We Do

You can be seated if you feel like you have to. You don't have to, but if you want to, you can. Thank you, brother Herb, so much. We all sit here today with our open Bibles. If you got a Bible today, you ought to thank the Lord for it. Amen. And just to have a Bible. Anybody glad you got a Bible? Anybody else glad that they got a Bible? Lord, I'm glad they got one. The word of the Lord moves us. Listen carefully. Whether you are reading your Bible out loud or quietly and intently, the word of the Lord makes a difference in your life.

The word of God changes things in us. It it it adjusts us. Fact remains as I learned many years ago in my life that the Bible is alive. It words come off the page and illuminate themselves. I don't it's not magic. It's not pixie dust. What I think it is is it's attention to the word of God and then he begins to grow it, amplify it in us. the Holy Bible that we use every day and we we apply it to our lives. You know, listen carefully.

We we use our Bibles at weddings and at funerals. We use our our Bible at dedications and dictations. We use our Bible at different ways and means in our lives. Come on. Some of us pray the Bible. Some of us memorize the scripture. Some of us understand the power of the misme memorized word of God and it changes us. Does anybody remember? We got any old-timers in here used to go to camp way on back then. Anybody? The B I B L E. Come on. That's the book for me.

That's why we sing when I was seven. I stand upon the word of God. The B I Some of y'all don't know that, do you? the bey. Okay, that's this kid song that still is works today. Amen. There's an established understanding in the scripture that we've got to understand how it works and how it moves within us. We can also at times express doubt about the word of God. I mean, if God can cause walls around an entire city to collapse, the Bible gives us that story.

If you be quiet and walk, and then on the day I tell you, open your mouth and shout, things will happen. Sometimes it's hard maybe to actually believe it's happened. Has anybody here been in Jericho? Why haven't you? Because the walls fell. Just saying. That's like somebody say, "Have you ever been on the ark?" No. Have you? The word of God carries a lot of weight. Somebody say, "Amen." In fact, there's possibly somebody even in this room today that you came into this place looking for God to speak into your life.

Maybe to just bring a word of peace or a word of hope, something that could be spoken to change your circumstance. You've asked people for their advice. You've asked folk to give their input. And now you are willing to look to the word of God to speak and to activate something in you. Has God's word ever spoken straight into you? I know it has for me. Maybe you're here today and you know what I'm talking about because you're a testimony that at your worst moment, a word from the Lord came and it changed everything about you.

Any witnesses in the house? It's okay. Yeah, that that's been that's been me through the ages of time. There's a story I'd like to read if we can. We're going to go to the Bible. Is that all right? The be okay. You go to the book of Luke, chapter 2. There's a very cool story there, and it's the birth of Christ. Anybody know that? Don't worry, media staff. I'm okay. Anybody read about the birth of Christ was on this wise? That's in That's in the book of Alawaptapic, right?

No, it's it's Luke. When you go then to Luke chapter 3 in your Bible, verse number one, now the 15th year, the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip, tetrarch of the region of Tricansis, and y'all don't know if I'm saying them right or not. Leanius of the tetriarch of Abilene, Anox and Caiaphas being the high priests plural. The word of God came unto John the son of Zachcharias in the wilderness. Listen to this verse three came into all the country about Jordan preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet saying listen to what he said the voice of one crying in the wilderness and this is what he's saying prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths straight every valley shall be filled every mountain and hill shall be brought low and the crooked shall be made straight the rough way shall be made smooth and all flesh shall see the salvation of God in this writing we look that there's that the situation as it is unfolding the world much like we would be today was in absolute chaos, confusion, questions and wonderings about life in general.

How many know God knows what he's doing. Come on, somebody wave a finger. God, you know absolutely what you're doing. So, we read in Luke the 2 chapter, the birth of Christ. And then once we get into the third chapter, instantly there's this guy's name is John. And he comes out of the wilderness and he begins to preach. He begins to talk and he begins to as a voice crying in a in a wilderness in a in a strange place in a in a rough place.

the the story of course it gives us points of reference here that there was Tiberius Caesar that was he was terrible confusing leader of the Romans and we understand about Pontius Pilate we understand about the other players if you will in this scenario much is happening at this point and the entirety of this situation WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT simply because John came out of the wilderness with a word I told asked somebody earlier just Today I said, "Do you need a word from God?" "Yeah." "Well, then what if somebody steps into your life with a word?" Some of y'all lean to John today to step into your life and give you a word.

