Sunday Evening Worship Service

Lord bless you you can move to your seats we greet you in the name of Jesus what a privilege it is to be back in the house of the Lord on this Sunday evening we welcome everyone into our service we welcome those who are joining us on all the multiple platforms that's reaching out to our community to our region to our nation around the world we're honored to have you worshiping with us at First Apostolic church and we thank you for joining with us and we hope at your first opportunity you'll be here in a service with us and feel the presence of the Lord that we are so blessed to feel every time we come together I give honor to all of our church family who's here tonight I give honor to all of our guests thank you for joining us and thank you Pastor Whitley for a mighty word of God this this morning go ahead and give the Lord and Pastor Whitley another hand thank you for ministering to us uh we are so mildly blessed every time we come to this house to hear the word we get hot bread as Pastor Whitley preached about today we get fresh nourishment for our spiritual being and I'm thankful for that opportunity I honor all of our leadership Bishop McCool Pastor Anthony all of our elders ministers and all of you who so Faithfully work in whatever field that God has given you to labor to make First Apostolic Church be what God would have us to be I'm going to continue [Music] manner as Pastor Whitley did I hadn't got any bread I hadn't got a sword but I word and I hope that word will minister to us for I feel like God confirms some things for me if nothing else if it was for no one else God confirmed some things for me today to Pastor Whitley preached to us so I told you you've heard it quoted several times today from men's fellowship breakfast to the service and even tonight but I want to take you back one more time to the psalmist The Book of Psalms 1 22 and we're going to read that passage that we've been quoting today it says a song of degrees of David I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord our feet shall stand within thy Gates Jerusalem Jerusalem is built it as a city that is compact whether the tribes go up the tribes of the Lord unto the testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the name of the Lord if you're going to be in the house you need to know how to give thanks for their set Thrones of judgment and the Thrones of the House of David pray for the Peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee peace be within thy walls and prosperity within my palaces for my brethren and companion's sake I will now say peace be within thee because of the house of the Lord Our God I will seek thy good for a few moments I would speak to you on this subject we have something to be glad about I said we have something to be glad about tonight Hallelujah could we pray savior we love you I thank you for your word that is ever settled I thank you that it feeds us Lord it provides spiritual nourishment that we might grow and thrive in your work now God let us receive your word tonight let it be magnified in all of us in the name of Jesus we pray amen and amen I'm thankful for my natural home where I live not too far from here over on Murray Drive Jamie and I have our abode our house is by no means a mansion but it's our house it's it may not be immaculately furnished it likely will never appear as a model home for Better Homes and Gardens for a photo shoot but I'll guarantee you it's immaculately clean thanks not to me but to Sister Jamie my house is not a New York City penthouse it's not a Beverly Hills mansion it's not even on a Dogwood Trail nor a grand villa on Fort Loudon Lake but it's my house and I'm always glad when I get to go to my house I'm thankful for my house it's the place I live uh no matter what you go through through your day no matter what you face every day if you are like me that is a refuge place that's a place that it just seemed like if I can get back to my house that's where I want to be I I preached about this before uh here in the south one of the things we say a lot of times we'll say let's go to the house we we kind of shorten it a little bit we don't say let's go to the house we say let's go to the house that means it's time to go home whatever else was going on I'm going to that place of abode but today in particular we were headed home sister Jamie and I been blessed with the honor of preaching to and speaking at the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ fall conference for the Kentucky District we were over in Central City Kentucky not too far from Bowling Green and Paducah over in the western part of the state and we were journeying back home and I was getting anxious to get back to my house but somewhere along the way as I was journeying to my house the Lord just started dealing with my heart and I started anticipating I get to go to church tomorrow now I didn't say that by accident I said I get to go to church tomorrow sometimes in the life that we live if we aren't careful and again I I didn't know if I was even going to need to preach tonight after brother Whitley said all the stuff the right way that I was wanting to say but sometimes if we're not careful we will find ourselves not appreciative of the opportunity to get to the house of the Lord David said I was glad I was glad when they said unto me let us go into the house of the Lord now to be glad means this to be pleased and delighted not dreading and fearing not saying oh I got to do this again please delighted feeling pleasure Joy Delight very willing to do something that's what it