When Obligation & Purpose Are Married | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

If you have your Bibles and would join me in the book of Malachi, the book of Malachi chapter 3, verse number 10. As our tradition is, praise the Lord everybody. >> Praise the Lord. >> So good to be in God's house tonight. We welcome you and so always good. It's just always good to see a a great number of people here on a midweek Bible study. To those of you that have joined us online tonight, many of our shutins here locally unable to be in the house of God, we welcome you and uh we're glad that you have joined us by way of the worldwide web. And those of you that are watching us uh locally here in the city and around America and around the world, we welcome you tonight. Thank you so much for being at First Apostolic Church by way of the worldwide web this evening. You have your Bibles and I've ask you to turn with me to the book of Malachi chapter number three and verse number 10. I want us to do this tonight. I want us to do this. I want us to read it out loud together. You may have your Bible in front of you. You may have your device in front of you or it is it is up on the screen. And I'd like for us to read it all out loud and read it together. And uh if you would maybe turn your volume up a little bit to where you can hear yourself. There's something about praying or reading that begins to circulate from your mouth to your ear and goes around. And so I'll begin. But let's all as a congregation we're going to we're going to read verse 10, 11, and 12. And I will begin. All right. Bring ye all the tithe into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, sayeth the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, pour you out a blessing, and there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground. Neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed, but ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts. Father, we have read your word aloud tonight as a body, as a congregation. Lord, this evening tonight, would you anoint me to be a good pastor? Would you anoint me, God, to do what you have called me to do? Lord, can I give the people your word tonight? Lord, I pray for the minds that are here, that are new to the faith, that are new to the walk with you. I pray tonight that somehow someway that this Bible study will will will relate to their mind and they'll be able to eat this word tonight. Lord Jesus, tonight, I pray and ask you, Lord, for there to be conviction in this place. And God, we rebuke the spirit of condemnation. Lord, we ask for conviction tonight to shine upon our pathway. In Jesus mighty name we pray. Amen. And amen. You may be seated. Tonight, I want to minister this evening on this subject. When obligation and purpose are married, when obligation and purpose are are married. And what I mean by this, let me give you the definition. of the word obligation. The word obligation means an act or course of action that one is morally or legally bound to a duty. A duty or a commitment. Again, an obligation is an act or a course of action that one is morally or legally bound to. It is a duty. It is It is a commitment. That's called an obligation. Purpose. Purpose. Because we're teaching tonight on when obligation when obligation and purpose are married. Purpose is the reason something is done or the reason that something exists. So obligation is the duty. It's the commitment that we have to an act. But purpose, purpose is something that looks to the end. It looks to the end for the reason why do we do what we do. So obligation, I guess we could say it this way. Obligation is what we do, but purpose is why we do what we do. So when we're when we we're fulfilling the obligation, we're looking at a present act that we perform. But when we have the the purpose of it married to obligation, we're not just looking at what we're doing. We look down the road to the purpose of why we do what we do. Now, I think this this would be good in helping us to better understand uh tithing and offerings. So when we marry these two together, obligation and tithing, we find the obligation of tithing is found in verse number 10. If you would be so kind to put Malachi 3:10 back on the screen for me. So we see the obligation in Malachi 3:10. Bring ye all the tithe into the storehouse, that is the obligation. All right? That is what that's our duty. That's our commitment. Uh that's the thing that we we are in the scripture. We are obligated to do in the scripture. We're we're dedicated to to do this. Now, let me tell you something about obligation. Obligation very seldomly has emotions attached to it. All right. Now, I know the Lord loves a cheerful giver and I believe I know the understanding of that. It's not simply that I'm giving now, but it's what giving produces, which is the purpose. So my my my obligation I remember years ago as just a really new to the church an evangelist came through and he preached a message is it your duty or your desire to serve God? Well he he really emphasized that it should be your desire. He he he really cast a negative light on it. Said well you shouldn't be here because it's your duty to be here. You shouldn't raise your hands because it's your duty to raise your hands. You shouldn't do this. it ought to be your desire. And I I got what he was saying, but something interesting struck me that night when he asked the question, how many are here tonight that it's your duty to be here? Well, of course, none of us raised our hand, but I noticed you could look around the pull pit and my pastor raised his hand. And then he said, "How many is it your desire to be here tonight?" And I watched the whole church raise their hand along with my pastor. He raised his hand because saints of God very seldom is there an emotion in obligation. Very seldom unless you have with you the purpose or the reason and the why you do what you do. Then that's where the joy comes. But the obligation that we have is found in verse number 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse. That is the obligation. The purpose of tithing is also found in verse number 10. If you if you have that still on the screen, uh bring you all the tithe into the storehouse. Everybody say obligation. >> Obligation. >> That there may be meat in my house. Everybody say