Rejoice!

you can be seated if you feel like you have to then I glad you're here I'm thankful I want to welcome all of you to our day of Celebration we have completed 21 days a fasting of dedication and consecration somebody look at your neighbor and say I feel good I welcome you to our time that we have gathered once again here I know that over the last three weeks the spirit of the Lord has been refocusing realigning us getting us to a place we have prayed together we have prayed in our own houses we have fasted we have cleansed ourselves some of you didn't even really know what fasting was and the spirit of God just spoke to your life and here you are still alive and well I mean he knows you can survive yeah once once you begin that process you need to understand something there is a connection that happens between the voice of God and the body of God the Church of God there is something that transparents something that becomes open something that shows itself it's a redirect we have spent the past 30 240 minutes with a direct desire to touch heaven to find Grace and direction from the throne room of God would you give the Lord Praise everybody come on give the Lord Praise for those of you wondering what 30 240 minutes is that's 21 days anyway here we are this fifth Sunday service we as a church for years we have used these particular Sundays together for a time of food and fellowship a time for families and friends to draw closer together so today I admonish all of us to take time in this day and to plug into what God is doing in the church house how many you know that your life outside the walls will still be there once you get out of here today is that okay but while you're here today why don't you grab a hold of somebody you don't know something about and just talk to them yeah you don't have to text them across the table concept number one Lauren today she has you gently get out your phones I do pray that the only other reason you have it out for this moment is your Bible and then afterwards take all the pictures you want nobody will even believe you stayed in eight encourage your neighbor your friend come on support one another share stories of where God has brought you from sometimes listen to Pastor for me sometimes a simple smile will change somebody's life give somebody a hand to Fellowship today we need one another right the old saying says we are better not separate yeah together sorry as we close out this time of dedication I want to show you something oh prepare I want to show you something that happened way back in the Old Testament days and notice here in the book of Deuteronomy Deuteronomy we're going to do old school stuff chapter number 26. verse 1 it shall be when thou art coming to in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance and possesseth it and dwelleth therein Thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth which Thou shalt bring of the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee shalt put it in a basket and shall go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there we finished our 21 days y'all stay with Pastor for just a moment and the Bible says in the book of Deuteronomy this is the the outline of what God's provision and plan was for his people he said when you get to that place the place the promise where I have for you you need to put things in the basket that are your tithes let's call it your first fruits let's call it the the good stuff that you didn't work for and that you didn't plant that you didn't put together when you get into that place the Bible says I want you to get a basket out of your house and I want you to bring it to the priest stay with me I want you to bring it to the altar I want you to bring the basket to the place of God this is what I want you to understand about the story where I am today verse number three and thou shalt go under the priests that shall be in those days listen and say unto him are you ready for it I profess this day unto the Lord thy God that I am come under the country which the Lord swear unto our fathers for to give us you bring your basket and you open your mouth and you begin to speak this the priest shall take the basket out of your hand set it down before the altar of the Lord thy God Thou shalt speak notice this is talking about the people of God Thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God a Syrian ready to perish was my father this is what the people of God are saying but my father went down into Egypt and sojourned there with a few became there a nation Great Mighty apocalypse and the Egyptians evil and treated us and Afflicted us and laid upon us hard bondage and when We Cried unto the Lord God of our fathers the Lord heard our voice looked on our Affliction and our labor and on our oppression verse 8 and the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm with great terribleness and with signs and with wonders and he had brought us unto this place and hath given us this land even a land that floweth with milk and honey and now behold I have brought the first fruits of the land which thou O Lord has given me and thou shalt said it before the Lord thy God and worship before the Lord thy God and thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee and unto thine house thou and the levite and the stranger that is among you these were the commands of the Lord God to the people of God when you get to the place where I bring you when I have brought you out of the bondage and all of the things that you came from when you get to the land that I promise to you that possession you take do not forget my hand do not forget my provision but instead there is a statute a connection that I want to make between you and me and when you bring the first fruits to the priests and he puts them on the altar you can't simply bring them and walk away but you have to know who you are and you have to declare