Sunday Morning Worship Service

Well, Lord bless you. You may move to your seats. We greet you this Sunday morning, this Lord's day, in the precious name of Jesus, the name that is above every name. And that's why we're here today, because he has paid the debt for us. our freedom to worship, our freedom to praise, and the blessings that we receive. It's all because of Jesus. I welcome everyone who's joining us here in the sanctuary. I welcome all those who are joining us on our multimedia platforms. Do realize that uh at least in our immediate area, of course, other parts of the country, this is what has become known as fall break this week and the next week. And uh some folks are journeying and traveling but uh many when they are journeying and traveling do turn tune in and are in service with us. So we welcome you hurry back home after your little time of respit and we hope that you'll be back home very soon. But what a wonderful crowd of believers are here in the house of the Lord today. We welcome each and every one of you. I want to take just a moment to uh uh say a special thank you uh to uh First Apostolic Church and in particular Apostolic Christian School and Apostolic Kitty Academy and the staff of those two outreaches of First Apostolic Church. This past Thursday, we had a quite unique situation happen. uh the local uh public school down the street had an emergency evacuation from their school and they called our security staff that was on duty happened to be brother Reagan and brother Reagan at that time and they said we have an emergency situation. We're having to evacuate our school and is there any way you could accommodate us to let our students get in out of the hot sun and out of the weather? Brother Reagan and our entire staff, Brother Reagan's, I should say it that way, along with our administrative staff of Apostolic Christian School and Apostolic Kitty Academy, immediately went into action and in just uh a few minutes, we had this sanctuary full of students that had been evacuated from public school. Now, some might would think, well, man, I don't think we ought to give them the time of day. I've got news for you. Anytime we get a chance to get somebody in the house of the Lord, I want to introduce them to this place cuz you never know what door that might open up. I would tell you this, the next day after all the excitement had ended, our staff did a marvelous job and I want to thank every one of them personally and publicly for adapting and uh our students as well who were safe and in a different part of the building. Uh but thank you for adapting and welcoming. The next day, the uh vice principal and the principal of that public school came here, brought a bouquet of flowers, thank you notes, and a donation to our school for our kindness to them. I'm here to tell you, our kindness in the community will open doors to tell people about Jesus if we'll take the opportunity to do so. >> We are not naive and we are aware of the times, but we also want to make ourselves available to minister at every opportunity. Give honor to Pastor Whitley. Glad to have him back home. Pastor Whitley journeyied out to the Oklahoma district to do their uh Oklahoma district um uh um youth student ministries is the word I'm trying to remember their student ministries overflow services and did some teaching out there and good to have him back home. I also want to say thank you uh brother Preston Ellard for uh doing a mighty job of ministering to our overflow rally at the promise church uh in Church Hill this past uh Friday night and all the young folks. Thank you brother uh Alex for uh uh driving and getting our young folks there. Had a great time in the Lord. Just a lot of things going on here at First Apostolic Church. do give honor to our bishop and sister Mcool. And I would join also uh with Pastor Whitley of saying happy birthday to sister Ashley Whitley. I appreciate the job she does uh leading our music and directing us. And she's my firstborn. I love you, sweetheart. I'm proud of you. I want to go to the word of the Lord this morning. And I would be remiss if I didn't also when I honor folks always thank the Lord for my precious wife who so much behind the scenes does so many things here at First Apostolic Church. Uh if she was not on the scene, we would have one of two issues and maybe both. either you wouldn't be able to get through the place or you would be able to find nothing for uh she keeps us organized so we don't agonize. Uh she keeps my personal calendar so I get where I need to be as well as our church calendar and behind the scenes, excuse me, does a marvelous job. Honey, I love you. Thank