What God Are You Serving?

aren't you thankful to be in church today I'm glad you're here I honor all of you thank you singers musicians thank you to our greeting staff our sound guys media guys don't they do a good job yeah our welcomers our coffee makers thank you all so much anybody that's a part of CAC we are the family and we work together somebody say amen amen glad you're here today you can be seated if you feel like you need to pray the Lord's blessing on your life and in your home another week has come and gone everybody breathe deep come on take a deep breath yeah another week we're once again in the house of the Lord what a treat come on breathe deep hold it some of you just hold it this is the house of the Lord now I please understand where I'm coming from today this small weird shaped Triangle Building here on this corner with uh uh challenging space and critters that run around through the week when we're not here um this is our church this is our church building fact is that you can make any place the house of God yeah you can make it a temple that's built way on a high heel you can make it a little small Hut in a village covered in mud and grass this week some of our young people will identify that you can make Church in a football stadium of all places huh in your home you can have church or in a king's Palace you can have church somebody say I love the church a place of worship can be found anywhere what makes it a place of worship to God is when you as a child of God choose to Worship in that location it is the Simplicity and the perfectness of serving God who has no boundaries and no limits somebody shout amen as we look to the word of the Lord today what you would call your Holy Bible we can see in a multitude of various places that in the word of God that God always desired for people to have a separated place where they could spend time with him right it is true that you can worship God on a subway bench or on a park bench it is true you can worship Him in your home or in this place but what God really wants is a place that you choose to separate yourself with no distractions with no limits with freedom if you will to to spend time Desiring to be in his presence as you study the Old Testament y'all y'all go with me y'all know I like history you'll discover that the Kings and the rulers and those folk in the Old Testament days they they they would build what was called a house of worship it came in various shapes and sizes and different places in fact God gave a plan to his people of how to build a place and what materials to use and how big to make it and so forth the dimensions and what to put in it what not to put in it because God wanted them to have a place they built for him as you study that you find out that there are magnificent places that were built they assembled materials together and with the best people that had the wisdom that was needed the knowledge to understand how to build they would simply put together a facility for the sake of worshiping God has anybody here ever heard of Solomon's Temple a great ornate out of this world place that was designed and developed for the mere purpose of having a place for God to dwell with his people it doesn't matter as much the place as it matters that you decide to be in that place listen to me when you worship then you have to understand that God will accept your worship wherever you are located now that's why on your job in the middle of a bunch of heathens if you will you can worship God and you can trust and know that God will accept your worship amen if you're in the middle of a church house don't say it with a bunch of heathens you can worship there also and the reflection of your motive to worship God will be demonstrated anybody here ever sat in a church service and felt like you were the only one in the service but you decided in your mind and in your heart you were going to love God and in spite of everybody around you the blessing of the Lord came and touched your life anybody remember that it might be you're here today under that guys in Modern Times listen to me there has been a shift in the places that we worship when you talk to your grandparents or great-grandparents those who have have been in in church for a long time with a Nostalgia with one of an air of even appreciation they talk to you about God meeting them in a brush Harbor has anybody ever been in a brush Harbor does anybody know what a brush Harbor is not a harbor freight a brush Harbor it's a simple construction project that a few people had and they decided to put up some covering so you would not have to stand in the sunshine and you wouldn't have to stand out in the weather but it was very basic and and very minimal if you will it was called a brush Harbor when our time on the mission field we we we would have little buildings that were no bigger than than a set of chairs over here with a single light bulb no heat no no air conditioning just people in there worshiping God and sweating to death in the summertime and freezing to death in the winter time I've told you all before but I reminiscent today of standing at a podium in a church of 200 plus I couldn't see one of them power had gone out in the community and they brought a oil lamp and they set it on the podium so that I could read my notes I didn't have my iPad I had handwritten notes so it was twice as worse I simply had to do what trust the Lord that I was preaching to somebody