Sunday Evening Worship Service

Well, glory. Thank you, praise team, musicians, and worshippers for being here in the house of the Lord tonight. Lord bless you. I'll let you move to your seats. We do greet every one of you in the precious name of Jesus. What an honor and a privilege it is once again to be here in the house of the Lord with every one of you. I give special greetings to all those who are joining us on all of the uh multimedia platforms that the Lord has uh honored us to be able to carry the gospel. And I say welcome to everyone. Glad to have you in the house tonight. I I would uh say a amen to the words of Pastor Anthony earlier. What a marvelous day it has already been. Uh the celebration of Mother's Day has been absolutely wonderful. Uh what a great uh time, an incredible word of the Lord this morning. And we thank you, brother Whitley, for ministering to us. And I want to take just a moment uh to give special honor. First of all, I honor my honor my mom. Mom, I love you dearly. Bishop and Sister Mcool have faithfully uh carved out the path that we are following here at First Apostolic Church. And uh I'm thankful for them. I'm thankful for the work of of my mom as well as my dad uh in First Apostolic Church. And then Pastor Whitley gave me insight to a new title. Uh I want to tell y'all about my lady elect. Her name is Jamie. And my lady elect is Jamie. And uh uh she's my wife, but she's the mother of my children and the greatest wife that anyone could ever have. Uh the greatest uh mother that any children could have. I love her dearly. I thank her so many times. uh she works behind the scenes and uh I don't always uh call her name as much as I should, but I'm thankful for her working with me in ministry and here at First Apostolic Church. So, you're my lady elect to First Apostolic Church. Okay? I love you, baby. And then I'd also like to honor uh my daughter and daughter-in-law who are uh the greatest moms that anybody could have for their grandchildren. Uh Sister Ashley and Sister Kelly uh are so uh in tune and in touch. And I know that Pastor Anthony and uh Pastor uh Nate Whitley uh would say amen, but they don't want to get in trouble. But they know who's pushing behind them as well. And Sister Kelly, Sister Ashley, thank you for loving First Apostolic Church and thank you for setting an example as great mothers of First Apostolic Church. I love you guys dearly. Lord bless you. And then I do believe in giving honor where honor is due. I honor all the mothers of First Apostolic Church for your faithfulness in working in the kingdom of God and all the ladies in general. I realize that some are uh uh natural mothers by birthing children and there's some that maybe for some reason God did not choose to allow you to have a natural child. But you mother uh different folks within the church family and you care for and you are just as much a mother and part of First Apostolic Church. And I honor every one of you for your faithfulness to your families, the examples that you are in the kingdom of God here at First Apostolic Church. Thank you. This is a very special day. Mother's Day is you know uh we have uh certain uh events that they uh uh advertise that it's such and such week and even such and such month and well mama only gets a day by our societal standards but I under I honor all of the moms uh of First Apostolic Church every day. Thank you for your faithfulness. Before we get into the word of the Lord, I want to say uh welcome home uh brother Caleb O'Brien. That's one good thing when when school gets out, some of these young ones come home. Been working uh on his degree at Indiana Bible College. Good to have you home uh right now. Lord bless you. I want to call your attention tonight to the book of Proverbs, the 31st chapter. We're going to uh continue with this theme as the waning hours of our designated Mother's Day are here. I would call your attention to Proverbs 31. We're going to read two verses. Number one, we read Proverbs 31:1, the words of King Lemule, the prophecy that his mother taught him. What my son? What the son of my womb? And what the son of my bows? For a few moments tonight, I would speak to you on this subject. Mother knows best things mama taught. Can I get a witness in the house? >> Let's pray. Savior, we love you. God, we're so grateful to be in your house. I thank you for the at least two precious souls who will be taking on your name tonight in water baptism. I thank you for every individual that's in this room. Lord, you've ordained it be so. And I thank you that our hearts are open to receive from your word, Lord. Nothing I can say or do, but Lord, let all your will be accomplished through your anointed word. Bless us, keep us, Lord. Let your salvation flow. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen. And amen. Mother knows best. I would first give a bit of explanation to our text in Proverbs 3:1. This will be the only place in scripture you'll find King Lemule named in that verse, very first verse. But if you do a bit of research, you'll find out a couple of things. There are controversies among some scholars. But most Bible scholars agree that King Lemule was actually a nickname or alternative name given for this passage of scripture to Solomon. And if you know who Solomon is, you will remember Solomon's mother. Solomon's mother was Beth Sheeba. So if scholars are correct, and for our purposes, I believe they are, we're about to hear the advice that Beth Sheeba would give to her son, King Solomon. Now let's get a bit of background first because understand Beth Sheeba had not been a faultless woman nor a perfect mother. Her history is less than stellar. Her reputation is not sparkling. She had a checkered past to say the least. In fact, she probably still experienced a few whispers behind her back from those who knew about her past sins. Now, however, she has forsaken and repented of her sinful history and is doing the good duty of a good mother, wife, and queen with her husband David. So allow me to interject here. One should never allow your past failures to which you have repented of and been forgiven of to prevent you from being an effective influence on the next generation. I don't care where you come from and I don't care what you've done in your past. When you repent of your sins and God forgives you, you have the opportunity and actually the duty to correct and give direction to another generation so they DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES that you made. >> SO NEVER MISTAKE. BETH SHEEBA WAS NOT PERFECT, but she is at a time in her life that her life experiences and mistakes have given her the motherly authority to give instructions to her son. Understand David, Beth Sheeba's husband, the man called the man after God's own heart. He too had made mistakes. He had been limited by God. There were certain things that he had disqualified himself from doing for God. He was not allowed to build God a house. But rather than pouting about what he couldn't do, David said, "Let me see what I can do and can I help my son? Can I help Solomon build a temple?" So, you have to understand the spirit of David and Beth Sheeba. But in particular tonight, I want us to look at what Beth Sheeba would tell Solomon. I submit to you that Beth Sheba was laying down the law to her son. Now understand, he's just not any son. I would take for a moment again setting scriptural foundation to remind you of Solomon's qualifications. In first kings 3:5 we read in Gibian the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night and God asked and rather and God said ask what I shall give thee. Now this is not a genie giving him three wishes. This is God himself speaking to Solomon said, "What can I give thee?" Boy, wouldn't you like to have God give you that opportunity? AND SOLOMON SAID, "Thou has showed unto thy servant David, my father, great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee. and thou hast kept for him this great kindness that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne as it is this day. Solomon probably didn't know all of his mom and dad's past. All Solomon likely had seen was a repentant David and Beth Sheeba. And because they had repented and been forgiven, now he was seeing their success and he was reminding God, God, I know YOU'VE BEEN MERCIFUL TO MY daddy and I know that you HAVE ALLOWED HIM ALL PRIVILEGES and now I thank you for blessing me to be his son to be next on the throne. But notice his self-posture. He said, 'I am but a little child. I know not how to go out or to come in. I'm innocent. I don't know what it takes to be a king. So God, you've said, "What can you give me?" Here's what I'm asking. Solomon said, "Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart >> to judge thy people." I fear that too many of us that would not be our first request if God said, "You can have anything." He said, "Just give me an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern BETWEEN GOOD AND BAD. FOR WHO IS ABLE TO judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon asked this thing? And God said unto him, because thou has asked this thing, AND HAST NOT. YOU SEE, SOMETIMES IT'S not what you ask God for, it's what you don't ask God for that gets a message through TO GOD. GOD SAID, "BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T ask for a long life, neither hast thou ASKED FOR RICHES FOR THYSELF, NOR HAST THOU ASKED THE LIFE OF THINE ENEMIES, BUT HAST ASKED FOR THYSELF UNDERSTANDING to discern judgment. Behold, I have done according to thy word. Lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I HAVE ALSO GIVEN BECAUSE HE ASKED FOR THE RIGHT THING, he said, here's what's going to go along with it. You see, WHEN WE CAN GET OUR HEARTS RIGHT TO ASK God for the RIGHT THINGS, THEN SUDDENLY THERE'S THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN REQUEST THAT GOD WANTS TO BLESS US WITH. I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, BOTH RICHES and honor, so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if there's the catch, his heart starts out right. If thou wilt walk in my ways, keep my statutes and my commandments as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. Listen to us all. No matter how smart, successful, or intuitive you are, you better be prepared to listen to mama's advice. If mama starts giving you some direction, she has insight that comes from experience and yes, even mistakes she's made. Proverbs 17 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." And notice verse eight. I think this defines the difference between mas and daddies perfectly. It says, "My son, hear the instruction of thy father and forsake forsake not the law of thy mother." Dad gives instruction and mama lays down the law. As bad as I'm tempted, I'm going to keep moving on that. You see, first Kings 4 said, "AND GOD GAVE Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and a largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezerite, and Hemon, and Keol, and Darda, and sons of Mahol. and his fame was in all nations roundabout. And he spake 3,000 PROVERBS. HIS songs were a thousand5. He wrote proverbs AND SONGS. HE SPAKE OF trees from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon, even unto the hissip that springeth out of THE WALL. HE SPEAKETH ALSO OF BEASTS, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes. AND THERE CAME ALL PEOPLE TO HEAR THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON FROM ALL KINGS OF THE EARTH WHICH HAD HEARD OF HIS WISDOM. WHO COULD give him any advice? I submit to you mama could. HE HAD ALL OF THIS wonderful Godendowed wisdom and intuitiveness and the ability to to discern between right and wrong. Yet the last chapter of Proverbs, we're hearing mama's advice to Solomon. So, what could mama possibly tell him that he didn't know? Well, let's see what mama said. Verse three, talking to her son, the king, give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyth king. He warns, she warns Solomon about bad women and bad behavior. Sadly, in our society, we see powerful and successful individuals almost daily in our headlines who lose their moral authority by succumbing to the pressures and temptations of immoral fleshly desires from politicians and leaders with great influence and power. reputations are destroyed but and their credibility and influence is forever tainted because they cannot res resist sinful desires. No vocation is immune from moral failure. kings, presidents, preachers, executives, coaches, and teachers. Sadly, at epidemic proportion, we see those who lose their moral authority because of immoral acts and desires that they can't control. They destroy their effectiveness. Let me speak to the young men. You better hear mama when mama warns you about a bad woman. And young ladies, this is not gender limited. You better hear when your mama warns you about a bad man. You better be careful and hear the advice of experienced voices in your life. I will not get too graphic and too plain, but suffice to say, mama knows best. Mama has some experience. Mama's been down the road. She's made even some mistakes possibly. AND SHE'S SEEN WHAT A RELATIONSHIP with someone who would take your moral authority will do to the remainder of your life. It can ever forever change your destiny and your effectiveness effectiveness and ability to minister if God calls you into any call and he will. I remember well praying the prayer and I say this noty or proud but simply a prayer that was my goal. I said, "God, I would rather never get married than to marry somebody that I can't effectively minister with in my life." Now, there is a flip side to that. Let me say, don't ever get so holy that you think you're never going to date either. I hadn't been that holy yet. By the way, oho large majority, everybody's not bad. But that's why we teach you need to date and marry and fellowship with the OPPOSITE SEX IN THE CHURCH. >> NOW, I know somebody the devil just got your goat. I mean, you you you're you're you're done with what I just said, but hear me. If you're hungry, you need to go get something to eat at a place that's nice and clean and neat and serves clean food. You don't go to the garbage can. If you want to marry someone who you can serve God with and have the greatest life there is, I'm speaking to the young unmarrieds in the house. You better go to a PLACE WHERE YOU CAN find the clean and the wholesome. YOU DON'T GO TO A place where it's being advoc advocated to be promiscuous to succumb to your baser instincts rather than allowing God to make a relationship holy before him. You see the Christian apostolic marriage relationship. You didn't think we'd be talking about this on Mother's Day, did you? It should be the greatest family