purpose. >> Purpose. You see, the purpose of tithing is not that he can pour us out a blessing that there there shall not be room enough to receive. We make that the purpose of tithing. Oh, if I tithe, he's going to pour me out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive. That's really not the purpose for tithing. The purpose of tithing is so that there is meat in God's house. That's the purpose. Now, just an overflow of the cup. All right. He he he uh he he makes my cup to overflow. You know, he he he he's over he overflow. The overflow is that he pours us out of blessing. He pours us out of blessing because there is meat in God's house. God's house is functioning. God's house is functioning the way that God's house should function. Hey, let's let's just go go on just a little bit. What the prophet Malachi really said was, "Bring all the tithe into the storehouse or bring all the tithe into the treasury that there may be food for them that minister in the house of my sanctuary." One other uh way of looking at this is that my house may be supplied and that my house may be functional. The apostle Paul said it this way in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 and verse number 11. 1 Corinthians 9 and 11. You know Paul tried to minister to the group that I call the carnal Corinthians. That's who that's what I call them. The carnal Corinthians. Let me tell you something. Anytime you try to please carnal people, you'll never win. All right? You you you'll never you'll never win. Because in in Corinth, there were carnal people that that were complaining that were complaining about the ministry uh the ministry that was being supported by the tithe and offerings, the ministry that was being supported by by the offerings that were given by the Corinthians. And there were carnal Corinthians that got to say, "Well, we just don't really think that these ministers ought to ought to ought to be uh uh taken care of. we don't really think that they ought to be receiving these offerings. So Paul came along and Paul had a bright idea and Paul said, "You know what I'm going to do? I'm a tent maker. I'm a tent maker and I'll just make tents and I won't take any offerings from you. I'll just come around and I'll just you carnal folks, I won't take any offerings and that that ought to please you and I can preach the gospel to you." But guess what the carnal Corinthians turned around and did? They said, "Well, he don't take any offerings. He's really not an apostle. you really can't please carnal people. And so Paul, he he addresses it in 1 Corinthians 9:11. He says, "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things?" He's talking about the money. If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power, but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar. Look at verse 14 real closely. Paul says, "Even so hath the Lord orained." That means he predescribed it. He put it in place. He ordained it that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. Now, I'm bringing that all the way back around to the functioning of the house of God. I want us to know and believe and get it in our hearts that a functioning house of God is the greatest asset that you and I have in this world about getting to glory. a functioning a functioning house of God. Now, Nehemiah, many of you, if I pulled the audience tonight and said, "What is Nehemiah known for?" Many of you would stand up and say, "Oh, he built the wall in Jerusalem. Jerusalem was was destroyed and laid in in waste and and Nehemiah." And you would be partially right because Nehemiah chapter 1 verse number three and four, Nehemiah is serving in a kingdom that he's been taken captive. He's got a very lucrative job. He's there serving the king. Verse number three, and he there was some that came back from Jerusalem and they begin to tell him the condition of Jerusalem. Verse number three. And they said unto me, the remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem also is broken down. The gates thereof are burned with fire. And it came to pass when I heard these words that I sat down and wept and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. So here we got Nehemiah. Most of us know him as a as the wall builder in 51 or 54 days. uh one of those numbers he he he very fast he built the walls of Jerusalem because he had a burden he had desire. He the king actually gave him letters that he would have timber that he would have whatever he needed to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. And Nehemiah went to Jerusalem and Nehemiah in a short time rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. And now he had some adversaries did he not? He had some fellas called uh Tobaya. Uh he he he had some he had some uh uh some some enemies that tried to hinder him and mock him. But Nehemiah was steadfast. Nehemiah was determined. He was going to build the wall around Jerusalem. Now Nehemiah completes his task and he goes back to Persia to serve in the kingdom. But some years later, they believe maybe brother slack, they believe maybe 8 to 12 years later, Nehemiah wanted to go back to Jerusalem to see the progress of Jerusalem. When I left here, it had a wall. When I left here, you were rebuilding the house of God. When I left here, you were doing these things. Nehemiah chapter 13, which happens to be the last chapter in the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah chapter 13 and verse number three. Now it's it's it's at the end. It's his second visit to Jerusalem. So he comes to Jerusalem. Now it came to pass when they heard the law, there was the reading of the law. They separated from Israel all the mixed multitude. And before this, And before this, everybody say, "And before this." Elishabib the priest having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God was allied unto Tobaya. Now it was Sam Ballad and Tobaya that were the enemies of Nehemiah. It was Sam Ballad and Tobaya that was trying to do everything. They mocked him. They laughed at him. They even plotted an assassination to kill him. And they they told Nehemiah he was up on the wall building the wall and they came and they said, "Come and meet us in the valley of Oh no." And uh we're going to talk to you there in the valley of Oh no. And he he he said he said u going to kill him. And he he he said oh no. I'm