The Fiery Furnace Is Better Than the Compromise | Shawn Garnett

Praise the Lord. Amen. Why don't we lift our hands and just call on that name tonight? Jesus. Jesus, we love you. >> >> Jesus. Praise the Lord. Amen. You may be seated for just a moment. So good to be in the house of the Lord this evening here with all of you wonderful saints of God and FAC of Maraveville. Give honor to you. give honor to your pastor and pastor and sister Carpenter. What great great people they are. Some of the finest that you'll ever come in contact with. And I'm just I love them and I appreciate them very very much. And brother Carter was I asked him 28 years ago now he if he would be my pastor and he accepted. So, he's been mine and Beth and our family's pastor for all these years. And I'm thankful for a man of God that is not always a yes man. Let me say it over here. I'm thankful for a man of God >> that's not always telling us yes what we want to hear, >> but I'm thankful for a man of God that tells us what we need to hear. Amen. Give honor to them. Sister Carpenter that night that her and I went to play basketball. It was really it was really cool. Um, brother I believe brother Carpenter stayed back in the room. It was at Fort Casle with Fallon. She was a little baby 6 weeks old or so. And yeah, I played on her team. She didn't beat me. We beat them other guys wouldn't let me play. Amen. >> So them them older guys wouldn't let me play. They never would they never would pick me. I can name some of them tonight. You know them. And um and so they wouldn't let me play. They never would pick me. And Sister Carpenter went with me to the gym. And when we walked in, everybody wanted her on their team. And I'll never forget what she said. When you pick me, you pick him. Na na na na na. In your face. And so I finally got to play. I finally got to play with the older group. We have so many memories. We were telling somebody this week uh the first time we pulled here with our camper trailer. Um Sister Carpenter came in that trailer that day and next thing I knew she took Sister Garnett and u she said there was some things that we needed and when they came back it's like they've been Christmas shopping and uh she bought Brianna's first crib and some other things that that went in that camper. And so Brianna now is 30 years old and and u she has blessed us with our second grandson. He's nine months old and um about a big about as big around as this pull pit tonight already. And u we just so thank so many memories that we have with brother and sister Ericson and brother and sister Hammond and um and brother and sister Carter and Olen and Flannry and just so many so many memories. I was here the weekend that this church wrote the check. It was over $580ome thousand dollars for the land that this church sits on. I was here. They brought in this big check. Biggest check I ever seen in my life. Huge. And uh biggest amount I'd ever seen in my life. And so, uh it was just amazing. I was here with brother Carpenter and I and Nolan and and um Luke. One of the first times that he cut this property, he rented a tractor. And we stayed out here all day long and watched Brother Carpenter cut this field here, Bush Hogan. And Luke and Nolan and I threw a football and the boys were they were really little. And um so we have so many memories. I could go on and on and on. But the greatest memory I have with this pastoral family is that I've been in many services with them and I have felt the presence of God so strong. And the Lord is in this place tonight just like he was 30 years ago. God is here tonight to fill somebody with the Holy Ghost. God is here tonight to pick somebody out of a miry clay. God is here this evening to deliver someone from prescription or illegal drugs. God is here tonight to set somebody free. So, if you have your Bibles this evening, I want us to turn to the word of the Lord. The Lord gave me this thought a couple of weeks ago. I didn't know when I'd preach it or if I'd preach it or where I'd preach it. And um got to talking with pastor and he found out we were preaching a revival this weekend in Kentucky. and um Beth and I, she's she's with me and she don't get to get out much anymore with all the kids and then the grandkids now, but I'm so glad she rode with me. She's been a really good riding partner. Amen. She told me a couple years ago, she said, "I'd go more places with you. I just don't want to stay in some of them places that praise the Lord, we're live on the internet that some folks put us in." And um and I said, "Well, I so so for our 35th anniversary about four months ago, I bought her a 44 foot fifth wheel camper." And I said, "Will you go with me now?" She said, "Oh, yeah. I'll go with you now. I reckon you will. I mean, I reckon you will, you know." So, she's with me and I I appreciate her and love her so very much. Daniel the 3rd chapter, verse number 17. Daniel the 3rd chapter and verse number 17. The Bible reads, "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. I want to minister on this thought tonight. The fiery furnace is better than the compromise. The fiery furnace is better than the compromise. Let's pray together. Father, we love you and praise you and glorify your name. >> >> We thank you, Jesus, for all that you've done, how great you are, how mighty you are. And Lord, I've come tonight, Lord, to bless you and to praise you. I've come, Lord, tonight, God, to see somebody leave here this evening full of the Holy Ghost. Someone leave here tonight taking on the name of Jesus in baptism. God, as your presence begins to fall right now, I'm asking, Lord, you'd have your way in any part of this sermon, Lord, you'd anoint us and we give you praise for it. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. And amen. God bless you. You may be seated this evening. There are moments when we must choose between what is easy >> and what is right. We got to choose between pleasing people and pleasing God. >> We got to choose between comfort and conviction, between bowing or between standing. And sometimes obedience will cost us relationships. It cost us opportunities, popularity, and and comfort. And sometimes obedience will put us in the fire. >> But I've come to preach on this Sunday evening. I'd rather stand in the fire than bow in the crowd. I'd rather be one on a Sunday night with my hands stretched high to heaven knowing that God is able to do exceededly and abundantly above all that I can ask, think, or so desire. I'd rather be one running the aisles on a Sunday evening, letting everybody know he might have healed me 30 years ago, but I haven't forgot how good God has been in my life. I want to be one that when pastor says somebody shout Jesus. I want to lift up my hands and shout the wonderful name of Jesus because Jesus is still the miracle working almighty God. King Nebuchadnezzar built a golden image and he commanded everyone to bow when the music began. The music played, the people bowed, but three men remained standing. It's a very familiar passage of scripture. We hear it often. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abedneo. They were willing to stand when standing made them different. You can always follow the crowd and follow Christ. You cannot do that at the same time. There will be moments when following God makes you different. Daniel 3 and 16. We are not careful to answer thee in this matter. They did not need to take time to think about what they were going to tell the king. Their mind was already clearly made up. And before anybody just shuts down on me tonight, I am not here to preach about what you're wearing or what you got in your closet. I am here to tell you this evening that the church is under an attack in the doctrine that we preach. >> His final goal is to get what's inside of you out of you. He does not wor want you worshiping Jehovah. He does not want you magnifying the Lord. He does not want you trusting God. He does not want you obeying God. He wants you to bow to the society and religion of this world that says anything and everything goes. We we do not baptize in this baptismal pool by multiple choice. We don't say you can be baptized in titles father, son, holy ghost or in the name of Jesus Christ. We baptize one way and one way only and that is in the only name given among heaven whereby we must be saved and that is in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Why? Because Jesus has all power. Jesus can do anything. Uh Jesus can deliver anybody. Jesus can bring anybody out of darkness. Jesus is the way. He is the truth. And he is the life. And I've come on this Sunday night for FAC to know what got us here was a lot of things pastor talked about, but really what got us HERE WAS THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. AND WE WILL not bow to another. >> I will worship God. >> I will trust God. >> I will obey God. I will not sell my convictions for convenience. >> Sometimes we got to get a we will not in our spirit. >> We will not bow. We're just not going to do it. We're going to live for God, trust in God, and honor him. And faith tonight, ladies and gentlemen, does not mean there will be no fire. >> Shadrach, Meshach, and Abedneo refused to bow. They were thrown into the furnace. They obeyed God. Yet, they still faced trouble. >> Trouble from time to time will come. >> Situations in this local church will come from time to time. And we will not understand why God seemingly allowed that to happen. Now, I know what I'm talking about on this Sunday night. There are funeral services that in the past have been ministered in this service. And some people could not just wrap their brains why around why God allowed such a thing to happen to a to a teenager, to a child, to whomever it may have been. We just can't wrap our brains around it. But it doesn't mean that we're going to bow to the things of the world just because we lose a little bit from time to time. What it means is we're going to stand up taller than we've ever stood in all of our life. And we're going to let our adversary know that the music may be playing, the idol may be standing, but God is still on the throne. And I will not bow down to what I'm going to live for God if nobody lives for God. I'm gonna trust God if nobody else trusts the Lord. I'm going to be a young person that stands when nobody stands. I'm going to be a married couple that lives for God IF EVERYBODY ELSE WALKS AWAY. MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS NOT BASED ON YOU. MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS BASED ON HIM. HE'S THE ONE THAT CAN BRING me out OF THE FIRE. HE'S THE ONE THAT CAN SEE ME THROUGH. HE'S THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO WALK WITH ME. He's the one. Everybody still with me? >> When Mark was two years old, I'm not preaching about Mark tonight and falling on this floor. That's for sure. But when Mark was two years old, they were doing some tests on him because he has an eating disorder and they found something on his esophagus. For whatever reason, they did not uh talk about it anymore. Which leads us to the present last month when he had to have uh a procedure done. And they were leerary about having the procedure done because they noticed on his chart that he had something wrapped around his esophagus. And so they said, "Listen, his heart needs to be checked out." So we went and we had Mark's heart checked out. And they came out and said, "His heart looks really good." And so we were so excited. But before we could get home, the heart doctor called and said, 'Well, I've pulled up the chart and I see now what everybody's concerned about. We need to get some more extensive tests because it looks like he has blood vessels off of his heart that's wrapped around his esophagus and it will have to be taken care of. And so, we begin to pray. We begin to pray. We begin to talk to God and say, "Lord, you're able. If it was there, you're able to move it. >> If it's there, Lord, you're able to cause it to be gone." And this week we walked in and he had a CT scan and one of the most I had never seen a child being put to sleep. But they called me in the room there before they slipped in that machine and they put our little seven-year-old asleep and he was wide awake and when they shot that medicine in that IV, his eyes squint. You could tell it seemed like it was uncomfortable and he just he just went limp and he fell there on the on the table and they placed him in that machine and he came out of it and came back to and we were thankful. Just a few hours later, we got the phone call from the doctor that had checked out all the tests. He