stay with me stay with me when you understand that you desire in your heart and in your mind to spend time with God then you recognize and you realize however great or small it is God can meet you where you are somebody say I love to worship come on if you go into the history books you'll find cultures you'll find Generations they did it different ways in modern culture of course we like our padded chairs and we like air conditioning and we have a whole stack of Lights we've got speakers I've got a wireless mic that I talk into that looks like something growing out of my face we've got people up here with instruments that sound good come on if it's a Nord it's from the Lord it's what our culture and generation appreciates but every culture and every group would go to Great Links to make and fabricate and put together a place where God could spend time with them Solomon's Temple I mentioned a moment ago it's considered to be one of the wonders of the world how they brought all this material together and how they built it unto the Lord God Mayans the Aztec Indians different tribes throughout history they would bring incredible amounts and masses of gold and materials into one place and they would build these large temples and they would worship their gods because they desired to have a place to Worship in Europe right now you can go over I've been to Europe I've been in South America I've been in other countries Latin countries and there are these huge huge Cathedrals built with ornate gold paint I guess it is paint there's all these real nice pretty 35 40 50 foot tall ceilings that you can see all the artwork all the beauty all the things that they did they did it in those places to make a place where they could worship their God there there's even a city called Rome that is built for the sheer fact that somebody wanted to worship their God and now they have the Basilica that nobody can understand and really comprehend all the wealth that was poured into that building I've come through through history and I've come through reading that that that the wealth that was spent for one purpose was to worship God now We Gather here today in Chattanooga Tennessee and we are reminded time and time again that we have to do our best we have to give our best to God because he deserves to be worshiped therefore listen to Pastor when I come into the house of the Lord therefore I want to present myself to God the best way that I know how that's why if you will I wear a tie I like to wear ties I found out from somebody who came in the church today looking nice with a new suit that the reason that listen the reason that suits are on sale now he told me this this morning I won't say who it is but he said the reason is because fewer and fewer men are wearing suits and ties I mean look around you don't shake your head like I can't believe the fact is we have been taught Even in our society and in our culture that as long as you show up it's okay and comfort is King and if you're relaxed in the presence of God you're more apt to worship him that's why we we have lights that's why we have all this equipment and we have carpet and pews and it's nice and comfortable in here most of the time why because now things have changed it could be a multi-million dollar building but the attitude and the mindset may or may not be on coming together to Simply worship God it might simply be if unseen and I appear to be in the place where everyone else is worshiping God then I am accepted as well stay with me in fact we have even come to where we understand it's called Reckless Love it's called sloppy Agape it's called it's come and love the Lord and spend time with him and and just wave your hands around and all that the fact is is that until it becomes a desire listen to Pastor a desire and a want and a need and a hunger and a first to say God I must spend time with you I have to worship you I have to bless you why because he's the only one that's worthy of worship let me read your story this is Old Testament stuff y'all okay with them we'll paint a picture using Old Testament words today these and vows and thuses and thems First Kings chapter 18. verse 17 says it came to pass listen to this when Ahab saw Elijah that Ahab said unto him art thou he that troubleth Israel he answered I'm not troubled Israel but thou and thy father's house in that ye have forsaken the Commandments of the Lord thou has followed Balaam now therefore sinned gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel the prophets of bayal 450 the prophets of the Groves 400 which eat at Jezebel's table verse 20 says so Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel gathered the prophets together into Mount Carmel Elijah came under the all the people and he said this is one man standing there he says to them how long halt ye between two opinions if the Lord be God follow him but if thou then follow him the people answered him not a word then said Elijah verse 22 unto the people I even I only remain a prophet of the Lord but biles prophets are 450 Men Let Them therefore give us two Bullocks and let them choose one Bullock for themselves cut it in pieces lay it on wood and put no fire under him I will dress the other bullet lay it on wood and put no fire under verse 24 call ye on the name of your gods and I will call on the name of the Lord and the god that answereth by fire let him be God and all the people answered and said it is well spoken now