Sunday Morning Worship Service

Lord, bless you. You may move to your seats. We greet you this Sunday morning in the precious, wonderful, almighty name of Jesus. What a privilege it is to be back in the house of the Lord with each and every one of you. Join with the voices that have spoken before me. So good to see uh so much of our church family who has been journeying during this vacation season and uh uh been away from First Apostolic Church of Knoxville. So good to see you back home. What a marvelous crowd of believers are here today and we're praying for others that are making their way home. But I'm glad that the Savior is everywhere and he's always with us. I'm thankful that uh uh during the the summer season when we do journey and travel from time to time from camp meetings to conferences and a little bit of time away, vacation time that we have these times of coming back together. So good to see you all here. Do give honor to uh our bishop and sister Mcool for their guidance and leadership for our pastoral staff, our elders and our ministers, all of the leaders of First Apostolic Church. Uh coming back together and coming back home, there's always a sense of excitement, anticipation, and uh a little bit of nervousness. uh this time of year for all of us who uh uh have at one time or another attended school. I did go to school uh many years ago, you know, right after they took the Hitching Post down and all that. Uh but I actually did go to school at one time. But there always there's always that uh little bit of excitement and uh a little bit of nervousness this time of year uh when uh it's time for a new season and school beginning. And we here at First Apostolic Church, our original call and mission. If you've ever heard Bishop Mcool give the testimony, and many of you have many times, but we should always be reminded when God laid it on his heart to come to Knoxville to start a church and a Christian school, that uh was the mission that God uh placed on his heart. And in turn uh it has been exponentially uh provided to all who work in this ministry. And uh that call and that burden has spread. And this has been one of the main missions of First Apostolic Church. And uh this time of year there's preparation going on uh for teachers and students alike. And uh today I hope to uh uh maybe share a few things with you. Uh I want us to have a word of prayer and I want to read some scripture and then get into the word. Let's pray. Mighty God, we love you. We're grateful to be in your house today and I thank you for the privilege that you have given us to study your word. I pray that today we would uniquely see once again the mission that you have called First Apostolic Church to. Let us do all to please you and be acceptable in your sight in all that we do. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Reading to you from the book of Colossians this morning. And I realize my order is a bit different than what maybe some of you are used to, but just stay with me because uh we're headed someplace. The book of Colossians, the 4th chapter, reading at verse number one. Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal. Knowing that ye also have a master in heaven, continue in prayer, watching the same with thanksgiving, with all praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak in the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds, that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace. Notice this again. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. My message today, and we may teach or hopefully be in a teaching mode as much as we would be in a preaching mode, but my thought today is salt, light, and grace. Salt, light, and grace. I want to do a little exercise with you now that everybody is nested and comfortable for I would remind you as we begin a new school year at Apostolic Kitty Academy and Apostolic Christian School. Every year we do what is commonly referred to as inservice training for our staffs. We have open house for our students and for our parents. We train, we teach, we prepare to do the best job possible for a new school year. In addition, we are reminded and I hope every person in this room would be reminded that Apostolic Kitty Academy and Apostolic Christian School are ministries of First Apostolic Church. These are not separate entities nor businesses. They are ministry opportunities and part of our mission at this assembly. While there is a tuition, a tuition investment that is necessary for us to operate, there is remuneration for employees and ministers. We are still ministering to our students. Our church family must realize whether you have a student involved or not, this is part of the ministry. Just as sure as we support World Missions, Missions America, Women's Aspree, Men's Ministry, Kids Quest, and all of those outreaches that First Apostolic Church is involved in. These are ministries as well of this assembly. Christian education is an intricate part of the mission and the call of First Apostolic Church. So with this in mind, I want to do a little exercise this morning. I would like for every aka an ACS instructor and their immediate family to stand. Please, right where you are, please stand and remain standing. every AKA and ACS instructor and your family just remain standing please. Wow, is that not beautiful? Now I want every student now and we have many of our students that are in other parts of the campus today in their particular graded classes but I want every student of AKA and ACS and your immediate parents and grandparents to stand. If you're in the house, stand. I want every former student and the parents or grandparents that facilitated you being part of the school, if you've ever facilitated