Some of y'all Oh, y'all going to have to hang on to preacher for just a moment today. You got to recognize something that when the angel of the Lord spoke to Zachcharias in that temple that day, he said, "Bo, you're going to have a son?" I can't. I'm too old. the last words you'll say. Come on. NINE MONTHS LATER, JOHN'S HIS NAME. And that's what happened. That's that's the way it I don't know if he went loud, had a microphone, but anyway, Zachcharias was doing the work of God in the temple, burning altar of incense before God.

It was his turn to do so. The Bible says that when John came on the scene, the world had never seen anybody like this man, John. And his message, Brother Seth, was simple. Prepare the way of the Lord. Get yourself in order. If you're sinning, stop. Tada. Some of y'all were hoping for this great big old message. That's what John, that's what he's preaching. Come on. I'm gonna baptize you, but when I do, you're gonna be baptized to the remission of your sins. They're going to be washed.

They're going to be dealt with and taken care of. Hold on a second. You mean I've got sin in my life? Absolutely. Now, I thought I could handle the transgression and the trespass against the law by just bringing a dead goat. Hold on a minute. There's one coming. There's one coming. You need to understand who this man is that's about to walk into your life. The reason I'm bringing this to you is because it's in the Bible. The B I B L E. If you continue Luke 3:7, then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him.

Notice what he says. Oh, generation of vipers. Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? It's a question mark. Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance. again, not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father. For I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Number nine, and now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is heuned down, cast into the fire.

The people, people, everybody say the people. The people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?" Verse 11, he answered and said unto them, he that hath two coats, let him impart to him who hath none. He that hath meat, let him do likewise. You hear it? Talking to the people. Everybody say the people. But in this writing that we see here that Luke the physician is writing, he then continues and he's listening to what John's saying. The second thing John says is the Bible says in verse 12, "Then came also the publicans." Now hold on a minute.

We already talked about the people. Why then does Luke differentiate between the people and the publicans? Thank you for asking. I'll show you why. Because the publicans came and they said to him to be baptized said, "Master," what' they say, "what shall we do?" As if it's going to be a different answer. The people and the publican. Now, no, notice the answer that that this master they called him. Now, this is John, the guy who smells bad, who's eating wild things and dressing in weird clothes.

He's coming and he's REALLY LOUD SAYING, "Y'ALL ARE VIPER OF SINNERS AND YOU'RE TERRIBLE PEOPLE. Listen to me." So, the person comes, the folk do, and then comes the publicans, and he says to them, "Exact which is appointed to you. do your job and do your job the way you're supposed to do it. And then if we continue here again in Luke chapter 3 verse 14, ready for it? The soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, "And what did they say? What shall we do?" He said to them, "Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your paycheck." I was drawn to this particular series of verses.

And some of you may already have the answer to this. And I began to look though at deeper into it. And and give me just a moment today to help pastor you for just a bit. Everybody sitting in this room, you're at a different place, a different location, a different level in life. Some of you are educated, probably more than you need. Some of you are trying to get educated. And some of you desperately need education. Some of you have reached a place to where you think you know everything.

Don't look at nobody. Look right here. Some of you are desperately saying, "I wish I understood more things." There are some that are saying, "I don't even know how to tie my shoes. They're velcro and I don't know how to PUT ON TIE." WHATEVER level it is, you're at a place where you are today in whatever stage that you're located. Here's the fact of the matter. When John spoke to the people, I would have thought in within myself that it should have been sufficient for everything.

The folks say, "What do we do? What do we do? You're talking and you're calling us, you're calling us vipers and you're calling us generation of vipers. What do we do?" It's interesting then that John begins to approach this in a manner as human as can be. Some of us in this room today, listen to the preacher a moment. Some of us, we want to think that we are all of that and a box of cracker jacks and we are all of this and we have all the answers and I don't need to worship like you do.

See, I'm the un unemotional kind and so therefore lifting my hands is not anything that I want to do express. I would rather quietly stand here and do that. But you guys, if you feel like that's something you need to do, you do so. I'm not that person. Say it with me. Some of us feel like that even if we walk through the doors of the church and we grace the PEOPLE OF GOD WITH OUR presence that they ought to know that that's enough sacrifice and enough of giving to the things of God that we simply showed up.

I'm only using that today because what Luke was talking about with John, there are people, there are publicans, and there ARE SOLDIERS. AND EVERYBODY'S AT A DIFFERENT PLACE IN YOUR LIFE. AND WHEN YOU COME TO MEET JESUS, you're going to HAVE A WHOLE BOX OF BAGGAGE OF THINGS THAT you're going to want to know what to do with. I arise to this podium today to tell somebody from everybody standing there that day. THEY HAD ONE QUESTION. WHAT DO WE DO? WE'VE HEARD THAT THIS THING IS HAPPENING IN OUR LIVES.