means to be glad and you know it's stated in that same passage in verse 7 there is peace and prosperity in the house let me tell you God's house needs to be a place of peace and prosperity it doesn't need to be a place of Warring and a place of want this should be the place that provides everything we need and I've got news for you if I get my spirit right it will be that if I come in in with a different agenda and I don't have peace that's my fault that's not the house of God's fault if I'm not finding Prosperity I may be valuing the wrong things because I'm telling you there's things in this house that are more valuable than gold it's more valuable than all the gold in Fort Knox when there's an altar that you can come to and receive salvation there's prosperity in this house where there's a place you can get your healing there's prosperity in this house maybe some of us have been counting our prosperity in valuing the wrong things seven said there's peace and prosperity in the house but I want to give you a little narrative tonight of a king who had to be reminded and had to realize the importance of going to the house of God over in second chronicles the 20th chapter let me just read the narrative and we'll comment just a bit it says it came to pass after this also that the children of Moab and the children of Ammon and with them other beside the ammonites came against Jehoshaphat to battle and notice verse 2 it says Then There came some let me tell you there will always be some Then There came some that told Jehoshaphat saying there cometh a great multitude against thee from Beyond the Sea on the side of Syria and behold they be has a zonte mar which is in judai there's always going to be some that want to bring bad news of impending doom Pastor I need to tell you the worst thing in the world is on the way Pastor I want to tell you there's trouble on the horizon everybody's out to get us some had to come notice the way it's worded I don't believe this was just information given the king some idea of what was about King Josh if I had already knew they were under siege but some had to come and make it just as bad as possible let me tell you don't be part of the some crowd don't be a naysayer looking for some Cloud under ever civil Line Silver Lining don't look for the dark clouds on a bright day God is our healer God is our provider stop looking to be the son to call on Doom know that God's going to be there there may be trouble but God's going to be with us that we may be under siege but we will be victorious maybe the king had been listening to Too Much Fox News or CNN maybe he had been scrolling CNBC and was reading of the impending doom maybe he had been wearing out Facebook sent all the trouble in the land maybe he had got friend messages from folks and really wasn't his friend that wanted to tell him something some was starting to get the message to the king and notice what happened the king Jehoshaphat verse 3 feared everybody say the King was afraid man you hear enough bad news if you're un careful it'll put fear in your heart I mean everything's bad if you were feeling good about yourself you watched about a half hour of world news and you're you're just ready to go jump off a cliff it's bad Jehoshaphat feared but notice what Jehoshaphat did it said and set himself to seek the Lord and Proclaim to fast throughout all Judah he said we got problems here and I'm going to seek the Lord and I'm going to I'm going to proclaim a fast I'm going to deny the flesh we've got to get an answer here and Judah gathered themselves together to ask help of the Lord even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord where did they go to seek the Lord Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the Lord before the new court listen if something's got you worried and troubled don't lay out a church get to the house of God get on your knees and call on him get with the people of God call it fast deny your flesh a while and say I got to get in the house of the Lord we got to get together we're being encircled we're being attacked it's no time to live in fear he set himself to seek the Lord he made a determination they gathered themselves together oh I don't want to go around church I don't want to make eye contact with anybody I'm having too much trouble no you need to be here you need to be with your brothers and sisters don't go home and break your arm having a pity party patting yourself on the back alone get in the house of God I might as well go there don't post a bunch of junk how bad your life is because I'm sorry I didn't mean to preach over there let me come up and die I'll look up and talk about this don't start posting a bunch of junk cause all you're going to find is somebody else will help you with your pity party that don't care a thing about your spiritual well-being if you're afraid about something get to the house of God get on your knees find you an altar and get some Joy back in your life you need to be in his house [Applause] they proclaimed or they gathered together they proclaimed the fast and they encouraged all the cities of Judah to see the Lord they call it nationwide prayer meeting and they went to the house of the Lord I got to get back to the house and I want you to notice the prayer that the King prayed the King prayed a rhetorical prayer what do you mean by rhetorical prayer he uttered things that he already knew was true but he was reminding himself and reminding God just how great God is sometimes I've got to talk to the Lord and I I want to start out just like the model prayer thou