Tri-State District Campmeeting

I invite your attention to Matthew chap 16 verse number 18 Matthew 16 verse number 18 and while you're turning there let me just tell you what an honor it is to be in this camp this week and to be a part of the family that we call the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ we are so blessed I give honor to your tremendous leadership brother and sister M your district superintendent brother and sister Ericson your assistant district superintendent and brother and sister Miracle who are your District secretary so so honored to be with them and all of the District board and all the pastors and ministers why don't you give your ministry a great big hand in this room right now and of course you cannot stand on this platform behind this pool pit in this sanctuary in this church without giving honor to the couple that God used to get it all started don't you love Bishop Billy and sister Betty MC they have deeply impacted all of our lives and for that we're grateful Matthew chap 16 verse number 18 and it reads I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and Upon This Rock I will build my church and the Gates of Hell shall not Prevail against it I want to entitle my contribution to this service tonight the little red Lighthouse and the great gray Bridge turn to three people smile so big they could see your tonsils or where they used to be and say the little red Lighthouse and the great gray [Music] Bridge as some of you are saying what he said that's let's ask God to anoint our time together in his word god God thank you for your presence that we feel in this place God we don't just get together when we get together you show up God you show up through worship and you show up through your word and God I know that you're going to do that right now tonight God I bind anything that's unlike you in the name of Jesus and I pray that you will let your word do its perfect work we will be faithful to give you praise and honor and glory for what you're going to do in this meeting in the name of Jesus we pray everybody said amen if you believe that why don't you put your hands together and give God praise for what he's going to do and you may be seated the little red Lighthouse and the great gray Bridge it is arguably one of the most beloved lighthouses in America thanks to the little children's book entitled the little red Lighthouse and the great gray bridge by hild deard Swift the little red Lighthouse is correctly known as Jeffers hook light was built in 1920 and commissioned in 1921 its purpose was to Aid the navigation of shipping up the Hudson River the major transportation artery between New York City and the interior ports of Albany Troy and Beyond however after the George Washington Bridge was constructed in in the 1930s it was determined that the lighthouse was no longer needed it was deactivated in 1947 and scheduled for demolition however the children's book popularized this little Lighthouse dwarfed by this great bridge and millions of people who loved the little red Lighthouse spoke out and saved it from destruction and it was deeded to New York City but there is another light house dwarfed in the minds of many by the Great Bridge of progress and intellectualism and relativism and and materialism there is a rising sentiment that says tear that Old Lighthouse down there are better ways to get the job done these days we don't need something so outdated oldfashioned and Antiquated but I remember the song we used to sing when I was a kid head that said there's a lighthouse on a hillside that overlooks life sea when I'm tossed it sends out a light that I might see and the light that shines in darkness now will safely lead me on if it wasn't for the lighthouse my ship would sail no more it goes on to say every body that lives around me says tear that Old Lighthouse down because the big ships they don't say this way anymore there is no use of it standing round but then my mind goes back to that stormy night when just in time I saw the light the light from that Old Lighthouse that stands up there on a hill so I began this camp meeting by telling you I thank God for the lighthouse I owe my life to the lighthouse for Jesus is the lighthouse and from the rocks of sin he has shown the light around me that I can clearly see if it wasn't for the lighthouse where would this ship be oh Society will argue that the church may not be on The Cutting Edge but neither is breathing it may argue that it's not the latest thing off the assembly line but neither is bathing it may it may say that it's not the coolest thing to try before you die but neither is eating you see most of the things that we have to do to surv five weren't invented yesterday eating isn't a new thing but I'm glad I get to do it and I found out today that Nate Whitley was picking me up from the airport so I knew we were going to eat good of all the things this brother is an authority on eating is one of them I just got to figure out how you stay that thin and eat like that I mean look at me you can tell I like to eat eating is not a new thing but you're hoping I hurry up so you get to do it right bathing is not a new idea but everybody around you right now is hoping you had that idea today breathing is not an original concept but try doing without it like that little red Lighthouse it may feel like the church is being dwarfed by everything else it it may feel like it's being out resourced outmaneuvered and outflanked but I came tonight to remind you that this isn't your church and isn't my church but this is is God's church it was God that set upon this rot I will build my