We're not really sure about any of this stuff that you're talking about, John, but what you're saying is speaking into our lives. What you're saying is getting into our spirit. What you're talking about is changing something in our mindset, in our mentality. And whether they were simply a person, whether they were a tax collector, a worker of the government, listen to me, or whether they were a soldier, somebody that knew how to follow orders, what John was telling every single ONE OF THEM, YOU GOT TO MAKE SOME CHANGE in your life to THOSE WHO WERE THE common people, if you will.

If you got two coats, you need to look at somebody who doesn't have one and you share with them. You got to do the same thing with the food you got. If there's somebody that's hungry and you have food, you share with them. If you're a publican, YOU NEED TO KNOW SOMETHING. DOING YOUR JOB ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY require of you is DEMANDED OF YOU. BUT IF YOU START STEALING FROM THE PEOPLE, THEY'RE NOT going to trust you. They're not going to believe in you. THEREFORE, DON'T EXACT ANYTHING.

DON'T TAKE anything that's extra because that's what THEY USED TO DO. HEY, IF YOU'RE A SOLDIER and you know how to follow the law and you know how to follow and you know how to protect and you understand authority, UNDERSTAND SOMETHING. YOU CAN'T BE MEAN TO FOLK AND BEAT THEM DOWN AND EXPECT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING JUST BECAUSE YOU SAID SO. IN FACT, THE ONLY THING JOHN SAID ABOUT THEM WAS YOU'RE TIRED AND WEARY OF YOUR PAYCHECK. PASTOR, that has NOTHING TO DO WITH US IN 2025.

H see, it's easy for somebody to complain about what we don't have. It's easy to voice our opinion on what someone else has. It's easy even in our culture and in our generation to look around at what other folk are doing. I'm I'm I'm not here today to throw a stone, to shoot a gun, or to hurt anybody. I'm not. What I am here to say is this. Today, some of y'all need to go back to your social media accounts and you need to do some wiping out.

Why? Because you're looking at what somebody else is doing, thinking it ain't fair, or you wish you had it, and you're trying to lift yourself up by what somebody else's lies are. Not preaching against the internet, Facebook, chat, snap, plat, or any of those things. I'm here to tell you this. OUR WORLD IN THIS GENERATION'S LYING TO YOU. LYING TO YOU. LIE. THEY AIN'T GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THEIR UGLY DAY. THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE of something they can edit. Ready? Ready? Ready?

Post and somebody down and out. Brother Rob goes to reading that. Oh, I didn't even know they lived in that kind of house. Oh, look how much money that Wow, they must have all kind of look at there eating. How come I don't get to eat steak every day? You can. I can pretty much promise you they're not. Pastors has nothing to do with us today. And you're basically ranting and raving about thing. No, no, no. I understand people. And that's how listen to this. That's how God understood humanity at that day.

I'm going to send Jesus Christ to change the world. But you'll never listen to the voice of the savior if you're not willing to confront yourself first. Come on. There's such a thing in the old days called an altar of conviction. And there's such a thing in the old days that somebody would get up under the spout and say, "Lord, all I feel is shame and guilt for my mess up. I am so sorry. My heart's breaking. Something inside of ME IS RUMBLING AND TUMBLING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN ME, but I know one thing.

I've recognized the reality OF SOMETHING, AND THAT IS that I'm a sinner. and I need a savior. I RECOGNIZE SOMETHING WITHIN me that says, "I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M SUCH A MESS, BUT I FEEL LIKE I COULD CRY FOR AN HOUR. I FEEL LIKE I'M BREAKING INSIDE. I FEEL LIKE MY HEART IS BEING BROKEN OUT OF MY CHEST. AND THEREFORE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO do with it." AND ALL THE WHILE, WHAT the Lord God IS SAYING IS, "COME ON TO ME." UH, ALL YE THAT ARE WEARY AND HEAVY LADEN.

IF YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF A CONVICTING SPIRIT AND THE WORD OF GOD AS IT'S PREACHED, THERE'S SOMETHING GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU. SEE, RIGHT NOW IN THIS PLACE, UH, IF I WERE TO DECLARE to some of you, UH, YOU'RE A VIPER, YOU'RE A SNAKE, AND YOU'RE A GENERATION OF SNAKES, YOU'D BE SO MAD. SO, I won't say that again. That's what was going on in that day. And they said, "We're going to be baptized unto John." John said, "Huh?" Yeah. Let let me get let me give you something something here.