a student being here, would you stand, please? My my look around just a bit. Now, I want every saint of God that supports the ministries of First Apostolic Church and you're in favor of what we do as a church, I want you to stand. If you can't stand yet, just stand with us. Be part of the bunch. Okay? I hope you noticed that the ministry of Christian education is vital to this assembly. Lord bless you. You can all be seated. So with that stated, I thought I would get a little bit ahead today. I'm going to let everybody be on be in on a little my inservice training for our staff because we're all in this together. This by no means will be all because we'll be dealing with nuts and bolts and procedures. But I want to deal with a little bit of philosophy today of what we as apostolic Christians as first apostolic church and all of our ministries. I want to talk to you just a little bit about some of the main philosophy that scripture teaches us to be successful ministers. We are all ministers and ministering with our support, with our work, with everything that we do in the kingdom of God. Our text mentioned being salt or that we should have our speech with grace seasoned with salt. Luke 14:34 said, "Salt is good, but if salt has lost its his savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dungill. But men cast it out. He that hath an ear hath ears to hear, let him hear." Salt is a seasoning. Salt is not seasoned. You don't season salt. Salt seasons other things. Salt does not get meaty. Meat gets salty. Salt does not get beanie. Beans get salty. Eggs or rather salt does not get eggy. Eggs get salty. Jesus is using an analogy and lets us know that we as salt must be the influencer and not be influenced by this world. For in Matthew 5:13 he said it this way, "Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt has lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden underfoot of men. Christians must influence the world. The world must not influence us. Apostolic we need to be that salty part of this world that influences a sinful lost world. Not the world influencing the church. He may Do you hear me in the house today? >> He said, "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt." Now, let me kindly say this, for I speak to believers today. First of all, sadly, we've got too many low sodium Christians. >> They have no salt anymore. Now, I want you to know that. Notice the difference in what I'm saying. I didn't say we're supposed to be salty. Too many folks think that to be a Christian, you're supposed to be salty. Now, the term salty in slang, as we're using it, is defined this way. Someone who is upset, annoyed, or angry, often in a bitter or resentful way. If you're going to be a part of the ministry of First Apostolic Church, you ought not to be salty. If you're going to be an apostolic Christian, you don't need to be out in this world being salty in any way, going around annoyed, angry, upset, bitter, and resentful. That's not what scriptures talking about when it said that your speech should be with grace seasoned with salt. The seasoning that we're talking about is just the right amount of Christian integrity and grace that we must have. I don't want teachers. I don't want ministers. I don't want representatives of First Apostolic Church that go around hateful, resentful, and hard to get along with. Don't teach here if that's what you are. >> I thought you wanted teachers. I do. I want apostolic teachers. I want apostolic teachers taking care of our little ones in the kindergarten. I want apostolic teachers in our middle school, in our elementary, in our high school. I want apostolic ministers of God who don't go around >> upset, annoyed, angry, bitter, or resentful. If that's your way of operating, you need to get back in the altar and pray through and get a new dose of the Holy Ghost. We're having inservice this morning. Is that all right? You're in the service. So, let's have inservice. If you're a grump, don't teach here. If you're a grump, don't represent the church. We need some folks with joy and excitement, with a fresh anointing of the Holy Ghost. We should be influencers, not be influenced. That's the way the world operates. >> I want you to understand for many think everything that's scriptural has some woo spiritual meaning. Sometimes scripture is talking about our daytoday life. >> I submit to you verse six said, "Let your speech always be with grace." Some of us think that's talking about just the grace of God. Let me give you two different definitions. The grace of God is extremely necessary and important to our walk. The grace of God defined is the unmmerited divine favor for mankind bringing re regeneration and sanctification. We all understand that. That's the grace of God. Romans said it this way to define it further in Romans 5:17. For if by one man's offense death reign by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one. Jesus Christ, Christ being the propitiation, the propitiation, being the substitute for all of our sins, died for us that we might have eternal life. That's the grace of God and we accept that. But sadly, too many who call themselves Christians and apostolics, that's who I'm talking today. We're having in service. Okay. >> All right. >> Too many understand the grace of God but have never understood the grace of life. Verse six said, "Let your speech be always with grace." In other words, we know how to talk to each other and talk to others. The the the text even talked about that that we would be able to walk in wisdom toward them that are without that means the world. You see the term grace without putting grace of God with it defined is a way of moving that is smooth and attractive and 