church and the Gates of Hell shall not Prevail against it the Greek text states that Simon Peter is the rock on which the church is built however the implication is that Simon's Revelation and declaration that you are the Christ the son of the Living God formed the Bedrock Foundation for the church the earliest writings of the church fathers all acknowledge that the rock is Christ Jesus not Simon Peter the church the Greek word for church is Ecclesia and it means a legislative assembly or selected ones it's not a religious term at all but it's a political and governmental term used many times in classical Greek for a group of people who have been summonsed and gathered together to govern the Affairs of a city for Jesus to use this term means he is given the keys of governmental Authority into the kingdom to the church vote in December in November you vote in December if you want to as well but do it in November but the biggest issue in every community representa in this room is not The Ballot Box but it is the house of God it's not the White House but it's the church house the Church of Jesus Christ is the only hope for the world all the forces of Hell will never have the power to win a victory over it in the sixth chapter of Ephesians Paul is expounding on the whole armor of God and he says and your feet Shaw with the preparation of the go gopel of Peace the Roman soldier shoes were not ordinary shoes on the bottom of these shoes there were at least one inch spikes and if they were in combat three inch spikes believe me these were killer shoes in all likelihood the Apostle Paul had these very shoes in mind when he said and having your feet Shaw with the preparation of the gospel of peace in Romans he picks up his pen and he writes and the God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly that word bruise is the act of Smashing and utterly crushing grapes into wine it is the act of snapping breaking and crushing bones Satan's only rightful position is under our feet completely [Music] subdued God has given us a mission to reinforce the victory already won on Calvary and to demonstrate just how miserably defeated Satan already is he said the God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly but that word shortly that powerful word shortly this word depicts the picture of a large group of Roman soldiers marching down a street the word shortly describes how they marched they were taught to take very hard short heavy steps when they marched in formation they were told that they were to move and not stop for anything one commentator said if your grandmother fell in the street in front of you keep marching they've got spikes one to three inches long and they just kept marching if the devil wants to stand in front of you and tried to oppose you and the work of God in your life then don't stop and ask him to move just keep marching and the God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly I hear people say from time to time well I'm worried about the church I I'm worried I understand we could be worried about different congregations and different groups of people but I've got a message for you tonight that's pretty simple don't be worried about the church you you worry about the government you worry about the economy you worry about your kids you worry about your dog named Fluffy but don't worry about the church because Jesus Christ himself said Upon This Rock I will build my church and the Gates of Hell shall not Prevail against it come on give God praise in this room in April of 2003 my family and I which at that point consist me and my wife and our 2-year-old son moved to the New York City metro to start Westchester Apostolic Church in Terrytown New York in the early days of that church plan I did my very best to go on all of my boys school field trips first I wanted the parents the kids and the students and the teachers to know me and someday call me Pastor secondly as a dad would only think I wanted them to know me and know that I'd never been called tiny so this particular field trip was to the 1889 lighthouse in Sleepy Hollow New York I was interested in this trip because of a mild curiosity with lighthouses Through The Years however I was not prepared for the degree of understanding and Revelation that would come to me on this second grade field trip I went into it understanding that a lighthouse' main responsibility was to shine a steady light I knew that when the night was dark the light had to shine when the waves were pounding the light had to shine when the when the winds were howling the light had to shine when the rains were pouring the light had to shine when the fog was thick the light had to shine there was never an off night for the lighthouse and just like the eight lighthouses that guarded the Hudson River in the early 1900s the church must shine a steady light when the night is dark with hostility the light has to shine when the waves of compromise are pounding the light has to shine when every wind of Doctrine is blowing the light has to shine when The Rains of our woke Society are pouring trying to water down everything that is good Godly and wholesome the light has to shine when the fog of relativism that says that anything goes and there's no such thing as absolute truth the light has to shine there is never an off night for the Church of the Living God I'm driven to ensure that the church that I have the privilege to Pastor retains a love for Holiness I make it a practice to distance myself from anyone or anything that belittles Holiness we serve a holy God we read a holy bible we're filled with the Holy Ghost and one day soon