Luke 3:15. The people were in expectation. As we were reading, it's in your bibl. That's the book for me. The people were in expectation. All the men used in their hearts of John whether he were the Christ or not. John John answered saying unto them all, the person, the publican, the soldier, listen guys, I'm going to baptize you with water, but one mightier than I. He's coming. The latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to simply unloose it. I can't even serve this man. He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire whose fan is in his hand.

And he will thy purge the floor and will gather the wheat into his garner. But the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable and many other things in his exhortation preached unto the people. I've come today to tell somebody what John was doing was preparing the way for the master Jesus Christ. And what he was saying to them was simply this. Uh you need to know something. It's not about me. It's not about you. It's not about anything about you nor me or anyone else. Listen, it's not about how many likes or dislikes you get.

IT'S NOT ABOUT how many images or pictures you can falsely put on something called the internet. It's not about none of that. But what it's about is one that's coming after me who I can't even bow down and take his shoe off of his foot. And why I would do that is because I would be responsible for washing that foot that I took the SHOE OFF OF. BUT I CAN'T EVEN WASH HIS FEET. I can't get A HOLD OF HIM. I'M NOT WORTHY TO BE A SERVANT EVEN IN HIS HOUSE TO TAKE THE STINKY WATER AND WASH HIM.

I CAN'T DO ANY of that. But he's GOING TO DO SOMETHING TO YOU THAT'S GOING TO TURN YOU UPSIDE DOWN, SPIN YOU AROUND, AND DO A WORK IN YOUR LIFE. HE'S GOING TO BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND FIRE. YOU'RE NOT BE ABLE TO STAND THERE QUIETLY AND WONDER WHERE IS GOD? UH, BUT SOMETHING IN YOUR SPIRIT'S GOING TO SAY, UH, I FEEL LIKE I'M ABOUT TO BURST. I FEEL LIKE I'M ABOUT TO EXPLODE. I FEEL LIKE I'M ABOUT TO DIE RIGHT UP HERE IN THIS PLACE.

WHY? BECAUSE WHEN THE FIRE OF GOD, UH, BEGINS TO BURN IN YOUR LIFE. UH, IT'LL CAUSE YOU TO DO THINGS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW YOU'RE DOING. IT'LL CAUSE YOU TO THROW YOUR HANDS UP WHEN NOBODY ELSE IS THROWING THEIR HANDS UP. IT'LL CAUSE YOU TO SAY, "I ONCE WAS LOST, BUT NOW I'M FOUND." OH, there's one coming. There's one coming. There's one coming. I've stand at this podium today at 1:12 in the afternoon. And if anybody in here's got a question, what shall we do? What?

What am I doing? What What's going on with with me? How can I get to the place to where I can feel this power, this fire, this Holy Ghost? I'm glad you asked. You continue in Luke's writing, you find that the day of Pentecost was fully come, celebration day. celebration day to remember that the 50 days had come from that moment of Passover and now they stand there to celebrate GOD'S GOODNESS AND HIS BLESSING and his provision in your life and in that particular writing from Luke also is the writing where we hear Peter said unto them repent be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For the promise is unto you and to your children all that are far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, "Save yourselves from this untoward generation." Why do I mention this particular verse of scripture in an apostolic service? I'll tell you why. Because on that day of Pentecost, there was a message that was preached that only a man who'd been in the presence of God could actually preach. It could not have been done by any other method.

But it is when those 120 were gathered for some time in an upper room and they were seeking the face of God. They were asking one another. They were looking at one another, how we going to handle this? He told us to go and wait in Jerusalem until we're endued with that. We're given a power from on. I don't even know what that means. Neither do I. But what we better do is we better stay in here. We better wait. We better linger. We better tar.

We better hang ON UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS. WHY? BECAUSE JESUS went away. I don't see him anymore right here. I don't see him over there. I don't see him back there nor up here. Therefore, as the message began to be preached on that particular day, uh there was a word that came from a crowd standing on A BUSY STREET TO WHERE THEY BEGIN TO SAY, "HEY, WHAT DO WE DO?" It was on that day of Pentecost that you and I hold so dear. Peter steps to the proverbial microphone clears his throat and under the uncction of the anointing of almighty God standing there with the others he says you need to repent and be baptized.

