Bride

Pray with me, church. Lord, we come together, Jesus, in your name. We have prayed from the beginning, Lord, of this service that you would have your way in this place. We've brought petitions to you. We have brought praise to you.

We have humbled ourselves. We have lifted songs to you. We have gone to the word. And Lord, every aspect of our time together is you. We know Lord that we are broken humanity, but we are baptized in the only name that can save us, Jesus.

We walk, Lord, in newness of life because of you. Our hearts, our minds, they're changed, Lord. We are made new today, Lord. We give you glory. Lead us in the word.

I make myself available to you one more time, Jesus. One more time, Lord. I so need you, Jesus. I so need you, Jesus. >> Come on.

Is there somebody that'll love the Lord? There is no other name. There is no other name but Jesus. Worthy is your name. Worthy is your name.

Oh, I honor the Lord today. What a wonderful opportunity he's given us. What about these young prayer leaders today, huh? That's how they That's how you lead. Yeah.

Some of you moms and dads wouldn't get up here. I'm thankful for that. These worship team for singing, the teachers in classes today, everybody that's had a part of CAC culture. Thank you. If you're a guest with us, we honor you today.

We're so glad you're here. Amen. Honored to have you. If you're online joining us, worship with us. Come on.

I believe God can fill you with the Holy Ghost where you are today. So good to be in the presence of the Lord. Don't forget all the cool announcements going on. You can find your way back to your seat if you sit down and stand the rest of the time like me. I'm joking.

Oh, good to be in the house of the Lord today. You're not bothering me, sis. You stay right there. You'll be okay. We'll help you up in a little while.

Man, what an exciting, thrilling day we live. The more that I try to stay a breast to the current events, my my heart leaps. And I'm so thankful to be alive in 2026, man. In fact, the days are indeed proving themselves more and more, listen to me carefully, that we as the church depend on the power of the spirit of God. Come on.

Come on. Before you leave your house every morning, you better call on the name of Jesus. >> Amen. You better call on the name of the Lord before work. when you get home from work at night, rising up, sitting down, going your way, the name of Jesus.

You know, gone really are the days when you could actually fake it till you make it. You could skate through every day just kind of, you know what, I'm a good person. Gone are those days. We are living in a day and an hour that signs are showing themselves over and over and over again. Hollywood is doing its best to try to confuse culture are is is trying its best to rebuild humanity in their own image and that never works because we were created in his image.

Come on somebody. When we consider the plans that God has for all of us, each individually as well as the church collectively, quite honestly, I stand here today and I want you to know that we should be thrilled at the opportunities and the possibilities that God has in place. Uh there is a moving and a shaking that's happening in our current world. I'm convinced that every generation gets to a point where they rise up and say, "What is happening? We need to relook at that." they begin to readjust and begin to re-evaluate their lives.

The Middle East, for an example, right now, as as things unfold and they unwrap themselves, every every day is a different day, we will see wars and rumors of war. Somebody say Bible. Yeah. As we see the the encounter with the spiritual on every side that we face, as we're reminded that Jesus does in fact have a plan. In fact, it was mentioned today in our pre-ervice prayer that today is a day of prayer, a day to bring people back together.

I don't know about you, but we could have done this a long time ago and probably overcome several issues that our nation faces today, but suffice it to say, our Bible is chocked full of stories of generations that came and rose and went up and then they did not follow the ways of God. they didn't believe that and they would pass away and they wouldn't be able to get back and then all of a sudden a generation would come around and say, "Tell me about the ways of God." We refine that in Bible history. I'm here today and I want to simply remind us as a church. Listen carefully. Jesus has a plan.

And you are in that plan. Come on, somebody. You are in that plan. As you read, for an example of the news and the postings on social media sites, you are witnessing a culmination of prophecies that that have taken years to come to pass. Times are bringing us into the full light, listen carefully, of the concept of heaven.

There will come a day when folk FINALLY ARE DECIDING, "COME, LORD JESUS. EVEN SO, COME LORD JESUS. WE WE'RE READY TO GO HOME." THERE'LL COME a time when the supernatural will become natural and we'll watch the unfolding in the spirit world as God works in the last days on his church. How many want to make heaven your home? Oh, come on.

Identify with it. Don't be just jealous about that'd be a good idea if it's if it works out. Well, if the Lord wills, I'm going to tell you right now, it's the Lord's will that none would perish. >> Uhhuh. Consider this if you would.

Why else would our world be in such a turmoil state? What is the final result? I asked myself this and maybe it's worth asking yourself. What is the hope of our present world? Are they hoping that they'll rise to a status on their jobs that they'll reach a place that their children are no longer knuckleheads?

Or they'll get to a place to where they don't have to worry about $9 cups of coffee? I don't I DON'T KNOW WHAT WHAT IS THE HOPE that our current world has. I I will say that living life will take you to a place of certain death. We're all appointed once to die. Nobody wants to go there quickly or most don't.

But as the church is in this world, there are things that are happening in our culture and in our society that God knew would be the case in this hour for the church. Don't think it a surprise that the church now all of a sudden is running to an altar reaching out to God. No. Listen, there have been people in their prayer closets long before a building was ever put on place saying, "Lord Jesus, surely you've got something for us." >> The issue that we face quite simply, if I may, is submitting ourselves to the plans that God has. Therein is a challenge.

What if God were to tell you right now, sell everything you have and go to a mission field and preach? Would you go? Why, sure I would. Yeah. Until the last time you hand your key over or until every box is moved out of your house and then you're standing there wondering what in the world happened.