on the wall. I'm doing a good work. I'm not going to come down. Well, Tobiah was one of them that was going to kill him. So, it was amazing how time went on. You know, if the devil can't come in one way, he'll try to come in another way. >> And one thing we got to hand it to the devil, he is a persistent devil. >> Can I just ask anybody tonight? Anybody here feel like the devil's give up on you? If you think that, he's probably got you. All right. Cuz he wouldn't bother you. Listen, the devil don't bother anybody that's not bothering him. >> So, he's a p, you know, let's let's hand it let's hand it to old slooh foot. He's a persistent devil. If he can't come in one way, he'll come in another. Toba, he couldn't stop a wall from being built. Well, watch what happened before this. Elisha the priest having the oversight over the chamber of the house of our God was allied, friendly, cozy, friends with Tobaya. so cozy, so friendly. That verse five said, "And he had prepared for him a great chamber where a four time they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the offerings of the priests." Wait a minute. What do we got here? We got Tobaiah, an enemy, living in a chamber that was designed to hold the tithe and the food so that the people operating in the temple could operate in the temple. But now we have no place to bring that. And Tobaya is living is living there in that chamber. There in that chamber. Y'all still with me tonight? Right. So there's no meat in God's house. Everybody say no meat. >> Everybody say, "Come on." >> That's more That's more like it. You know, I might just take this pull pit and set it right in the middle of you. >> And I might switch sections. I might go here and I might go I might go there. Everybody say, "No meat." >> There's no meat in God's house. Verse six. been all but in all this time was not I at Jerusalem for in the two and 13th year of can't pronounce it king of Babylon came I unto the king and after certain days obtained I leave to go so I've been gone 13 I've been gone a few years I got I went back verse seven and I came to Jerusalem and understood of the evil that Elisha did for Tobaya in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. And it grieved me sore. Therefore, I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobaya out of the chamber. Let me tell you one thing right here. None of us could have been pastored by Nehemiah. None of us. All right? None of us could have been pastored by him. He came to Jerusalem, understood what the priest had done for Tobaya, how that the priest had taken the room where the tithe and offering should come in so the house of God could function. And that he had stopped it from coming in. And he allowed Tobiio, an enemy of God, to bring his couch, to bring his bed, to bring his pictures, hang the pictures on the wall of Papa Tobaya and little kids Tobaya. And there Tobaya was living. And he said, "When I came to Jerusalem and I understood this," he said, "I gave him an eviction notice. I went in. I went into the door. I threw his bed out in the I threw his bed out in the street. I threw his chair out in the street. I took the pictures of Papa Tobi out the wall. I threw it all I threw it all out of the chamber. Again, I don't think we could have been pastored by him. Verse nine, then I commanded and they cleansed the chamber. He said, now it's time. You know, sometimes you get all that nasty stuff out, you need to clean it up. The smell of Tobias in here. the cologne of Tobias here. He He had the place cleansed the chamber. And then watch verse nine. Y'all follow me now? Watch verse nine. Then I commanded and they cleansed the chambers and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God with the meat offering and the frankincense. And I perceived that the portions, follow this now. And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them. For the Levites and the singers that did the work were fled, everyone to his field. SO GUESS WHAT? We have no Levite. What do we not have? A teaching priest. We don't have any Bible studies going on. We don't have any messages telling Israel how great their God is. And then we don't have any singers to lift up a song of joy because they've had to go to their field and work for themselves. Let me show you. Let me show you now. Just hold your place in Nehemiah, but go over to 2 Chronicles 15 and verse number three. Look at what happens when we don't have a teaching priest. Uh 2 Corinthians or excuse me, Chronicles 2 Chronicles Chronicles 15 and verse number three. Now for a long season, Israel had been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel and saw him, he was found of them. And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in. But great vex vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. Guess what happens when we have no teaching priests and we have no law? We have no true God. Great veectation set in. great trouble, great confusion, great turmoil begins to boil in their life. Why? They don't have a teaching priest. They don't have these things operating in the house of God. Now, let's flip back to Nehemiah 13 and 11. Because Nehemiah comes and he he finds this, he finds this going on. He finds the Levites in the field. He finds the the singers in the field. There's no song. There's no word. There's no midweek Bible study. There's no Sunday morning Sunday school. There's no kids quest for the children there. There there there's none of this going on. Verse 11. Then I contended I with the rulers and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together and set them in their place." I think that interpretation that is I got them towed off. then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and of the new wine and of the oil unto the treasure. He said, "You know what?" I said, I said to him, I said, "Why is the house of God forsaken? Why why is the most important place when it comes to spirituality when it comes to receiving instructions how to live for God, how to love God, how to marry, how to stay married, how to raise your children, how to love your neighbor, how to forgive your enemy, how to do life and bless God do life good >> comes from the house of God. >> Doesn't come from a podcast. It doesn't come from a televangelist. It comes from having a local house of God. Go ahead. GO AHEAD AND SEND