you for all you do in the work of the Lord. calling your attention to the book of Matthew, the 5th chapter. And maybe this will dovetail into the thanks I gave to our school and our child care center. Matthew 5, we'll read one verse for now. This is the words of Jesus speaking to his followers and his disciples. He stated, "Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trotten under foot of men." For a few moments this morning, I would speak to you on this subject, the influence of salt. the influence of salt. Let's pray. Savior, I love you. God, I'm grateful for this wonderful opportunity and this crowd of believers that have gathered here today. Lord, I pray that your word would once again instruct us, guide us, direct us. Let it give us the light that we should have to guide our steps. Lord, I pray that I could speak as your mouthpiece, not of my ability, for I have little, but save your little as much if you're in it. And your anointing will reach us all. For all this, we're grateful and thankful. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. The influence of salt, sodium chloride, is the most common salt. has a chemical formula for all you folks that know those things of Na. It consists simply of sodium chloride. It's widely used as we all know in food water softening and in has many industrial purposes. I looked up just to do one of those entrylevel Google searches that we sometimes do and I just put what is the value and the uses of salt to which I received these answers. It is a biological necessity. It provides sodium which regulates fluid balance, blood pressure, nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction. It also serves as food preservation and flavoring. It enhances the palatability and prevents bacterial spoilage by drawing out water via osmosis. It has industrial and commercial uses. It's used extensively for road deicing, water softening, chemical manufacturing. But in our text we read Jesus is using the analogy that his followers would be the salt. The salt he said ye are the salt of the earth. Well, I also wanted to find out what a lack of salt gives you, which I found out that a lack of salt, when your body is low on salt, it gives you a condition that is referred to as hyponetriia. Water moves into your cells and causes them to swell. Mild symptoms include nausea and vomiting, headaches, muscle cramps and spasms, fatigue, and general weakness. The severe symptoms include confusion, an altered mental state, seizures, loss of consciousness, or a coma, brain swelling, which can be fatal. Well, I've got news for you. That sounds socially like what we're dealing with nowadays for a lack of salt. We're living in a society that seems to be confused and has an altered mental state. IT'S LOST ITS CONSCIOUSNESS. WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT ARE WE THINKING? It's sickening. It's nauseating what this world is doing. I'm here to tell you this world needs a little salt. >> Jesus said, "Ye are the salt of the earth." Christians that do not influ influence this world are good for little else. Our doctrine, including holiness, must not be influenced by the world or by worldliness. Our standards of behavior, appearance, and proper conduct must remain uninfluenced by this world. There has been a new term coined in the past few years in the social media world known as influencers. Influencer culture is a social and economic system where people build digital personas on platforms like Tik Tok and YouTube and Instagram. AND THEY TRY TO SHAPE the way everyone who tunes in. THEY TRY TO SHAPE WHAT THEY BUY, WHAT THEY BELIEVE, and what they do. I'm here to tell you, we must be the salt. We must be the influencers of an old wicked, lost world. This world lacks the salt of the earth. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST to be the salt of the earth. You see, when perversion is legalized and applauded by our society, while morality is delegitimized, this world needs some salt. The synoptic passage of our text in Luke says Luke 14:34 SAYS, "SALT IS GOOD, but if the salt have lost his savor, whether shall it be seasoned? If we forget who we are, if we lose what it means to be a follower of Christ, it is neither fit for the lamb nor yet for the dungill. But men cast it out. He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear. I'm here TO TELL YOU, SALT IS A SEASONING AGENT. WE MUST BE A SEASONING agent to this world. And we cannot be seasoned. >> YOU SEE, SALT DOESN'T GET MEATY. MEAT GETS SALTY. SALT DOESN'T GET BEANIE. Beans get salty. >> Salt that does not flavor loses its influence. >> Notice what Paul wrote in Colossians. In Colossians 