Don't look at me strange like that. We've been there multiple times. But I can stand on this side of that now and I can declare, you know what? God was faithful. God was faithful.

And in every circumstance and every pair of jeans I had to give away and every plate that I couldn't take with me and in every cool tool that I'd bought and thought it was worth it. I you know I had stuff that when that I had collected. Somebody say collections. Yeah. I had books.

I had stuff. I had little knickknacks and all of that. And I don't know where they are now. I mean I had a cool set of books one time. I bought them at a yard sale.

Any yard sellers in the house? That's old school when you Okay. Anyway, now it's called Thrift Store. U but yard I went to a yard sale and I bought a set of books. Man, there were 30, I think, of these books and they were the coolest things ever.

They smelled really old and and dirty and musty. And I bought them because they were $5 for the entire set. And I thought that was a good deal. I got them out of the box. I was going to make decorations in my office.

That would be cool on the top shelf. People will look at those in awe and go, "Is that an old set of books?" Yeah. What are they? I don't know. No, I'm joking.

Letters of the presidents, 16 presidents. In fact, that was the last one written. So, that's how old these books were. Man, that's cool, isn't it? I kept those for years.

Had them on my shelf. I'd pull them down. I had to be real f real careful with them because there were drawings in there of this ink and stuff. Real thin pages. And it was letters from Washington and and it was letters from from Adams.

It was letters from uh R2-D2. I mean, all the presidents were caught somebody, didn't I? Yeah. Yeah. And they were in there and it was I go many times and and Dandy, I know you don't like that kind of stuff.

And I'd read and it say, "Unto the creator, the almighty, and the sufficient one of all things we write." And I'd sit there in awe and I'd go, "This has been so many generations ago." But I don't know where those books are anymore because I had to sell them. Guess where? At a yard sale. We were going to the mission field. I had to get rid of them.

No big deal. Just books, right? Yeah. So, I stand here today looking backwards, Brother Herb, and I'm saying, you know what, God, this would be a really good time for you to come back and take the church home. Why?

Because I have discovered that the things of this earth will grow strangely dim if I will focus on the things of God. Listen to me carefully on this Sunday. It's 12:57 for us clock watchers. Can I read a verse to you? Is that okay if we go Bible today?

Genesis chapter 1. In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. The earth was without form, void. Darkness was upon the face of the deep. The spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Anybody ever read these verses before? This is Genesis stuff. This is beginning stuff. This is alipio. In the beginning, God created, but it was formless.

If you want to go from there, allow me to take you now to what we call the last book of our King James version. It's called the book of the Revelation to John the Revelator. Chapter 22:6. He said unto me, "These sayings are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done." Verse seven, behold, I come quickly.

Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. So, we see from the beginning, in the beginning, God created. We then get to the last one that those interpreters, those translators put into into words. And we see that in every step there are historical books, there are law books, there are poetic books, there are simply accounts of the lives of those important men and women of that day. and and every step the promises of the book that we read, we understand it as pointing to the last and final pages of a place called heaven.

Now, heaven wasn't something that Zachchariah or something that Jeremiah or something that Daniel even would have considered. They they may have had thoughts of it and they may have had dreams and they may have tried to follow the prophetic but they could not understand a place that God would prepare for those who had made themselves ready for his calling. So having said that when we start at Genesis and we get to Revelation there's a whole lot of things in between all of that and the final of it all IS SIMPLY THIS. I GO to prepare a place for you so that where I am you can be also. So the ending of it says in the beginning I created but at the end it's not over and done because my plan will function and move forward.

Notice in second Corinthians chapter 1 verse 20. Y'all still with me for A MINUTE? FOR ALL THE PROMISES OF GOD in him are yay and in him amen under the glory of God by us. The writer here is a de declaring and determining right now in this particular verse that with God it's a yes or a no. It's a this is the way it is and amen.

I secure that and I follow it and I believe in it. EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD. Everything that is written in our word that we read according TO THE SCRIPTURES, WE UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS CAME to fulfill those things. He came to put flesh and blood upon those things. And in so doing, friend, we are able to know Jesus and understand his love and his power that he has in our lives.

As we look to Jesus, what we are looking at is the word of God in flesh. THEREFORE, WHEN WE COMPREHEND THAT THIS SAME JESUS IS THE ONE that leads us and guides us and makes a way for us and opens doors for us and heals us and delivers US AND MAKES PROMISES COME ALIVE IN US. IT'S MORE THAN JUST SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE YOU'RE A GOOD PERSON WITH A GOOD-LOOKING TIE AROUND YOUR NECK. NO, IT IS BECAUSE THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE COMPLETE IN JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE, WHEN WE STAND TODAY IN THE PRESENCE OF the Lord ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE NAME OF JESUS, IT OVERRIDES EVERY DOUBT.

IT OVERCOMES EVERY FEAR. IT TAKES AWAY ALL OF THE THINGS AND THE QUESTION THAT THE ENEMY WILL THROW AT YOU. BECAUSE IF HE'LL EVER GET YOU TO QUESTION THE WORD AND THE POWER OF THE WORD, THEN HE'S GOT YOU IN HIS SNARE. AND HE'S GOING TO DECIDE YOUR FUTURE AND MAKE YOU MAKE CHOICES AND STEPS THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO MAKE. BUT I DECLARE IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD TODAY IF YOU'LL FALL IN LOVE WITH THE WORD OF GOD ALLOW THE NAME OF JESUS TO BE IN YOUR LIFE ON YOUR LIFE AROUND YOUR LIFE YOU HAVE COMPLETENESS IN HIM THEN EVERY STEP YOU TAKE UH CAN BE SATURATED IN THE NAME OF JESUS AND I COME TO TELL YOU THERE'S NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOU THAT CAN prosper stay WITH ME TODAY.