at that point exactly what the Lord God of Israel has done for you hear me Cornerstone Apostolic church I realize that we are living in the New Testament Church I realize that we are living in what we would call the dispensation of Grace I'm thankful today that we are who we are where we are at this particular point in time but I am convinced that we have the word of the Lord to help us to understand precepts and principles that will lead us and guide us every step of life that we take hear this when they had literally given everything that God had given to them it was taken from them notice this story let me give you just a little bit of History they have gone into Egypt the prayer says with one desire we need to survive fam and hunger had enveloped the whole world at that particular place but there were preparations being made in one place and that was Egypt hear me under the hand of one that would be like no other his name was Joseph God had orchestrated the entire thing the undesired son became his brother's possession where he would be one that would be sold into slavery but when the time came God gave to him a place in a position why because when his family had hunger in their life and they thought they were going to die everybody in the household of Jacob got up and went to Egypt because why because there was a promise that had been done there there was a blessing upon one Joseph and at that particular place the Bible tells us in the account in Genesis chapter 41 God prepared the people of Egypt for the time of plenty that would follow the time of famine hear this because Joseph was placed in a position to literally Save the World by the hand of God once the people of God came into the land of Egypt to live and to thrive it wasn't long before the children of Israel grew and they looked up and they were making their living and things were happening and lo and behold the Egyptians the Bible says decided if we don't stop them now if we don't oppress them now if we don't put them in bondage now they're going to bind up with some other Army and they're going to overthrow us y'all hold on to the preacher today these 400 years would pass but Deliverance would come God prepared them every step of the way by the seed of Abram The God Who had made a covenant with the Abraham that we know of in the New Testament out of Abram's seed would come God's people and if we understand and read the book of Deuteronomy we can see that God has established rights rituals and plans for his people history tells us that the book of Deuteronomy simply means what Second Law thank you second law written by the hand of Moses he was rehearsing re-rehearsing for the children of Israel the laws of God in so doing he declared one of the most awesome things that would ever have been spoken to the people of god notice this Jesus Jesus in his life he repeated more while walking on planet Earth from the book of Deuteronomy than any other Old Testament writing hear this Mark says it like this 12 28 one of the scribes came having heard them reasoning together and perceiving they had answered them well ask him which is the first commandment of all Jesus answered him and said what the first of all commandments is hear o Israel the Lord our God is one Lord Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul with all thy mind with all thy strength this is the first commandment the second like is this namely this Thou shalt Love Thy Neighbor as thyself hmm there is none other commandment greater than these Deuteronomy 6 4 says it hear o Israel the Lord our God is one Lord Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul all thy might Jesus puts it together for the New Testament Church believer so today I come on this celebration Sunday for one reason I have a mission we have been reminded over the past three weeks through our praying and our fasting just how much God loves us and what he can truly do in the life of somebody that's hungry for him I'll ask you this question on this Sunday afternoon is God still God in the Earth do we still believe in the promises of the word of God God had established something with the people of God back in what you and I would call Old Testament day but you and I here in 2023 I've come to remind somebody once you come into Covenant with God there is a promise once you enter into the blessings of the Lord there is something required of you I've come today to declare after you have cleaned your house if you will through these 21 days after you have prepared your mind in your heart after these 21 days first fruits need to come to the house of the Lord to demonstrate you know what the Lord God has done one more time he has provided for me a place of worship where I can come a basket if you will filled with fruits doesn't matter what's in the basket it's simply a demonstration of what God has done for you I come today and I declare once again that if you will follow the lord God there is indeed an inheritance that you will receive there is something that will continue to bless you in your life if you'll decide on a day like today I've been given up to things I've been looking more to Heaven than I have to Earth I've been trying to separate myself from the things of this world then you can understand when I get into the presence of the Lord God I will bring a basket full of fruit from what I have received in my time of working and sojourning why because if I realize the breath that is in my body is not mine it is as of the lord gave it to me the word that I speak is not mine it is the word of God that he has put in me if I understand that the world is not my home I'm simply coming through it I'm looking for a greater place called Heaven if we can ever realize knowing Jesus is the best thing that you'll ever know in your life hear me friend there is nothing that is worth holding on to in this world but it is time and high time that we