in this story many of you have heard this you have heard it preached and taught about you have probably sung songs about it as well the man of God Elijah he has a word for the people of God the people of God they had walked away from God they were no longer following the ways of God but instead they began to follow after false gods listen to me carefully so Elijah the prophet comes and he looks to Ahab the king and he says to him listen there's something that I need to tell you I want you to gather all of your prophets to this place and when we get there we are going to see what happens as we gather together notice the story in this they brought the wood they brought the stones they brought the Bulls everything was in order listen carefully but they said you put the altar together Elijah tells the prophets of thou you put the logs together you put the sticks together you stack it up in the place you see fit and when you're finished then I will do the same and the god that answers let him be God everybody says it's well spoken and so here he gives to the prophets of Baal he gives them the ability first to do so now understanding this allow me a moment to give some more history and education in case you have forgotten it or don't know by all the reason that is that's called Baal and Balaam and people say it that way but it's bile it's it's a connection of letters that have a meaning in this particular row Balaam for an example is a God that was made by the Phoenicians and by the Mesopotamians they had somebody that needed to be worshiped and so they generated this God this was formulated thousands of years prior and simply put the word Balaam is the plural the multiplied of bile which is one understanding that that's why in this reading we read in First Kings that's why he says Balaam first and he says the house second he's identifying with all of the multiple gods that they have listen carefully in the plural Balaam we understand that simply to be over 2 000 years prior to this the understanding was that their God was the god of fertility he was also the translation of Balaam or Baal was the god of the storm the god of the rain depending on what you call it even in some civilizations in this particular time as things progress and as things change it would be any kind of God that you simply would want to worship besides Yahweh the God are you with me so far are you here that said in this account the historian writes in the book of kings and he's telling this story about how that God one more time was Desiring the God was wanting a relationship with his chosen people and so you need to notice something here and I'm certain that we all understand this but give me a moment today to explain it one more time on Mount Carmel the place where sacrifice would be made the stones were the same Stones The Altar was the same altar the wood was the exact same wood understanding the animal was the exact same animal but location was the exact same location but there was something different about this particular moment why there was one difference between the two between the prophets of Balaam and Elijah the difference was simply this what God what they call on I've come today in 2023 to Simply remind somebody that if you're calling on the wrong God if you're not calling on the God then you cannot expect a reply from the god listen to me there's things that happen in our current generation in our society of today that has come to steal somebody's worship and instead of offering up under the one true Living God there are things that are happening in our world and the sacrifices that are made are not as unto the Lord God but our eyes unto the gods of this world First Kings chapter 18 verse 36 notice what happened and it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice that Elijah the prophet came near and said this was his simple prayer Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel and that I am thy servant and I have done all these things at Thy word Hear Me O Lord hear me that this people may know that thou art the Lord God and that thou has turned their heart back again when the prophets of Baal worship nothing happened the scripture in the story even tells us they cut themselves they dance they jump they rolled around they kicked up dirt they screamed and yelled unto God does this sound familiar in some Avenues of worship today in 2023. oh we might call it a stadium but what they're actually doing is they're worshiping their God listen to me I'm not talking about a North American youth congress I'm talking about a Sunday afternoon football game or a Saturday afternoon college football game or whatever you want to call it I'll go even further to say we see it by the multitudes that the rock stars and the movie actresses and actors and all the things that are going on in our world around us people are jumping up crazy acting all a fool worshiping their gods you don't consider it that one of the most interesting things today that could happen in this room is for one of your favorite Hollywood actors or actresses to walk through that door come through this round this Altar and walk out that door I promise ninety percent of y'all would lose your mind that's Angelina that's my bed oh I can't believe that's Denzel came to my church he did he walked right through I saw him just this past week another pastor of another church talking about a conference that he had gone to he was telling me about