we're going to a holy city but my Bible still says follow peace and Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord before becoming the pastor of the church that I now lead I was given a document that outlined their stance on Holiness and thankfully we were on the same page which means that my job from now until I become Bishop is to ensure that we don't gradually drift into something that we made a deliberate decision not to Embrace as a congregation but here's what I've come to preach to you tonight as much as I have a passion that we have a love for Holiness I believe that in 2024 there is an absolute necessity that we have a renewed love for the bride of Christ I came to preach A Renewed passion for the bride of Christ into our spirits tonight the writer of Hebrews said it plainly when he said not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together as is the manner of some but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching brothers and sisters I'm here to declare to you that if you are going to be saved some assembly is required it's like those boxes that you had right before Christmas morning that contain big toys that said it was going to be easy to assemble right some assembly is required your kids are excited about seeing them Christmas morning but if they could have just seen you the night before some assembly is required this is one command in the scripture that there is a a date put on it so much the more as you see the day approaching in other words the writer of Hebrew said as you see that the Rapture is imminent make sure that you do not stay away from the house of the Lord one translation says this is not the time to pull away and neglect or abandon the Greek implies an extreme discouraged person don't neglect meeting together as some have formed the habit of doing so in fact we should come together even more frequently eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that Day Dawning oh I'm gonna try to excite you before it's over with this week but right now I just want to preach my heart to you I'm old enough to remember Bishop MCO you preached a lot of those revivals they went Monday through Sunday I'm telling you at Monday through Sunday I remember Bishop sitting around my grandfather's table when someone just casually mentioned you know a neighboring church is taking Monday off a rest night I I don't think there was any judgmentalism I don't think anybody had a wrong Spirit they were just flabbergasted and literally the response was why would they do that then somebody else quipped I wonder if they're going charismatic I'm not recommending that we go that that that far I promise you I'm not I'm not signing on for that but I do know that we cannot have a high view of Christ and a low view of the [Applause] church I hear people people say sometimes well I'll just watch online if you are able to get out you must must make sure that the supplements to corporate worship do not become substitutes for corporate worship because your fellowship with God must never become self centered unfortunately too many Are Spiritual hi hitchhikers the hitchhiker thumb says you buy the car you pay for repairs and upkeep and insurance you fill the car with gas and I'll ride with you but if you have an accident you're on your own a a matter of fact I might even sue you that that is that is the way many people treat the church they say you worship you serve you you give you pray you support and if you do it well enough I might come along for the ride but just understand don't expect anything out of me and know that if it doesn't suit me that I'll criticize and complain and bail out because my thumb is always out for a better ride oh 2020 hit us hard when 2020 came unto us we we just could not understand why we were frozen out of our church buildings but I watched as good faithful apostolics from 2020 on are a little bit more casual about church attendance at least on the west side of the state as than they were before 2020 we must understand that the scripture still tells us when you see the Rapture coming you need to make sure that you are there you are in the house of the Lord you are a part of the bride of Christ you've got to keep the light shining John maxw in this book developing the leader within you 2.0 tells the parable of a Lighthouse Keeper that was given an amount of oil every week for his lith housee that was situated on a rocky stretch of Coastline one particular month he had somebody came and an older lady that came from the village and she needed some oil to keep her family warm and so he gave her her oil another night there was a father who needed oil for his lamp so that he could search for his missing son another time there was a man who needed some oil so he could keep his Machinery running so that his employees could could could keep working all of these were worthy causes but he watched his oil supply dwindle through the month and it came to the last day of the month and he ran out of oil on that night there was a horrible storm and there was a shipwreck and lives were lost when the authorities investigated him he was very repentant but they only had one reply you were given oil for only one purpose and that is to light the lamp that keeps the lighthouse shining we have so many good options around us we are blessed people we we we have options all around us but we have been given oil for one reason and one reason only and that is to keep the light shining to our neighborhoods and our communities where we live it seems to me there's another Parable this one in the scripture that talks about 10 virgins they all had the