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. Hear me. If we can't be graceful in life, how can we expect the grace of God? We're supposed to be an example of the God who died for us, we must have social graces and we must have the grace of God in the way we speak and talk to one another. An example of this is found in 1 Peter 3:7 to show you that the grace of life can be affected or can affect rather your spiritual life. 1 Peter 3:7 said this, "Likewise, ye husbands," talking about the husband and wife relationship, "dwell with them," speaking of their wives according to knowledge, given honor unto the wife, as under the weaker vessel, and as being hes together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. This gives us an insight into understanding. If we don't practice the grace of life, there are spiritual obstacles that can be put in our ways. If we go around hateful, grumpy know-it-alls all the time. We're not heirs to the grace of life. Look, I'm looking forward to going to heaven, but I'm going to enjoy living on this earth with the grace of God. It's the greatest life there is to service to serve God. We should be able to get along with our fellow man, our brothers and our sisters long before the world. Here's the baptism in Jesus name. Holy Ghost message. They ought to see something different in you. There's a grace of life. There's something special about you. I'm going to hammer it home. If you're a grump, don't come around wanting to be in leadership. You're not a leader. You're needing to pray through. If you're hateful, hateful people can't lead. >> Poor grace of life can hinder spiritual things. >> 1 Corinthians 15:33 said, "Be not deceived. Evil communications corrupt good manners." Some of the wisest people I know ruin their reputation and their influence and their abilities to interact with anybody else because of corrupt communication. In other words, they don't how to they do not know how to communicate with folks. Husbands and wives, you ought to find some salt and not be salty. employees and employers, teachers and students. Well, I just answer like I've been talked to. So, you return evil for evil. Huh? There should be a grace about us on this earth. And I told you this might be teachy more than preachy, but this leads us to heaven. You better hear me. Vile communications corrupt good manners. Some of the vile or most vile communications that there are come from folks who appear to have such good manners until they open their mouth and start communicating or trying to or until you read their posts. Exploitative lace tier break down the reputation of otherwise goodmannered individuals. Suggestive vulgar talk does not represent grace or class. Instead, it accentuates a lack of intellectual prowess. Obscene and profane phrases and words are usually the simple mind trying to express it themselves forcefully. Spencer W. Kimell said this, "Profanity is the effort of a feeble brain to express itself forcefully." >> I realize some of y'all have heard this before, but we're going to keep hammering it home because this is what we are. >> If we're going to exemplify the grace of God, we must have the grace of life in our existence. It is if the if what you're saying is not acceptable in the prayer room, it's not acceptable in the locker room, the boardroom, the living room, or the dining room. Social media and I I pinned all these words. Don't blame this on the Lord. I wrote this myself. I'm just read it so I can remember it. Social media has become one of the most evil forms of communication there is. Trial by social media is now prevalent. Facts never get in the way of a good negative narrative enhanced by AI images and compositions. You know, I won't say it, but I'll tweet it, retweet it, text it, post it, or heaven's sake, I will like it. You see, closely related terms to corrupt communications are words like speculations, suspicions, intuitions, insinuations, yes, and gossip. Most of us are not prophets, but many of us have the gift of suspicion. Ephesians 4:29 said it this way, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth." You better know what you're saying. It better not be flying off the handle and putting your mouth in motion before your mind's in gear. You might better get your heart in gear and let the Holy Ghost >> tame your tongue again. >> But that which is good to the use of edifying. Remember these these words mean something. edifying that it may minister grace. Now, it didn't say minister the grace of God. It said may you may minister grace. You see again long before this world gives you the opportunity to speak of the grace of God, the world will judge you by the grace of life that you present >> that it may minister grace unto there's some folks I don't know what church they're from or what their following is but you just enjoy being around them because they they make you feel good about everything. They're so positive and they and there's some folks after you talk to them you feel like you need a shower. I think it not by accident the chronology of these two passages. Verse 29 said, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Verse 30. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day redemption. The Holy Spirit has to be grieved when we do not speak to our fellow men, to our students, to our teachers, to our parents, to our instructors, to our guests, to our fellow saints when we do not speak with grace. In fact, it goes on to let us know there's some stuff we all need to put away. Speaking to me, speaking to all of us. Here's the stuff we need to put away. He said, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Instead, be kind one another." I'm just reading book now. Hear me. Be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. It used the word edifying. To edify means to teach someone in a way that improves the mind or the character. A teacher is not a good teacher who puts it out there and says, "Well, you just get it for yourself. A good teacher makes sure that their student learns with care and patience. They improve the mind and the character of the one that they edify those that they teach. He also used the word corrupt to cause to become dishonest, immoral, to change something so that is less pure or valuable. to change from the correct, to change from good to bad and morals, manners or actions to degrade with unound principles or moral values to rot or to spoil. Let not corrupt communications proceed out of your mouth. If you degrade someone, you're degrading yourself. Words like stupid and ignorant should not flow from the mouth of any of us when referencing students, fellow saints, or anyone else. Clamor, he used that term. Clamor is a loud continuous noise, a loud strong demand for something by many people. Some folks think the louder they get, the more correct they are. Not not true. Psalms 19:13 and 14 said this. Keep back thy servants from the presumptuous sins. The presumptuous sins. That term presumptuous means failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate. People who do not follow procedures and do their best. We're going to make enough mistakes by accident. But those who feel like that no rule applies to them are committing presumptuous sins. They presume that things don't apply to them. They are the exception. Uh oh, I'll start preaching about special people if we're not careful. Keep back the servants from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then shall I be upright. I shall be innocent from the great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Have we prepared ourselves for the grace of life every day by our hearts and our minds being meditated on the Lord? The problem many of us have our mind hadn't been on the Lord before we start doing our tasks. You better pray every day. You better talk to the Lord. Oh God, let me do the very best job representing you. I'm a soul winner. I'm not a geography teacher. I'm a soul winner teaching geography. I'm not a math teacher. I'm a soul winner teaching math. Hear me. Whatever you do, make sure your heart is right with God. Your heart has been meditating on the things of God. Preacher, that's too easy. I told you we're going to hear from Jerry Dean this fall. It's simply Jesus. I said it's simply Jesus. If we get our mind off of our main mission and presenting Jesus in everything we do, if it's World Missions, if it's Missions America, if it's Women's Spring, if it's National Youth Convention, if it's Apostolic Kitty, oh preacher, those are just kids. They don't understand. You better know they understand kindness and love. >> Oh, those are just school kids. I just got to get the the the I never understood the three Rs in the first place. Reading, writing. I got news for you. Arithmetic doesn't start with an R. But that's another thing for another day. Folks don't care how much you know till they know how much you care. We must be a caring preacher. You being awful straight. Hear me. I'm talking to me. But the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, what have I been dwelling on? What I've been thinking on? What have I been meditating on? Is it acceptable in your sight, oh God? The psalmist said in Psalms 19:13, "The prevailing thought is that of pride." And the reference is particularly to sin which proceedth from itself. Now, this is Barnes commenting on that passage. The sin which proceedth from self-confidence. Oh, I know it all. from reliance on one's own strength. The word does not mean open sins or flagrant sin. Again, he's speaking of that presumptuous sin that we talked about. So much as those which spring from self reliance or pride. The prayer is substantially that he might have a proper distrust of himself. Preacher, you mean you don't trust yourself? If you don't pray, you better know I don't. You know why? Because I'm flesh and blood like everybody else. Don't think that you cannot have a prayer life and be in touch with God. It's I don't think that you can can operate without having proper spiritual preparation going before you. Psalms 1012 and three helps us address what would be in the meditations of our heart. It says,"I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when would thou come unto me? I will walk with my in within my house with a perfect heart." How do you behave at home? Students, parents, teachers, saints, how do I behave at home? He's not talking about, man, we can come in the house of God. What Jerry Dean say? Bugalooing, huckabucking. How do you behave at home? He said, I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes. I hate the work of them that turn aside. It shall not cleave to me. Adam Clark said of this passage, "It's easier for for most men to walk with a perfect heart in the church or even in the world than with their own families. How many are as meek as lambs among others, and when at home they are wasps and tigers?" The man who in the midst of family provocations maintains a Christian character, being meek, gentle, long-suffering to his wife and his children and his servants, has got a perfect heart and adorns the doctrine of God, his savior in all things. I say yes and amen, Adam Clark. >> I said we'd talk about salt and light >> moving quickly. Matthew Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, "Ye are the light of the world." Now, first we're salt, now we're light. We used to sing that song, let the redeemed of the Lord say so. To be salt and light in the world, in the world, in the world. You're the