4:1, we read, "Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a master in heaven. continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving WITH ALL PRAYING ALSO FOR US that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery of Christ for which I am also in bonds that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak notice verse five and six IN PARTICULAR WALK in wisdom toward them that are without the world redeeming the time let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how you ought to answer every man. I want us to break this passage from Colossians down just a little bit and see what it's really TELLING THE DISCIPLES, THE followers of Christ, for that's who we should be. Verse one said, "Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a master in heaven." That means we need to understand that in an unfair, unjust world, we must maintain a posture of being fair and just in everything that we do. >> We're not cheats. We're not unfair. We try to make fair and just judgment in all that we do. And then HE SAID CONTINUE IN PRAYER watching the same WITH THANKSGIVING. THE PRAYER LIFE OF FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST OUGHT TO BE PRAYERS FILLED WITH MORE thanksgiving and less I want. He said with all in other words additionally PRAYING ALSO FOR US THAT GOD WOULD OPEN unto us a door of utterance to speak the MYSTERY OF CHRIST FOR WHICH I am also in bonds. Paul's writing this from being incarcerated, but he's saying, "I NEED THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST TO PRAY FOR me that God would open a door, an opportunity." Now, the noted Bible commentator Matthew Henry said this about verse number three. With all praying also for us, the people must pray particularly for their ministers and bear them upon their hearts at all times at the throne of grace. I WANT FIRST APOSTOLIC Church to know I desire you to pray for me. >> I DESIRE YOU TO PRAY FOR THE ministries of First Apostolic Church. PRAY THAT GOD WILL OPEN DOORS OF UTTERANCE THAT WE CAN MINISTER. THAT'S WHAT WE MUST DO. I DESIRE YOUR PRAYERS. I PRAY FOR YOU. AND PLEASE, I NEED YOU TO PRAY FOR ME. WOULD YOU PRAY FOR YOUR LEADERS? WOULD YOU PLAY PRAY FOR YOUR SCHOOL TEACHERS? WOULD YOU PRAY FOR YOUR SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS? WOULD YOU PRAY FOR YOUR MUSICIANS? WOULD YOU PRAY FOR YOUR TECHNICIANS? WOULD YOU >> I NEED YOUR PRAYERS. >> WHY? I WANT GOD TO KEEP OPENING DOORS. I WANT GOD TO KEEP MAKING WAYS THAT WE CAN UTTER CHRIST TO A LOST WORLD. THAT'S WHAT FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST MUST DO. >> He said, "Pray that God would open to us a door of entrance that would EITHER AFFORD US THE opportunity to preach the gospel and give us the opportunity to be a witness." Verse four said, "That I may make it manifest as I ought." Oh, that's another word that's suddenly gained popularity again. To manifest this, to manifest it. The term manifest simply means to make clear, plain, and obvious. >> Listen, this world needs TO UNDERSTAND THAT FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, THERE IS A CLEAR, PLAIN, OBVIOUS MESSAGE. WE WANT THIS WORLD TO BE SAVED. WE MUST BE THE SALT THAT SEASONS THIS EARTH. WE'VE GOT TO BE DIFFERENT FROM THIS WORLD. WE CANNOT HAVE THE FLAVORING OF THE WORLD IN US. WE MUST AFFECT THIS WORLD. >> WE DO IT IN OUR LOCAL MINISTRIES. WE DO IT WITH MISSIONS AMERICA. WE DO IT WITH WORLD MISSIONS. When we line folks up at that overhang at certain times and the saints of God hand out food baskets, is that just feeding the hungry? Absolutely not. We're wanting to let them know that there's a church here THAT THEY CAN COME to in a time of trouble. WHEN WHEN WE HAVE TRUNK OR TREAT, I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO INTRODUCE FOLKS TO THIS CAMPUS TO MAKE THEM COMFORTABLE WITH BEING HERE. ARE WE going to have some odd characters come through the door sometimes? As they used to say in the South, you cotton chop, right? We will. We'll be cautious. We'll be careful. We will not be naive. But I'm here to tell you, we're going to have folks that'll walk through these doors that are different than us. They smell different than us. They >> they have problems. and and we must not be frustrated and let that affect us. We will have FOLKS WITH FALSE IDEOLOGIES and crazy ideas. But I'm here TO TELL YOU, WE'RE SALT. WE'RE THE INFLUENCER. WE MUST BE THE INFLUENCER OF A LOST WORLD. WE'RE THE ONLY HOPE THIS WORLD'S GOT. WE GOT TO TELL THEM ABOUT JESUS. HALLELUJAH. >> He said, "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without redeeming the time." What does that mean? We need to be hyper