STAY with me. THE VERY IDEA THAT IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED AND AT THE END he's got a promise to fulfill. God created it all. He will hold us then accountable to what he has said. >> Don't think for a moment that you can write your own Bible.

>> Don't think for a moment that you can arm wrestle God out of one of his promises. His word does not fail. It lends itself to him. He won't allow the selfish and the prideful to take his word and refit it for their life. We saw that established in the place called the garden where the serpent who was more subtle than all simply took the word of God and did what with it?

Reformed it and sent it back. Listen to me carefully. But the word stands on its own. It is forever settled and it will not change nor falter. What you and I have to find is our purpose in the word.

As we are worshiping here today in this place, some of us have felt the expectations of the spirit. Some of us, we cried out to the Lord and we lifted our voices to him and we lent praise and and adoration unto him. And in the midst of doing so, some of us got excited. Our emotions, if you will, or the thrill in our heart began to move us to a place that we would actually lift hands. So, some again I have to reiterate this multiple times because in our worship service sometimes the kids take off running and some of you are very perhaps offended at that and and I am sorry but I am not.

>> I am not. Why? Because if they're not in here doing this all of you know what I'm I'm convinced of that a seven or eight or a nineyear-old cannot know what's going on. Follow me for a moment. that they can yield themselves to simply be in the presence of the Lord and begin to act and respond in that.

And the Lord God says, "You know what? I'm okay with that." Because the heart of a child says, "I don't know why I'm DOING THIS, BUT GOD, I'M doing this." AND AS THEY RUN PAST SOMEBODY that's stoic and stiff and that's all straight necked and stiff necked and they don't and they're looking at trying to JUDGE THAT ALL THE WHILE, GOD SAY, "KEEP RUNNING, BABY. KEEP RUNNING, BABY. Keep running, BABY." WHY? BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SAYING, YOU KNOW, I don't get it right now, but there'll come a DAY WHEN I DO get it.

Hey, come on. I I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE, BROTHER SETH, TO TO BE A YOUNG PERSON AND NOT TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD WAS. BUT WHEN THE WORD OF GOD WAS PREACHED AND BROUGHT FORTH AT A YOUTH CAMP, I WENT TO AN ALTAR AND SCREAMED AND CRIED AND LIFTED. I I DIDN'T KNOW NONE OF ALL I KNEW WAS MOM AND DAD DID THIS AND GRANDMA DID. I DON'T KNOW.

I GOT TO THAT ALTAR AND FOUND OUT, YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S ME AND JESUS NOW. HEY, I WAS A YOUNG PERSON. MY WIFE, SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL WHEN THE LORD FILLED HER WITH THE HOLY GHOST. SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

AND WHAT SHE DID THOUGH IS SHE YIELDED TO IT AND DECIDED, HEY, THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE YAY AND AMEN, AND THEY WON'T FAIL. I'M STANDING HERE TODAY 50 YEARS LATER. WOW, BROTHER LORENZO. 50 YEARS I'VE HAD THE GIFT OF THE Holy Ghost IN MY LIFE. I'VE BEEN UP DOWN GOOD WISE AND BAD WISE AND UP AND OVER IN CIRCLES AND I'VE DONE RIGHT AND WRONG AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF IN BETWEEN.

DON'T ACT LIKE YOU'RE DIFFERENT. BUT THIS ONE THING I HAVE DECIDED IN MY LIFE. IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN, I'D DO IT HARDER. I'D DO IT FASTER AND I'D DO IT LONGER. IF I HAD TO FALL IN LOVE WITH JESUS AGAIN, I WOULD DO THAT AND THINK NOTHING OF IT.

WHY? BECAUSE HE'S BEEN BETTER TO ME THAN I'VE BEEN TO MYSELF. HE GOT ME OUT OF BED THIS MORNING WHEN I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE GETTING OUT OF BED. HE GAVE ME BREATH IN MY BODY. HE GAVE ME CREAM FOR MY COFFEE.

HE DID GREAT THINGS IN MY LIFE. AND I'M STANDING HERE TODAY IN YOUR PRESENCE LOVING AND WORSHIPING THE SAME GOOD GOD. OH, COME ON. IT'S CHURCH TIME. THIS IS NOT THE DAY TO SIT DOWN AND WONDER IF GOD'S EVER GOING TO COME THROUGH.

WE'RE LIVING IN VICTORY. WE'RE LIVING IN VICTORY. WE'RE LIVING IN THE LIGHT NOW. WE'RE WALKING IN THE LIGHT NOW. >> OH, WE WERE ONCE IN THE DARK, BUT WE'RE NOT IN THE DARK NOW.

All right, sit down. You're You're taking up my time. MATTHEW 18. LOOK, LOOK, LOOK RIGHT HERE. THIS is Matthew.

This is New Testament, one of the gospels. Verily I say unto you, verse 18 says, "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 19 Again I say to you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask what's it say SHALL BE DONE FOR them of the father which is in heaven for where two or three are gathered together in my name I am there right there in their midst. >> Now, I'm I'm bringing this particular series of scriptures to us today because as we understand the life of Jesus, we know that he could literally walk into a funeral home and turn it into a baptismal celebration of joy and peace in the Holy Ghost. >> Come on. Jesus could walk into a wedding ceremony where everybody's DOWN AND OUT.