said, "I want to let you know it might have been there, but it's not there anymore. We can't find any trace. We can't find any trace of what was there when he was two." I feel the preacher coming on right now. If you think for one minute I'm going to bow down to the things of THE WORLD WHEN GOD HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME, YOU ARE BADLY MISTAKEN. WHEN PASTOR GETS UP here and preaches about the name of Jesus, WE SHOULDN'T LOOK AT HIM like he's LOST HIS MIND. SO WHAT IF YOU WERE BAPTIZED 85 years ago? WHEN HE PREACHES ABOUT BAPTISM IN JESUS' NAME, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO PUSH A SHOPPING CART AT WALMART, YOU OUGHT TO GET UP ON YOUR FEET AND LIFT YOUR HANDS TO HEAVEN AND SHOUT YES. COME ON, YOUNG PEOPLE. IF WE CAN RUN ON A BASKETBALL COURT, WE CAN RUN IN THE SANCTUARY WHEN OUR MEN OF GOD PREACH ABOUT THE WONDERFUL NAME OF JESUS. LET THE WORLD KNOW WE'RE NOT CHANGING. LET THE WORLD KNOW WE'RE NOT TEACHING ANOTHER DOCTRINE. LET THE WORLD KNOW WE ARE ONE GOD, APOSTOLIC, TONGUE TALKING, BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS. PRAISE GOD. >> THAT'S WHAT WE ARE. >> You may be seated. He used to sing a song when I was a kid at at home. I don't know if I'd remember all the words, but I'm going to try. It won't sound near as good as brother Ericson sings. What a singer he is. >> But we used to sing it quite often in our church when I was a kid. They'd sing that song, I one God, apostolic, tongue talking, holy roll, the born again, heaven bound believer in the liberated power of Jesus name. I've been washed in the blood. sanctified by the spirit and I believe in holiness and I suggest you do the same. I was set free at a Pentecostal altar on my knees. And pardon me if I'm not ashamed to be a one God apostolic tongue talking holy roller born again heaven bound believer in the liberated power of Jesus name. Hey y'all act like y'all liked it. I'm going to sing verse one. I never used to testify in school. All those kids would say that I wasn't cool. But one day I had enough of that evolution stuff. You know they want us to bow to it. I STOOD RIGHT UP AND I SAID, "GOD'S WORD IS TRUE." My teacher did not know what to do. It looked like she was shaking in her shoes. And though she meant no harm, she took me by the arm and she said, "Boy, what religion are you?" Thank you. I tell you, I'm a one God, apostolic, tongue talking, holy roll, born again, heaven bound believer in the liberated power of Jesus name. I've been washed in the blood, sanctified by the spirit, AND I BELIEVE IN HOLINESS. I SUGGEST YOU DO THE SAME. I WAS SET free at a Pentecostal altar on Roman knee. Pardon me if I'm not ashamed to be a one God apostolic tongue talking holy roller born again heavenbound believer in the liberated power of Jesus name. Now I may be I may need oxygen now but God is still God. THIS IS NOT THE CHURCH'S POSITION WHEN IT COMES TO THE WORLD. THIS IS THE CHURCH'S POSITION WHEN IT COMES TO THE WORLD. I don't care what you TELL ME IS GOING TO HAPPEN. I DON'T CARE WHAT FRIENDS I HAVE TO LOSE. I don't CARE WHAT KIND OF STATUS QUO I'M GOING TO LOSE. I'M LEAVING THIS EARTH BEING ONE OF A CHILD OF GOD. I'M LEAVING HERE. I'M NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. I'M THANKFUL TO BE APOSTOLIC. I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW I'VE BEEN BORN AGAIN. I REPENTED OF MY SINS. I WAS BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS. I WAS FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST. AND I'M NOT BOWING. Praise the Lord. Not bowing. Not bowing, not giving in. Nebuchadnezzar, you can play all the music you want to play. That's not the God I serve. >> I serve one God and he has one name. >> That one name is above every name. >> And that's the wonderful sweet name of Jesus. >> I'm not going to bow down to the things of society. The theologians of society. I don't care what they say or how they come around or how they have to interpret scripture. Except a man be born of water and other spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Because that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born OF THE SPIRIT IS SPIRIT. MARVEL not that I said unto thee, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. If you're in this place tonight, you can hear a whole lot better, preacher, if you come back next weekend. But I want to tell you, IF YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT and you never repented, YOU NEED TO REPENT. IF YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT AND YOU NEVER BEEN BAPTIZED IN JESUS' NAME, GO AHEAD AND TELL SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW AND GET BAPTIZED IN JESUS NAME. AND IF YOU'RE NOT HERE AND YOU NEED THE HOLY GHOST, I JUST BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT. I SAID, I JUST BELIEVE YOU CAN HAVE IT. >> The message, >> it's the message that the adversary is after. >> It's the message that he wants us to compromise. I was worshiping just a couple of Sunday nights ago and um there at home uh I don't know why they do this from time to time but there at home on this particular Sunday night brother Ericson uh our our family takes up the first three rows on the left side of the church and by the time Delilah and Davin and Mark get married we'll take up half the side of our church and so you know we just we I'm up there and and and Nate Brianna walk in and they and they hand me Renley Renley's Nate Brianna Roberts son, my grand my grandson. They hand me Renley and they just get up. He gets a guitar. I got the baby. He's got the guitar. What's the problem here? And she gets a microphone and they're going to lead us in worship. Then I thought, well, I can handle this. I think I handle it for a few minutes anyhow. And um and then I looked up and and here come here come Balen. Balen's mama was on the platform and Luke was on the platform singing that night. And by now I'm starting to panic. It's just me and Renley and Balen. And Balin did not want to stay. He wanted to go with mom and I was like, "No, you got to stay." "No, I got to go." "No, you're going to stay." "No, I No, you're going to stay. Listen, you're going to stay or I'm going to beat your tail right here in front of everybody. Stay right here. You got to stay right here. Okay, we got to get we're going to get through