bring our first fruits unto the Lord and say I am possessing things that I did not work for I am holding on the things that I did not plant I am one relishing in the bless things of a God who is able to bless me in this generation I'll declare it this way I am standing here today because of a generation past that said there's going to come a day when Chattanooga needs a church they'll need a preacher and it's going to be you why because the hand of the Lord made it so some of you are here only because of the grace of God that worked through your messed up family oh come on I'm a nobody from nowhere but I serve the only one true Living God therefore I bring first fruits to the altar let them be accepted in your sight oh God what is the great commandment hero Israel one Lord hey I got another one love your neighbor how much oh I wish somebody say right now I hate me it don't happen does it brother Lorenzo I can tell you how much we love us I mean check it out come on brother Dame you don't turn loose to me you know what I'm saying blessing of the Lord because we we believe in God's bounty come on there's a Temple of the Lord yeah it's all holy Tabernacle of the Lord let's get there Cathedral says this love the Lord thy God with everything you got come on I feel like sometimes we put the limits on God and we don't bring a full basket under the Lord and we wonder why God won't heal our mind we wonder why God won't heal our bodies I'm preaching to somebody today you're a part-time you bring a half basket hoping that it's accepted I challenge you today in this 21 days you should have already decided you know what this world is not my home I'm just passing through I've come with a dedication and a consecration unto the Lord like never before I have decided that early morning belongs to Jesus I don't care what anybody else says if I got to get up five minutes early I'm going to God you're going to be the first thing on my mind every morning when I open my eyes and I look up under the ceiling I thank the Lord for another day I don't know what's going to happen in this day but I know you're the god that woke me up this morning there for you daily give me the benefit I need for the day therefore I'm going to say well no matter what happens no matter what comes my way I know there's a basket of first fruits that I have established to say God of Glory you're in control today if I walk through it you're with me if I run through it you're with me if I make my bed there you're with me if I climb to the mountain you're there if I go to the valley you're there why because I believe that the Lord God has something for the church that will understand his goodness and Grace listen carefully to the word of the Lord Philippians 4 4 says it this way this is a letter written to the church New Testament stuff rejoice foreign again I say rejoice let your moderation be known to all men the Lord is at hand careful for nothing but in everything by prayer supplication Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God which passeth the whole understanding shall keep your hearts and Minds through Christ Jesus come today to declare to you the same thing that was declared to the church to the people of God excuse me in the Old Testament through the book of Deuteronomy when it came to the ending if you'll continue in the reading that I read today you'll discover that the command given to the people of God was simply this when you bring your basket of fruits to the house of God the next thing you need to bring is a rejoicing Spirit you need to decide upon that declaration outcome rejoicing outcome rejoicing why it's not about how happy you are nor how sad you are it's not about your emotion nor your desire to be all of that in a box of Cracker Jacks no what it is is simply this I looked at what I possessed and I recognize I had nothing outside of the hand of the Lord but when I brought fruits into the altar I believed and I recognize and I realize it's time to Rejoice because the Lord my God has provided one more time for my need so therefore what does it mean to Rejoice I'll tell you what it meant when the children of Israel came out of bondage when they finally after years made it over into the promised land they went for what reason because the promise of the Lord was there when they went in and all the doubt and fear had died in the wilderness it was buried in the dirt no longer to be carried over oh somebody here preacher today when they got into the promised land they looked around y'all y'all don't be mad at Pastor hold on to me you know I love you hold on to me where is all the Nay saying old timers who he got buried in the dirt over there huh come on I've talked about this 100 times they walked 40 years in the desert three million plus people how many folk you think died every day they had like 3 000 funerals a day every step they took every time they walked there's this whole set of graves right there hold on don't look just keep walking oh don't get scared just keep walking oh there's some more dying oh Lord help us oh how long we've been out here a long time keep going why what was God doing God was telling them there will come a moment of rejoicing and that moment will bring you into a land that the promises of God will unfold right in front of you and when you walk into that house and you tap on the door and there's no key to it you simply walk him you can declare Look What the Lord Has Done look at the vineyard out here come on we can hmm when the children of Israel came out of Egypt do you think for a moment they understood what crops were like huh everybody that would have known's dead these 20 something 30-somethings coming isn't it interesting the median age of our church is 26 I'm just saying they come over into the promised land they stand around and look I said anybody here know anything about Vineyards never seen one what do we do oh somebody