how good the conference was brother her but you know what he mentioned to me was this I was standing there lo and behold this pastor woke up I don't even know who he was but I found out that he pastors a denominal church and I thought oh I want to go talk to him yeah he's I know him I met him I shook his hand on him I'm not sitting there going wait a minute I don't fault that man I don't fault you what I understand is this if God is God we better worship Him and we better let every man to be alive listen to me carefully when the prophets of vile had done what they had done they destroyed everything they broke it down but then Elijah the prophet steps up and says on the same altar with the same wood with his his animal he put it there and just like them he didn't have to act this way do that cut himself try to muster up something he simply opened his mouth and in 50 plus words fire from heaven fell it didn't just accept his sacrifice but it took the sacrifice it took the altar it took the wood that was on the altar it took the water that he had had poured on the altar I've come today and I'm asking somebody in this house what God are you worshiping today listen to me you could sit in an Apostolic church every day of your life but if you're not worshiping the one true Living God your location is not going to matter but what God wants to know did you come here today with hunger and thirst to want to spend time with him or did you simply go through the motions to make it into a place so that afterwards you could fulfill what you really want to do you young people listen to this preacher today you need to understand something you are establishing altars today in your life that are going to serve you the rest of your life therefore you better Discover right now the importance of coming humbly into the presence of the Lord and with holy hands lifted saying God there are gods in this world that I have no desire to worship after but if I can get the attention of Heaven itself if I can get a hold of the king of glory just like to Prophet Elijah did then he was able to establish there is victory in the name that's above every name of us today are struggling with problems you better listen to the preacher for a moment and you've got health issues and you've got financial problems and your home is a red why because you're worshiping the wrong God what God are you worshiping today the same thing they had the same altar the same ability they could do what they wanted the difference was the god that they called out to I'm not preaching words of condemnation to anybody I'm simply telling you if you want Victory today it might be time that you realign the altar it might be time that you figure out you're missing something you're worshiping your job you're worshiping your finances listen to me help me somebody you're worshiping your children you're worshiping your future instead of worshiping the God of all of creation that is the one that put it all into motion I've come to tell you I've come today to serve the King of Kings and the Lord of lords I'm asking you today what God are you serving Joshua put it this way you all know this 24 and 14. now therefore fear the lord serve him in sincerity and in truth and put away the gods which your father served on the other side of the flood and in Egypt and serve ye the Lord listen and if it seemed evil unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom ye will serve whether the gods which your father served that were on the other side of the flood the gods of the amorites and whose lands you dwell but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord and the people answered and said God forbid that we would forsake the Lord to serve other gods I've come today with a simple question what God are you serving today if I ask you his name you may or may not be able to tell it but if I ask you about what your God in Heaven's name is you should be able to scream it from Every Mountain and from every Valley his name is Jesus Jehovah has become my salvation you might not understand it fully but you can decide right now in your heart and in your mind who you're going to serve mom and dad you better train your children how to worship the one true Living God mom and dad you better let your children see how much you love truth so that they'll love truth mom and dad you better recognize it is passed from a generation to a generation and unless you're sold out they won't be either I am thankful to God at my old and young age at the same time that my parents took me to church made me go to the house of God and whether it was in a church building or whether it was in a Tent Revival or whether it was in this place or that place my parents made sure that I was in the house of the Lord I've declared to this church multiple times how I slept on the pews as a child yes I did how I got put under the pews as a child so I wouldn't get stepped on yes I did I remember them multiple times that I was in the presence of the Lord didn't even know why or what was going on but I knew one thing was real the God of all of creation was breathing in that room I know when I stand here today that I can look both of my children in their face and I can say your mom and dad have loved the Lord God we have failed at times yes we fall on our face time and again yes but we understand the power of serving the one true Living God they're for kids before you start your day get God in your day before