Wait a minute. John came preaching another message. Stay with me. Stay with me. John said, "I'm coming to talk to you about repentance and baptism. I'm gonna baptize you unto me. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Now, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on a second. Now, we get right here, just a little bit down the road. The same writer is writing a story that Peter's talking about. You repent and you be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ to remit sins. Wait a minute. John talked about that.

I'm going to baptize you for the remission of your sins. There's this correlation there, but it doesn't yet match. Hold on to me. Why? Because the God of all glory said, "Until I can line these up and get you to a place where you can understand the value of salvation, you will walk around in your sinful life with the conviction of all day living and all day sinning and all day doing what you're doing, but have no way to handle it nor deal with it." But when we understand the anointing of the Lord was poured out on the day of Pentecost, there was an explosive happening uh in that upper room that had spilled out into the ha streets and people began to say, "What is going on?

How is this even possible? We don't understand it." They even said, "Hey, they're drinking. They've been partying. They've been doing No, it's not what that is. BUT THIS IS THAT THAT WAS PROPHESIED from an Old Testament PROPHECY THAT IT WAS GOING to be poured out and things WERE GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU BETTER know something, friend of mine. In 2025, you're not going to sache yourself into heaven because you're a publican or because you're a soldier or just because you're who you are. No, it's going to take an altar of repentance.

It's going to take baptism in the only saving name, JESUS CHRIST. IT'S GOING TO TAKE THE UNDERSTANDING THAT UNLESS I'VE GOT THE SPIRIT of God working IN MY LIFE, I CANNOT BE QUICKENED AND DRAWN OUT OF THIS WORLD. DON'T YOU TRY TO SIDETRACK ME WITH QUESTIONS AND DILEMMA OF OUR CURRENT WORLDLY SOCIETY THAT WOULD STAND THERE AND TRY TO CONFUSE YOU BY SAYING, "YEAH, BUT AREN'T WE ALL JUST GOD'S CHILDREN? WHAT IF WE JUST ALL?" THAT'S NOT WHAT it's about. There's a plan. There's a purpose.

THERE'S AN UNDERSTANDING. IT ALL STARTED in a ROOM WHERE ZACHCHARIAS WAS STANDING BEFORE AN ALTAR THAT THE VOICE OF GOD SAID, "ZACK, YOU'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A CHILDH." AND HE'S GOING TO BRING A MESSAGE INTO THIS WORLD THAT'S GOING TO LITERALLY FLIP IT OVER. WHY? BECAUSE SALVATION CAN ONLY COME WHEN JEHOVAH BECOMES SALVATION. JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING. OH, SOMEBODY FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST OUGHT TO SHOUT, "THANK YOU FOR IT, LORD." There are some in this room today, your questions and you're trying to figure out the methods and manners and trying to put together the recipe of how you can navigate life and somehow make it on the streets of glory.

You need to understand something. Take some time. Go back to the good news of Matthew, Mark, Luke. Hey, go to John. He'll tell you all about it. He is the savior. He's the door to the sheep. He's the way through it. He controls it. He's all about it. He don't need your opinion. He doesn't need your words of wisdom to try to enlighten him on what he can and can't do. Come on. He is the sheepfold. He knows all about the fold. He understands the purpose of it all.

And simply what we need to do is submit to the plan that he's already put into motion. Come on. Nobody here needs to try to fabricate another way to get to heaven. Listen to me. You didn't make heaven. You can't put nobody in heaven. You can't take nobody out of heaven. But what you can do is SAY, "HAHA, WHAT DO I DO?" I'LL tell you what you do. YOU FIND SALVATION. WHY WAS IT? WHY DO YOU THINK it was that when this writing was happening, Peter said to them, "Repent, be baptized." WHY IS IT THAT WHEN he spoke this that when I got to verse 40 with many of the words testify and exhort, saying what?

Whoa, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. DOES THAT MEAN THAT I CAN MAKE MY own way? Why? Why say save yourself? I'm saved. There I did. Why pastor is that there? Then I'll tell you why. Thank you for asking. Because whether you're a person, whether you're a publican, or whether you're a soldier, giving those three accounts, you better figure out a way to get past yourself and get past all the garbage and the junk that our world is trying to put you into. And you better say to yourself, you know what?

If I'm going to go to heaven, it's because I choose. If I Come on, the price has been paid. The cross of Calvary was for me. The blood Jesus shed was for me. What I need to do is simply decide within myself, you know what? I don't have what it takes to get to heaven. But I know a man's name, Jesus Christ. I can go down in water baptism in the name of Jesus. My sins can be remitted and washed away. My debt can be paid.