WE AIN'T GOT no wine. And Jesus could say, "Stop whining >> and do what I'm telling you to do." And he can make the LATTER BETTER THAN THE FORMER. Listen to me. Come on. WE ARE SERVING A MASTER THAT SAYS, "IF YOU CAN CALL ON MY NAME in any of your life situations, I can work in you, with you, and through you, AND TO YOU.

I CAN DO A WORK IN THE MIDDLE OF A JAIL CELL. I CAN DO A WORK ON A MOUNTAINTOP. YES, I CAN. I CAN GO TO A KING'S PALACE OR I CAN GO UP UNDER A BRIDGE SOMEWHERE. YOU KNOW WHY I KNOW THAT?

BECAUSE YOU CANNOT LIMIT UH THE POWER AND THE PRESENCE OF A HOLY GOD. UH I believe that IF TWO OR THREE OF US WILL AGREE UH AND WE'LL DECIDE THIS IS NOT THE HOUR TO BE RUNNING AWAY DUCKING OUR TAIL, BUT INSTEAD THIS IS THE HOUR TO STAND IN A CHURCH SERVICE, TO STAND ON A JOB, TO STAND AT HOME, TO STAND IN A STORE AND DECLARE THUS SAYS THE WORD OF THE LORD. UH THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE NAME OF JESUS. UH I CAN CALL ON HIS NAME AND HE MOVES MOUNTAINSH. I CAN WORSHIP HIM IN THIS HOLY PLACE OR IN A BEDROOM SOMEWHERE OR IN MY CAR AND HE'LL COME AND ABIDE THERE.

WHY? BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE NAME OF JESUS. >> WOW. Oh 109 for you clock watchers. If we can agree, if we can agree, if we can come into unity, anything is possible.

>> Some of you dare. I mean, I dare you. I wait. YOU READY? I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU.

WASN'T THAT WHAT IT WAS ON Christmas story? >> Okay. Double dog DARE. SOME OF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M talking about. Do you?

I triple dog dare. You make the mistake. Ask Chesn and Horton over there about their jail stuff. Man, that's the coolest stuff to listen to while I sit with my cup of coffee and my donut cuz I'm not in there. I'm not.

I'm out here. I mean, Chesny loves it so much she's going to get put in. Milan Horton, she stood up, read attention. I'm gone. Okay.

Yes, sir. She did it wrong. She went, "What?" Listen to me. You want to get past your mully grubs sometime and you're down and out. Woe is me.

You go talk to somebody that's watching somebody's life that got busted and thrown in a million pieces and say, "You know what?" But they come to our worship time. They come to Bible study. I They don't even know what's happening. They've allowed us to get our materials in there. We're able to teach them about the love of God.

Listen, we're talking the down and out and the dirty that nobody wants. But I've come to tell somebody, such were some of you. >> But you have been washed. You have been made new. You have been made in the likeness of God.

And you've BEEN FORGIVEN. YOUR SINS have been washed AWAY THAT THEY BE REMEMBERED NO MORE. THERE'S AN ENTIRE SEA OF FORGETFULNESS. THEY ARE THROWN INTO. AND EVEN JESUS SAYS, "I CAN'T GET THERE.

I DON'T REMEMBER WHERE THEY ARE." WHY? BECAUSE THEY'RE UNDER THE BLOOD. AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU. We agree then that heaven is real. So therefore, we reach out.

I know I'm spending some time today talking about some of the folk in our room, but I'm here declaring declaring that the word of God is still working. AND IF THERE'S SOME NAYSAYERS IN YOUR atmosphere or you can't believe by faith THAT GOD'S ACTUALLY DOING STUFF, I'VE COME TO TELL YOU THESE ARE MIRACLES AND THESE ARE HAPPENINGS WHERE GOD IS DEMONSTRATING, I'VE NEVER LEFT YOU. I'VE never forsaken you. I'm still with you until the very end. >> Come on.

As we come today and we lift our hands, we open our mouths right now in this place, I feel a shakana glory of God that has descended UPON THIS ROOM. I'VE PRAYED FOR that and asked for it and I have pled with God, Lord, let us be the church of the hour. LET US BE THE CHURCH OF THE DAY, GOD, WHERE we can accomplish, LORD, WHAT YOU have in store for us. AND THE LORD HAS BEEN VERY KIND TO ME AS YOUR pastor to simply say, "ARE YOU SURE THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT?" AND I SAY, "YES, LORD. WHERE ELSE AM I going to tell them to go?

WHERE ELSE AM I GOING TO SEND THEM? Who else has the answer? WHO ELSE HOLDS THE KEYS OF ETERNAL LIFE?" THEREFORE, the Lord has said, "IF I HONOR WHAT YOU'RE PRAYING FOR, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THINGS THAT YOU'VE NEVER ASKED FOR. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THINGS HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW HOW TO HANDLE IT. YOU'RE GOING TO FACE PEOPLE, CIRCUMSTANCES, SINS, AND TRANSGRESSIONS THAT YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER.

BUT IF YOU'LL STAND TRUE TO MY WORD, UH IF YOU'LL get the scripture in you, UH IF YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF THE RISEN SAVIOR WORKS IN YOUR LIFE, WHETHER YOU UNDERSTAND IT OR NOT, I'VE COME TO TELL SOMEBODY ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT CAC THAT MY GOD IS FAITHFUL AND HE WILL SEE US THROUGH ANY VALLEY, ANY TRIAL, AND ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN OUR LIVES. >> >> SOME OF YOU HAVE CONFIRMED. SOME OF YOU HAVE CONFIRMED WITH YOUR PRAYERS, WITH YOUR DREAMS, AND WITH WHAT GOD IS TELLING YOU THAT THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE CAC HAS TO BE RIGHT NOW. I WOULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR THIS FOR ANYTHING. I WOULD NOT HAVE STOOD IN MY FRONT YARD AND WATCHED WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK.