YOUR MONEY to Benny Hinn. See if you can get a hold of him on the phone today and tell you that your son's had a head-on collision and is at the hospital. >> It won't happen. >> Can I tell you my analogy of TV preachers? TV preachers are like TV dinners. They come frozen and when they're thought out, they still ain't much good. It is God's will not for you to be led by a podcast. It is God's will for you to value 1331 William Blunt Drive as the most IMPORTANT HOUSE in all OF THE WORLD WHEN IT COMES TO GOING TO HEAVEN. THIS IS THE SPOT RIGHT HERE. Come on, give him praise right now. Give him praise. WHAT ARE Y'ALL DOING? WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING? Are you crazy? What are you DOING FORSAKING THE HOUSE OF GOD? Get it together. GET THE TITHE BACK IN HERE. GET THE NEW WINE BACK in here. Get the treasuries. Get get bring it TO THE TREASURE. WHY? WE NEED TO GET THE PRIESTS TEACHING. WE NEED TO GET THE LEVITES OPERATING. WE NEED TO GET THE SINGERS ON THE MUSIC. WE NEED A SONG TO PICK US UP WHEN WE'VE BEEN BEAT DOWN BY THE WORLD. WE NEED A CHOIR TO SWAY TO. WE NEED MUSIC. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. What kind of value can you put ON OUR CHILDREN COMING UP here around the altar tonight? >> WHAT KIND OF WHAT KIND OF VALUE CAN WE PUT ON THAT? YOU you you can't put a value on that. >> You you can't put a price on that. >> So, he gets the house of God functioning. He gets he gets Tobias throwed out and gets the house of God functioning. Gets the priest. He tells the priest, "Come on. Come on. Take your overalls off. Take take that get out from behind that mule and get in front of the Bible. Come on. COME ON. GET BACK GET GET BACK IN the house of God and it gets to functioning. But verse number 14, look at look at verse 14. He gets the house of God. Look at this now. He gets the house of God situated and then he prays. Remember me, oh my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof. You know what he said? He said, you know, it's time to pray. He said, "God, if I want to be remembered for one thing, I want to be remembered that I set the house of God in order." If there could be one thing said about you when you lay in front of this pull pit, when you lay in front of this pull pit and I'm preaching your funeral, one of the greatest things I could say about you is that you love the house of God. Yeah. Listen, I could listen, I know that we're going to tell any little hobby you had. We're going to tell any little funny thing you did. But the greatest thing in funerals of saints of God is when we can say they ushered. They run the soundboard. They sang in the choir. They've never missed the house of God. They love the house of God. Can I tell you, God, I want to be remembered that I took care of your house. Now, I'm not trying to get I'm not trying to get morbid on you. I'm not trying to get morbid, but we all know all of us are gonna die, right? Well, it's about half of us that other half's deceived, but we're all going to die. And I've already given I've already given one instruction from my ser for my funeral service. I've already given one instruction. I love this place. I loved it when it was on the hill. And I love it down here. And I have a habit when I go out of town and I come back. I don't care how late, sometimes 5:00 a.m. in the morning when I roll into town, I have a habit. My wife will tell you. And what I'm going to do, I'm gonna turn into the church parking lot 2 o'clock in the morning, 3:00, 4:00, 5:00, daybreak, it don't matter. I'm going to turn in the parking lot. I'm going to go around the building. I'm going to look and say, "Somebody left a light on up there. Somebody left a light." No, I just Well, you have utility bills. $15,300 for the last month. You'll talk about lights. All right. We'll we'll talk about lights now. I've told them I've told them, "Y'all make sure she first lady fool. I don't care what they got to do to the cars in the parking lot, but when they roll my old carcass out here and put me in that hurst over there, I want that hearse to take me one trip around the church. One final trip. I love this place. >> I love God's house. I do. I love I I I love Boy. And you know what? I want my family to love God's house. And the greatest THING YOU AND I could do is to live a life before our CHILDREN THAT OUR CHILDREN WILL SAY, "I LOVE THIS HOUSE, TOO, DADDY. I I I I love this place, TOO. I I I love this place." Don't you Don't you love it? I love it. Well, let's go on. Let's go on. Let's go. Everybody all right tonight. >> How about verse 15? We're not done yet. Verse 15. Verse 15, he just got through praying, but verse 15 comes. In those days, saw I in Judah, some treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheav, and loading, lading asses, as also wine, grape, figs, and all manner of burdens which they BROUGHT INTO JERUSALEM ON A SABBATH DAY. And I testified against them in the day wherein they sowed vituals. There dwelt men of ty also therein which brought fish and all manner of wear. So them on the Sabbath day on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah and in Jerusalem. He's got things going on on the Sabbath day. You know what I think we ought to do as people of God? We ought to do our very best that nothing gets in our Sunday morning and Sunday evening schedule. that nothing gets in our midweek schedule. >> We all We ought to do that. We all just We all just We all just work hard. Now, I I know I know sometimes some things can happen that are emergencies that can keep us from coming to church. But it ought to be the exception >> and not the rule. Let me say that again. Let me just pastor you tonight. I want to be a good pastor tonight. >> You need to protect your Sunday morning. YOU NEED TO PROTECT your Sunday evening. YOU NEED TO PROTECT your midweek BECAUSE THIS IS THE TIME. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE HERE DOING THIS tomorrow night. We weren't here last night doing this. This is the time that we've set aside to worship AND TO PRAISE OUR GOD AND TO HEAR from the word of God. >> Protect it. Protect it. Again. Again. We couldn't be pastored by Nehemiah. I'm going to show you. You you you you got them just business as usual on the Sabbath day. You got these strangers coming in selling fish and shrimp and crab legs and then they're coming and they got all kind of cookware and all that said on the Sabbath day. Verse 17 comes what are you going to do Nehemiah? Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, "What evil is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus did you never learn your lesson? Did Did not your fathers thus? And did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this city? Yet you bring more wrath upon Israel by profaining the Sabbath." You know what he said there? He said, "Haven't you learned your lesson >> that when WE DON'T GIVE GOD THAT DAY, THAT SABBATH DAY, things don't go right that when we don't give God that day?" See, this is this is not brother Carpenter stuck in the 1970s or 80s with his love for the house of God. THIS COMES OUT OF THE BIBLE. HE SAYS, "Did you do you not learn?" Come on. Some of us, have we not learned the lesson that when we start missing church, it's easier to miss more church? It's easier to miss more church and more church and more church. >> AND WHEN TROUBLE BREAKS BACK OUT BECAUSE WE'VE been missing, missing, missing, God's got to wake us up somehow. >> He said, he said, "Didn't we learn? Didn't we learn anything from this?" Verse number 19. And it came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem begin to be dark before the Sabbath, he said, "As the sun go started going down on the Sabbath, I commanded pastor Nehemiah," which we couldn't sit under, "I commanded that the gates should be shut and charged them that that should that that they should not be open until the until until after the Sabbath." And some of my servants said, "I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day." You know what makes this really good tonight is I'm not the only one up here talking about this. >> There's other people here saying, "That's right. >> Amen. >> I've seen some folks standing here and here and here and here and here, and I've seen people just work." It's good. It's good. Nehemiah said, "You know what? I'm not the only guy that's fanatical about the Sabbath. There's other people around here that's fanatical also about the Sabbath. He said, I set them in the gates. I I just I just I just put them I just put them down there that no burden. Verse 20. So the merchants and the sellers of all kind of wear lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. In other words, Sister Pastor, I shut the doors up and I put men there to remind people, hey, we don't go out. We don't do this on the Sabbath. Said them people selling things, they kept coming close to the wall. They they they kept they couldn't get in because I had shut them up and they kept coming close to the to to the wall here. Said they did it not once, but that not not once twice or or once or twice. Verse 20. Then I testified against them, and I said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? What are you doing down there? If ye do so again, I will lay hands on you again. We couldn't be pastored by Nehemiah. And I ain't talking about anointing them with oil. I will lay hands on you. From that time forth, came they no more on the Sabbath day. You know, I think we ought to just give a good threat to the devil. >> I think the enemy ought to just be told, let me tell you something. If you keep messing with me about my Sunday, I'm going to stay longer at church. I if if you keep messing with me, I I'm I'M GOING TO STOP BUGGING THE PASTOR AND SAYING, "WHEN WE GOING TO HAVE A FIVE NIGHT REVIVAL? WHEN WHEN WE GOING TO HAVE SOME SPECIAL CHURCH? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DO THESE THINGS? He said, "And they came no more on the Sabbath." Verse 22, "And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates to sanctify the Sabbath day." Good night. Here goes the prayer on them again. Remember me, oh my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. Second thing, first thing he said, I want to be remembered by the love for the house of God. Second thing, I want to be remembered by keeping church attendance. I want to be remembered by the Sabbath day. These are these are prayers he prays. Well, let's go on. Verse number 23. In those days also I saw Jews that had married wives of Ashgod and Amnan and of Moab. And their children spake half in the speech of Ashgod and could not speak in the Jews language, but according to the language of each people. And I contended with them and cursed them. I don't mean he didn't cuss them out. and cursed them, and smoked certain of them, AND PLUCKED OFF THEIR HAIR, and made them swear by God, saying, "You shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves." Now, I'm going to tell you something. The Bible is still clear that we marry in the faith. >> Parents, we got our kids out of here tonight. Let let me get you by the hair tonight cuz you control it a lot more. Don't stop waiting for me to figure out that your boy is dating that girl that is not apostolic. >> Stop waiting for me to figure out that your girl is dating that boy that's not apostolic. It's not a preference. It's a Bible thing. Be not unequally yolked together. Ah, some of y'all don't believe this. Now, some of y'all some said, "NO, NO, NO, NO. IT'S THE TRUTH." Nehemiah looked around and he said, "What in the world's going on?" Said, "We got some kids." Said, "They start off talking a little Jewish and next thing I don't understand what they're saying. What' you say, boy? What' you say, girl?" And then he said, "I FIGURED IT OUT. MOM AND DAD HAD STARTED letting them mix and mingle and marry As a matter of fact, let me remind you of an old an old pastoral standard here at the church. When a new young lady comes in or a new young man comes in and gets the Holy Ghost, >> they need to get attached to Jesus be >> before they get attached to a boy or a girl. >> You don't even know if they're GOING TO STAY OR NOT. and and and and our kids need to make sure >> that because the person you marry is going to greatly INFLUENCE YOUR DEDICATION TO GOD. THAT WOMAN IS GOING TO BE A WAIT OR A WORSHIPPER. THAT MAN'S GOING TO BE A WAIT or going to be a worshipper. I I DON'T WANT MY CHILDREN, LISTEN, WE GOT ENOUGH TROUBLE WITH OUR FLESH AS IT IS. I I WANT MY SONS I WANT MY GRAND NOW IT'S MY GRANDCHILDREN. I WANT MY GRANDCHILDREN TO MARRY BOYS AND GIRLS THAT ARE GOING TO KEEP THEM IN THE HOUSE OF GOD. As I said, you could not be curt you could not be pastored