Sunday Morning Worship Service | Pastor McCool

well Glory Give the Lord another clap offering of praise Hallelujah Lord bless you I'll let you move to your seeds thank you praise team musicians technicians for leading Us in worship thank you saints of God for being here at First Apostolic Church what a privilege and honor it is to once again be here fellowshipping with the people of God I say I welcome home to many of you have been journeying even finishing up the Thanksgiving holiday so good to have you home and I'll say I meant to do this last week and I just got busy and forgot it but I want to say welcome home permanently from Atlanta brother binix sister Mandy and Javier are now back in Knoxville and we are so glad to have you all back at First Apostolic church we always call them home folks that happen to live in Atlanta for a while but they are back in Knoxville and we're thankful that work situations brought them back home we're so glad to see every one of you in the house of the Lord I would ask our church family to be in special prayer for uh Pastor Whitley and sister Ashley they are in Easton they are in North Carolina with brother and sister acres and the fine Church there doing a marriage Retreat and ministering to their church today so we're praying for them that the Lord will bless them and uh would bless their labors I'm excited to get into the word of the Lord this morning I'm thankful that we have hope we have Assurance I would call your attention this morning to the Book of Psalms the 37th chapter book of Psalms the 37th chapter and as you're finding that whether in your Bible or some device that you're using to look at scripture I would also remind everyone again about our Christmas services uh coming up on the 18th of this month just a couple of weeks I mean and we're going to have a time with brother James Wilson you don't want to miss that and then of course again I remind you we will be having service Christmas Day and Christmas night on the 25th of December please remember that there will be a special gift for everyone that's here on the on Christmas morning so please be here expecting a great time in the Lord The Book of Psalms the 37th chapter we'll begin reading at verse 23 Psalms 37 23. steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand I have been Young and now I'm old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread he's ever merciful and lindeth and his seed is blessed I draw a title from verse 25. for your consideration today not forsaken and not begging not forsaken and not begging let's pray savior I love you Lord I'm Grateful to be in your house and I thank you for this house of Believers that have joined us today God I pray that your word would reach down and touch our hearts and give us encouragement strength power and Lord make our calling and salvation sure we believe you and we thank you for this opportunity in Jesus name we pray amen I've heard a lot of facts and figures given about uh how the brain develops and how they study those things I'm not really sure that they uh that it's an exact science uh I fear that if they took a scan of my brain the doctor would say we found nothing so I I'm not sure how all of those things work but I I understand that there's certain ages that they say that on the average in a hole that certain abilities to differentiate between right and wrong takes place and then at a certain time that in the brain that you uh start to understanding more about consequences of one's actions and there's all kind of studies been done on these kind of things but verse 25 said I've been young and now I'm old the older one gets I submit that fear and anxiety of being Forsaken and alone poor or as we say broke seems to be in the Forefront of one's thoughts and Minds that worry about stability that worry about Security in one's life changes in life circumstances can leave one second guessing anxious and Afraid it's a horrible feeling to be alone or feel like you're alone I told this little story before here at First Apostolic church but it Bears repeating for many of you who may not have heard this just awake or two back we were at National youth convention and if you've never been to National youth convention in Nashville it's the most amazing spectacle to see aside from all the wonderful services and all the excitement that's going there there are literally thousands of apostolic Saints in particular Apostolic young folks that are there and you get out in the halls of that massive complex and and you'll walk shoulder to shoulder there'll be Apostolic folks some folks you know and some folks you feel like you ought to know and you're constantly green folks how you doing good to see you and it's just an amazing thing to see that throng of apostolic Believers in the place and for three days it's just an amazing thing well a few years ago when I was still young enough that'd be more than a few years ago when I say when I was still young enough several years ago when I was young enough to still beat on the youth board the executive youth board we had some business to take care of so at that time National youth convention went Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday and everybody checked out and got out a Dodge as we say on Friday but we had some Friday afternoon meetings that we had to go to post-conference meetings so we stayed over an extra day and uh not realizing it I got up went about my normal tasks and we got out in the halls and started walking the halls and the Halls were just as full as they had been during National youth convention it was I mean people were still shoulder to shoulder and it was very festive but all of a sudden I realized I didn't recognize anybody all those folks that I'd been having church with for three days those faces were gone I I didn't recognize anybody and I don't know how to explain it but I've told it before so I hope you understand it at least is indelible in my memory to realize how you can feel so alone when you're with so many people but I felt totally alone I I said you know that had been such an exciting