you go to sleep at night make sure he's the god that's going to be watching out over you I tell you friend you better establish in your children the life that they need to live by telling them there's one God in his name is Jesus he's El Shaddai he is Elohim he is Yahweh he's Jehovah Jireh he's Jehovah Shalom he's Jehovah Nissi he's the Waymaker he's the mountain bring her Downer he's the one that can lift you up he's the Healer of your sickness he's the one that'll make you free he's the one that'll put it in you and he's the one that'll get it out of you he's the one that'll touch your body he's the one that'll put you on the right path he's the one that'll breathe your name at the last moment and he's the one that you'll face on judgment Well done thy good and faithful servant you better know who you're worshiping what God are you worshiping today okay what God are you worshiping today if you're standing here today brother Duron would you come please and you've got a question you don't know I challenge you today come to an altar where you can find out his power his presence his ability to work in your life they sang about it earlier they do about every Sunday they sing about the goodness of God they sing about the power in the name I just wondered today can I ask you on this Sunday afternoon at 1 22 for us clock Watchers if God is God in your life is everything in your life then pointing to him or is there room for question what God are you serving today see in our generation in our church family and those that we work with on the job those that we shop with at the store those that we spend time with at the market or whatever you can have a hundred thousand different things on your mind and a hundred more thousand things that you want to accomplish but I wonder today is God Priority One so some of you and again please stay with me I'm almost finished here brother duron's here to give you help I wonder today if if the finger came and was pointed at you and said what do you believe who is your god what's his name what power does he have I feared today that there's room for question in some of us some of us are pursuing careers that if we continue to follow them we have put God into backseat in our our careers in the front is there anything wrong with the career Heaven's known go to school get all the education but make sure that it's unto the Lord some of us are seeking fame and fortune by wanting to make as much money man if I could just make another hundred dollars an hour I'd be set and that's priority and principle in our life because we feel like with more money that we can overcome a lot of the other obstacles I I personally I know some very very wealthy people and their greatest fear their greatest reason for losing sleep is what the god that they serve has to be worshiped always it's called ma'am it is called wealth we understand through the scripture that you can't serve God and ma'am you can't serve both of them you'll either love one you'll hate the other you'll cling to one but you'll despise the other why because a man cannot serve two masters on the Elijah Story how many think that's a cool story Man Fire Falls power boom they're standing there one moment and all the smoke had settled and all the dust had settled from thank you the prophets of bailamen these 450 guys are bleeding and cutting laying there and Elijah simply under the authority and the unction of the god almighty says Lord you see what's going on here will you answer and God said that's what I will answer and when the fire fell and it consumed the altar the water the sacrifice the wood it licked it up it did not leave any to chance and it moved it away did anybody standing there that day have a question of what just happened you wanna know how powerful that moment was y'all ready for it Elijah simply looks around mind you he's already established I alone stand here fire came it all's gone there's a hush no doubt over the place and all Elijah had to say was you see those 450 prophets of Balaam right there huh you see them oh there's an additional 400 out there in the woods at The Cedars that they're worshiping them what'd he say Kill Them All destroy them all get rid of them why was that necessary because if one of the little beady Gods survives generation to generation come on the Bible is so full chocked full the people of God followed him and his statutes and then two three generations later they did not follow God they walked away from God they did not Embrace him right at this day today I want to know what God are you serving maybe somebody here doesn't you don't know you need to do some soul searching there may be others here today here you're certain about it but you've allowed the voice of the enemy to speak into your your mind you need to quelch that it was even referred to in the scriptures as an evil voice an evil report would you stand with me right now what God are you serving today huh I will declare to you 2023 the world itself would declare hey you know what there's really no such God anymore Baal or balam or none of that I just I mean it's it's huge today it's just got all kind of different names there's nothing wrong with sports there's nothing wrong with music there's nothing wrong with that stuff what happens is is who are you worshiping because if you're serving God the god he ought to drive you out of bed every morning with a desire to want to get closer to them that thirst in your soul ought