wanted and god's answer is different than what our flesh desired i've stated it so many times before and this is not original from me because you've heard it quoted time and time again sometimes god answers yes sometimes god answers no but then sometimes god answers wait and the answer of a prayer when he says wait can many times be the toughest oh when he says yes to what i've been praying for i'll celebrate even when he says no and closes the door i can say well at least i've got an answer but when god says i need you to wait on me a little while i'm doing some things don't get impatient and lose your faith sometimes it may appear that he isn't answering your prayer when all the time he is working a desirable end that you can't even comprehend our text in hebrews 6 13 said for when god made promise to abraham because he could swear by no greater he swear by himself i mean when god makes you promise what other confirmation you need saying surely blessing i will bless thee and multiplying i will multiply thee you see after abram messed up it finally said and so after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise jesus said it this way he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved patience and endurance for you see god's grace is great enough for all of us paul told the corinthians he asked for god to remove that thorn in the flesh as we call it thrice but he said god said no my grace is sufficient so paul took a new posture he said so i realized that my strength is made perfect in weakness he said i'll now i'm going to glory in my infirmities that the power of christ may rest on me therefore i take pleasure in infirmities it reproaches and necessities and persecutions in distress is for christ's sake for when i am weak then i am strong let me ask you are you willing to wait on the lord tonight are you really willing to wait for the better things that he has for you waiting can be the toughest part the psalmist said wait on the lord and be of good courage and he shall strengthen that heart wait i say wait on the lord stand he further went on to say the the wicked watcheth the righteousness in psalms 37. and seeketh to slay him the lord will not leave him in his hand nor condemn him when he's judged he said wait on the lord and keep his way could i tell you if you're under the sound of my voice tonight and you've been praying a long time and you feel like you just hadn't got the answer you were looking for let me tell you keep on waiting on the lord sometimes you gotta wait and take action by gathering around an altar and say lord i'm still waiting on you lord i'm still trusting you proverbs said say not thou i will recopence evil but wait on the lord and he shall save thee salvation comes many times in waiting and of course most who have attended apostolic christian school even saw this on the wall in our gymnasium but they that wade upon the lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles but he goes on to say they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not fade let me ask you tonight are you willing to wait on the lord to get the better things that he has for you i want to trust in him would you bow your head and close your eyes for just a moment before the holy ghost could fall [Music] on the day of pentecost jesus had said over in luke behold i send the promise of my father on you but terry was that mean wait just wait terry in the city of jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high the holy ghost is for everybody in this house when you repent of your sins when you take on his name in baptism you are promised the gift of the holy ghost in acts 1 we're reminded again when they were all assembled together they were reminded of jesus words he had told them they shouldn't depart from jerusalem but wait for the promise of the father which saith he ye have heard of me for john truly baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the holy ghost not many days hence if you're in this house tonight and you've not yet repented of your sins that's the first step you need to unashamedly step out from your seed make your way to an altar of repentance not worried about what anyone else thinks what anyone else says but saying god i want you to forgive my sins it's just that simple he will forgive you he wants to forgive you he desires to forgive you and after you've repented of your sins you need to be baptized in his name the name of jesus christ and you are promised the gift of the holy ghost that's the acts 2 38 message and verse 39 said for the promise is unto you the better things is unto you and to your children [Music] and all that are far off even as many as the lord our god shall call but i close tonight with this verse [Music] psalms 116 said in verse 12 what shall i render what shall i give unto the lord for all his benefits toward me now what can i give god he owns it all he made it all do i render what do i give [Music] you know what you give verse 13 answers it says i will take the cup of salvation he's already given it now are you willing to come and take it there's a reason it's called the gift of the holy ghost it's free [Music] man if they have a birthday party for me and there's gifts with my name on it i don't say oh please let me have that it's mine it's got my name on it the gift of the holy ghost is for everybody in this house somebody hear me tonight you've been wanting to beg and plead that's not waiting and that's not terry you need to come expecting to receive the promise of god what he's already given for you here's what i want us to do i want everybody in the house if you have the holy ghost or if you want the holy ghost i want you to step out from your seat and i want you to make your way around this altar come believing that i'm going to take the cup of salvation i'm going to call on the name of the lord i will pay my vows of the lord in the presence of all his people would you come waiting on him expecting to receive whatever you need from him right now hallelujah [Music] get what you need from the lord right now [Music] i'm [Music] tell me [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] that's right [Music] so i'll praise you at all times [Music] love jesus [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] uh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] i is be grateful cause you have been faithful it doesn't matter what i've been through jesus you've been so good to me [Music] oh [Music] you've already done it now you've already [Music] you've already [Music] you've already [Music] is of the goodness [Music] [Applause] [Music] if you never do anything [Music] you've already done [Music] [Applause] so i'll praise [Music] i praise you [Music] i praise [Music] you is [Music] [Applause] i'm [Music] i [Music] let me tell you victory in jesus comes in a posture [Music] of surrender let me say that again victory in jesus comes in a posture of surrender you see by man's ideology the way you surrender is throw up your hands and say i surrender and you need to do the same thing right now in jesus name would you surrender to jesus right where you are that's right that's where victory comes hallelujah if you'll throw your hands out when you get your hands up victory comes you're surrendering to jesus yeah come on let's praise him get your hands up get your hands up [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] you've already [Music] she's [Music] you never do anything else you've already savior we praise you savior we honor you [Music] the holy ghost is falling in this house the holy ghost is falling in this house let him have your tongue surrender completely to him let the holy ghost speak to you right now unashamed and afraid yeah in the name of jesus in the name of jesus yeah in the name of jesus i'll praise you at all times in the good times and the bad i'm going to praise you i'm going to give you glory i'm going to give you praise i'm going to celebrate what he's doing hey love him [Applause] [Music] [Music] every [Music] [Music] i [Music] yesterday [Music] [Music] oh [Music] is [Music] yes [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] [Music] i am victorious [Music] [Applause] [Music] yes [Applause] [Music] foreign [Applause] [Music] [Music] the holy ghost is still working just a moment more yes lord yes lord jesus [Music] [Music] we love jesus together right now give him high praise in this house give jesus right now hallelujah plain victory victory in jesus glory glory glory i want to go from this place just not excited about my salvation but i'm excited about the benefits that go with serving god let's go from here tonight thanking the lord believing the lord trusting in the lord being victorious in all that we do please remember that wednesday night bishop mccool be starting a new series come expecting a great time in the lord i'd ask everyone to greet each other as your personal protocols make you comfortable let's have a great time in the lord lord bless you you're dismissed in jesus name shake hands and be friendly