this." And by now, you know, Sister Garnett, she's she's she's so popular at home, everybody wants to talk to her. They don't really want to talk to me. They want to talk to her. And so, people are talking to her as she's trying to get to the seats. And I'm thinking, she'll be here any minute. Well, I don't know where she went. I think something happened in the nursery. And so, there I was with my two grandsons. And I'm nine month and two years old. And the spirit of the Lord got to moving while they were singing. My kids were up on the platform singing. And the spirit of the Lord got to moving. And so I got to jumping with Renley. And Renley got to laughing, cackling, you know, just every time I jump, he'd laugh. And then I looked down and old Balon when he when I would jump, Balin would jump. And when I lift my hands, Balon would lift his hands. And I got to looking at this. And every time I lift my hands, he lift his hands. And he smiled at me. Every time I jump, he jump. And he just he just grin at me. And I thought, isn't this amazing how God has entrusted me with something that the world didn't give? >> But the spirit of the world could take away. >> It's so important that all of us that are in here that are adults and young adults get something in our spirit that we we stop entertaining the things of of the world to try to engraft it into what we have as a relationship with God. WELL, I WONDER HOW close to the world that I can get. You shouldn't wonder how close you can get to the world. YOU SHOULD SAY, "HOW FAR AWAY FROM THE WORLD can I get?" You say, "BUT BROTHER GARNETT, THERE'S TROUBLES AND TRIALS IF I STAND." IT'S ALL RIGHT. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THEY WERE THROUGH IN THE burning fiery furnace BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT BOW down to something that could not touch them, COULD NOT HEAL THEM, COULD NOT FEEL THEM, COULD NOT DELIVER THEM, COULD NOT SET THEM FREE. IT WAS NOTHING MORE THAN STONE AND BRASS AND GOLD. BUT THEY SAID, "You can play the MUSIC ALL YOU WANT. WE'RE not going to bow and we're not careful to answer thee IN THIS MANNER. IF GOD BE GOD, HE'LL DELIVER US, OH KING, OUT OF YOUR HANDS. But if HE DOES IT, IT'S FINE. WE'D RATHER BE IN A BURNING FIERY FURNACE THAN ON OUR FACE BEFORE SOMETHING THAT CANNOT DO ANYTHING IN OUR LIVES. I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO FEEL GOD AT 8 YEARS OLD. I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO FEEL GOD AT 13 YEARS OLD. I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST AT 14 YEARS OLD. I KNOW THE TROUBLES AND THE TRIALS OF LIFE. I KNOW THAT DEATH COMES. I KNOW THAT HEALING COMES. BUT THROUGH IT ALL, WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT GOD IS STILL GOD. AND THE WORLD I WILL NOT YIELD MYSELF TO. God has given us something in our care and in our hands and only us only us only us can do with what God's given us. You can make a decision to bow if you want to. >> That's your decision. But be very careful before you make it because it will not just affect you. >> It will affect others that are around you. Amen. It affect others as they are around you. >> Be careful how quick you are. And I may be too at home tonight. If I am, I'm just going to preach on this side and not look over here. Be careful how quick you discard the words of your pastor, >> bishop, your man of God. When he's NOT TELLING YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR, BE CAREFUL HOW YOU DISCUSS AND WHAT YOU discuss with WHAT HE SAID. >> YOU'D BE BETTER OFF KEEPING your mouth shut, >> lifting your hands to heaven, AND ALLOWING THAT SPIRIT OF I will not bow to come in your life because the compromise leads you to death. >> BUT STANDING FOR GOD MAY LEAD YOU TO THE BURNING FIRE. The difference in the compromise and the burning furnace is this. God is in the furnace. >> I'd rather BE IN THE FIRE WITH JESUS CHRIST THAN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MY COMPROMISE WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD. When my man of God preaches, I want to yield to it. When my man of God talks to me, I want to yield to it. When my man of God witnesses to me, I want to yield to it. When he preaches the word of God, I want to trust in him. WHEN HE PREACHES THAT GOD IS ABLE, I WANT TO BELIEVE IT. WHEN HE PREACHES come out from under the world, I want to do it. When he preaches I NEED TO TEACH A BIBLE STUDY, I WANT TO GET ONE AND TEACH IT. I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE HERE with a spirit OF I'M GOING TO FIND something else to yield myself TO. NO, THERE'S ONLY ONE KING AND THERE'S ONLY ONE LORD. THERE'S ONLY ONE SAVIOR AND HIS NAME IS Jesus Christ. >> He said he's going to deliver us. Our God is able to heal, provide, restore, make a way, and deliver. Does anybody in here tonight can testify with your hand lifted? He's able to do any of those. >> All of those. >> Anybody in here ever been healed in your body? >> Anybody ever been healed in your body? >> Anybody ever been told by doctors this you don't have much hope and then God just keep seemingly came right in in the nick of time? Anybody in here ever been delivered? You can you can lift your hand and say, "Listen, it's been years since I smoked a cigarette. It's been years since I dipped snuff. I know that's outdated. It's been years since I shot up heroin. It's been years since I smoked marijuana. And I know that's the that's the fragrance in in most cities now, marijuana, but the church ain't smoking it. Amen. It's been years years. You say, "Brother Garnet, we're used to deep stuff. There ain't nothing deep about this tonight. I knew when I brought it, it was nothing deep about it. But what I did come to remind you is don't forget what God did when he healed you. Don't forget what God did when he filled you. Don't forget what God did when he brought YOU OUT. DON'T YOU FORGET WHAT GOD DID WHEN YOU AIN'T SHOT up with needles IN THE LAST 5 YEARS. Don't when you're given an opportunity to make more money, but it's going to keep you out OF THREE QUARTERS OF THE SERVICES in a month. DON'T YOU BOW DOWN TO MONEY. DON'T YOU FORGET WHAT GOD DID FOR YOU. DON'T YOU FORGET WHEN YOU WALKED IN CHURCH AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY IN YOUR POCKETS, DIDN'T HAVE A CAR TO DRIVE, BUT GOD TURNED YOUR LIFE AROUND AND SET