Our Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy name I want to brag on him listen you need to brag on the Lord sometimes you need to remind him of just how great he is does he not know of course but you need to know it again notice he said oh Lord God our Father art not thou God in heaven now what rhetoric the God in heaven that's who he's praying to but he's reminding himself when he's besieged and fear has started to enter in and Rule us not bow s of the Heathen God you're still in charge I know Emma out there I know the moabites are out there and they've got cohorts that are joining them and in thy hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand thee he's asking the question that he already knows the answers to art not thou our God now it gets personal he's talked about him being the God now he's Our God we're Judah we're calling on you we're reminding you of your greatness but we're really reminding us of just how great you are are not thou hire God who did drive out the inhabitants of this land before the people of Israel and gave it to the Seed of Abraham thy friend forever he's reminding God we've got a covenant here he this is where we're supposed to be you put us here and so I'm not going to be afraid he might be whistling in the graveyard a little bit at this point because he did have fear I I got some great insight at Men's Conference brother Smith combined with brother Woodward man you get those two minds working together you're going to get some special Insight but they both addressed the idea that we quote so much and rightfully so that God is omnipotent he's all-powerful he's omnipresent he's everywhere but there was a pause there him being omnipresent we were told in that conference he's omnipresent he's everywhere but he does not manifest himself everywhere for all the folks that think well I don't need a church God's everywhere I can just have church anywhere God does not manifest himself everywhere even though he is everywhere he doesn't manifest himself at the bar he doesn't manifest himself in places of of sinful pleasures but he manifests himself in his house if you want to be in the presence of God yes he's everywhere but if you want him to manifest himself you need to get into the house of God where he likes to show up and he likes to be in the fellowship of his people that's why you come in this house and somebody starts worshiping and it moves you and you start worshiping and it moves somebody else it's not about anything that we do but it's about we're in his presence he manifests himself in the house still another we know his omniscience or his the way you break that word down his omniscience his omniscience he knows everything but I learned there's some things he chooses not to know actually there's some things he chooses to forget what that means is when we repent of our sins he forgives of forgives us of our sins he chooses to not know my sins anymore aren't you thankful for a god who's all-powerful all present and all-knowing but he's right here with us tonight he's in this house he's manifesting himself in this place The God Who created the heavens and the Earth is here right now [Applause] that's why when they were singing this morning they were saying here now here now God's here now why we're in his house Hallelujah let me move he prayed this rhetorical prayer and then notice what happened in verse 8. it said and they dwelt therein I was having my cleat my teeth cleaned a few years ago I know you this is too much information don't you love it when they're cleaning their teeth and they talk to you and you try going been there and done that haven't you but the dental hygienist cleaning my teeth said you do floss don't you I said religiously she said well you know for some folks that means Easter and Christmas I said touche yeah they didn't just visit the house of God it said they dwelt there and they dwelt therein and have built thee a sanctuary for what thy name don't give me a church that don't have the name of Jesus on it don't give me a church that don't believe in the power of the name of Jesus they built a sanctuary a hiding place a safe place and his name was there and it said if when I like that didn't didn't say when or if it said it covered it all if it comes or when it comes if when evil cometh on us as the sword and judgment or pestilence or famine we stand before this house and in thy presence for thy name is in this house you're in a house that the name of Jesus dwells in that all realize this is bricks and mortar I realize we're the church but this is where the church dwells this is his house they took a stand they dwelt in his house it was a sanctuary a place with his name on it I've stayed in a few places over the years I've stayed in Comfort Suites Fairfield Inns Holiday Inn Express Hyatts Hilton Sheratons Marriotts and do drop-ins when we were in Ireland sister Jamie and I stayed in the Viking Inn when we were in Amman Jordan we stayed in the l y lead of Jordan but none of that was home there was nothing like getting back to 1407 Murray Drive where we live but let me tell you I've been to a lot of churches in a lot of places but when I can get to 50 20 Pleasant Ridge Road because this is where I go to church this is where my family is y'all are my family every one of you you're my fan this is where we live this is a place of gladness I was glad when they said unto me let's go to First Apostolic Church this is where I want to be this is the place that makes me happy this is the place that gives me joy let me tell you the church must never stop being a sanctuary a sanctuary defined is a place where