conscience of the way the world perceives us. Now, that does not mean we won't have unrealistic detractors, but we can't let those things annoy us. But we must make sure that we have a testimony that if somebody's going to find faults with our a fault with our testimony, it will only be an untrue fault. We can't be dead beats. >> That means We pay our debts. >> We don't beat our debts. That's what a debt beat is. >> We must be kind and considerate to our community, to those who work around us. I preach about this a lot. You know why? Because we have to be reminded of it. >> That's right. >> We talk ABOUT THIS A LOT. A LOT. But this is what the disciples of Christ, Jesus had to teach it over and over and over again of the way they interacted with the rest of the world. Because there's a temptation in all of us to go back to the baser natures of the flesh when we see the world acting and reacting in a certain way. He went ON TO SAY, "WALK in wisdom toward them that are without redeeming time, our conversations, the way we talk, the subject matter which we talk about with them that are." It said, "Let your speech all be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." Now, this is not here to do a a chemical study today, but when we talk about salt of the earth and the flavoring, Jesus was not accidentally using this analogy. But I also find out that there the different types of salt that we now use are compounds of things. Calcium chloride is what they put on the streets to melt the ice. It's a a different mixture than what you're salting your food with. Potassium chloride is used in fertilizers and water softening. It has an effect and helping things grow and making water softer. Magnesium sulfate known as Epsom salts used for soothing baths, home care, medical purpose. These are mixtures. Well, here the Apostle Paul gave a mixture. He said, "We're going to mix grace and salt together." Now, at this point, I'm not talking about the grace of God. We know that the grace of God is the unmarited divine favor for mankind. But there's another grace. If you if you look in the dictionary, the term grace is always also defined this way. A way of moving that is smooth and attractive, that is not stiff or awkward. A controlled, polite, and pleasant way of behaving. Skills that are needed for behaving in a polite way in social situations. The way I see some folks act out in public, I hope they don't say what church they go to. I repeat again, your testimony is not near as much about what happens in here when praise and worship's going on as it is when you're in the checkout line and the little checkout girl struggling to get your order right. Or when you're sitting at a table in a restaurant and you don't feel like you're getting the service you deserve. Or when you go to the mechanic and you feel like he can't feel fix that squeak and he keeps thinking it may be in your head instead of in your car. Am I telling us to be passive? Absolutely not. But I'm telling you there's a graceful way to deal in this world with those who do not believe. >> There's a way to gracefully deal with problems, with difficulties. There's a graceful way that we can conduct oursel in a manner to still accomplish what we need to get accomplished, but not to be a grump. >> I realize that may not be a biblical term, but it's still truth. >> They have a politeness about us that there's something different about THAT GUY. EVERYTHING WASN'T GOING GREAT AND I REALIZED THE SITUATION BUT THAT GUY OR THAT LADY THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THEY HANDLED THAT SITUATION WITH SUCH GRACE AND POLITENESS. >> You see that's the kind of grace that he's talking about being mixed together with salt. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, "Be not deceived. Evil communications corrupt good manners. There's some folks that seem real mannerly till they open their mouth and ruin it. Let me read what I wrote. Our political climate has steadily declined into a cesspool of vulgar, chish, crude, and profanity lace discourse. Such coarse and offensive communication has indelibly stained our reputation as a nation. WE NEED MORE SALT AND GRACE in our governmental leadership. I'M NOT ADVOCATING A PARTY NOR A POLITICAL CANDIDATE, BUT I REPEAT, WE NEED MORE SPIRITUAL INFLUENCERS, SOME MORE SALT, AND SOME MORE GRACEFUL COMMUNICATORS REPRESENTING WHO WE ARE AS A NATION. >> Vile cyber communications. Some appear to have good manners until they open their mouth or start communicating or trying to. In other words, until you read their posts, exploitative lace tier break down the reputations of otherwise good-mannered individuals. Suggestive