Google it that'd been fun huh that makes a big rock sorry my mind it wasn't this hey Siri what's a Vineyard can't have that oh sorry my phone was pronoun see come on smarter than me here's the point I'm trying to make to us today we've had 21 days of dedication I don't mind saying the other day was my fast day because my lovely wife and I we we resubmitted or we're going to do this she and I've been blessed through our marriage to fast weekly just something we do something either it's a meal a cup of coffee or a whole day it's just it's just something that's been in the DNA of our home it's just okay and sometimes brother Rob it's not easy you know she'll make this wise decision honey we're not we're going fast today and I said everybody this is Thanksgiving like I'll cash in some coins I'm not sure Lord if I empty my piggy bank and there's something I said no she didn't do that to me but listen listen carefully because I have I have decided I have recognized and I have realized I will not I refuse to show up in heaven surprised I am not going to let the Trump of God sound let me go what is that not gonna happen to me no uh ain't gonna happen you know why because I know what first fruits are and I know what it's like to receive things that I didn't work for and the blessings of God if I'm going to continue to get those I've got to bring first fruits to The Altar and let God have them why because if I always put him first in all things listen to preacher if I always put him first in all things there will come a time when the Lord God himself will descend with a shout and the Trump of God I won't be surprised nor unaware I'll simply because that's all I'm waiting on a whole life I've been hoping for that right there you're not going to surprise me I don't care about my truck my car my house my dog none of that and I told you to have all of that if you're the last one in the church turn off the lights I don't care all I know is this there is a place prepared for me that the Lord Jesus Christ has said I'm gonna put it together for you I know exactly what it's like therefore I'm going to Rejoice while walking in shoe leather I'm going to love the Lord God every time I get together with the people of God why because I know what the Lord has brought me from I know where he has established me therefore on this this Sunday I've come to Rejoice I've come to bless the Lord why because of the inheritance that I've received I will rejoice always again rejoice remain standing with me I'm watching the clock I know all the crock pots are fired up listen carefully listen carefully in the Deuteronomy reading if you'll read it oh this is such powerful stuff the Lord God is going to connect with people he's going to make it his desire to want to be with people there's another word that he uses there you will become peculiar that's Old Testament word now we know it's in the New Testament but that's the Old Testament where peculiar I wish it elbow somebody say you're mighty peculiar come on tell somebody some of y'all think that's a funny word because you don't use a lot of English today do you well that's peculiar I might have used it once in my life that I know of and I was in Sunday School peculiar is what he says so on account I ain't very smart I went to the dictionary what's peculiar mean not odd separated a general purpose for a reason or cause not like everything else oh here here what I'm saying today when they brought first fruits y'all need to understand something they didn't bring stuff from Egypt in this basket it wasn't needed at that time what they brought was fruits oh look at this Vine how it grew look at these Orchards how they grew before we partake of any of it before we appreciate any of it we're getting back to the Altar and we're going to bring a basket of it and we're going to say priest We are following your command because God has established us in a place that we don't understand but because we brought this because we dedicate and consecrate this to you we believe there will come a time of rejoicing where we will be able to say Look What the Lord Has Done some of you are one praise away from a miracle some of you are one step away from an answer some of you can have what you desire in your heart if you'll simply continue to walk the challenge for you today is not accomplished 21 days of fasting dedication and consecration only to find yourself halfway between the Altar and the Pew no but it is to complete the cycle I come today with this basket of fruits Lord because I recognize and I Know It Is by your grace that Revival is coming to Chattanooga It Is by your design that Holy Ghost outpour is going to happen at CAC It Is by your plan that somebody's going to turn loose of the world and walk into the presence of the holy king of Israel God's got an Army in this hour I've come to ask her is there anybody that'll rejoice in the presence of the Lord and again I say rejoice in the presence of the Lord oh come on this altar's open does somebody feel a rejoicing Spirit ready to get out of your chair and just come and love the Lord oh God you've been good to me God you blessed me God you provided God you made a way I got through that junk I got past that stuff I'm coming today to love and to worship you oh that's right come on somebody oh come on somebody Rejoice your way into the house of God we come rejoicing we come rejoicing we bring it Lord to you today we believe you Jesus we believe you for Jesus rejoice rejoicing makes the difference rejoicing makes all the difference rejoicing in the Lord makes all of the difference now I don't mind telling you I don't mind telling you I am nothing without the Lord I need him in him I have dwelling in being When I Call On the name of the Lord he is there when I speak his name he's there he abides in that if I'm in my car if I'm on a job if I'm on an airplane if I'm in a store I take him with me he