relationship and an example to all the world that there is. AND IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT mama told Solomon one more time, "Hey, YOU BETTER BE CAREFUL NOT TO LET WOMEN steal your strength. Then Proverbs 3:14, she says, "It's not for kings, Olu. It is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes to drink strong drink, lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted." Mama said you don't need to allow your life to be destroyed by addictions. What she just told him, drugs, alcohol, addiction, the use and abuse of such things destroy so many who would have otherwise been so productive to human existence. Some even find legalized dealers disguised as healers and doctors who have no scruples to PRESCRIBE MEDICATIONS THAT cause addictions, overdose, and death. Impaired minds make poor decisions. I am still preaching. Hear me. I'm addressing something that a lot of folks would rather you not TALK ABOUT. MAN, LET'S TALK about shouting and dancing and as brother Whitley said this morning, huckabucking a little bit. No, I'm here to tell you there's some things in our lives that are outside THE CHURCH DOOR THAT mama wants to get give us some advice and wants to give us some direction THAT WILL ALLOW US to be the most PRODUCTIVE IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD AS WELL AS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL IN THE SECULAR WORLD in business, IN REPUTATION, IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. MAMA KNOWS HOW TO GIVE some good advice. And then VERSE EIGHT SAYS, "OPEN thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and the needy." Good judgment and pleading for the underprivileged is what mama's saying. Could I pause here and talk to the church a moment? We are blessed beyond measure to have so many multiple ministries. I want to publicly say again to brother and sister George and all of those who lead our Be Free ministry, how much I appreciate the care and concern that they have for folks who come to First Apostolic Church who maybe have not had the advantages that some of us have. folks who have already been tricked in their past by addictions and by the base natures that the enemy has tempted so many with. And if we as a church ever become a church who closes our mouth and our eyes and our ears to those less fortunate than us, we will not be pleasing to God. JUST AS MAMA TOLD SOLOMON, "YOU GOT TO PLEAD THE CAUSE FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE A VOICE. YOU GOT TO PLEAD THE CAUSE FOR THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE, the poor AND THE NEEDY. WHY DO WE PUT TOGETHER A GROUP AND FEED FOLKS EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE COMING through the line?" BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY. IF I CAN GIVE THEM SOME NATURAL FOOD, I HOPE THEY'LL COME BACK AND FIND SPIRITUAL FOOD. THEY MAY NOT HAVE HAD A MOTHER AND FATHER THAT LOVED THEM IN THE NATURAL SENSE, BUT DON'T YOU DISDAIN THEM. DON'T YOU TURN UP A SELF-RIGHTEOUS NOSE AT ANYBODY. SAY, "FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, THERE GOES ME. THERE GOES YOU." FIRST APOSTOLIC CHURCH, GOD HAS GIVEN US AN OPPORTUNITY TO MINISTER TO OUR COMMUNITY. THERE'S GOING TO BE HURTING PEOPLE. THERE'S GOING TO BE ADDICTED FOLKS. THERE'S GOING TO BE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN THROUGH A WHOLE LOT OF TROUBLE. >> GOD HELP US IF WE DISDAIN THEM COMING THROUGH OUR DOORS. >> OH, HALLELUJAH. >> MAMA TOLD SOLOMON, "I KNOW YOU'RE A SMART COOKIE, BUDDY." WELL, maybe that's my cool commentary, but don't you be influenced and find yourself being improper with your judgments because you've been impaired or because you prefer someone's wealth. But then if you go ahead and read through Proverbs 31, you'll find that mama also gave some of the most amazing advice in describing what a good woman was like. I speak to our moms today. I speak to our ladies, our young ladies who are not married yet. I speak to the ladies of the church. Her advice may have described may not have described rather her own life, but her experience now is giving some unbelievably valuable advice. For here's what the remainder of Proverbs 31 gives us. It says, "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her so that he shall have no need of spoil. There's no suspicions and mistrust in their marital relationship. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. The marriage is a lifetime commitment. She seeketh wool and flax and workketh willingly with her hands. She's like the merchant ship. She bringeth her food from afar. She's industrious. She riseth also while it is yet night and giveth meat to her household and a portion to her maidens. I don't know how they do it. Mama's get by with less sleep than most anybody else. She consumeth the field and buyth it. With the fruit of her hand she planteth the vineyard. She gethth her loins with strength and strengthen her arms. She's not a weakling. She's not a wallflower. Mamas are some of the toughest people I know. She perceiveth her merchandise is good and her candle goeth not out by night. She's got good perception, good judgment. She works after hours. She layeth her hand to the spindle. Her hands hold the dist. She is multi-talented. She can weave if she needs to weave. She can plant if she needs to plant. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor. Yay, she reaches forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She's prepared for the worst of conditions. Her family will not go cold. She is prepared for the unexpected. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry with clothing silk and purple. With all of that, all of those abilities, I would refer to this as the beauty of a woman's touch. Gentlemen, if it was left up to left up to us to decorate, it would be a sad, sad place around here. I see the beauty. and every time a season changes here at First Apostolic Church. Now, uh with all due respect to to uh uh the brothers that are mighty men of muscle who we give our muscle, I thank you for carrying stuff and and operating lifts when you're instructed where to lift and what to lift. But I'm sure thankful for these ladies that do all the decorating around here. I'm glad to have their touch. It would be an ugly sad world without them. I give them a hand. It It will ALWAYS BE JUST THE RIGHT SPICE, THE RIGHT TOUCH. Her husband is known in the gates when he siteth among the elders of the land. Because of her faithfulness to him, he is of good reputation. She maketh fine linen and sellth it, deliverth girdles unto the merchants. Strength and honor are her clothing, and she shall rejoice in time to come. She's not a grump is what that's saying. She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Oh God, give us more who have the law of kindness in her mouth, not the law of gossiper being a tailbearer. She lookketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Whether you're a stay-at-home mom or a go to work mom, I honor you for not getting involved in other folks household and other folks business. Thank care for take thank you for staying care taking care of things at home and not everybody else's home. Her children arise up and call her blessed. Her husband also, and he praiseth her. Is Eleanor in here? I'm going to tell on you, baby. You can get on to Poppy later. We've had all kind of stuff going on here in the past few weeks. We've had birthday parties. We've had graduation gettogethers. We've had celebrations of this and that. And I want you to know she is a gift card extraordinaire maker. She knows how she knows how to write and she makes some of the most beautiful decorative cards that you could ever have. I've been the recipient of those. In fact, every one in the family's been the recipient. But Pastor Anthony told me Mother's Day rolled her in again and she finally said, "Dad, I'M TIRED OF MAKING CARDS. I'M MAKING CARDS FOR EVERYTHING." I get it, Eleanor. That That's why Hallmark was invented. her children arise and call her blessed her. Listen, when brother Whitley preaches about mama, it's not with disdain. It's not with evil intent. He thanks the Lord for the disciplines. You see, there's folks in here, I dare not make that proclamation about the best mom because we could have a good fist fight over who it is. Because to every one of you who have a good mama, you know the sacrifices she's made. You know how she's cared for you and looked out for you. Her children arise. THEY CALL HER BLESSED. HER HUSBAND ALSO he praiseth her. Could I give advice to all the husbands? This was just mama's advice going to Solomon. You better know how to praise your wife if you got any gray matter between your ears. She ain't the old lady. The English is wrong, but the words right on. She's your darling. She's your sweetheart. Anybody comes up to me and says, "I WANT SUGAR," I'LL PASS SOME GRANULATED SWEETENER. IF SHE WALKS UP AND SAYS, "I WANT SUGAR," I SAY, "PUCK her up, baby." You better know how to brag on your wife. She deserves your praise. Give her the fruit of her hands. Let her own works praise her in the gates. Praise team and musicians, get ready because I want to bring this home now to its spiritual application. We've given advice that Solomon got from mama, but here's what Ephesians said, and please stay with me a few more moments to understand where we're going. Ephesians 5:25 said, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it what? the church PRESENT IT TO HIMSELF A GLORIOUS CHURCH not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish. Now, we've spoken in the natural. Let me give you the spiritual analogy. THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE, YOU find that God himself, the Lord himself, is the bridegroom. So, who's the bridegroom married to? Bridegroom's married to the church. Could I read verse 