someone is given shelter or protection a consecrated place we don't get discouraged and stay away we go to the house of God give me more saints that are too sick to miss church not only did he go notice verse 13 and said all Judah stood up before the Lord with their little ones their wives and their children we don't send our kids to church we bring our kids to church we don't look for a minimal amount of services that we can attend and still be thought of as a church attender and by the way make sure you're home where you live is an extension of the church that it's also a sanctuary a place of Peace A House of Prayer we must never lose our desire to minister to our children and love our children every service I'll see the Assembly of one group or another back here at the nursery entrance or the educational wings I'll see and if I start calling names I'll get in trouble again but I know we have folks assembling to have our kids have in church in the event center there's classes meeting we can't forget about our kids if we're not careful wants our kids to be get too old to be kids we'll forget about kids there's generation after generation coming on that we must minister to this is not a house of arguing quarreling bickering and cursing this is not a house of the silent treatment this is not a house of sin or a house of jealousy this is not a house of horrors or a House of Blues this is not a house of discouragement this is not a house of criticism and gossip but let me show you what happened when Judah and the King decided we're going to get our priorities straight we're going to all get in the house of God then upon jehazil the son of Zechariah the son of Ben Ayah the son of Gerald the son of Matt and Ayah a levite of the sons of ASAP now they gave they give his multiple generational bloodline Hazel can't came then upon Joe Hazel came the spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation you hear me and hear me good if you want your children to be used of God brother Whitley already said it they're not going to be used of God in the secular world they may have secular accomplishments but they're not going to be used to God they're going to be used of God when you keep them in the house of God that's where they find their Foundation some of you have sacrificed so much to make sure your children are always in the house of God you've you've paid tuition to Christian School you've given money to make sure that your kids could go to camps and Conference to go to NYC make sure that they're and stay involved you've been investing in them because here's what happens to Hazel the spirit of the Lord came on him in the midst of the congregation and he said hearken you he said listen now he was in the midst of the congregation it doesn't say anything about him being at the pulpit some folks think the only way God can speak through is you've got to have a Pulpit in a microphone many times words of encouragement positive words to those around you words of support so words of affirmation in the Kingdom when God ministers through us and he said hearken ye all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Thou King Jehoshaphat thus saith the Lord unto you be not afraid nor be nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude for the battle is not yours but God's let me tell you we suddenly start seeing some new strategy and warfare against the enemy when we come into the house of God and we start talking to the Lord and we get our family suddenly those attacks that seem so large God starts dealing with us and he starts giving words of affirmation it came from a young man he said tomorrow go you down against them behold they come up by the Cliff of this and ye shall find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of General ye shall not need to fight this battle set yourselves stand still now don't take that literally to me folks feel like they need to sit and stand still actually sit and stand still but this says set yourselves that was as a group he said set yourselves and stand you still and see the salvation of the Lord with you o Judah and Jerusalem fear not nor be dismayed tomorrow go out against them for the Lord will be with you let me tell you there's some battles that look impossible to win as long as you're outside the church something happens when I get that joy and gladness and that anticipation I get in the house of God with all you folks and you folks start worshiping and dancing and shouting and you start Clapping Your Hands and start moving out in the aisle it does something to me I say I believe I'm gonna make it I believe I'm going to win this battle I'm getting some Deliverance right now you're speaking to me Lord sometimes your worship will speak volumes to somebody because they know if you can make it I can make it some of you in this house you've got testimonies of physical healings I hope I don't ever have to go through what you've gone through but just your being here and just you lifting up your hands and just you worshiping is more than any song you can sing or any message you can preach you're being an example of the Deliverance of God never mistake if you'll just be here and let God use you oh hear me in this house if you want God to use your children it'll happen at church keep your sons and daughters in the house of God God will Minister and will use them through the congregation and Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground the king is humbling himself before God and all Judah in the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord worshiping the Lord you can worship on your