YOU WHERE YOU'RE AT. DON'T YOU FORGET HOW GOOD GOD'S BEEN TO YOUR MARRIAGE. YOU WERE HEADED TO DIVORCE COURT, BUT YOU STUMBLED IN AT FAC ONE SUNDAY NIGHT AND SOMETHING GOT A HOLD OF HER AND SOMETHING GOT A HOLD OF HIM AND NOW YOU'VE BEEN MARRIED 15 YEARS MORE. DON'T YOU FORGET WHAT GOD HAS DONE. >> I think we're so soon to forget what God does when we're get when we're given opportunities >> or when we're put on trial or when we're feeling the pressure. Amen. Y'all ready? >> Here we go. Dav wanted to play a sport and uh our school don't have a sport for his age. So I went, brother Zach and I enrolled Davin in soccer six months ago. And um I said, "This is going to be hilarious." Amen. This is going to be hilarious cuz he wants to play. To my amazement, he practiced practices quite often. To my amazement, he is really a really good soccer player. You got to be about that big around and be able to run that field. I don't I don't understand the concept of the game yet, but I go and I cheer. And so I signed him up and um he played his first little season and then and then a coach called me and said, "Hey, signups are coming up for fall league. I want you to sign him up again." He said, "I want to get him for any other coaches to get him because there's some other coaches been watching him and they they kind of, you know, they may grab him." And I said, "Well, he'd love for you to coach him again. So, I'll just come up there today and sign him." And I went there and I signed him signed him up. And then the coach sent me a schedule and uh I looked at the schedule and I said, "Well, I need to go ahead and take care of this." Now, there's no sense in delaying this. I'm going to close my eyes while I go while I go right here. There's no sense in delaying all this cuz uh uh some of the games were on Wednesday. A lot of the practices were on Wednesday, some of the games were on Sunday. And so I went ahead and called his coach. I said, "Listen, hey, I just don't I don't want you upset." Oh, oh, pastor will not be upset. Not at all. Not at all. Not at all. Won't be upset at all. I said, "I just want to let you know that um we go to church >> and six six o'clock six o'clock on Wednesday night we at church and 9:00 on Sunday morning my family's at church and Sunday night at six o'clock or before we're already at church and he won't be playing any games on Sunday. He won't be playing any games on Wednesday. He won't be practicing on Wednesday." Y'all don't get too happy yet. He He won't be practicing He won't be playing games on Friday if we got a rally to go to or a revival schedule. I mean, I just laid it all out. I was like, I know he's going to tell me I'm going to give you money back. He said, give me a few minutes. So, he gave me a few minutes and next thing I know, a day or so later, he texts out a whole another schedule. No practices on Wednesday. No pra no games on Sunday. Amen. I told Davin, I said, "Y'all invite your coach to church. Y'all invite him to church." That Davin's kind of bashful, you know. He's kind of bashful. He's kind of, you know, he just he don't he don't talk a whole lot. He just he just he told me the other day, he said, "Dad, I don't talk a whole lot. I just make my point on the soccer field." It's a good way to die. Okay. Well, they they need to know you can talk. You know, they need to know you can talk, too. And so, um uh he just he said I said, "Why don't you invite your coach to church?" He said, "All right, I'm I'm gonna invite my coach to church." And um and so he invited his coach to church and and his coach said, 'You know what? I'm gonna come. I'm gonna come sometime. And then um he didn't show up. And I said, 'Why don't you invite your coach to a small group? And he went to his coach and said, "Hey, that we got a basketball small group. Y'all ought to come out, coach, and play." And his coach started coming to small groups >> playing basketball with the boys. And then two or three Sundays ago, he text me. Something had happened. I can't even remember what had happened, but I was already in the church. I turned my cell phone off, and he had text me. And this is what he said. He said, "Pastor, I am in the church parking lot, but I am scared to come in by myself. He knows we're Pentecostal." He and I didn't see it at the service. The next test was, "Pastor, I sat out here for 30 minutes. I could hear the service going on, but I was too scared to come in. I'll come back when I can walk in with you." Let me tell you something tonight, ladies and gentlemen. IF YOU BOW, THAT DON'T HAPPEN. Come on. At least some young men and some old men that'll get up on your feet and say, "I'm with you. I'm I'm not going to bow. I'd rather WALK THROUGH A FIERY FURNACE THAN TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A COMPROMISE. I REFUSE TO BOW. I'D RATHER GIVE GOD EVERYTHING GOD GOT AND HAVE HIM WITH ME IN THE BURNING FLAMES THAN TO BE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COMPROMISE. I choose not to bow. >> Don't bow. >> Don't bow. >> Don't Don't fall. Pray. You may be seated. Don't fall. Pray to people >> that's surrounded by you that put pressure on you. I was when God filled me with the Holy Ghost. I was 14 years old. I was a drummer and now I'm too fat to play. But that's beside the point. But I was a drummer and so I used to play drums and um when the Lord would get on me when I'd play a set of drums, the Lord would get on me, I could take but so much and I I'd let the sticks down and I'd come out behind them drum set and I'd shout and I'd dance and I'd run the aisles and I'd jump back on the drums and play them again. And uh when the Lord would move 13, 14, 15 and it was just I just couldn't stand it. And one night there was this self-righteous woman. She met me in the altar after service was over. I had shouted that night and she looked at me, hair just about this tall on top of her head. She had all the looks just right. She had everything just right. Skirt was just right. Sleeves were just right. Hair was just right. Everything was just right according to her. And she said these words to me, 14 years old. She said, "Shan, you don't have to shout every service. Mama was occupied talking to some folks on the platform. Mama didn't spank hard anyhow. Really didn't hurt. Daddy was six foot under in the grave. He'd been gone