place man I always wanted to check out and get out of Dodge get get me home where there's somebody I know I was with hundreds and thousands of people but I felt so alone it's a terrible feeling feel alone scripture used the term I was young now I'm older but I have not seen the righteous forsaken it used the term to be forsaken forsaken means to renounce or turn away from entirely abandoned a forsaken place or person separated or alone as you get older there is a fear of being alone there's a fear fear of being separated from your family and all that you know but Isaiah 's way here's what really will cause you to be forsaken here's what will cause you to be separated Isaiah said in Isaiah 59 1 behold the Lord's hand is not shortened that he cannot save neither is he heavy that he cannot hear but your iniquities have separated between you and God and your God and your sins have hit his face from you that he will not hear understand when we put these two scriptures together the psalmist said I've never seen the righteous forsaken or separated or alone but Isaiah said your iniquity and your sin will separate you from God but you see Romans said it this way who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or Peril or sword in verse 38 he said for I am persuaded Paul said I've got some inside information I agree with what the psalmist said I'm persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nothing's present nor things to come nor height nor death nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our lord I came to tell somebody today if you've been feeling Forsaken and alone you need to turn your life over to Jesus and start loving him righteousness will keep you from being alone today no matter your circumstances no matter what you face if you'll be righteous and love God you won't be alone Hebrews said it this way let your conversations be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have the reason some folks find themselves so lonely they're never contended with their situation they never really Count Their Blessings they're never satisfied with their situation he said be contented with such things as you have for he saith I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me we must not be afraid to boldly Proclaim I'm not in this by myself I haven't accomplished anything alone the Lord's the one's helping me when I get up in the morning the Lord help me get up when I started on my journey the Lord was with me righteous living people have that Assurance you're not alone I came to tell somebody today you're not alone no matter your circumstances the world and the enemy himself will try to tell you that you're lonely and alone you're not alone if you love Jesus he's going to be with you he's going to guide you he's going to protect you he's going to make you feel good about your situation he's going to get your mind right in your heart right you need to know Jesus today we may boldly say the Lord is my helper don't be ashamed that the Lord's helping you don't be ashamed to tell this world the only reason I have any success the Lord helps me I'm thankful that the Lord helps us and it's just as frustrating from our text and much anxiousness and anxiety comes along to feel like you're gonna have to beg it's a scary feeling to be as we in the South say broke I'm not sure really where the poor house is it I never wanted to go there I've heard folks talk about man he's in the poor house I I don't know where the poor house is but I don't want to live there what a helpless feeling that you need to beg the embarrassment the acknowledgment of failure the realization that you cannot fend for yourself that you need help the term beg simply defined means to ask for charity Proverbs 20 and 4 says this the sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold therefore shall he beg and harvest and have nothing sluggards are not righteous folks who won't develop a work ethic are not righteous either now a sluggard defined is a habitually lazy person man I don't want to be called a sluggard it has synonyms which include a couch potato a deadbeat a do nothing an idler a lay about a loafer a slouch a slug a slug a bed lazy bones I fear the worst lasting symptoms of covet and quarantine maybe a bunch of sluggards you don't think so try to go get waited on in a restaurant nowadays God signs up please be patient with us our Workforce is low our staff is low man preacher you ought to stick to the Bible I am let me tell you righteous people will have a work ethic to do something oh I realize folks have physical maladies and limitations but one of those should not be that you're attacked by the pillar monster every morning [Applause] righteous people will develop a work ethic with whatever ability God has given them they will be the best employers and employees they will can I get a witness in the house today I'm still preaching book and gospel you see the reason you don't beg is cause you work yes there will be difficult times yes there will be tough situations but it won't be because you're a habitually lazy person he said I've never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread the righteous need not beg you know why because they have the guarantee of substance Proverbs 8 21 said it this way that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their Treasures you see when you start serving the lord you get your priorities straight you start getting your money in line folks can claim to be Christians all they want to until they get their purse their pocketbook their money whatever you want to call it in line with serving God they haven't fully committed yet oh preacher you're just trying to fill the coffers of the church no I'm trying to find you a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive according to the book man I believe in shouting dancing worshiping but I also believe in working and paying your debts on time having a good name in the community that's part of being an Apostolic Jesus name Holiness Oneness person as well being a slugger don't get it we need some folks that'll stand up and say