knees you can worship with your head bowed sometimes we think worship is all about again I quote Pastor Whitley a fast song or a slow song but it's neither it's about the condition of your heart and what the what you're giving unto God what you're offering to him I've seen folks in church one person be laughing the other one crying one be running the other one be bound and every one of them's right in order because God is receiving their praise individually and in a unique way Josh fit bowed his head and his face to the ground all Judah and the habitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord worshiping the Lord and the Levites the spiritual leaders of the children cohith and all the children the courthouse stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high It Might Get Loud It Might Get Loud oh dear God you're going to do that in church you better know we are sometimes we're going to get loud sometimes we're going to lift our voices why because he's worthy God is not a heart of hearing but he's not nervous either a little noise don't bother when folks get excited sometimes Brother Moore has to I gotta push it up a little more just to be heard because folks are worshiping so much sometimes we get a little bit loud in the house I don't apologize for that I guess all the folks with your decibel meters would probably have to leave now but sometimes we just have to get loud and worship god with everything that's in us that's what they did they said we're going to make some noise we're going to get excited God's given us a word and we're accepting it there are some battles you won't have to fight if you'll keep your family in the house of God God will fight it for you as long as you keep them out of the house of God you're going to have to fix that because God's not going to manifest himself there so I want you to notice him praise team and musicians come on everybody will think I'm quitting notice what happened Jehoshaphat because of the incurity now remember at the beginning this what did we quote the King was afraid King was afraid but notice what happened he found new courage when he got in the sanctuary and he got in the atmosphere and he got into worship there was no more fear in the king notice verse 20 a second chronicles 20 and they Rose early in the morning and went forth Into the Wilderness of Toccoa and as they went Jehoshaphat stood and said hear me oh Judah the inhabitants of Jerusalem believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe His prophets so shall ye prosper let me tell you we did not build this facility with bunker mentality we're not bunkering in because Monday's coming we're going to be going out in the wilderness of Toccoa we're going to go be going out into a a world of sin we're going to be working we're going to be interacting and we've got to go from this place not with fear but instead with fresh encouragement that I've been in the house of God that's why I want to be here every Sunday I want to be here every Sunday night I want to be here on Wednesday night I want to be here for every special service if there's a conference I'm going to go to conference if there's a camp meeting got to get to Camp Meeting so help me we had Wednesday night service here back in the summer it's down here puppets up here singing I'm 64 years old give y'all a secret I look back behind there there's somebody back there doing that in case you didn't know you know what I wanted to be in that service with all those puppets I I wanted to be here when Stephen the pig came with brother Roberts see some of y'all remember that don't you why because this is where I get my encouragement this is where I get my strength this is where I want to be and I know you have that same desire to be in his house stand with me and when he had consulted the people Bishop they quoted a message you preached from this at Men's Conference and when he had consulted with the people he appointed singers unto the Lord that they should praise the beauty of holiness and went out before the army they quoted a message that Bishop preached a few years ago at a camp meeting over in Middle Tennessee said praisers in the front and warriors in the back they said before we even need to sin the Army let's sin the worship and praisers hey folks your front line your front line you hear me you're on the front line choir you're on the front line don't worry about who gets a solo just worry about that you're on the front line if you're in the back of the choir be the best back of the choir singers that ever sang in the back of the choir it's not about your vocal ability anyway we're warriors we're on the front line there's a battle coming that we can only win with the worship that you told us about the worship of the sword he appointed singers and they went before the Army praising the beauty praise the beauty of Holiness if you don't look like the beauty of holiness they didn't look like the world they weren't trying to be like the pop stars on the prominent stages of the secular World they looked holy they spoke holy they sang holy they worshiped holy they praised the beauty there's no ugly and wholeness Holiness is beautiful it's a lifestyle and they and it says and to say praise the Lord for his mercy endureth forever God renews Us in his house God gives you an appreciation for the message of Holiness in his house you don't get that in the world you can tell those who stayed away from the house of God for a while wholeness becomes ugly to them they can't praise its beauty [Music] does that mean we just throw things together no that means we prepare we