light of the world, a city that set on a hill that cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bush, but on a candlestick, and give light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. Please understand too many think that the message of salvation is a condemning message. It is not. Scripture tells us that Jesus didn't come into this world to condemn the world but to save the world. So why in the world if we're going to be like Jesus, should we go around condemning everybody? >> You know, the only thing that he said would be the condemnation of the world, I it's the condemnation of the light cuz the light condemns darkness. If we will just be like Christ, we don't have to go around beating folks over the head. We came with a salvation message. Everything that we see should be an opportunity for salvation. and let the light of the world see or rather the darkness of the world see the light of the church. That's what will bring condemnation. >> It's not our job to going around and looking down self-righteous nose and condemning everybody else. Just be what God called us to be. Be like him >> because proper condemnation will bring revelation that that's what I need in my life. We've got to love one another. Hebrews 13 said, "Let brotherly love continue." Can't continue till it starts. Better start loving your brothers. And this is a jun a genderneutral statement. It's brothers and sisters. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels underwear. You better be careful who you're honory with. >> If you think you know more than what I'm preaching today, you better be careful what you're being honory with and who you're being honory to. and having an old ugly nasty attitude in life. First John 2:8 says again, "A new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you, because darkness is passed, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, just because you proclaim it doesn't turn the lights on." All right. >> He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother. If you have hatred in your heart, you may be flipping the switch, but you're not walking in the light. He that hateth his brother is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and 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 the darkness have blinded him. I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven. for forgiving you for his name's sake. Oh, moving quickly. Our text said, "Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that you also have a master in heaven." know the difference in just and equal. Speak to teachers. Some folks understand equal but don't understand just. Just is another way of saying just is fair. Will everyone be treated equal and still be treated fairly? If you have good judgment, they will. I've given the example before that in evaluating the progression of life and maturity, a pediatrician can examine a three-month-old that can't walk, talk, and take care of self and say that three month-old is healthy. Same pediatrician can examine a 16-year-old that can run like a deer and jump and has all kind of cardio and amazing and say healthy. Obviously, the >> example is it's the time allowed for maturity. And in a spiritual sense, the big challenge that we sometimes face is that sometimes the 16-year-old looks at the three-month-old and says, "That's not fair. They get to Why can't I have a bottle? They want to jump back in the baby carriage and lop their big long legs out the front of the baby. Push me around. why I have to walk. That's when you got a problem in maturity. You're going to deal with situations with different maturity levels. And to be fair and just will require treating two different individuals in a different way, but still be just and fair. Hope that makes sense. The quick example, and I certainly would not read it all, but would remind you in Matthew 20, the parable that was given of the workers who were hired in the first hour of the day for a penny being a monetary division. But as the day proceeded, others were hired at different times until the 11th hour. There was still another hired at the 11th hour for the same wage. And when it came time to be paid, some of those that worked early, that's not fair. They're getting paid. First of all, they agreed to what they were going to be paid. Not in comparison to anybody else. Now, I'm not talking about payroll now. I'm talking about your rewards in heaven. There's some of us have been blessed beyond measure to have started walking with God as just a child. and you've been able to live a life with the graces of life because God has blessed you. He's blessed your family. He's blessed this. But if you aren't careful, you can get a jealous spirit over someone who gets an 11th hour conversion. >> Listen, I'm thankful for those who find God in the 11th hour of their life. I'm not jealous of them in the least. I'm thankful. There's nothing in sin that I feel like I've missed out on. Oh, if id have waited till I got in my 30s to start serving God. I hope you understand what what I'm saying. Don't be jealous of an 11th hour experience, but instead understand the beauty of the maturity of getting to walk with God. Our text said continuing in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. The prayer life of the saints should be a continual prayer of thanksgiving and a lot less of wanting things. But it also to be me to be watchful means in this instance having spiritual awareness around you. Understand when you have an opportunity to win the lost, it's much more important than any subject you'll teach or anything you'll do. If you got a chance to win the lost sir >> with all which means additionally praying also for us. If you can't think of anything to pray about, pray