yes I'm a Child of God because I pay my bills on time I work and I pay my tithe and God blesses me royally he gives me substance shout out to death that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their Treasures the love of God brings substance not Shadows all pleasures treasures and enjoyments of the world are nothing more than Shadows health wealth and prosperity are not substances but fleeting Shadows there's nothing solid or substantial in them afflictions are but Shadow as well First Chronicles 29 15 said it this way for we are strangers before thee man this world's not in my home we're strangers in this place and sojourners we're on a journey I'm not here to stay forever as were all of our fathers our days on the Earth are as a shadow and there's none abiding we're not going to be here forever what we do for Christ is what's going to last what we do for our family and raise them up in the fear and the nurture of God and teach them the ways of God our health our strength our Vitality is but a vapor I remember brother Gino Magnus saying he said the older I get the faster I was he said I can tell the stories now but I know what he meant today's athlete with speed quickness daunting strength and dexterity is tomorrow's trembling weak o man or old woman indeed some of the strongest quickest and most accomplished soon find themselves listed in the obituary for you see lives of vapor if we're dependent on what's Happening Now we're going to be forsaken and begging but Paul said this because he had some insight he said to live is Christ and to die is gain he said if we have hope in this life only we are of all men most miserable when you start evaluating what your life's about remember if you'll live a righteous life unto God all of those thoughts that the enemy would try to come in and make you think you're alone you're not alone you've got a family of God you've got a God who loves you you're not alone today going into this Christmas season it becomes a dangerous time for a lot of folks who have memories of happier times when they were young all I'm saying is we need to get out ahead of that mess today we need to make the proclamation Proclamation no matter my age I am going to serve God because I'm not alone I'm not begging for substance whatever I have God has provided it for me he's made a way for me and I'm going to celebrate I'm not going to sit around in the Molly grubs and say I'm alone I somebody hear this old man today [Applause] he said delivers Christ to die is gain the scripture stated I will cause them that love me to inherit substance fill their Treasures Heaven is all substance it's Pleasures treasures and enjoyment Everlasting that's promised to us oh I hadn't got all that stuff I'm not in heaven yet I'm still a Sojourner I'm still on a journey I hadn't got all I'm going to get for you see life at its best and suffering at its worst Paul said this in Romans 8 18 for I reckon something like a southerner doesn't he said I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in US oh man I may not look like I got a lot right now oh but you don't know the treasures I've got laid up in heaven oh it may look like that I I hadn't got a lot of substance but I hadn't got where I'm going yet I'm still on a journey James 4 14 said whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow man we don't know what's coming tomorrow for what is your life it is even a vapor that appearth for a little time didn't vanish away you see Bible said the steps of a good man or ordered the Lord the steps of a good man he said in Psalms our text I've never seen the righteous forsaken now it sounded like it'd be a good idea to be righteous don't it I want to be righteous how about you the term righteous means acting in accord with Divine or moral law let me read that again righteous means acting in accord with divine and moral law free from guilt or sin morally right or justifiable would it not make sense that the inverse of that would be unrighteousness if righteous means acting according with Divine or moral law unrighteous apparently would mean not acting with Divine or moral law you see we're living in a Time where many are being influenced that the more unrighteous you are the more in Vogue and popular that you become and you are accepted more by Society folks who want I've heard people say well you can't legislate morals but he lost sure tries to protect immorality though sad to say too many are trying to with man's legal ideologies and man's legal terms in the so-called guise of adding freedom protect immoral Acts protect things that are against Divine laws of God First Corinthians 6 9 said it this way know ye not that the unrighteous now psalmist said I've never seen the righteous forsaken or seed begging bread First Corinthians 6 9 said know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor Covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit inherit the kingdom of God man what a laundry list all right and there's some under the sound of my voice no there's all under the sound of my voice If we're honest with us our name was in that list unrighteousness had disqualified us from inheriting the kingdom of heaven oh but let me tell you when you get washed When you get cleansed when you get Sanctified suddenly something takes place there is a freshness that I'm not alone anymore oh when you're involved in all of those horrible things that were listed you can feel so alone because the enemy brings guilt after you've committed sin he brings guilt and separates you what did the scripture say earlier your sins have separated you iniquities have separated you but before again we have too many feathers around from our angel wings and too much angel dust that we brushed off of our shoulders for how righteous we are you know what's just as bad as being unrighteous being self-righteous there's righteous there's unrighteous and there's self-righteous two out of three don't get it because Isaiah said in Isaiah 64 6 that our righteousnesses are as filthy rags we're supposed to be righteous yet if we get a proud of our righteousness