goes before me beside me and he comes in behind me I don't have to wonder no worry the greatest threat to the church today is you stopping your rejoicing Spirit believing and knowing what God has done for you he healed my body he touched my mind he saved me just in time I'm gonna praise him I'm going to praise him I'm going to praise Him Look What the Lord Has Done Look What the Lord Has Done he didn't forget me he didn't walk away from me he didn't roll up the sidewalk and get out of here he's still here today he's still on the throne exalted I'm still in my right mind I'm Still Loving the Lord I still believe in him my neighbors may have walked away my family may have backed off but I will stand upon the premise of who God is and I bring first fruits today into the altar to declare God you gave it all to me foreign right now one resounding voice it is 20 minutes after one everybody in the same mind the same heart would you just begin to rejoice in the Lord you do that by lifting your hands you fill your mouth with praise and you offer it to the Lord with a thankful heart with a thankful heart oh that's right every voice every hand with a thankful heart I thank you Lord I Thank You Jesus I thank you Jesus I thank you Jesus I thank you Jesus you have provided you have made a way oh Jesus that's right come on Church he's a good God yes he's a mighty good guy oh that's right that's right that's right come on bring it to the altar bring it to the altar I give it to you Jesus I give it to you Jesus I give it to you Jesus I give it to you Jesus hey oh come on church it's alter time it's alter time he is your healer he is your provider he is your Waymaker he is your deliverer he is your restoration yes he is yes he is would be silenced oh yeah oh that's right that's right come on run into his presence Church run into his house I've cut the love you Jesus yes I've come to rejoicing you I bring fruits today oh I bring the fruits today God look what you've done come on that's right come on go pray with somebody get a hold of somebody pray with her right now the spirit of the Lord is in this place that's right come on let the Lord use you right now Reach Out pray for somebody Reach Out pray with somebody thank God you've got it thank God you're making a way thank God you are raising up an army thank God we have walked into your presence today breathe into our lives Lord oh come on that's right oh yes yes Lord yes Jesus come on young folk get a hold of God right now Russia oh come on prayer warriors pray right now find your place get a hold of somebody him Jesus help from Lord to recognize the fruit comes from your hands I will love you I will worship you worship you Hallelujah oh that's right come on Hallelujah there is victory in the house of the Lord today great Deliverance in the house of the Lord today foreign oh come on that's right come on press through it right now Lord I've come to worship and love you I've come to mess magnify come to bless I've come to glorify from the Blessed Lord I've come to bless you tonight I will rejoice in you Jesus I will rejoice in you Lord I'm Gonna Worship you I've come to worship you Jesus the name of Jesus Strong Tower holy righteous God oh come on that's right come on let the healing power of the Lord work in you right now Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus the peace of God yeah yeah the peace of God yeah yeah yeah yeah foreign oh come on that's right How I Love You Lord how I need you everybody in this place you need somebody right now man go find you another man ladies another lady come on find it appropriate come on come on we're the family of God here at Cornerstone we are part of a family of God come on you need somebody right now going to pray with you somebody's going to connect with you right now come on you're not alone in this I want you to pray for that one you've got a hold of right now call their name out to the Lord come on speak their name out to Jesus right now Lord I Rejoice today for what you are doing and what you have done in my brother and in my sister I Rejoice with them I Rejoice with them there is healing there is Deliverance there is salvation there is power there is Glory there is anointing I pray for them right now Lord whatever position they're in whatever circumstance they're in the midst of be their healer today Lord be their provider today God of Glory Be salvation to them today yes Lord yes Jesus yes holy God yes holy God yes holy God yes holy God I worship you Jesus I praise you I bless you great God come on let's try come on pray Jesus Jesus thank you oh come on that's right come on there's healing in this place hand of the Lord working in this place yeah I need you Lord Trust You Lord I Trust You Lord I trust you today Jesus I trust you today Jesus great is your faithfulness oh God great is your faithfulness Jesus oh yes yes yes oh bless the Lord bless the Lord are you thankful Church come on are you thankful thankful for the name thankful for the power one more time give him praise everybody before we leave Give the Lord Praise unto you Jesus honor and glory and Power Rejoice always Rejoice rejoice so thankful you came to the house of the Lord today again to Our Guest I'm so glad you came thank you so much for joining with us those who've been online watching thank you so much and then a great day to serve the Lord there is hope in the presence of the Lord there is Direction in the hand of God now this is the challenge now that we've finished our 21 days now we just continue believing and walking running after the Lord we continue to let the Lord open doors I trust that through these last three weeks that some of you have developed new disciplines new habits Maybe gotten rid of a couple of old ones Maybe come on if you didn't you let me know we'll do it again oh it's not a threat I'm just saying it does work I love all of you I'm so glad you're here