by Nehemiah. You'd pluck your hair out of your head. He'd get some of your women by the hair of the head. What in the world are you doing letting her do that? >> I'm trying my best, dude. I promise. >> Is this not the truth? Come on. You if you you you see here's the thing. Your obligation is to get them here to church. But if you don't see the purpose of your obligation. See, some people they, well, if I can just get them, you know, if I can just get my kids, if I can get them around church, maybe they'll never go to jail. If I can just get them in a church, maybe she won't get pregnant. If I can just get out of wedlock. If I can just get them in a church, maybe maybe they they won't cause me any trouble. And I is that really what you see for your children? Come on, self-centered parent. Come on, self-centered parent. Is that all you see? You need to see further than that. I want my children to live for God. >> I want my children to be in the prayer room. >> Now, I'm I'm not knocking education. I think we ought to get our children as educated as can. I've got our oldest granddaughter is soon to graduate from what now? a bachelor's in pre pre-law from Liberty University. Man, that's awesome. THAT THAT THAT IS absolutely awesome. But listen, that's secondary because my first goal for Paris and all of my grandkids is that they're loving GOD, WORSHIPING GOD, and living for God. I wouldn't care if they worked ON THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT HERE IN THIS CITY AS LONG ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT HERE THEY COME INTO THE HOUSE OF GOD. AND ON SUNDAY MORNING AND SUNDAY NIGHT AND THEY'RE SHOUTING THE VICTORY. THAT'S WHAT YOU OUGHT TO HAVE FOR YOUR CHILDREN FOR GOD'S SAKE. THAT'S WHAT WE OUGHT TO HAVE FOR OUR CHILDREN. I thank God. I I thank God. I sit out here. I got grandkids playing uh volleyball and all that. I I'm grateful for that. But can I tell you something? Tell you something. My goal is not to get any of these kids in the NBA. >> My goal is not to get any of these kids. I'm not sitting there. Well, we gonna keep on till we we're gonna hit it big when Oh, no. My goal is when they get out of my house and they get married and they have a house of their own that they love God with all of their hearts and all their souls and all of their mind. That that that's my that's that's my Am I making sense tonight? >> Probably making mad, but maybe not making sense. He said, "I you giving your your kids can't even communicate. They they can't even know the language." Verse 26. Did not Solomon, king of Israel, sin by these things? Yet among many nations were there was there no king like him who was beloved of his God. And God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, him even him did outlandish women cause to sin. Shall we then hearken? Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives? He he he just he he's just cleaning he's just cleaning the house. But you know what he's doing? The obligation is to preach. The purpose is to see what it produces down the road. What I'm preaching tonight, if it stops being preached here, >> if we just want some of these high energy messages of your destiny and God's going to bring you out, you know, if you listen to some of what I'm saying, you wouldn't get in it for God to bring you out of it. But if THIS KIND OF PREACHING CEASES to go forth, >> our future's bleak. We won't have young folks running. Listen to me now. Um verse 28. And one of the sons of Jonah, the son of Elishabib, the high priest, was son-in-law or here we go again, was son-in-law to who? That's that enemy. That's that I tell you, the devil try anyway. Was son-in-law to was son-in-law to subbalot the Horonite. Therefore, I chased him from me. God, he's pulling hair, laying hands, and running people. I mean, get out of here. Get away FROM ME. GET GET out of here. Get out. Get out of here. Get out of here. Get out of here. You You know, if you live in our neighborhood, you know, we got a bunch of we got a bunch of buzzards. I mean, just it it's it's like a horror movie on top of my house. It's like going on front. I mean, ain't nothing like getting your coffee in the morning. God's given us a good Wednesday night service and I go make me some coffee about daybreak, step out there on that porch and the fountain's going and and it's just a good morning. I step out there, take me up and turn back around and here's all these buzzers. Get out of here. Get out OF HERE. SH. GET OUT OF HERE. that come do that. Oh, brother Ericson did some research and he bought us a fake stuffed coyote and y'all seen them buzzers. They went from my roof to down around that coyote. They're even thinking the Cody is going to kill something or he's dying. He's about to fall over right now. You know, come on, church. People that know the way, that don't want to walk in the way, chase them away from you. >> Chase them away from you. Ju just he's saying back. He said, "I've been fighting you ever since I've been here." We got some this flesh that wants to try to question everything about the apostolic church and about the apostolic faith and why do you all do this and why do you that? I'm going to tell you, there's people that'll ask why that really want to know. And there's people that will ask why that all they want to do is just gender something with you. They they don't bit more want to know why we do what we do. And the man in the moon and you need to chase THEM FROM YOU. GET OUT OF HERE. Just just get out. Just just he chased him. He chased him away. Don't need those voices in my life. Then verse 29, he goes back to prayer again. Remember them, oh my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers. Well, we want nothing but the truth. So help us God. And appointed the wards of the priest and the Levites, everyone in his business. He said, I got the house of God all set back up. and for the wood offering at times appointed and the first fruits. Could we all end? Is it all the way up on the screen? Could we start with remember and could we all read it all out loud together? Here's what he says. Remember >> three things in the last chapter in Nehemiah. Remember me because I kept the house of God clean. Remember re remember me because I obeyed the Sabbath and I kept church attendance and I kept church attendance. Remember me or I kept