it becomes dirty filthy old nasty rags Mama cool I can't find that term self-righteous in the Bible you're right you can't but let me Enlighten you can you find the word Pharisees in the Bible Pharisees pictures would be by unrighteousness Pharisees took everything that was holy and made it legalistic and Unholy in some way they pointed their fingers and inspected everyone else they even made healing a sin if you did it on Sunday they put ribbons in their garment to show how holy they were they put factories on their head or on their arms they were binding up it wasn't because they were all that Holy they were shown off to everybody else they prayed lengthy prayers not to impress God and reach God but to impress man I submit that either unrighteousness or self-righteousness will leave you Forsaken and begging there will be a hollowness there if you do the things that you do to exalt yourself oh but when I give righteousness unto God when I'm righteous before God I've got good news for you there's a place that you become God's Delight the psalmist said it this way again I keep reminding us of our text the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he who the Lord delighteth in his who a good man's ways though he fall this is not an allowance for sin but it's a reality of humanity righteous people will make mistakes sometimes unrighteous people and self-righteous people act like it was an accident but it was premeditated sin all the time though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down oh I like I've got videos of my grandbabies Easton and Eleanor and real soon Callaway learning to walk and it it it's so exciting to see their motor skills start to develop now Sister Kelly has got video after video of bringing Eleanor into the building when she would just wobble just just now you bring into the building and set her down you better hang on I can't catch her but you know what during that time of them developing their motor skills you'd walk beside them got your hand close by you know they're gonna fall but the only way they can mature is they got to try let me tell you there's going to be baby saints come into the church are you going to be righteous are you going to be self-righteous you're going to put your finger at them say watch them they're going to fall watch them are we going to be like Christ he said it said though look at it and said though he fall he shall not utterly be cast there why because there's a great big answer I'm going to catch you I'm not gonna let you fall I'm not gonna let you skin your knee this time why I love you I know you care and I know I you know I care about you you're righteous I I know you stumbled let me tell you if you're in this house don't let the enemy tell you you've Fallen you can't get up you can get up you will get up if you'll live a righteous life before God he loves you too much he loves you too much [Applause] hallelujah hallelujah though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand you're talking about a big hen that knows how to reach down and pick you up when you fall let me tell you this is a place of Grace that you're in today this is a place for the Fallen this is not a house full of Perfect People this is a Place full of Fallen people that the mighty hand of God has mildly and miraculously reached down and pulled us up laughs this is a righteous place I'm thankful for righteous leadership I thank God for our Bishop and first lady let me tell you talking about my dad now but I'm not talking about my dad I'm talking about my Bishop he's one of the smartest people I know ever he has distinguished himself and so many facets of leadership time would not allow me to tell you all the things that bishop and sister McCool have done being a template for leadership for sister Jamie and myself and for the leaders of our church I personally observed him and them in very difficult situations the only way I can describe it with my limited vocabularies it seemed like a lot of times Bishops play in chess when everybody else is playing checkers he's thinking ahead he's anticipating why because he's lived a righteous life and God is working through him but with that said let me tell you this he's not a know-it-all there's a lot of know-it-all preachers now I since I am when I can talk about preachers just a little okay preachers are men who have egos who have faults and failures like everyone else I I get concerned about preachers who can never be people let me explain have you ever been around one of those individuals they're trying hard but they if they talk to anybody they always have a preacher's voice well Hallelujah Hallelujah good to see you man sometimes you got to step out of the pulpit and be a person you know boy you're worried about my ramblings now aren't you preachers got to be people sometimes preachers got to have a prayer life like everybody else pray God doesn't give them a special benefit not to get to pray God doesn't give them special Insight that you don't have to study you got to stay in the book you what was it young man said man I want to be a preacher so I don't have to study in school anymore Bishop's not in fact he's a no-nothing preacher that's what kind of preacher Paul was he said in First Corinthians 2 1 I and I Brethren when I came unto you came not with Excellency of speech or wisdom declaring unto you the testimony of God for a term I determined not to know anything he was a no-nothing preacher he said I'm determined not to know anything among you save Christ and him crucified if our message ever moves away from Christ and him crucified we've taken our message in the wrong direction if it becomes a health wealth and prosperity message about how much money we can make we've moved from the wrong place if it becomes a social gospel about making everybody feel good about what they're doing we've moved away from Christ and him crucified God help me never to fail away and fall away from the message that Jesus died for our sins I was the chief Sinner and he died for me I got to keep that message in front of everybody Hallelujah musicians get