vulgar talk does not represent grace or class. Instead, it accentuates a lack of intellectual prowess. In other words, you look stupid. Oh, excuse me. OBSCENE AND PROFANE PHRASES and words are usually the simple-minded trying to express themselves forcefully. If it's not ACCEPTABLE FOR THE PRAYER ROOM, IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR YOUR LOCKER ROOM, YOUR BOARDROOM, YOUR LIVING ROOM, YOUR DINING ROOM. SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST EVIL FORMS OF CORRUPT COMMUNICATION THERE IS. YOU MAY NOT WOULD SAY IT, OH, BUT I'LL EXIT OR TWEET IT. >> Don't be a tweet. There's no such things anymore. And I would add there's closely related terms. Speculation, suspicions, intuitions, INSINUATIONS, AND GOSSIP. NONE OF THOSE ARE PROPHECY or the voice of God speaking. That's your own flesh getting in the way. >> Don't have corrupt communications. EPHESIANS 4:29 SAYS, "LET NO CORRUPT COMMUNICATION PROCEED OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, but that which is good to the use of the edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearer, and grieve not the Holy SPIRIT OF GOD, WHEREBY YE ARE SEALED UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION." OH GOD, GIVE US A MIXTURE OF SALT AND GRACE IN OUR LIVES. >> There's some stuff WE NEED TO PUT AWAY. VERSE 31 SAID, "LET ALL BITTERNESS, WRATH, and anger, clamor, AND EVIL SPEAKING BE PUT AWAY FROM YOU. PUT IT away >> with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted. Oh, this one hurts. Forgiving one another. I may forgive it, but I won't forget it. You hadn't forgiven. >> You're reserving the opportunity to be ugly, angry. There's a lot of words that were in that passage that it would help us to identify. To edify means to teach someone in a way that improves the mind or character. Ephesians said that which is good to the USE OF EDIFYING WHICH IMPROVES THE MIND OR ONE'S CHARACTER. THE WAY WE SPEAK TO others should improve those we speak to. It used the word corrupt corrupt communications. It said don't let it come out of your mouth. Corrupt communications. The term corrupt means to cause to be dishonest or immoral. To change something so that is less pure or valuable. To change from the correct, to change from good to bad in morals, manners or actions. To degrade with unound principles or moral values to rot or to spoil. Then he used the term to clamor which means a loud continuous noise. Man, there's a lot of noise in this world that we need to get out of our lives. The psalmist in Psalms 19:13 said, "Keep back thy servant from the presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgressions." Verse 14 said, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer." PRESUMPTUOUS MEANS YOU'RE TOO BOLD ABOUT SOME THINGS. OH, I JUST SAY WHAT I THINK. THAT'S THE PROBLEM. IT PROVES YOU'VE BEEN THINKING on the wrong things. >> WHAT'S PROCEEDING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH IS LIKELY THE WAY YOU'VE BEEN THINKING. HE SAID, "KEEP ME BACK FROM FROM THE PRESUMPTUOUS." THOUGH THERE'S SOMETIMES, but the greatest move you can make is obey scriptures that says study to be quiet and do your own business. Psalm 1012 said, "I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way." Oh, when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk with my in my house with a perfect heart. Here's the here's the deal. A lot of us are good at putting on our face when we go to church or even when we're out in the world. What's it like at your house? He said, "I will walk within my house with a perfect heart." It starts at home. >> Prayer life starts at home. >> Getting along with your mate and being kind to one another, being careful to be kind and properly correct your children. Starts at home. And you may as well keep on going now. I will set no wicked thing before my eyes. Be careful what you've been looking at. Be careful what those two thumbs are leading you to when you get on your phone or when you sit before your keyboard, when you think no one's around. I will set no wicked thing before my eyes. I hate the work of them that turn aside. It shall not cleave to me. And then we've talked about how we minister to those without. Let me head at least in the direction of the end. Hebrews 13:1 said, "Let brotherly love continue." Didn't say, "Let brotherly love start." For it went on to say, "But not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware. When you interact with your brothers and sisters, let me let me speak to us all to understand in a ministry such as God has blessed us with. We have we have paid employees who are still ministers of God. We have volunteers who are