now a year and a half. Won't nobody there going to hurt me no more. Okay. I looked back at her and I said, "What did you say?" She said, "I'm telling you, you don't have to shout every service." I said, "I'm 14 years old and your old big hair do self back there been here all my life and I AIN'T NEVER SEEN YOU SHOUT ONE TIME. I'M NOT GOING TO LET SOME SELF-RIGHTEOUS SHOW UP TO CHURCH MONITORING, LOOKING AT EVERYTHING GOING ON KEEP ME FROM GETTING DOWN IN THE FIERY FURNACE. I WANT TO BE WHERE THE LORD'S HAPPENING. I WANT TO BE WHERE GOD'S MOVING. I WANT TO BE WHERE THE PRESENCE OF GOD IS AT. I WANT TO BE WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS. YOU DON'T LET SOMEBODY STEAL YOUR JOY. YOU DON'T LET SOMEBODY TELL YOU YOU DON'T DANCE. YOU DON'T LET SOMEBODY TELL YOU YOU DON'T TALK IN TONGUES. YOU DON'T LET SOMEBODY TELL YOU GOD AIN'T DELIVERED YOU. YOU KNOW WHAT GOD'S DONE. YOU KNOW HOW GOOD GOD'S BEEN. >> Praise God. Praise God. >> You may be seated. You know what a compromise is? A compromise is like this. I want pizza at the service. Brother Ericson wants hamburgers. A compromise is we go to a restaurant that serves both. That's not how the church operates. >> Well, I want dad church, but you want a live church. So, let's go to a church where we can just compromise and and both have our taste of it. Not at FAC, America. >> No, no, no, no. Not here. Matter of fact, there's not a section in here that's not a praising section. I've been preaching in this church for many, many years. I know what I'm talking about. Ain't this section? This section has praisers. That section has praisers. THAT SECTION HAS THERE AIN'T NOHERE FOR A NON-PRAISER TO SIT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY'RE PRAISING GOD. THEY'RE WALKING THROUGH HELL. BUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IS JESUS IS IN HELL WALKING WITH THEM. JESUS IS IN THE FURNACE WALKING WITH JESUS IS DOING THE MARVELOUS. Now this is this is a praising section. THIS IS A WORSHSHIPING SECTION. THIS IS A TONGUE TALKING SECTION. THIS IS A SECTION THAT BELIEVES THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO BE BAPTIZED AND THAT'S IN THE NAME OF JESUS. THIS IS NOT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. AND WE'RE GOING TO COMPROMISE SO WE CAN HAVE A CROWD. YOU'VE ALREADY GOT A CROWD AND YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT. WHILE YOU'VE BEEN RUNNING AND WALKING AND PRAISING THROUGH THE FIRE. Through the fire. Through the fire. Well, I tell you, I got about five more minutes. Well, I tell you. I tell you. I tell you. I tell you. If we just change a few things around here, we'd really have something if we change a few things around here. Yeah. If we could get you changed, >> that's what we'd have. >> IF WE COULD GET YOUR DEAD SELF, COMPROMISING soul off of one of them seats and UP HERE TO THE ALTAR AND LET ONE OF THESE PREACHERS LAY HANDS ON YOU AND TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND AND GET THAT STARCH OUT OF YOUR COLLAR AND THEM HEELS THAT YOU CAN'T HALFWAY WALK IN OFF SO YOU CAN SHOUT A LITTLE BIT. WE REALLY HAVE SOME CHURCH. I tell you, >> I tell you, I just I don't know. You maybe said, "I don't know. I don't know." I had a guy I had a guy come to me a couple years ago. He said, "Brother Garner, if we change a few things in here, we'd fill up." I ain't got time for this. I really don't. I ain't way too comfortable tonight. God help my soul. I I looked at him and I said, "Man, we are filled up and we ain't going to change." Where have you been? >> I mean, mas are holding babies in their lap so we can have seats in this church. >> I mean, there ain't no more seats left. We don't know what we're going to do. What are we going to do, pastor? We're going to keep packing them here just like sardines. Cuz that that man right there, my pastor told me that a church alive is worth a drive. I remember preaching. I remember preaching down there in that church and when I stood up on the pull pit or got on the edge of the platform, my nose nearly touched other people's noses because the chairs was right up here at the altar. Oh, don't tell me, "Oh, we ain't got enough room. Nobody's going to come." Well, I saw I s I've already seen tonight. What I've already seen is somebody walk up here and lay a pack of cigarettes on the altar. I want to tell you, YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE WHAT HE'S SAYING IS, "I'm done bowing. I'M DONE YIELDING TO THE WORLD. I've been in Pentecost all my life. Then you still need to dance. I've been in Pentecost all MY LIFE. YOU STILL DON'T NEED TO COMPROMISE. You never become SO MATURE IN CHRIST THAT YOU CAN'T LIFT your hands and let everybody KNOW AROUND YOU, I CHOOSE HIM. I CHOOSE JESUS. I CHOOSE THE CREATOR. I CHOOSE THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS. I CHOOSE HIS NAME. WHEN HE PREACHES ABOUT HIS NAME, I'M GOING TO BE THE FIRST ONE SHOUTING. WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT HIS NAME, I'M GOING TO BE THE FIRST ONE RUNNING. Praise God. You may be seated. We need to change a few things around here. >> Got to change a few things. I'm going to be two probably too parallel tonight. And you're probably going to think different of me when I'm done. But our church the last few months, we have walked through it. And um I don't have time to go through all of it, but we've walked through it. We've had unexpected death. We've had tragedy deaths and children passing and folks dying throughout in the middle of the night. Funeral after funeral after funeral. I didn't call pastors. Sister Garnet advised me to. I didn't listen to her. I should have. But one day I got up and I said, "I I'm I'm tired of it. I'm tired of it. I am tired. I am ready. I'm so tired of it. I'm ready to retire. Matter of fact, I don't care if I retire. They can fire me for all they care right now. I'm just ready to get out. I'm done with this. Everybody dying. I preach about the goodness of God. Everybody dies. I'm done. I'm done with this. I am so tired. I am so tired. I don't listen, Pastor Carpon, I should have called you. I didn't even want to answer my phone. >> I didn't know what the next NEWS WAS GOING TO BE. >> I was at one of the lowest points in my life. I I had never in all my life had dealt with with like anxiety and all kind of fear and it started settling