ready he said I was with you in weakness fear and much trembling and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's Wisdom but in the demonstration of the spirit and of power that's why you have power filled preaching in the house of God because it's not about the pedigree oh we will educate ourselves we'll prepare but it's not about that stuff it's a demonstration of spirit and power that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God that's why we keep proclaiming that we're really not politically concerned I just want to know that what we do is pleasing unto Christ and you see leadership as the template and the foundation that I heard Bishop and sister McCoo plays for us permeates throughout this entire Ministry I'm glad to be in a place of righteous forgiven people today all time would not permit for me to hand the microphone around and let all of you folks tell what the mercies and the grace of God has done if you've come in this house today and you look around saying man I can't go to church there there's too many perfect people oh no there's just a house full of forgiven people God's done so much he's forgiven so much in this house we stand not with any pride in ourselves but we stand thankful that we serve a forgiving righteous God and we want to live righteously before him stand with me we must keep preaching the cross we must keep preaching the Plan of Salvation so simply and succinctly given to us in Acts the second chapter and we must continue preaching restoration healing and forgiveness First Apostolic Church we must have a heart for all of these things for this is where never been alone and never begging comes you see I want the Lord to Delight in US if you're here today you've been feeling a little Melancholy a little forsaken a little nobody understands me if it seems Your Existence is one of begging I want you to know you have a chance to find righteousness today not self-righteousness but you have a chance to find righteousness for it begins with expressing your love for Christ [Music] we have to be a church of righteous marriages righteous employees Saints pastors Church children seniors that are not forsaken or begging again our text said he is ever merciful that means he is forever merciful in verse 26 it said and lendeth if you've been begging let me tell you there's a God that wants to lend you a little bit of Grace today he's ever merciful I want to tell you about a God he wants to lend you some mercy today sitting his seed is blessed who's to see that's the children of God how do we become children of God we take on his name if you're in this house and you haven't repented of your sin there's an altar that you can come today lift your hands and say Jesus I'm sorry he's here you're not alone he's here to forgive you sin then you can take on his name you can be his Heir because it said again his seed that's his kids that's his children it's seed is blessed no need to beg no need to play alone of Grace it's a no interest level and then I would close with this as my last verse second Corinthians 5 17 says therefore If any man be in Christ he's a new creature forget what you've been forget what the world called you don't remember who was the originator of the statement but I'll repeat it anyway it doesn't matter what people call you it matters what you answer to I said it doesn't matter what they call you it's what you answer to call me a sinner call me good for nothing call me anything you want to but you know what I'm going to answer to I'm a Child of God I'm going to answer to I'm forgiven immeasurable grace and mercy that's been given me I wonder if there's anybody that would like to step out today and come and thank the Lord for his mercy and for his grace I wonder if anybody like to step out from your seat and gather around this Altar for a little while and say thank you Lord for your mercy and Grace I'm not gonna be begging I'm not gonna be forsaken if you're feeling that way today come with them because there's prayer warriors that will pray with you and let you know you're not forsaken you will not beg would you come right now Hallelujah [Music] Defender behind me foreign [Music] [Music] [Music] just tell it Jesus I love you right where you are right where you are surrender yourself to Jesus I love you Jesus I am not alone I am not alone I am not forsaken Hallelujah [Music] the Lord You're my comforter Lord for he's my comfort [Music] now everybody say your spirit your spirits [Music] [Music] so I will walk in your peace [Music] no matter the situation Jesus I'm gonna walk in your peace to your experience see my victory see my pictures [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] would you love the Lord would you feel his touch just a few moments would you feel his touch just a few more moments thank you Lord I am not alone thank you Lord you are with me Lord You Are My Provider you're my protector I'm living by faith I'm walking by faith in you savior hallelujah hallelujah hallelujah I would ask this caring assembly take this message to Heart both in the spiritual and in the natural would you in these next several days of all the activities going on find your brothers and sisters let them know they got a friend at First Apostolic Church let's love one another let's look out for each other let's think about if you see a stranger come through the doors don't let them be a stranger reach out to them find them make them comfortable some of you will never stand behind this Podium and preach but you will be a soul winner by making folks feel welcome and loving people just loving them letting them know how much Jesus loved them and his love in you cares about them can we do that Lord bless you let's have good church tonight we pray first we'll be at six o'clock choir musicians choir at five musicians before that choir will meet at five please all the choir be here we're getting ready for Christmas and our presentations you need to be here be here expecting a great time in the Lord would you greet everyone as your personal protocol makes you comfortable you're dismissed in Jesus name