I can stand in newness of life. I don't have to wonder tomorrow about the next day, but instead I can wrap my arms around the REALITY OF THIS. I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE for you so that where I am, you can be also. UH, AND IF I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I will come again and receive YOU UNTO ME. WHO YOU GOING TO RECEIVE? THOSE WHO HAVE FOUND A WAY to get beside THEMSELVES AND DISCOVER, I KNOW WHAT THE LAW SAYS. I KNOW WHAT MY RESPONSIBILITIES ARE, BUT I BETTER GET UP UNDER THE BLESSING AND THE WORD OF GOD.

WHY? BECAUSE IF I YIELD MYSELF TO HIM, HE'LL MAKE A WAY WHERE THERE IS NO WAY. HE CAN DO THINGS IN MY LIFE THAT NOBODY ELSE CAN DO. We do. Well, what are we going to do with our messed up world, our busted up situation, the sins? I'm Come on. Come on. The writer, one writer said it this way that there are sins that do what? They easily beset. They easily. They ain't tackling you with a three-point stance. They're not coming to you with a ball bat or a gun.

They just come up to you and go. What does he say to do with that weight that so easily besets you? I'm gonna save myself. I'm gonna get all this out of the way and I'm going to let the blood of Jesus work in my life. Oh, come on. I'll tell you this. Every Sunday just about I stand on this podium and I declare the safest place you can be, the most direct place you can be is in an altar. Because in the altar, you can lay everything down and you can decide within yourself.

You know what? I know what the law says. I know how to fulfill the authority in my life. And I know that if I've got stuff, I need to help other people. But more than any of that, I've got to find a way, Lord, to submit myself to the BibLe, the word of God that's for me. And if I stand upon that word, everything else will fall into place. Brother Duron, would you come please? Salvation is what we're seeking after. You need saving. Look at your neighbor and say, "You need it." No.

No. No. No. No. Come on. Somebody needs convinced that No, you really really you need it. No. No. No. Really, you need you need it. Come on. That's not a word that gives you something to say. I'm telling you somebody, if you want to spend eternity in a devil's hell, you feel free. It's in a building program. It'll make room for you. But as for me, I'm gonna find a way to submit myself to the plan and the working of God. John came with a message that said, you know what, person, publican, and soldier, and all of the things that you're doing, what I'm telling you to do is this.

You live your life according to honor and glory to God. If you've got stuff, you can give it away. Come on, you got two coats. Keep one, give one away. Put your mindset in serving others. Number two, you understand that taxes are part of life. Somebody go, "Oh, Lord." But when you go to rob and more of it, you just found the enemy's path to get to people and destroy your witness and testimony. I'm talking to somebody right now. And if you're a soldier and you understand how to work under authority, don't be mean to people.

Beat them up and act like somebody's going to love you for that. Oh, is there anybody in the house that wishes you made more money? Now, that's an honest question, man. When I made $2.90 an hour back when I was 15 years old, man, I was in high cotton. High cotton. Come on. Some of y'all don't even know what $2.90 looks like. You ain't never seen it. You swipe it. Are you Some of y'all don't even know that they just remove pennies, right? Some of y'all don't even know what they are.

That's the stuff you stand on. I ain't picking that up. Anybody else like me stop and pick up a penny? Well, I will. I got all kind of my penny jar. You can't even read it because it's been ground under cars, all that stuff. As a kid, anybody ever take a penny, put on a railroad track. Now, that's destruction of federal property. I mean, I'm joking. Listen to me. Listen. We we live in a world that's so confused. That's so many answers to get to heaven.

But they won't believe that there's only one way. Come on. I don't have to condemn you. I don't have no what I can tell you is this. Conviction still works. And it's the first step. Lord, as righteously indignant as I can become because I know that I understand the word, I can still learn something today about the word. The power of the word says, "I loved you and you didn't even know who I was. I cared about you. I didn't even know all the junk going on in your life." Would you stand with me, please?

Everyone here, if you're online now, if you're driving, don't stand, please. There's an answer and his name is Jesus. So the question came from three different points of view in Luke's writing in his gospel and then in in Luke's writing about the acts of the apostles another account. In all of those four accounts, somebody had an actual heart to want to know, John, what do we do? What do we do? The person came, the people came, publicans came, tax collectors, and the soldiers came. You would have thought that they'd all hear the same thing and be fine with it.