in in in my life and and finally one day Beth Garnett come in there and she SAID, "YOU GOT TO GET UP." >> I said, "I'm up." HE SAID, "NO, YOU'RE NOT. YOU GOT TO GET UP IN YOUR SPIRIT AND YOU GOT TO GET IN THERE AND YOU GOT TO GIVE GOD MORE THAN YOU'VE EVER GIVEN HIM IN WORSHIP AND PRAISE AND LET HIM KNOW EVEN THOUGH I'M WALKING THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL, FOR THOU ART WITH ME." I KNOW SOME OF YOU HERE TONIGHT DON'T FEEL LIKE SHOUTING, BUT THAT'S WHO I'M PREACHING TO. YOU CAN'T BOW NOW. YOU CAN'T QUIT NOW. YOU CAN'T COMPROMISE NOW. YOU GOT TO GET UP, MA'AM. YOU GOT TO GET UP, SIR. YOU GOT TO GET UP, YOUNG MAN. YOU GOT TO GET UP. OH. OH. HALLELUJAH. OH, HALLELUJAH. OH, HALLELUJAH. NO, WE'RE not bowing. No, we're not GIVING IN. NO, WE'RE NOT COMPROMISING. WE LOVE Jesus more than we've ever loved him. We're going to serve him like we've never served him. We're going to move forward like we've never moved forward. THE DAYS OF REVIVAL FOR FAC. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT GOD'S ABOUT TO DO. MY LORD, I THINK I PROPHESIED one and one time only and it was in this church. And you say, "I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU'D PROPHESY NOW." LOOK, WE'RE DOING GOOD. BUT GOD'S GOT BIGGER THINGS FOR FAC IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. YOU SAY, "BROTHER GARNETT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BIG DEAL IS." I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT THE BIG DEAL IS. THERE'S A LITTLE CONGREGATION IN WILSON, NORTH CAROLINA THAT LOVES YOU GUYS SO MUCH, AND WE CAN'T AFFORD FOR YOU TO BOW. WE CAN'T AFFORD FOR YOU TO GIVE UP. WE CAN'T AFFORD FOR YOU TO THROW IN THE TOWEL. THERE'S MISSIONARIES IN THE PHILIPPINES THAT'S WATCHING RIGHT NOW. THEY NEED TO SEE A LADY OR A MAN GET OUT IN THE AISLE AND SHOUT AND WORSHIP AND PRAISE AND NOT POUT. COME ON, SIS. I'M TALKING ABOUT A HOLY GHOST DANCE. COME ON, BROTHERS. I'M TALKING ABOUT A HOLY GHOST DANCE. COME ON, BROTHERS AND SISTERS. I'M TALKING ABOUT A HOLY GHOST. THAT'S IT. RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST. THAT'S IT. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIRE, JESUS IS THERE. GO AHEAD, SIS. GOD'S ABOUT TO HEAL YOU. KEEP ON PRAISING HIM. THAT'S IT. YOU WALKED IN HERE WITH FEAR AND ANXIETY. GOD'S GOING TO BRING YOU THROUGH. KEEP ON WORSHIPING HIM. That's it. Let him know you love him. That's it. Let him know you still serve him. I know you got some pressures on you, but let Jesus know I'm still here. I'd rather walk through the fire than to compromise. I'd rather go through the fiery furnace THAN TO COMPROMISE WHAT I KNOW IS RIGHT. I KNOW JESUS SUFFERED AND DIED FOR MY SINS. I KNOW THEY PUT A CROWN OF THORNS UPON HIS HEAD. I KNOW HE WAS CRUCIFIED AND NAILED TO A RUGGED CROSS. I KNOW THAT HE PIERCED HIM IN HIS SIDE. I KNOW THAT HE GAVE UP THE GHOST. BUT I ALSO KNOW ON THE THIRD DAY HE CONQUERED DEATH, HELL, AND THE GRAVE AND HE IS ALIVE. OH YE JESUS, OH MIGHTY JESUS, I SERVE YOU. Thank you Jesus. >> Thank you Jesus. THANK YOU JESUS. Come on. The devil don't like what's going on right now. Some of you are about to just compromise. But the devil is a liar. THE DEVIL THOUGHT HE HAD YOU. BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED ON A SUNDAY NIGHT. YOU MADE UP YOUR MIND. NOT NOT TODAY, NOT TOMORROW, NOT NEXT YEAR, NOT next month. No. H. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus. >> Thank you, Jesus. >> Thank you, Jesus. >> Thank you, Jesus. >> Thank you, Jesus. >> Praise your name, Jesus. >> Praise your name, Jesus. Praise your name, Jesus. >> Praise to the only living God. >> Praise to the Almighty God. Jesus is still Lord and Lord. And beside him there is no other. He's the fullness of the Godhead bodily. He said, "When you've seen me, you've seen the Father. I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE. I'M NOT BOWING TO THEOLOGY. I'M BOWING TO THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS. I'M NOT BOWING TO A TRINITY. I'M BOWING TO A KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS. >> Musicians can come right on Jesus name. Daniel wouldn't compromise his prayer life. Joseph wouldn't compromise his purity. The three Hebrew men wouldn't compromise their worship. Moses wouldn't compromise his identity with God's people. Elijah wouldn't compromise God's truth. The apostles wouldn't compromise their testimony about Jesus Christ. But Daniel 3:18 perhaps captures the heart and the best one of the best examples we can find when they said but if not >> but if not >> but but if not because you be better off single at 25 than married and divorced by 28. >> But if not, >> your house may be only 2,000 square feet with the garage. You may not live in one that's 5, 6,000 square ft, but thank God you got a house. Thank God you got a job. Thank God you made a right decision. You got a job that allows you to be in the house of God with your hands raised high to heaven. Oh. Oh God, be thankful. I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold. I'd rather have Jesus than riches untold. >> I just rather have him. Sister Carpenter, I was thinking on a ride up here today. Sister Garnett was taking a power nap. She hasn't felt good this weekend, so she was sleeping. I got thinking, how many miles, how many miles has Beth and I rode? How many miles have you guys rode flown to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ? to just one. I got to thinking today about my precious mother who went on to be with the Lord about eight years ago. My mother at 36 years old buried her husband was left a widow with a 13-year-old boy, me and my two brothers, nine. We had a house. Nobody knows this. >> We had a log cabin house. Yes, >> sir. Back in the 80s, it was worth over $200,000 or more. But when dad died, our whole world stopped. He was our only source of income. A gentleman that sold insurance but didn't have any. I remember my mom talking to businessmen and family members in our kitchen. I heard her say one night, "I know we're going to lose the house. I know we're going to lose the house." At 13, I knew what that meant. At 13, it started bothering me. I watched my mother sail the greaty white boat that dad loved having to go out in the ocean and fish with his boys. I watched mom put it up for sale and she'd make a house. I I watched