BUT I'M CONVINCED THAT THE POWER OF GOD IS WORKING STILL, WHETHER I CONTROL IT OR I DON'T. I'M NOT WISHING HARM TO ANYONE, BAD TO ANYONE, BUT I'LL TELL YOU THIS. MY GOD HAS BEEN FOUND FAITHFUL AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. AND YOU'VE COME TOO LATE TO TELL ME UH THAT GOD'S GIVEN UP ON THE CHURCH. UH YOU'VE COME TOO LATE TO TELL ME UH THAT GOD'S NOT STILL DOING MIRACLES.

YOU'VE COME TOO LATE TO TELL ME UH THAT HE CAN'T BLESS THE CHURCH. OH, I'M GLAD FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCH. >> HE DOES NOT FAIL. >> HE CANNOT FAIL. >> He is so incredibly faithful.

>> >> Is it any wonder that we act a fool sometimes? Is it any wonder we get beside ourselves sometimes because our self gets in the way? Sorry, self. You need to move. I'm getting beside you right now.

I'm just going to love. You can do what you want, self. But it's for I'm just going to love the Lord because he's been good to me. I bring us to this pointed part of what the Lord has given me for today because if indeed God created all the things around us in the beginning God created now I know that in the beginning there probably were not cell phones. Thank the Lord.

That explains why the word has such power. Huh? It was not up to suggestion. Come on, somebody get back in your book of Job. Uh, who did I counsel when the stars were put out there?

Who did I go to? Oh, when the heavens I didn't have to go to anybody. I thought it and it happened and it went and all the stars that are hanging all the planet. Y'all got me sidetracked now. all that stuff.

God said, "I got this." Why? Why then would you worry and fred about something that is completely out of your control? Why don't you submit yourself to the things of God? Believe in him. Let the word of God take fruit and let it begin to work in your life to declare, "You know what?

I know that I once was lost, >> but now I'm found, and I'm going to stay connected to the power of the name of Jesus until the day I DIE." THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTAND IN this created word. He remains to the very end. We read it. The book of Revelation identifies with that. It's written there.

It's declared there. Then today I stand at this podium at 1:16 in the afternoon to simply remind us there will be a day and there will be a moment a planned point of purpose when the plan of God will come to an end and the fruition of all that he had thought is going to happen. What then? What then? The revelator wrote it like this in Revelation chapter 21.

I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven, the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of the heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. While the vivid pictures and images, I don't know about you, but I've said multiple times, Revelation is so challenging sometimes to wrap my mind around. 10 heads, seven heads, horns, fangs, wings, blood, angels, crowns, thrones, all of the things there.

My mind, I don't know. I think that's why John was the one that was exiled. And in that process, God was able to move through him and write what he saw. Whether in the spirit or not, only God knows. That's the only thing God could.

I don't know where. I don't know. But all I know is he knows. Come on, go to Revelation. You'll see it.

The new heaven, the new earth. The only picture that you and I could get from the writing here. adorned, prepared, put in place as a bride. I have never been a bride. Connor, you'll never be a bride, buddy.

Aren't somebody glad? He looked terrible in a white dress, right? A new heaven and a new earth prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I begin to look at this and there's a relationship now that comes together in this imagery. A bride and a groom.

A a a relationship between one and another that says we are willing to leave all come together and become one in the plan that has been presented. Bringing their lives to become one. That's a challenge. Is there anybody married in here? How many you married somebody exactly like yourself?

Man, that'd be so hard. My wife needs me so bad. >> She needs me to keep her down here so much. She don't even know. I I need her in my life to help get me up out of the down here.

So, come on, somebody. Don't leave me. I am such an organized person that God sent me somebody to organize my disorganization. See, I thought I was organized because I know where my socks are, Daron. But it's a little heavier than that.

Stay with me. Stay with me. Stay with me. When you look at the end of the story, THE FIRST IT WAS CHAOS. In the beginning, God created heaven, earth.

This was without form and void. THERE WAS THIS DARKNESS. There was this stuff THAT WAS GOING ON THAT WAS OUT OF CONTROL. And God was there. But the end of it then we see that if you understand how a bride has to look at her day of wedding then we know that there are plans there are dreams there's invitations there's ceremonies there's gestures there's ideas that will make this DAY COMPLETE I I KNOW THAT ON THIS SUNDAY SOME OF YOU UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY what I'm talking about when it when it's talking about a bride but I'm standing here to remind you that the very word bride brings an image into your mind.

They asked me in the media suite, "Pastor, do you have a particular picture you'd like to use?" And I said, "Use your imagination." Tada. This is what they did. Y'all just draw this. This is probably on in there going, "No." Okay. They got this probably off of a site.

This could have been artificial in institution. Artificial intelligence. I'm starting to challenge somebody of my age. BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION WHEN YOU GO TO A ceremony that's a wedding of who is the bride. It's that one over there in that dress.

Now, my daughter, she challenged all of that with a green dress. I you okay, why not? She said, "Dad, cuz I like green. I don't want to wear white." Well, don't. Besides that, Dad, we're going to do a coffee shop.

What if I spill coffee on a Y? I said, "Well, there." Okay, I see where you're at, baby. Okay, stay with me. Stay with me. Stay with me.