But apparently human nature steps in because some people feel like that's that's not my way. It's yours. I tie my tie a certain way. You tie your tie a certain way. I tie my shoes a certain way. You tie your shoes a certain way. You button your shirt a certain way. I button my shirt a You wear what you wear. I wear what? Okay, we understand that. For those who don't know it, I like potato salad in my gumbo. You may not. You're welcome, Herb. But here's the thing.

We're all different. We all got different things. But we can so quickly and easily pile things up upon salvation that literally the answer is the same. You can't make it by yourself. John, you really smell bad and you look terrible. Yeah, but I'm going to call you a snake in a generation of snakes. Why? Because you have confused the things of God. You have diluted the power of God. And now there's one coming after me that's going to walk in with all power and authority. You tell me, what sickness can Jesus not heal?

What disease is Jesus afraid of? What death circle is he afraid to walk into? What messed up world are you going to present to him for him to back up and go, I don't even know what to do with you. Come on, friend. You need to save yourself. I know I'm a mess. I know I've got junk, but I'm coming to you, Jesus. I'm coming to you. This morning when I came in this building and as my manner is, I walked into this room and turned on some lights.

I said, "Lord, today somebody's going to walk in this room. It's looking for an answer. Lord, I don't I don't have it. I don't have it. But I know you'll be here. And if you're here, you can be the answer. And the Lord said, "Absolutely." So Lord, what do you need me to do? Move out of the way. Let me work. Pray with me, church. Jesus, this room is full of your glory right now. Lot of questions in the room today. Maybe some wondering, some confusion, maybe some things, Lord, that different statuses and different positions in life and just trying to figure out how to how to come to solution.

I believe Jesus the answer is you. I believe the answer is still you. Jesus, if somebody's here today and their hearts are troubled and their conviction is moving in them, I I pray the altar would be salvation for them. They could come bow their knee to you. And as tears of repentance flow, God, you can come in and change their life. Jesus, I don't have the power to do that, but you do at whatever standard or whatever level they are, God, you can reach to them.

Come on, church. We can learn from the things of God. If you're here today and you don't know what it's like to be forgiven, this altar's open. Would you come? Would you come? I don't have to judge you because I've been you. I could tell you this. The answer is in Jesus. The answer is in Jesus. If you're here today and maybe you know the Lord and your relationship's growing, would you would you come and say, "Lord, teach me what I don't know and help me to develop a love for the things of God.

And if I'm harboring two coats, help me to learn how to give one up. And if I'm doing things and I'm mean or help me to learn from God, help me. I've got to save myself. I got to find a way. Jesus, come on. This altar is open. You can come. You can come, Jesus. You're still the answer. What? What do we do? What shall we do, Jesus? Come on, somebody. Let your heart reach right now. You're the answer, Lord. It's all in you, Jesus. It's all in you.

Oh, come on, somebody. There is no other heaven but his. Come on. There's only one lamb's book of life. There's only one. It's his. Life comes from him. Comes from him. Come on, pray. Call on the name of the Lord. Jesus, I need you. What do I do, Jesus? Come on, somebody find him. I search for you, Lord. I find forgiveness in you, Jesus. I find remission of sins in you, Jesus. I find regeneration in you, Jesus. I find life in you, Jesus. Come on. If you need help praying today, somebody will come up next to you and help you pray.

Come on, prayer warriors. Where you at? Hey. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I need you, Lord. I trust you, Lord. Oh, come on. There's an altar here for you. That's right. The blood of Jesus is enough for your sins. The blood of Jesus is enough for your sins and transgressions. Yes, Jesus. Come on, somebody. He can fill you with the Holy Ghost today. You can walk out of here renewed in the spirit. Completely whole. Come on. Completely whole in him. Come on. Prayer. Jesus. Help me to pray.

Help me. Lord God, I must have you, Jesus. Oh, come on. That's right. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus, you are the way. Lord Jesus, you are the way. Jesus, you can. Holy is your name. Holy is your name. Oh, come on, somebody. Salvation is here today. And it's in the name of Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Give me Jesus. You can have all this world. Jesus. Jesus. You're the answer. Jesus. Give me Jesus. Jesus. Give me Jesus. Give me Jesus. I need Jesus. Oh, come on, somebody. Are you hungry for him?

Are you hungry for him? Jesus. Give me I need you, heavenly father. That's right. Come on. That's right. Pour your heart out to him. I must have you, Jesus. I must have you. What do I do? I find you. Jesus, I find you. You wash me. You cleanse me. You purify me. Help this world. Jesus. Oh, come on, somebody. Salvation comes in the name of Jesus. There's no other name given among men whereby you must be saved. It is Jesus. It is Jesus. It is Jesus.