31 or rather verse 32? It says, "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church." There is a direct analogy being making being made here between the bridegroom and the bride. Christ and the church. But let me say it a little bit more eloquently by quoting Elder Johnny James. He simply said this. If the church IS NOT YOUR MAMA, THEN God is not your father. Let me tell you, IF YOU CAN'T TAKE THE INSTRUCTIONS of the church, >> IF YOU CAN'T TAKE WHAT THE CHURCH HAS BEEN TEACHING, YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO MAMA'S INSTRUCTION, IF THE CHURCH IS NOT YOUR MAMA, THEN GOD'S NOT YOUR FATHER. CUZ IF YOU WON'T LISTEN TO WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THAT FAMILY RELATIONSHIP, I WANT TO BE A CHILD OF GOD. IF HE'S MY FATHER, THEN THE CHURCH IS MY MAMA BECAUSE THAT'S HIS BRIDE. >> If we are to be the sons and daughters of God, stand with me. We must be birthed in the church. Now, where does this analogy take us? When Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, he said, "Master, what must I do?" Jesus said, "You must be born again." You can read it all for yourself. He said, "You must be born of water and of the spirit." What was he referring to? He wasn't referring to natural birth and spiritual birth. He said, "You need to be born of water and of spirit." We've got two candidates tonight that are being born of water. They're in the family of God. They're being born of water just as the symbolic relationship of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. to be born again. We're being born into the family of God when we repent OF OUR SINS. WE'RE BAPTIZED IN JESUS NAME. I'M TAKING ON THE FAMILY name of Jesus and I'm going to be filled with his spirit. Oh, if you're in the house tonight and you want to be a part of the family of God, I implore you, take mama's advice. Take the church's advice for direction for your life. Take the church's direction. The church is not here to set a bunch of rules, but the church is here to give us great advice to make it to heaven. Cuz that's mama, the church giving us direction. Is the church perfect? No. But hear the church's divi advice. Has the church ever made mistakes? Yes. but heed her admonition because of her experience. Is the true church looking out for my best interest? Absolutely. The church wants all to be saved. For the church is one flesh in Christ. Will the church accept me when I fail? Without a doubt. The only example I give you, did you ever mess up and run to mama? Did you ever miss make a mistake and run to mama? Mama may have to give you some correction, but when the chips are down, if mama was the mama mama's supposed to be, she'd put her arms around you and love you and say, "Son, daughter, I know you've messed up, but I forgive you. I love you. I love you with a love no matter what. This is the love that the church mama has for a lost world. First Apostolic Church, we must find ourselves filling both roles as being the children of God. But also, while we are the children of God, we must be that voice that leads folks to Christ and leads folks into the family of God. On this day that we celebrate mothers, politically correct or not, the advice that have been given to Solomon should go to all of us as well. We should honor and heap praise on the women who fear God and who love God. The virtuous women. We should also heed the instructions of the mother church. I would ask us to do this. We're going to have a baptizing here in just a few moments. But in the meantime, I want us to come around the front. In fact, start making your way now for a season of prayer of saying, "God, let me be a part of the church that gives guidance and direction." If you're in this house and you've never repented of your sins, don't be ashamed to come and step out. Say, "God, I want my sins to be forgiven. I want to be a part of this great family." It's not just the confines of these walls, but it's of all of the saints of God. Would you step out and would you start praying a prayer of God? I want to be used of you. I want to be in the family. I want to listen to the advice that mama has. I want to lead others to you. Let's pray together right now. Mighty God, I love you. Hallelujah. >> Yes, Lord. >> God, would you reign in my life? Come and over. >> God, would you come and overtake us, Lord? >> You're the one we're living for. >> Hallelujah. Hallelujah. >> Holy Spirit, lead us to the heart of Jesus. There is nothing. >> Let me accept the correction, the direction >> that the church would teach. God, let me put my life under the authority of the word of God, >> the church that guides and feeds and teaches. Lord, I pray that I not resist. God, let me never feel that I'm above the instructions that mama has for me. God, let me receive mama's words into my heart, God, because I know it leads us to the father. It leads us to Christ. and leads us to the power to live an overcoming life.