I am so thrilled about this. Why? Because there's no question in a crowded room who the brightest, the dress, the shoes, the colors, the flowers, the hair just right, the teeth brushed, everything, every detail done. Why? Because they have waited for this day to come to pass so that they could transition from one position into another.

We're in the month of May here at CAC and it's the the the theme for the month is greater women. Brother Sam a couple weeks ago so challengingly presented an incredible message on the differences and the importance of male and female. Remember that last week my wife and I, we were watching our little ledger get dedicated with all the other kids. And I don't know who they were or what they were doing because I was watching them anyway. So, but I understand Sister Carla Burton did a great job.

Now, my wife and I after our service there, we logged on and we watched and we couldn't hear anything because the recording would I'm joking. I'm joking. All the media's like and Sister Burton did a fabulous job talking about who? Deborah, was anybody else here? Oh, yeah.

I got so much up here I couldn't remember. Here's the thing. Talking about greater women. And so I I've gone through for the last 35 36 minutes this establishment on God's plan for humanity. And in the beginning, how God created.

At the end he is still creating. The fact remains is for him to identify that with a bride leads me to a place that is a determined, planned, worked for situation. Listen to me. I am certain that there have been weddings in history that were not even thought about. Hey you, you come here.

You're married. Huh? How many of you husbands and wives thought that'd be a good idea? Hey, come here, Mary. Let's go.

Come on. We're going to get married. How do you think that would have went? Probably pretty not good, huh? So, what's your I don't even know your name.

We're just going to get married. So, there. You, me, certificate. Got it. Now, I know Hollywood paints those pictures and they do it with a snow globe at the end.

I get it for you Hallmarkers. The fact is is that to be a bride there is so many things that have to be established. I remember vividly 39 years almost my wife and I married and we went through that whole thing of I want this color. No, I want that color. And I just learned very quickly.

Come on men. Yes, dear. That's fabulous color. I really like ready mauve. Tim, did you did you like mauve?

You may have preferred dusty rose. Come on. That was a real color. That was a real color. In fact, at the church of Igo Gap, they had mauve colored chairs in there.

When I got there again anyway, plans. You know what? I was given one responsibility at my my wedding. My bride, she said to me, she said, "Honey, if you'll plan the honeymoon, I'll take care of the rest." Yes. And she'd ask me along the way, "Where are we going on our honeymoon?" I said, "None of your business, honey.

You supposed to tell." No, you said I could do it. I'm sitting there go, "Oh, I forgot to I didn't tell her that. Come on, men. Act like you were all of that in a box of cracker jacks. I know you weren't." And so, we married.

We walking down the aisle. The very first question. She doesn't ask me how much money I have cuz she already knows. She didn't ask me how much love I had for her. She figured it out.

She asked me when we got to the back of the aisle going out, "Where are we going on our honeymoon?" I said, "That's all you got? You ain't gonna say whoa, I just off my you swept me off my feet. Where are we going on our honeym?" Well, just pack a bag. Where are we going? And when I told her, she said, "Where's that now?

How? Come on, man. Tyler, that ain't nothing better than your wife just brand new, look at you and go, where's that?" But that's what she did. I said, "I don't know. I don't even want to go.

So we went on our honeymoon. This is what I figured out that all of the planning and all the preparation came to the point that she was willing to say and I was wanting to say I give myself to you. I don't want to do this myself and God has brought us together. You can ask her now. Don't but you can.

how blissful and how wonderful and tranquil that it's been. And she'll wonder what you're saying. Of course, listen to me. I know I tell her myself a lot and she's so kind to sit there and she'll fix me later. But here's the point that I've come to as a bride adorned.

There's no chance that something is missed. And when the day comes that the Lord God says, "I am ready for the marriage supper of the lamb. Gabriel, I need you to bring my wife home. None of us are going to wake up in heaven surprised at where we are. Sorry.

Some of you may wonder how you got there so quickly. I will wonder how many of you know I'm joking. Listen to me. But if I make my calling and my election sure here and I make the preparations that I need to make here. There will come a day when I will hear a trumpet sound and it will not scare me.

It will not put fear in my heart. What it will tell me is this wedding. I'm going home. I'M WALKING ON GLORY right now. It has come to the place TO WHERE IT IS FULFILLED BECAUSE ALL OF THE SACRIFICES, the decisions, THE CHOICES, THE STUFF THAT I HAD TO GIVE UP, THE stuff I had to PICK UP AND ALL THAT STUFF THAT I THOUGHT WAS VERY MAXIMUM AND VERY TIRESOME AND ALL IS NOT AT ALL THAT.

WHAT IT IS IS IT BRINGS ME TO THE PLACE OF GLORY IN THE LORD GOD. And I can say now I WILL FOREVER BE WITH YOU and I will walk in your presence. I will love you. I will serve you. I will trust you.

Oh come on somebody. I'M LOOKING FOR THE DAY THAT I'LL UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT THE 20 AND FOUR ELDERS IS ABOUT. AND WHY THAT THEY WOULD TAKE A CROWN AND THEY FALL ON THEIR FACE AND BEFORE THE THRONE THEY WOULD CAST THE CROWN DOWN TO SAY I DON'T EVEN WANT THIS. I JUST WANT TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE. COME ON.

ONLY TO BE LIKE THAT TIME WHEN YOU AND I CAN BY THE WORD OF GOD DECLARE, "I HEAR MY NAME IN THE LAMB'S BOOK OF LIFE." WELL DONE, THY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT. YOU'VE BEEN FAITHFUL. NOW I MAKE YOU RULER. COME ON IN. AND I CAN BE JUST LIKE THIS ONE.