oil they all had a light but five of them weren't as concerned about it it wasn't enough that they were filled with the Holy Ghost it wasn't enough that they were baptized in Jesus name five of them said I I'll get it when I could get it when it's convenient those five did not have the FI that the other five that said said you know what I'm going to make sure I keep my oil running over in the lamp that I have hear me I'm your friend I promise you my name is Steve I wouldn't do anything to hurt you but listen if you have no interest in being faithful to God's house on this side of Eternity I doubt very seriously whether you'll be invited to live in God's house on the other side of [Applause] Eternity so some of you are thinking what the world what the district more do we got somebody coming to preach the choir I'm sorry I Pastor too I deal with very faithful people that love God but everything is pulling all the good things are pulling everything is pulling is here and there and somewhere else we've got to make a commitment that this Old Lighthouse that brought us to where we are is worth investing in with our time our talents and our Treasures the church is a body we've got to be connected body parts have got to be connected my hand's not that attractive but if you sever it and place it on the platform now it becomes gross body parts that aren't connected are weird they're scary we've got to be connected it's a family I don't know about you but in my family you're expected to show up for family gatherings it's an army you've got to stay on the front line it's a flock you've got to remain in the fold I love love the story of an elderly man that had lost his hearing and his eyes had grown dim with age but he never missed Church somebody communicated with him somehow why in the world do you show up you can't see anything you can't hear anything you can't possibly get anything out of it and his response was classic he said I just want to show everybody whose side I'm on when you show up you're telling everybody whose side you were on I am on the Lord's Side this light is my savior this Lighthouse is what has nurtured me and made me who I am it's worth investing in it's worth being faithful to so how do we sum this up honestly we're way more blessed than we used to to be back in the day brother M when they were doing Monday through Sundays there weren't people jumping on planes and going on vacations there weren't people Trav God's blessed us how do we how do we figure this out for our ourselves personally one of my favorite preachers ACB Charles Jr I think Nails it perfectly he said if you are absent from church and others do not know where you are but are not surprised by your absence you are probably out of the will of God on this matter if you can miss church without being missed at church something is missing and if you can miss church without missing Church something is missing look for me church is not the icing on the cake church is the hake my the church does not orbit around my life my life orbits around the church everything significant in my life took place in the church I was dedicated to the church they must have knew they were going to have trouble I was dedicated three times Don Johnson Bob M senior and my grandfather Bob burett I was baptized in the church only once I received the Holy Ghost of the church I was called to preach of the church I graduated high school in the church I was married in the church and one day soon if the Rapture doesn't take place I'm going to be buried in the church I've got to tell you if you're struggling in your walk with God sometimes to get back on your feet the first step is just to get back on your seat in the house of God come on and give God praise so I knew I knew that a lighthouse' main responsibility was to shine a steady light but there are nights when the storm is so strong and the rains are so heavy and the fog is so thick that the light cannot penetrate through the elements never dawned on that I never I never thought of that I've been in foggy situations no doubt you have been as well where your headlights did not penetrate through the fog it is on those kind of nights that the Lighthouse Keeper has to go out into the storm to the back of the lighthouse and he he turns a crank that activates a mechanism that methodically rings a bell when a steady light cannot penetrate through the wind the rain and the fog a certain sound comes ringing through the storm there are people that grew up during that time period that lived close to the Hudson River as children they would say when we heard the bell ringing we knew that it was a major storm going on outside of our four walls hear me minister of God it is imperative in a world where everything is shaking shifting and moving that the dear sweet people of the congregation that you minister to hear a certain sound we must never become the Evangelist of the equivocal vessels of the vague ambassadors of the ambiguous the scripture says if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound who will prepare for battle it is more important to be clear than to be clever it is more important to edify than to entertain it is more important than that you are right than to be witty it was the Apostle Paul who wrote to his young Protegé Timothy preach the word be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all longsuffering and Doctrine Minister stand flat-footed behind that sacred desk and preach the unadulterated undiluted unpolluted word of [Music] God but it doesn't stop with a pull pit sounded a certain sound it is also vital that the parents sound a certain sound Paul