practice we give it our best effort thank you I'm as well quoting you know the 20th century Christian apologists C.S Lewis you some of you folks know him from nardia and all that the Chronicles and that and then Narnia excuse me you don't uh I'm not for or against it but I do have a quote from him he said let choirs sing well or not at all otherwise we merely confirm the majority in their conviction that the world of business which does with such efficiency so much that never really needing to do is the real adult and the Practical world and that this culture speaking of Christians and religion are essentially marginal amateurish and rather effeminate in their activities end quote what he was saying was if you're going to have a choir practice and sing like a choir if you're going to have musicians practice why because you're out front [Music] if you're going to have a praise team you've got to get together and practice did you know some of us and I said us may not have some of us may not have my quality voices I sound a whole lot better in the shower than I do when you put a mic in my mouth but I'm not singing for beauty anyway I just want worship put me in the choir let me sing with everybody else they may cover up my mistakes but they can't out worship me I'm gonna be a worshiper in a praise her remember it's not about you anyway it's about him bad attitudes inflated egos jealous and envious spirits will not bring victory in the house of God half-hearted effort and Unfaithful attendance won't Ambush the enemy a desire for Unholy lifestyles and appearance but claiming you're right to do something will not bring no victory in your future but I'm here to tell you if we prepare an inspiration joins hands with the Holy Ghost anointing the Lord hears that he says I like what I I'm hearing I like what what I'm seeing I believe I'm going to join the fight the Lord says I I believe I'm going to get involved in this now ammon's been gathered around the moabites have been gathered around and notice what happened Praise Team come out here and when they begin to sing and to praise the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon and Moab and mount sear which were come against Judah and they were smitten maybe somebody started singing this is how I fight my bad and they started fighting amongst themselves verse 23 says for the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Sarah utterly to slay and Destroy them and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of syrup everyone helped to destroy another inner conflict is for the enemy not the church let me say that again inner conflict is for the enemy not the church if we'll be worshipers and praisers and we'll get along with each other the enemy will choose up sides and fight among themselves and then all we've got to do [Music] is go pick up the spoils and when Judah came toward the Watchtower of the Wilderness they looked in the multitude and behold there were dead bodies falling to the Earth none of them escaped and all that was happening here was an Army with a bunch of praises and worshipers out in front doing their job and when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoils of them they found among them in the abundance both riches with the dead bodies and precious jewels which they had stripped of themselves more than they could carry away they were three days in gathering of the spoils so much I won't read the rest when they returned to Jerusalem Jehoshaphat was in the front he came the Bible says he came into Jerusalem with joy for the Lord and made them Rejoice over their enemies you need to come to church with joy you don't know what I've been through don't matter come with joy because if you come with joy suddenly the Lord starts hearing your praise he starts hearing your words he starts hearing your petition Pastor you don't know I've been praying for an answer for this so long Joy come with gladness because you see when you put the worshipers out front suddenly God starts getting involved and says I want to fight this battle I want to be victorious I wonder if there's anybody in the house would like to come and get your gladness and your joy renewed Monday's coming you're going out in Toccoa you're going out into the Wilderness but when you come seeking your joy tonight seeking gladness knowing God's going to fight some battles for you Hallelujah come on love him love him love him yeah Hallelujah [Music] he's right here in this house right now Hallelujah [Music] you're always here you're always [Music] in this place in this place [Music] [Applause] [Music] Hallelujah [Music] Lord you know those who are disappointed in the name of Jesus [Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] Jesus it will happen with Jesus [Music] and love him right now would you think just a moment and say Lord I Thank you for your house I thank you for the church I thank you for my church family God you've affirmed and confirmed to our hearts Lord that this is the place that we need to be Lord I pray that you would give encouragement and gladness Lord that you would let your joy be felt in every heart Lord with the power of the Holy Ghost be manifest in every person in this house Lord we believe you for it we thank you for it in Jesus name we pray amen and amen First Apostolic church I love you you are the very best when you greet each other you are shaking hands with royalty before this is God's holy people would you greet each other remember Wednesday night we will be gathering for worship and the word don't forget our Wednesday night bible study greet everyone in Jesus name