for me. I need it. Pray for me that God will give me wisdom. Pray for Apostolic Christian School. Pray for all of our teachers. Pray for Apostolic Kitty Academy. If you can't think of anything to pray for, pray for our teachers. Pray for our instructors. We need your prayers. [Applause] praying also for us that God would open unto us a door of utterance. God would give us the chance to speak the mysteries of Christ, not the mysteries of education. Those things will come. >> All right. All right. >> Praise team musicians, get ready. We must constantly be looking for opportunities to witness that I make make it manifest as I thought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without redeeming the time. Time is short. Our example to those who do not know the Lord is short. our conversations without should exemplify Christ. So I come to the conclusion and I found a concluding verse. 1 Peter 3:8 says, "Finally," that means we're quitting. 1 Peter 3:8 says, "Finally, be ye of one mind." We need to have the same philosophy that started 69 years ago with the call of Christ. Well, Bishop had some ideas back then, but I got new ideas that didn't don't be here in any leadership capacity. Be ye all of one mind, having compassion, one of another. Love as brethren. Be pitiful. That doesn't mean you're needing pity. That means you're full to give pity. Be pitiful. Be courteous. Sometimes it takes a little longer to be courteous and kind than it does to be short and curt. Not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing, but contrarywise blessing, knowing that ye are there unto called. Never mistake, we're dealing with the call, everybody in the house. And why do we want to have a call? That ye should inherit a blessing. That's my kind of inheritance. Would you stand with me? We should have one mind, compassion, love as brethren, full of pity, courteous Christian, ladies and gentlemen, not rendering evil or railings, contrarywise blessings, and be confident that you're called. Let me say that again. Be confident that you're called. You see, if you're confident that God's called you, then you will be receptive to the fact that he will equip you. The call will be equipped by the Lord himself. Mark 9:50 said it this way, "Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, wherewith will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another." Today I'm excited [Music] because we're seeing more fruits of the ministries of Christian education today. We have one of our graduates that's taking on the name of Jesus and water baptism. I'm so excited. I'm so thankful. Now, they're going to be getting things ready here in just a moment. But with that said, I want to do this. I'm going to I'm going to do our altar call by a little bit of different order. Today, I want to open to the altar first. every AKA and ACS staff member and your immediate family. I want you to step out and come because you're not in this alone. Your family's with you. Step out and make your way up. I want you to closely be followed by every parent, grandparent, and student who facilitate your kids being a part of this ministry. would you come and just come up kind of kind of they used to say scoochy. I don't think that's a word. So scoot in close. Then I want every saint of God that's going to be praying and lifting aka and ACS. I want you to gather in behind them. Come on. Let's fill this altar up. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. >> Let me finally remind us all the enemy would like nothing better than to cause dissension within. The enemy sure will attack from without. But if the enemy can cause dissension within, his victory will come more readily. I just refuse to allow the enemy to come against the call of God on every ministry of First Apostolic Church. I wonder if we could all right now pray one for another if it's appropriate if you have a family member or men with men, ladies with ladies to reach over and pray with someone. Let's not worry about oursel right now. Let's pray for others that God would give us salt, light, and grace against the enemy. Let's pray right now. Mighty God, I love you. God, I come before you so grateful for what you have afforded us the opportunities to do. Lord, you know the call that's on every heart and every life that's in this place. Lord, you have ordained it to be so. God, I come against every power of the enemy that would try to disrupt. Lord, I pray that we would put aside every ego. Lord, we would put aside every personal desire. And God, we once again would come before the throne of grace, holy, clean, welcoming the opportunity to minister in your kingdom. Lord, you know the obstacles that the enemy would place in our way, but Lord, we know the light of your love for one another. Lord, we'll shine a light that we may avoid every obstacle in everything that the enemy would place in our way. God, we stand strong in you. Lord, knowing that we are called, that we are anointed. And Lord, our call is sure in you this day. Lord, there is no doubt. Lord, there is no question. But Savior, we come before you knowing knowing that you have called us and you are equipping us to do all that you have us to do. Now God, I pray your hand would be on every parent and every teacher. Lord, every grandparent, everyone who facilitates their children being involved in Apostolic Kitty Academy and Apostolic Christian School, every parent that sees the need of special direction for their child. God, I pray that a Holy Ghost anointing and protection would come upon them. Send your holy angels down, Lord, to minister to them, to buffet the enemy away, God. We claim it. We believe you for it. We trust in you. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.