wrote In First Corinthians now I plead with you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment parents the greatest gift you can give your children is the freedom for them to grow up in a church without knowing everybody's faults and failures let me tell you something you're going to have issues with people in the church CU everybody's normal till you get to know him normal is just a setting on your dryer I mean churches are filled with hurting people and hurting people hurt people as a pastor I get kind of tickled at people Church hopping sometimes I want to tell them look if you find that perfect Church whatever you do don't join it you you're GNA mess it up you you gonna mess it up don't don't do that sometimes the church is like Noah's Arc if it weren't for the storm on the outside you couldn't put up with a stink on the inside but but I will tell you you will see what you're looking for Philippians 4:8 tells us that we need to look for what's true what's Noble what's just what's pure what's lovely what's of a good report anything that's virtuous and anything praiseworthy think about those things one translation said keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real honorable and admirable beautiful and respectful pure and holy merciful and kind and fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God praising him always I've determine that I am running for a title I am running for a position there is something that I want to be known for I want it because it's the best title it's the best position it's the most important position it's the most respected the most influential position oh I don't need your votes you can't vote for me anyway but you can have the same title I am determined to be a CEO I am determined that wherever somebody sees me they know that that guy is a CEO you could be a CFO if you want to be I want to be the one at the top I want to be the CEO I am determined in the days that I have remaining on this Earth that I will be a chief encouragement officer you can be a chief fault finding officer if you want to be but I'm going to look for everything that is good and godly and wholesome and edifying and celebrate what is going on that is good around me oh sure the encouragement may not always be a pat on the back sometimes it might be a little lower and a little harder it not may not be an ATT boy it might be you can do better than that you're better than that but it's the same premise it's not to tear down it's to celebrate instead of criticize it is to lift up instead of pulled down look I I know who I'm te preaching to and I know the struggles that we have in our lives around us we must be faithful to the house of God and we must make sure what comes out of our mouth is celebrating the good and virtuous and godly that happens all around us Mom and Dad seasons of questions and doubts are normal you're not going to live for God all your life without having some seasons of doubt about certain stances that we've had I don't I don't question question that and I don't fear that because of properly handled our faith can strengthen following these times of uncertainty yet if you find yourself questioning Doctrine and distinctions please find a trusted Apostolic Elder to help you navigate through your period of perplexity but whatever you do around your children do your very best to keep your big mouth shut because if you're not careful in your season of doubt you will PL seeds of doubt in the hearts of your children that will reap a harvest of Devastation and Destruction come on there's something about us that needs to say I'm going to tell you what I'm going to celebrate what's good and godly and did you see this no what I saw was what was good and godly and I'm going to celebrate that in my life C can I get a little bit more personal this is the most personal message all right sorry while your children are teenagers please get and stay on fire for God I've watched too many parents live Faithfully for God during their children's formative years only to lose their way when their children became teenagers many of the parents find their way back to the house of God but in my experience most of the teenagers never have yet the pull pit of the Pew must sound a certain sound it's the deepest thing I'm going to say all week this is this is rooted in the Greek make sure you take notes this is pretty powerful you're a man of God is a man of God she told you that was pretty deep right that means he's going to make mistakes that means he's done matter of fact he he's going to be human he's he's going to have all the tendencies that any other man does but there's something about celebrating what is going on in this building that is so lifegiving in life affirming I I want to introduce you to Henry show Henry's picture up here if you will Henry is cute as Button he's three years old Henry almost as soon as he could start talking when he would leave church every time he would leave church he would wave to no one in particular and say bye Jesus it's cute it's pretty awesome I mean Henry knows we're coming to the house of God by Jesus last year on our way to movement conference we stopped by the apostolic snack headquarters of America bies and when we did we ran into Henry and his mom and dad who were also on the way to movement they're part of our team when I turned around to leave Henry and walk out of the store Henry waved at me and said bye Jesus now I got to tell you I've been caught a lot of things but never Jesus I mean you know his mom and dad were mortified they were like what what the world's going on I said look look we'll teach him and