the future of our children and what they were going to live for. Remember me three things and I close with this tonight. God deliver us from being self-centered parents? Do you know it is our obligation when we bring children into this world? Please listen to me, mamas. Please listen to me, daddies. Do you know it is our obligation when we bring children into this world? Don't don't don't talk to me about your callings. Don't talk to me about your giftings if you neglect your children. Your highest calling, your highest calling is to be A MAMA. YOUR HIGHEST CALLING IS TO BE A WIFE. YOUR HIGHEST CALLING IS TO BE A DADDY. YOUR HIGHEST CALLING IS TO BE a husband. Stop running around here trying to find somebody to speak into your life >> when God wants you to speak into your children. Be a mama. >> Be a daddy. >> Be a husband. Be a wife. >> So I want to do something for God. Are you all not listening to me tonight? That is doing something for God. that is doing something for God. Wonder where some of these young folks that bless us tonight would be had we not been mamas and daddies to them and bring them to the house of God when when when oh we got I got to go I got to go do I got to I got to get my giftings and my calling. Your giftings and your callings is in your living room. your giftings and your callings is in the car with your daughter on the way to school and you're reading her a Bible verse or you're praying over her or you're saying something to him. That is I'm going to preach this tonight. That that is a gifting. That is a that is a gifting. That is a calling. Come on. That is a gifting. And that is a calling. I wish we'd lift our voices right now. Just ask God, help me to be a good father. Oh God, help me to be a good father. Help me, God. Lord, help me to be a good mother. Come on. Come on. Pray that with me right now. Now, now go ahead and testify to your children right now. How much if you don't pray right now, you're telling your children, you're telling people around you, I don't really listen to what he's GOT TO SAY, I GOT TO BE A GOOD DADDY. I GOT TO BE A GOOD MAMA. Go ahead. >> Go ahead. Stand with me now. Go ahead. >> I'm not saying God's not God. God God's called Ma Masa to Japan. You couldn't be in a better YOU COULDN'T BE A BETTER mother than she's been. You couldn't be a better mother of training her children to live for God. Couldn't be. So don't don't don't don't talk to me about that. Yet I'm going to tell you sometimes the devil's so deceiving that we can be so stinking self-centered that our obligation is they were fed today. They were in, took them to school, dropped them off. Obligation. You got obligation, but you don't have purpose. Purpose is you're going to grow up to live for God. Sister Nicole, heard a little boy run up to me Sunday morning. He said, "God's going to use me." I said, "Yeah, he might." I said, "Yeah." I said, I think he said, he said, "I want to preach someday." He said, "I want to be a preacher." I said, "You may pastor this church someday." Said, "You may pastor this church someday." He said, "Oh, come on, brother." No. Come on. Who ever thought Who thought that that long-haired, rebellious teenager that they enrolled in apostolic Christian school that God could get a hold of him and he could become your pastor tonight? I didn't walk into God looking like I look right now and acting like I look right now and talking. SOMEBODY LOOKED DOWN AND SAID, "GOD CAN DO SOMETHING WITH THAT LITTLE OLD KID. IF WE CAN JUST POUR SOMETHING INTO HIM, GOD CAN DO SOMETHING." I'm stuck on the word self-centered right now. I can't help it. It keeps rolling out my mind. Self-centered. Self-centered. Self-centered. When you get a child, you move to your obligation is them. Achen, Achen, you you are so self-centered, Achen, because God gives you the victory. You witness the walls of Jer I hope this is all right tonight. >> You witnessed the walls of Jericho coming down. You are being led by Moses. You're being led by Joshua. You have seen You have seen the Jordan River split. You have walked across on dry land on the Jordan River. You have witnessed the walls of Jericho come down after a shout of praise. But you're so self-centered, you were told not to take any gold or anything from the city of Jericho. But in the midst of victory, you were so stinking self-centered that you had to reach down and get a Babylonian garment and a wedge of silver and a wedge of gold because you're so self-centered. Can I tell you something? The spirit of discontentment of anybody in this church that we're not doing something for God, you are simply self-centered. That's all I can say about you. If you can't look around here and see the victories that God has done, if you can't look around here and see the opportunities, if you can't IF YOU'RE IF YOU CAN'T LIVE FOR GOD HERE IN THIS CHURCH, I REALLY DOUBT YOU CAN LIVE FOR GOD ANYWHERE BECAUSE YOU'RE SEEING THE WALLS FALL DOWN. But you hear me tonight. I'm just being your pastor tonight. But you hear me tonight. When you're self-centered, we can have choirs. We can have schools. We can have youth groups. We can we can have we can have some of the finest teaching to the young people that but when you're self-centered, you can't see it. You've got to reach down to get a robe for yourself. And you got to reach down to get a garment. You got to reach down to get a wedge of gold. And guess what happens to you, Achen? Your name means troubler. Your na name means troubler. Guess what happens to you, Achen? man of God, they're gonna that that they're going to lose a battle and God's going to say there's sin in the camp and Achen, you're going to be called out by by Joshua and Joshua's gonna say, "What'd you do?" >> And you're going to confess and say, "I saw a goodly piece of of of gold and a goodly Babylonish garment and I took it and I hid it in my tent." Guess what happens? Joshua says, "Get you, get your wife, and get all your kids and bring them down here." It's very strong. It's very strong. But God sent a message. God sent a message about obedience because sin, let me tell you something. Rebellion is ugly. >> I said rebellion is ugly. Rebellion is an ugly thing. Joshua said, "Bring Achan, bring his wife, and bring his children." And they brought his wife, his children, and all of his clothes and all of the tent and all of