AND I CAN SAY, "OH, IT'S BEEN WORTH IT ALL. EVERY TRIAL, EVERY STEP, ALL THE PLANNING, ALL THE PREPARATIONS, I NOW STAND BEFORE YOU AS YOUR BRIDE. >> Brother Don, would you come? If you are not walking in harmony with the word, today can be your day. If salvation has not come to you yet, it is in the name of Jesus only.

If you have yet to submit yourself TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD THAT CAN WORK IN YOUR LIFE, THIS ALTAR IS OPEN FOR you today. What I'm declaring to you is the plan of God is for all of us. He would that none would perish. But he wants for you to fall in love with him. I'M CONVINCED THAT GREATER WOMEN, THAT THEME CAN BRING US TO A PLACE AS A CHURCH THAT WE CAN DECIDE WE CAN BECOME A BETTER BRIDE.

WE CAN MAKE BETTER PLANS. WE COME ON WE CAN FILL OUT THE RIGHT INVITATIONS TO THOSE OUT THERE THAT NEED TO COME AND BE A PART OF THIS CEREMONY AS WELL. WE CAN FOLLOW THROUGH WITH WHAT GOD IS LEADING US TO DO. UH AND INSTEAD OF QUESTIONING HIM, DOUBTING HIM, RUNNING AWAY FROM HIM, WE CAN GO AND EMBRACE THE POWER OF GOD THAT IS WORKING IN OUR LIVES. There are so many of us today that are broken and busted and beat up by THE TRIALS AND THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD.

But today you stand whole and complete in him and you're able to say, "You know what, Lord? I will adorn myself as a bride. I will forget all the frivolous things. I will forget all the stuff and I will come to the place that I will make the preparations needed." I I I I don't know that if if you newlyweds maybe maybe this is strange to you but there are some jitters that come with getting married. Does anybody remember that?

Am I making the right decision? In fact, I'm I remember standing Presley I was standing in the side room and brother the priest who did our ceremony you can run now if you want. I won't tell nobody. He did. He said that every time after that I was in ceremonies with him as a minister, he'd say it and I'm like, "Were you trying to break things up or what?" He said, "No, I'm just trying to give him a way out." Said, "It probably said it to Tim.

I don't know. You can leave now if you want to." And I remember looking at him saying, "Well, is that even an option?" I mean, my name was on the announcement. I can't put that down. You think that's what I said? Or Yeah.

She might get mad at me and I don't want to make her mad. You know what I said, sister unit? Not a day in your life would I do that. I have found the one. I have found her.

Y'all all know I'm a crier. I'm okay with that. She walked through the double doors at the back of the sanctuary. And I stood shaking in my shoes, understanding the value of my bride. Brother Rob, I said, "Lord, get me through these next few minutes and don't let me pass out, please." Made the mistake of writing a song for her that I sang that day.

That was a good song when I wrote it. But boy, I sure am having a hard time now singing it. My poor brother over there on the piano goes, "No, no, no. I'm trying to remember the words and I'm shaking." My wife said it was a lovely song. That was a lovely song.

Listen to me. Listen to me. I am associating this the same way John associated what he saw. I don't know how else to explain this, but it's just like a bride that's been prepared for the groom. They're not perfect.

They don't have it all together. They're bringing their lives to the table. The beauty of the way he is the groom, we are the bride is he says in the beginning God created I fell in love with you from the beginning and I loved you before I even knew your face or you knew me. That's how far back this relationship's built. Today at 134, would you stand with me?

There is an anointing in this room that some of you have probably seen pass by because you are looking for the shout or the jump or the leap. And all the while it's through the relationship that God is establishing in this place. Some of you have abused the relationship. Maybe some of you have said wrong things. Some of you have maybe fallen in love with the Lord and now you're trying to figure out where you stand with him.

I've come to tell you that there will be a trumpet one day and there will be a bride that's caught out of here. And it's not going to be a surprise to anybody that's ready for it. It's not going to be a surprise. Let me pray with you right now. Lord Jesus, a bride, So much imagery, God, that comes to mind.

A prepared bride ready for the wedding. I pray right now, Lord, that your anointing would rest upon this place. Lord, there are so many broken, busted up people that are living in victory today because they found you and you found them and the relationship began and you loved them and they love you and you're building, Lord, upon them. Today, Lord, there are some that have yet to decide that being in the bride is enough. Ah today Lord speak into our lives.

Something about the name something about the name it makes me cry holy. This altar's open. Some of you need so desperately to rekindle that relationship with God. I want to be part of the bride. I want to be in the bride.

Hey, something about the name. Come on, somebody. There's healing in the name. There's power in the name. Makes you cry holy.

Come on, somebody. Salvation in the name. Salvation in the name. Come on. There is no other name.

No other name. Come on. This altar is open for all of us. Would you come and pray? Lord, I'm looking for you.

I am hungry for you, Jesus. I am thirsty for you. As the deer pants for the waterbrook, Lord, so my soul thirsts for you. I'm running to you. Come on, somebody.

A bride adorned, prepared, ready, ready for the ceremony. Ah, come on. It's called the marriage supper of the lamb. It's a celebration. Come on.

Look in your heart right now, Lord. If there's anything that's keeping me separate from you, I yield it to you, Lord. I give it to you, Lord. I subject it to you right now, Lord. I submit it into your hands.

There's something about the name. Come on, church. There's healing in the name. There's power in the name. In the name.

In the name. The name of Jesus. Come on, somebody. Call on the name. Call on the name.