to be so powerful that you're going to do what you got to do to get to water come on if you're really hungry for it it ought to put you in a play Lord today I'm working my job that you've given me or I'm going to my school that I'm in but Lord you're number one and I'm going to serve you this altar's open today for somebody who wants to decide today come on somebody's going to decide today Lord I'm coming to you loving you worshiping you come on I invite you to an altar a place where you can get things in order a place where you can arrange things and decide what's first in my life what's number one to me who's number one in my life and am I willing to throw it all away to follow the gods of this world or am I seriously hungry for Jehovah God to work in my life his name is Jesus come on it's prayer time in the house of the Lord would you come his name is Jesus that's right come on it's evaluation Lord am I hungry for you or am I settled for the voices of this world Lord am I thirsty for more of you or it's my thirst satisfied with the things of this world oh come on somebody get honest with God lord I need a miracle in my life I need the glory of the Lord to work in my life I rebuke all the doubt and fear the questions all the stuff I've come today Lord just to love you I so need you Jesus help me today God let me take inventory Lord of where I am in what's going on how about what God you're serving today what God are you serving today are you serving the lord God the one true Living God the one who has gone to prepare a place for you come on talk to the Lord I call on your name oh that's right lift your hands to him I Love You Lord come on somebody needs a breakthrough in the Holy Ghost today somebody needs to clarify your witness come on declare Lord Jesus I I am yours you are mine I am bought by your blood you are the answer Lord to every question I'll ever have come on somebody call on the name of the Lord foreign oh that's right come on love the Lord come on the difference is your purpose don't let the altar be a distraction let God be the one that gets your Center focus come on would you reach out pray for somebody close to you there come on reach across the room pray for someone God be to them Lord what they need in this hour let your voice be clear Lord in their lives come on pray believing Jesus this is Heaven and Hell Lord this is eternity Jesus I choose organ focus on you and to love you and to serve you your name is salvation has come Jesus Jehovah has become salvation all that try come on call on the name of the Lord God it's prayer time in the church house come on gather up next to somebody pray with them help them out come on believe with something God's got a voice in their life too we trust you Jesus in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus that's right come on church pray come on bless the name of the Lord God worship the name of the Lord Jesus honor the name of the Lord Jesus yes Jesus I love you Lord I love you Lord s the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus in the name of Jesus come on reach over pray for someone else get a hold of them let God use you today that's right somebody's making 's right now Lord I want you to be God in my life number one in my life come on that's right pray for somebody God you know what they need you know the battles they're facing strengthen them Lord give them the courage to stand for you give them the courage Lord to stand for you Jesus hey Jesus Jesus Jesus oh that's right come on I believe you're for it God I believe you're for it I trust you for God You Are God Alone you alone sit on the throne Jesus that's right come on that's right come on Reach Out pray for someone else that's it come on let the Lord use you right now Jesus have your way have your way have your way Lord have your way Jesus have your way Jesus you're worthy I love you Lord I need you I Trust You Lord I trust you Jesus I believe in you God of Glory thank you Lord thank you Lord Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Jesus so the question you might have today is and I I come to the house of the Lord and isn't that enough those prophets of Balaam came to the altar the same I pray yeah they prayed I I I make sacrifice they made sacrifice the difference was what God did they give it to listen to me friend that is a question only you can answer I will tell you this if you are hurting and you are broken if you are hungry and thirsty for more in life if you're disappointed if you're appalled at things going on around you you don't understand I want you to know you're serving the wrong God because the God of all creation loves you and he knows you yet he loves you you can't earn his love you can't demand it from him you can't stomp your foot and have a Fit until he gives it to you it's there what you've got to do is decide if you're going to love him back I thirst free foreign let the things of this world grow strangely down at the gods of this world be silenced that the distractions Lord be done away with more than ever before God I've got a I've got to know you I've got to have relationship with you fellowship with you thank you I need you Jesus God go with us this week dispatch angels to protect to lead and guide every step taken Lord let our Focus be upon you let our desires Lord be you you will be God we will serve you Hallelujah would you turn around and greet somebody and be nice to him a moment come on be nice to them