ministers of God. We have folks with so many wonderful talents that they've given to God. Uh for me to try to put the list together and name it all, first of all, I would miss some someone's ministry. But suffice to say, there is a multiplicity of ministries and outreaches. Some are acknowledged, some heaven alone will reward. But with all of that said, the way we interact with others, let me tell you, school teachers and parents in an apostolic school, we need to be able to interact civily with each other. There will be problems. Children have challenges growing up. Parents have challenges. Teachers have challenges. Be careful how you interact. You may have differences that need to be discussed. And it has to be reciprocal on all sides. That we treat our brothers and sisters. There will be folks operating and and being involved in different ministries. Don't let jealousy enter in. Oh, I wanted to sing that song. I wanted to play that interest in instrument. I wanted to operate that camera. I You see, you don't know what you're entertaining and who you're entertaining when you interact with your brothers and sisters. 1 John 2:8 said it this way. Again, a new commandment. You know the 10, but this is a new one. A new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passed, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother is in darkness even now. You're going to run into the wall. You're going to trip over the furniture because you're trying to walk in the dark. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light. There's none occasion of stumbling him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whether he goeth, because that the darkness has blinded his eyes. I write unto you, little children, because your sins ARE FORGIVEN YOU. FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE, the sin that you commit may not be identified by having hatred in your heart. But if you're walking in dark, it's unelling what the enemy can place in your way that you'll trip over. >> Hear me. Hear me. If you don't keep the love of God for your brothers and sisters, if you don't civily, spiritually with grace and salt entertain one another even when there's challenges of humanity. You can find yourself walking in darkness. But I would not dwell there long. The praise team and musicians, I want you to get ready. It may not sound appropriate yet, but we're going to talk about praising for just a moment. Praise team, you've been singing a song says, "I can't help but praise." And we're going to talk about that for just a moment. But I would put your mind at ease. I will quote from First Peter 3:8. It says, "Finally," that means we're getting ready to close. All right. 1 Peter 3:8 says, "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous." Now that term pitiful there means full of pity and be courteous. that in other words be Christian ladies and gentlemen not rendering evil for evil you don't know what she did to me don't matter you don't know how he treated me just don't matter not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing there's a difference in correct correcting and railing. Moms and dads, it would be good of many of us to learn this in correcting our children. I realize we got a lot of them in here today. So, I'm telling on you. It's one thing to correct your child. Say, "Don't do that." I said, "Don't do that. You crazy little." Sometimes you just need to correct and expect a better outcome. Don't I don't like to be railed on to you. Correct me, but don't rail on me. Not rendering evil for evil, railing for railing, but contrarywise blessing, knowing that ye are there unto called that you should inherit a blessing. Now, inheritance comes from normally a previous generation. And if I inherit a blessing, I want to pass that on to my children to the next generation. But I'm first generation. Well, then you get the blessing. Let me ask you, how do you act when you get an unexpected blessing? Think about it just a minute. How do you act when you get an unexpected blessing? Now I know some of us thinks blessings got to be some supernatural uh super colossal uh smoke and mirrors, fire and smoke. But there are some there are little blessings that come along sometime that h how do you react when you realize you're getting a refund back on something that you paid and overpaid? Hallelujah. That's 10 bucks. MAY NOT SEEM LIKE MUCH, BUT at least didn't cost me anything. Sometimes I think we're not quick enough to get excited about the blessings that we keep inheriting, the things that keep getting better, the things that keep EXCITING US. I GOT A cool blessing here just few other this is not