his animals. And Israel stoned all of them, burn them with fire, and heaped up stones. And everybody walked by and said, "That is the place of trouble." God, I want to know for the Carpenter family, it's not going to be a place of trouble. I'm not going to be so self-centered. It's got to be me and my calling and my gifting. I got to run here and run there. I sat in the middle of a choir singing the glory down, but all I can think ABOUT IS WHAT GOD'S GOING TO DO WITH ME. COME ON, MOM. COME ON, DAD. IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO WAKE UP AND SEE. I I I'M IN THE I'M IN THE TREASURE HOUSE TONIGHT. I'M IN THE HOUSE OF GOD TONIGHT. I'M IN GOD'S TREASURE HOUSE TONIGHT. But give me, and I close with this, but give me a Hannah that goes to the house of God and the devil's on her back because her womb is barren and she cannot have children, but she'll go to the house of God and that woman will make a prayer. She'll say, "God, if you'll give me a son, watch this. If you'll give me a son," everybody say, "Oblation." >> Obligation. If you'll give me a son, everybody say obligation. >> Obligation. >> If you'll give me a son, I'll have an obligation. But he will be a Nazarite. I'll raise him up and he'll be yours all the day of his life. All the days in his life. Everybody say purpose. >> Purpose. >> She said, "Give me a son." Obligation. He'll be a Nazarite. HE'LL BE YOURS ALL THE DAYS IN HIS LIFE. THAT'S PURPOSE. Guess what? God gave Hannah a son. Called his name Samuel. The word Samuel means I asked for him. After Samuel was winged, Brother Cooper, that woman took him to the house of God. They opened the doors to the house of God. There he stood, just a little boy. The pro the the the priest uh came out. Eli came out. He said, she said, "Eli, I was the woman that you smacked across the mouth because you thought I was drunk in the prayer room, but this was what I was asking for. I want to bring him and I want to lend him to God for all the days of his life. And they put an EPHOD ON SAMUEL. AND THE EPHOG SHRUG THE GROUND. HE WAS JUST A LITTLE BOY, BUT THEY GAVE AN EPHOD TO HIM. AND GOD CALLED HIM AND HE GREW ANOTHER YEAR AND ANOTHER YEAR. AND THE BIBLE says this. ARE YOU HEARING ME? THE BIBLE SAID EVERY YEAR HANNAH WENT up to the house of God to see him. And every year she made him a new coat. Every year, SHE SAID, HE'S GOING TO GROW A LITTLE BIT. EVERY YEAR, HE'S GOING TO NEED A LITTLE BIT BETTER COAT. EVERY YEAR, HE'S GOING TO NEED A SCHOOL. He's going to need A YOUTH CAMP. HE'S GOING TO NEED A HE'S A YOUTH GROUP. HE'S GOING TO NEED ALL OF THIS. And the Bible says that it was Samuel that became Israel's prophet. From Dan to Basheba, everybody knew when Samuel opened his mouth, it was the word of the living God. When Samuel prayed, thunder and lightning happened. When Samuel prayed, things begin to happen. Why? What's the difference? You got a self-centered Achan that's just remembered by a heap of stones, but you got a mama that says, "If you'll give me an obligation, I'll put purpose to that obligation." Could we just lift our hands right now? Come on, all over this room right now with me. Could we just lift our hands right now? Brother Carpenter, how in the world did you go from tithing to parenting? It's got everything to do with parenting. How in the world did you go from tithing to parenting? Because tithing is my obligation, but godly children is my goal. Come on right now. Come on right now. Would you come? Would you come right now? Oh, why don't we COME EVERY ALTAR JUST FOR a few moments? God, help me to be a good daddy. God, help me to be a good papa. God, help me to be a good nana. God, help me to be a good mother. Oh, God. Come on. Come on. Come on. Crucify that self. Crucify that self-centered way. Crucify it right now. Come on. Moms and dads, come on. Lift up your voice right now. >> >> My God, I've done all I can do right now. Right now. The rest of this service. Two or three more moments. It's left up to your prayer right now. Come on. It's left up to your prayer right now. My children are going to serve God. EYES FROM ME IN MY HOUSE. We're going to serve the Lord. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Lift up your voice tonight. How desperate are you right now? Come on. Come on. Come on. We can set two or THREE HOURS ON PLASTIC DISHES OUT HERE IN THIS GYM. I BELIEVE WE OUGHT TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME IN THIS ALTAR. COME ON. Make me a good daddy. Make me a good daddy right now. Yes, Lord. Oh, God. My God. Come on. I want you to pray right now. Come on, Mom. I want you to lift up your voice right now. You need to chase THE DEVIL AWAY FROM YOU RIGHT NOW. YOUR PRAYER OUGHT TO CHASE THE ENEMY AWAY from you right now. Yes, God. >> >> I'll say yes, Lord. Yes to your will and to your way. I'll say yes, Lord. I will trust you and obey. When your spirit speaks to me with my whole heart, I'll agree. And my answer will be yes, Lord. Yes, I'll say yes, glorious to your will and to your way. I'll say yes, L glorious I will trust you and obey. And when your spirit speaks to me with my whole heart, I'll agree. And my answer will be yes, Lord. Yes. Come on, every hand. Lift and sing. I'll say yes, Lord. Yes. To your will and to your way. I'll say yes Lord. Yes. I will trust you and obey. And when your spirit speaks to me with my whole heart I'll agree. Yes. And my answer will be yes Lord. Come on. Sing with all your heart. Sing with all your mind. Lord say, I'll say yes, Lord. Yes. To your will. To your will and to your way. I'll say yes, Lord. Come on. I will trust. I'll obey. And when your spirit speaks to me with my whole heart, I will breathe. and my answer will be yes, Lord. Come on. When your spirit speaks to me, when your spirit speaks to me with my whole heart, I'll agree. And my answer will be yes, Lord. Come on, one more time. When your spirit speaks, say, "When your spirit speaks to me with my whole heart, Lord, I'll agree and my answer will be yes, Lord. Yes." Come on. Not out of obligation, but God, out of purpose, Lord God, I'll say yes to you. Oh, God. Not because you make me, because I agree with you, Lord God, I'll say yes to you, Jesus. Oh, give us purpose, oh God. Oh, that goes beyond this obligation. God, marry them together. And God, help us, Lord God, be what you've called us to be in Jesus name.