I'm I'm glad to tell you he now calls me Pastor he knows I'm Not Jesus they were mortified I said do not be mortified if you had a clue of how many children were basically taught by their parents that the pastor was anything but Jesus you ought to be commended you ought to understand what a value it is to celebrate The Good The Godly in your pastor I'm a product of the church in West Memphis Arkansas pastored by Bishop's twin brother the age of two we moved away and for seven years we were away from West Memphis in the last last few years of that Journey away we were a part of some church situations that put the funk in Dysfunctional my mom and dad did everything I'm preaching right now they they didn't talk about anybody that they didn't run anybody down matter of fact they would tell us if you meet them You' be kind to them because it would Heap Coes of fire on their head oh as a teenager I had to see that so I followed along they never did but I was old enough that I could see and I could hear and I knew what was going on at the very same time I had the priv in our my high school as a freshman in high school to to work with the administration and I had I had lunch every day with the administrator for our high school they weren't Apostolic but they were good people they were they were wonderful people I basically was at a point where I had lost all trust in Ministry and I had great examples of professional good people around me and I've got to tell you my mom and dad moved back to West Memphis at the right time for me when we moved back to West Memphis we we went to the hospital to see Bishop mcco he'd had a horse accident I don't know why we would go then he probably wanted no visitors his legs were up in traction it was horrible but even in that setting he grabbed my brother in my hand and he looked at us with tears in his eyes and said boys I've been praying for you and for whatever reason after all that I'd seen and all that I experienced I believed him and from that point on he not only said words but he rebuil built singlehandedly my trust for Ministry in my life if it had not been for that man of God I doubt I'd be here tonight matter of fact I don't think I'd be a part of any Apostolic Church I'm here to tell you if you've got a man of God that loves you and loves the word of God if he take a bullet for you and he take a bullet for the word of God you need to celebrate that man of God every day you need to lift up your voice and thank God for him every day Cano out this message in just a few statements the Antichrist spirit is rising in this world if it's not targeted your local assembly yet it's coming it's hitting everything that we love and is dear to us dear God we've got to be on the same team yeah they're going to fight but we've got to be United we've got to be like a good family you know if you ever had a brother or sister you might fight like junkyard dogs but let somebody else mess with one of your siblings and then it's on like Donkey Kong you know what I mean I mean we got to be in this together so I knew because the tour God had told me that the lighthouse had got to shine a steady light and had to sound a certain sound but then the tour guide began to tell me some things that that bogged my mind the living conditions at the 1884 Lighthouse were crude at best the lighthouse was situated on an island just offshore to obtain food cooking and heating oil or to take your children to school it required you to rad to Shore and back the water necessary for the survival of the Lighthouse Keeper family was collected from the rainwater that ran down the roof of the lighthouse these were harsh demanding circumstances to live and raise a family in yet in addition to Shining steady light and sounding a certain sound in addition to rescuing lost and drowning men and women who had lost their way in the dark murky Waters of the Hudson River the Lighthouse Keeper had another responsibility the eight lighthouses on the Hudson River in the early 1900s were not autonomous each answered to the United States Lighthouse service or also known as the Bureau of lighthouses and every year without warning there was a knock on the door into these harsh environments that's hard to keep everything together every year there was a knock on the door and the Lighthouse Keeper would open the door and he would see standing in front of him in full regelia the lighthouse inspector and when he stepped into the lighthouse he didn't ask to see the log of how many ships had been saved he didn't want to know how many lives had been spared he only wanted to know one thing he would stride into that Lighthouse while slipping on his white cotton gloves he would begin to run his finger over the door frame and along the baseboard he was looking for cobwebs and he was looking for clutter ladies and gentlemen hear me he was not interested in production he was interested in Purity it didn't matter how bright the light had been it didn't matter how certain the sound of the Bell had been all the Lighthouse Keeper wanted to know was how clean the lighthouse had been on the inside because he knew if it ever got dirty on the inside the light was going to be affected and the sound was going to be affected we see all around us every day one day soon our Lighthouse inspector will be returning for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a sound with the voice of the Archangel with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with him in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air so shall we ever be with the Lord but what's he looking for he's looking that he might present to himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish hear me hear me dear Godly saints of God that have made your way on a Wednesday night to this k meaning it doesn't matter how bright your light shines or how certain your sound is what the lighthouse inspector wants to know is have you protected the purity of the purpose it really doesn't matter how many Souls you have won or how many people you have discipled what God wants to know is how pure is your heart it was Samuel that said to Saul man looks on the outward appearance but the Lord looks on the heart now a lot of folks have used that to excuse and explain away whatever they wanted to do but really what that verse says is everything that you see on the outside is not what God's looking at first of all he's looking at your heart a pastor got in this car in Long Island drove across Manhattan to a Ford dealership in Long Island in New Jersey rather my pastor is not a Ford buyer he's more of a Toyota guy but that day he was on a mission he really wasn't looking for a car he was wanting to encourage a friend he sat down at the desk of a newly employed Ford car salesman he hadn't worked at that particular dealership but about six months while he s across the desk he was talking to a man who had moved in the Northeast and in just a few years God had used establish a Congregation of around 200 that is mind-blowing in the Northeast he was greatly used of God but in the process of building that church he lost his way he fell into immorality and he told my pastor he said I would never forget looking in the rear view mirror of my car as my boys walked away after finding out what I'd done they said we want nothing to do with you you've not lived what you said you believed he pulled out a foul drawer and he said Doug Davis this this drawer this drawer you're supposed to file things this way but it was stacked up filled with 8 and 1 half 11 notepads he said in the last six months this drawer is filled with sermons that God has given to me in the last six months a pastor got back in his car he drove back across Manhattan he walked into his living room in Long Island and he sat down in his piano and the words began to come to him that became an Anthem for the apostolic movement during that time he wrote more than security more than success if I should have to choose one thing I'd take Jesus or the rest and if I should attain the goal to gain this world and all it holds and then if I should lose my soul that I have lost it all he went on to say even though the souls of men that I love ow so dear more than others I must make my own salvation sure for if I to others show the way and then I become just a cast away this price I cannot afford to pay my soul is worth it all and he wrote the cour that says above all else I must be saved above all else I must be saved Lord whatever you have to do to me don't let me be lost For Eternity for above all else I must be saved I simply came today to preach to you about the value of the church and the value of your place in the church it all starts with an inside job God make my heart pure make my mind pure and if my mind and heart's pure I'm going to shine the light you're going to know that I'm at church I'm going to be a vital part and if my heart's pure even when I'm hurt even when I'm struggling with bitterness even when I don't understand what comes out of my mouth is going to be praiseworthy I want to be not just something that's a flash of the pan but I want to be a part of this Lighthouse and regardless how massive the bridge is there is a lighthouse that the world needs in 2024 stand to your feet all over this place I want us to come to the altars families tonight if your family's here I want you to come with your family and I want you to come committing yourself to the greatest institution that has ever been established recommitting yourself to giving everything that you can to make your local church the strongest it could be and to give so that missions America can plant churches all over this District because churches Apostolic churches are the only hope for the world if your family's not here gather with people around you that don't have their family here and I want us to begin to pray together God I thank you for the church come on pray that God gives you a renewed love for the church I don't ever want to take it for granted is it perfect no because I'm in it it might be more perfect if I weren't in it but God it is it is the Catalyst it is the light it it sounds a a steady light it sounds a certain sound God I want my heart to be pure God everything outside of the apostolic church is rising up forces to fight the apostolic church God the body the Believers God let us have a renewed love for the church whether it's five in a church plant or 500 in a more established the size is not what matters what matters is it is a church it's a lighthouse people can be saved there people can hear the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ there people can repent of their sins they can be baptized in Jesus name they can be filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost G with the evidence of speaking with other tongues they can be discipled oh God let me have a renewed love for the Church of the Living God come on pray husband pray for your wife wife pray for your husband pray for your children and granday children oh God you invested in the church and you invested in the families that's why everything in Hell fights the family and everything in Hell fights the church God give us a renewed love God give us a renewed love give us a renewed love for the house of God