spiritual so don't anybody expect that I've got some spiritual uh some amazing thing but one of the saints in the church brother I I don't guess I'll embarrass him I do he can talk to me later I don't brother Dorton gave me a blessing the other day brother Dorton came into my office he said this was supposed to be for your birthday, but said, "I can't wait till November because" and he had bought me the most beautiful pair of handmade boots that you could ever see. I I didn't say, "Oh, thank you, Brother Dordan." I said, "Woo! Hallelujah." I Sister Ashley was trying to get me on the phone. It was before church and I had both of my shoes off. I was putting them on right then. I I wore them to the platform that night. I got excited. Now, that's an earthy thing. Understand. But when God pours out some blessings on us, sometimes we forget to give up praise that we ought to give praise and thanks. THEY THEY STARTED SINGING. COME ON OUT HERE, Y'ALL. GET READY. They stand with me now. you'll know I'm quitting or think I am. Anyway, SOMETIMES GOD'S BLESSINGS ARE SO GOOD THAT I JUST CAN'T HELP BUT PRAISE HIM. SOMETIMES HE'S DONE SO MUCH FOR ME, I CAN'T HELP BUT PRAISE HIM. NOW, HERE'S WHAT I'M ASKING US TO DO. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING THE SALT OF THIS EARTH. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING WHAT GOD CALLED US TO DO. to be the salt, TO BE THE WITNESS, TO BE THE INFLUENCERS. I want us to take just a moment and in our own minds, could you just think of one little blessing you got this week? I'm not asking for some miraculous thing. Just one little blessing. I I want uh Brother Mcool I'm struggling. I can't think of a little Let me help you. Did you wake up this morning? There's one little blessing. Can you do this? Can you go that can Can you breathe today? There's another little blessing. BEFORE WE THINK LIFE IS SO BAD, before we think, LISTEN, YOU'RE THE SALT OF THE EARTH. YOU'VE GOT BLESSINGS. And since YOU'VE BEEN BLESSED, YOU OUGHT TO KNOW HOW TO PRAISE GOD WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S IN YOU. IN FACT, I CAN'T HELP BUT PRAISE HIM. I can't help but PRAISE HIM. HERE'S WHAT I WANT US TO DO TODAY. I WANT US to come forth praise him. Whatever you have in YOUR LIFE, JUST COME PRAISE IT. WHATEVER PROBLEM, COME PRAISE HIM. We're going to sing and let's have a praise service for a little while. What about it? Let's have a praise service. Sing for me. I praise you, Lord. I praise your life. So I can walk. You live inside this praise inside. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help but can't help. I can't help. All the glory. All the glory. We want to see you. I lift it up. You are worthy. You are worthy. We want to see you higher lifted up. Highest praises. Highest praise. We want to see you. I lift you up. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. We want to see you. I lift it up. All the glory. All the glory. Want to see you. Lift it up. You are worthy. You are worthy. Want to see you. Lift it up. Highest praises. Highest praises. Want to see you. I lift it up. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Want to see you. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help. I can't help the I can't help the I can't help the praise. I can't all the glory. All the glory. We want to see you. I lift it up. You are worthy. You are worthy. We want to see you. I lift it up. Highest praises. highest praises. We want to see you high lifted up. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. We want to see you high. Lift it up. Want to see you higher. Lift it up. We want to see you higher. Lift it up. We want to see you higher. Lift it up. We want to see you higher. Lift it up. We want to see you higher. Lift it up. We want to see you higher lifted up. We want to see you higher lifted up. We want to see you higher lifted up. We want to see you. We want to see you. We want to see youer. We want to see you. We want to see you. We want to see you. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Now I want us to go from this place today with a determination. I'm going to be an influencer. I'm going to be the salt. This world is not needing a low sodium diet. This world needs the salt of God's people. I'm going to be an influencer. I'm going to let my spirit, my attitude, my direction, everything that I do be a guidepost to a lost world. Please come back tonight expecting a great time in the Lord. Praise team will be meeting at the normal rehearsal time. There will be no choir rehearsal, but there will be praise team rehearsal. Lord bless you. Greet your brothers and sisters. You're dismissed in Jesus name.