mom sell the custom van that dad always had. He traveled and man, he bought that first custom band. Had that little bitty black and white TV in it. If you don't believe in TVs, it had a little radio in it or well anyhow or it had an iPad in it, whatever. And he traveled. I watched mom put that out the front road for sale and she made another couple house payments. I I watched her take dad's pickup truck that he took me and my brother's down to the lake and we fish a little bit just put it out there and she sold that old truck. Stacy Tracy just didn't know what really what was going on but mom was selling everything we had everything old antique furniture that they collected had to refurbish. She'd sell it, trying to keep that house up, trying to not lose that house. While she's doing all this, I'd hear her in the bedroom at night. I'd sit in the recliner in the living room, master bedroom. Mom would close her doors and mom would pray. She'd say things like this, "Lord, I love you." >> 13. And I didn't really know why she said that. I How can you love a God that took our whole world? >> How can you love a God that you got to sell literally everything we got to keep roof over our head? I love you, Lord. I hear say things like, "Lord, you know the plan from the beginning." I hear her say things like, "Lord, I'm going to serve you and I'm going to live for you." Then she'd take about 15 minutes and she'd pray for Shawn, Stacy, and Tracy. She said, "Lord, you know them boys don't have no daddy now." Said, "You got to be a father to the fatherless." Lord, Lord, you know, as a mom, I am broken. She said, "But I want to be the greatest example to my three boys that I can be. And I don't care if they end up with money in the bank." She said, she prayed this. "I don't care if they end up with BIG HOUSES, LORD. IF YOU'LL JUST LET HIM BE SAVED. >> Just let him be saved. My mother could have bowed to the Oh, yeah. I know what I'm talking about. Flowers were being sent to our front door. I've watched mama tape more than one dozen red roses. Men call her and ask her out later on to be told when I was able to understand. men that had money that promised her, "I'll pay the house off. Let's just go out. Let me take care of you and your boys." And mom just never would yield. So I watched her throw dozens of roses in the trash and just tears flow down her face. Two or three weeks after dad would die, they were already calling. She'd pray that prayer. Lord, Lord, just let my boys be saved. Lord, just let my boys be saved. She'd get up on that Hammond organ and she'd play that organ and she lift her hands and she seen the songs of Zion. And at 13 years old, I HAD A PROBLEM WITH God cuz God had done me wrong. So I felt God, I don't know why everything was so good and why are we healed now? But oh, mother in public, she would let everybody she would let everybody know if you if you're staying around here to watch me crumble and bow to what I'm walking through right now, you're just going to stay and watch me walk out of it because there's a God that allowed me to get in it. And there's a God that's there with me. But on the other side of compromise, I got three boys and that's going to lose their soul to hell. I WANT TO TELL THE MOM AND DADDY IN HERE TONIGHT, get get out of what you are in. Get out of that stinking thinking that the PASTOR AND HIS FAMILY DON'T CARE NOTHING ABOUT YOU. THE PROBLEM IS YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE MUSIC THAT NEBUCHADNEZZAR IS TRYING TO PLAY AND YOU'RE JUST YOU'RE FALLING AWAY AND YOU'RE COMPROMISING. YOU'RE NOT JUST GOING TO USE YOUR SOUL, you're going to lose others. I got thinking about mom, all the prayers she prayed. I thought about here I am with Beth. I talked her into coming with me. I said, "We got at home, son-in-law and our oldest daughter that's living for God, preaching the gospel tonight, leading the worship. We got a son and a daughter-in-law with their child, both living for God, teaching Sunday school, singing. We got Olivia that needs a husband, that's living for God and serving God. You know why she's single? She told me the other night, she said, "Dad," she said, "I want to find somebody that worships like you." >> She said, "I don't want somebody that's just worshiping at a conference and then when you slip into the regular services, they're sitting on the back pew over there. can't hardly get her hind off the back of the pew. Come on, DADDIES. YOU GOT DAUGHTERS, YOU BETTER START WORSHIPING. MAS, YOU GOT SONS, YOU BETTER START WORSHIPING. I got Delila. Oh, Delilah, man. He's getting better and better on that keyboard. Tall. He's tall as I am now. And Mark, my brothers Stacy and Tracy, both of them and their spouses are living for God. Their children are serving God. Tracy's daughters up at IBC. Stacy's got a son, Levi, that is the he's he's the worship leader, music department leader. Yeah. Colton. Colton, 11 years old, one of the most talented young men. And And you say, "Brother Garnett, what what do you trace that back to?" I trace that back to a little feeble mama. >> I trace it back to a little mama who lost everything she had. At least we had her. She had nothing. So the the world thought, but yet she kept on walking through that fiery trial. How did she make it, brother Garnet? She made it because Jesus was in there with her. He said, "I'll never leave you and I'll never forsake you." There's some folks in this room right now, I'm done. I've been too long. There's some folks in this room right now. You're walking through things. You're not going to make it if you compromise. You're walking through things. There's some decisions you can make to get you out of it. But it's a compromise. But if you'll lift up your hands tonight all across this room, and if you know somebody walking through something and you see their hands go up, you are just slip over beside of them and say, "You're not leaving tonight without a determination. Jesus is in the fire." And the fiery furnace is so much better than the compromise. Come on, let's lift our voices to him in this place. Let's lift our voices to him in this house. >> Come on, let's love him. >> Come on, let's love him. >> Thank you, Jesus. Lord, I praise you. Come on in Jesus name. In Jesus name. You walking through it, it's going to be all right in Jesus name.