I don't want anyone else. The name of Jesus. Jesus. else. I don't need anything else. Jesus, you are my one. You are Jesus. Jesus, Jesus. I don't need anything. Oh, that's right. That's right. Lord, I know that I need you, Jesus. Come on, somebody that's right. The Holy Ghost is here today. Contentment in him. Contentment in Jesus. Come on, be content in him. I've got to find you, Lord. I've got to discover you, Jesus. Come on, somebody. Are you hungry? I know I need you. I know I need you, Jesus.

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, come on. That's right. Jesus, be the answer, Lord. Be the answer, Lord. What do I do, Lord? I will find you, Jesus. I will search for you, Jesus. Oh, come on. That's right. In the name of Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Somebody's hungry for God today in a real way. Somebody's thirsty today for the waters, the living waters that will satisfy the soul. Oh, come on. That's right. I I am hungry for you, Jesus. I am hungry for you, Jesus. Come on, somebody. I I'm thirsty for you, Lord.

I I need you in my life, Jesus. If you could slip over and pray with somebody close to you, would you, Lord? You're the answer for them. Oh, come on, somebody. Somebody's hungry for the Holy Ghost. Somebody simply just needs some some direction and help today in the spirit. You are God. You are God. You are God. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Take this whole world. Take this whole world. But give me Jesus. Oh, come on, somebody. There's something about the convicting power of the spirit. Come on.

Speaking into the hearts and lives. Come on, Lord Jesus. You can speak into me truth. You can help me, God, to find you. Turn loose of the things that don't glorify you. The sins, Lord, that easily beset me, God. I can I can let those go in you. Yeah. Yeah. Jesus. Jesus, you are gracious God. You are holy God. I bless your name. Somebody say it in Jesus name. What what do we do? We know God that in you is all life. In you Jesus is all existence.

In you, Jesus. You're the way. You're the truth. You're the life in you, Jesus. It's 141 for us clock watchers. I need y'all to listen to me for a moment. Please let me be a pastor for a second. Some of us are living on the if board. Lord, if if if you're God, then will you do this to me and will you help me with this or will you heal me or will you deliver me or will you make if you if you are that Lord, I need you to do this then I'll do this.

That's a lie from the enemy. Who do I say sent me? Say I am did. Who's I am? Absolutely. Absolutely. What's your name? Yes. Absolutely. I am. Well, what does that mean? Yeah. Come on. We're trying to wrap our rhy mind around logically all this stuff. And the truth is you cannot get your listen to me. You cannot get yourself into a position where he can forgive you more in that place or that place. He can forgive you when your heart says I need you. Jail cell, mansion, under a bridge, in a school, in a church, in your car, on your job.

He is looking for your heart. So this is what happens because some of us can fabricate a plan for God. God says, "I don't need your plan. I don't understand your plan. Your plan makes no sense to me." That's what God's saying. What he's looking for is to say, "Would you just simply trust my plan?" Because in your weakness, you're made strong. In your imperfections, you are made perfect. And all the mess that you can design and build up, he can walk into it and change it all.

All you that are weary and heavy laden. Simply come. Just come. For all of you that are weary and heavy laden, just come. Come unto me and I will give you rest. What's the first thing you're going to do? I'm going to put my yoke on you. Because my yoke is easy. Yours is killing you. It's killing you. But my yoke is easy. My burden is light. Yours is so heavy. It's dragging you down. And you can't worship if you wanted to. Pray with me. Lord, thank you for our time together today.

What do we do? We look to you. Thank you, Lord, for the power of repentance. we can turn from our wicked ways and we can follow you. Thank you for that promise. I know today, Lord, in this room, there's a cloud of witnesses that knows the power of forgiveness. There's a cloud of believers that will say, "My God did when I couldn't. There's a whole world of testimonies that declare, "I didn't know what to do, but Jesus changed everything." Thank you for that promise, Lord, for that position that you put us in.

I pray, God, you would speak this week, Lord, into our lives. That the word be the lamp to our feet that would light our pathway. The spirit of God be the fire and the pillar that leads us in all the journeys of life. Let the joy of the Lord be strength to us. We're going to come back time and again this week, Lord, to love and to serve you, bearing precious seed because we believe in you in Jesus name. Go with us. Protect us. I pray.

We're going to pray our prayer together. Would y'all help me? The Lord, the Lord, and they shall put my name and I will bless them. I love you guys. Shake hands, be friendly.