Call on the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus, I love you, Lord. Yes, I trust in you, Jesus. Come on, every hand lifted in this place right now, Lord. I I need to be ready.

I've got to be ready. I've got to make plans right now, Lord. Your coming is soon. The trumpet will sound. We will rise to meet you, Lord, in the air.

Jesus. Oh, come on. Heaven is still in view. Heaven is there. Heaven is right there.

No other name. >> No other name. >> There is no other name. >> No other. No other.

No other name. >> There is no other name. >> Yes, Jesus. Come on, church. Talk to the Lord.

>> Anything, Lord, that I'm not making right or I'm not making plans for, help me, God. >> I've got to make myself ready. >> I've got to make myself ready, Lord. I can't do it without you, Lord. It's your blood.

It's your name. It's your power that changes me. >> It forgives me, Lord. When I'm baptized in your name, my sins are remitted and washed. >> But I've got a job to do at that point, Lord.

I've got to make preparations. >> Come on, somebody. >> Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

Jesus. >> I love you, Lord. I trust in you, Lord. Jesus be the name. >> Jesus be the name.

Come on, somebody. >> Jesus be the name. >> Jesus be the name. >> All the glory. >> That's right.

That's right. Lift your voice to the Lord. >> Jesus be the name. >> How I love you, Lord Jesus. >> Jesus be the name.

>> Oh, that's right. Come on. >> Jesus be the name. >> Heaven is in view. Heaven is in view.

There's just something. >> Oh, I'm looking for it, Lord. Yes. >> There's just something about >> Yes, Jesus. Yes.

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. >> We are complete in you, Jesus. Oh, the plans that you have for us, Lord.

>> Your desire for the church, Lord, for the bride. >> There's adorned, prepared, ready for you. >> We cry home. >> Yeah. >> There is no other day.

>> There is no other day. >> Oh, come on, somebody. Talk to the Lord. >> There is no other day. >> Talk to the Lord.

I believe in you, Jesus. Yeah. >> There's just something about your name. >> Oh, come on. That's right.

>> There's just something about your name. >> The name of Jesus. There's something about you >> that makes me cry holy. There is no other name. >> That's right.

That's right. >> There is no other name. >> Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Jesus, you're worthy. Jesus be the name. >> Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord.

>> Jesus be the name. >> Thank you, Lord. Thank you, >> Jesus be the name. It's all the glory. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto 10 virgins, which took their lamps, went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Five of them were wise. Five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, but they didn't take oil. They didn't take oil. They had a lamp.

They had the ability to shine, but they didn't have oil. The bridegroom terried and they slumbered and at midnight the cry came and the bridegroom comes and the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. Foolish said to the wise, "Give it to us. We don't have oil." Now you go buy it for yourself. They went to buy.

But in the midst of trying to make it all right, bridegroom came and it was too late. So before you go home today, I want to ask you this. Is your lamp burning and is it full of oil? You do realize that oil is symbolic of the spirit. There is no other name.

No other name. Come on. I want to be the wise virgin that says, you know what? This might be a while. So, I'm going to keep storing it up.

I'm going to keep learning. I'm going to keep growing. I'm going to keep growing. I'm going to keep learning. Come on, somebody.

Lift your hand. Lord, help us to be wise cuz we know that there's a day coming when the bridegroom will come and you won't tarry. He won't give time. Lord, he's doing that right now. Come on, somebody.

Help me, Lord, to be wise with my time to believe and let my faith connect with you. Come on, somebody. I love you, Lord, and I know that the plans that you have for me will lead me to that marriage supper of the lamb. Oh, something about the name. Something about the name.

I want to be ready. How about you? I want to be ready. Yeah. Yeah.

I want to take the word of God, apply it to my life and grow and mature and learn more about him. I do plan on spending eternity with him. And I love all of you. Thank you so much for being in the house of the Lord today. Before we pray our as I go prayer, I want to pray over you as a church.

And I just feel this in the Lord. Would you let me pray over you, Lord? I thank you for this body, this family, this church, God, that we gather, Lord, every week. We work, we do, we give, we support, we pour into. Lord, I thank you for this body of believers today.

Lord, I know that some are weary the journey and some are spending themselves and wondering where the payday will come. Lord, I pray right now that you would speak into their lives and strengthen them. Others, Lord, I fear are falling asleep and they're slumbering and wondering why they can no longer feel the power of the anointing of the Lord as it moves in a room. I I pray God that liberty would come to them and they would they would awake. they would recognize the fact that this is the day.

I pray Lord that revival, reviving of the church would happen in our church family and we would rise to the occasion for this hour in which we live. I rebuke fear and doubt in Jesus name. I plead the blood of Jesus over every heart and every home in this room. We take authority and dominion over that right now in the name of Jesus by the authority of the word of God. I am trusting you Lord Jesus to give victory and joy into the house of the Lord as we leave this place.

I ask you Jesus dispatch angels Lord to go with each one of us God and help us Lord to always love and to serve you the name of Jesus. We are preparing ourselves Lord for that trumpet sounding for that marriage supper of the lamb. Come on somebody say in Jesus name. Some of you need to go home today and you need to pray over your houses. You need to pray over your homes.

Walk through the door, set your stuff down, kick your shoes off if you need to. Get the oil out and pray over your home. Come on. I'm just telling you in the spirit, the enemy is trying to stop you. You just keep on.

You just keep praying. Keep believing. Keep pleading the blood of Jesus. Keep allowing the power of the word to illuminate itself in your life. Come on.

The name of Jesus.