Sunday Evening | Are You Ready? | Zach Hammond

You make your way back to your seats and turn to the book of Ephesians. Quickly get into the word of the Lord tonight. We want to say welcome our another neighboring pastor just a little bit further. West brother and sister Chesson are here tonight. We love y'all and thank you for being here. You come and worship with Give them a big hand. We want them to know how much we love them. Thank them for worshiping with us. So great to be in the house of the Lord. The presence of the Lord is here. You give pastor a big hand for preaching the word of the Lord to us this morning. So wonderful, so timely. And uh I'm just uh thankful thankful to be with God's people. I'm sure some of you are thinking, "Hey, I'd love to hear from any of the pastoral team except you tonight." All right. I know. I get it. Pastor brought it up this morning. I don't really bring it up. However, my phone was blowing up, but it stopped for some reason. I don't know why. It was going crazy there for a few minutes and then I didn't hear anything. I didn't uh I didn't ask for any texts, but I got a bunch and then it just went deadly quiet. But I have a problem. Um, as most of us do, we all have problems. I have a problem. I have an addiction, Brother Hart. And I'm I collect Bibles. My wife is trying to cut me off. Like, no more Bibles. So, I figured tonight at least I was walking out. I was like, I'll just grab this Bible. Maybe they will listen to me. So, I've I've committed two sins tonight. I brought a bright orange Bible and it's a NIV. So, don't tell Sister Carpenter. All right. So, um if nothing else, I'm I'm attempting. All right. So Ephesians chapter 5 and verse number 27 says this that he might present it to himself as that's how God is. He's presenting something to himself. He purchased the church so he could present it to himself. So he what he what he bought he really bought a gift for himself. I don't know about you, but there's people can buy you gifts, but when you really got the money to go buy exactly what you want, something about it, he said, "I want them. I'm going to go purchase them with my I'll give everything for it, but I'm going to present it back to myself. >> A glorious church, >> not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. I'm glad to be a part of the church. Amen. >> 1 Thessalonians 4 verse number 14. I'll read if you have time. All of you that are the sword drill winners, you can get there in time and I'll start reading. If you don't have it or don't want to turn there, you can read on the screen with me. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and if you believe that, would you say amen? >> Amen. >> Even so, them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. So logic there. If you believe one, you have to believe the other. He says, "For this is the way unto them by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain under the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout." Somebody say, "A shout." >> With the voice of an archangel, and 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 them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. I have made a a promise to God to preach on this topic ever so often and I want to fulfill that tonight. I'm going to preach a little bit about the coming of the Lord. But my simple title tonight is just simply this. Are you ready? >> Are you ready? And before you get to that point where, oh, here we go. He's going to play on our emotions and talk about hell and all that stuff, that that's there there's there's a there's a faction of the thought that God is coming that ought to prick you a little bit. But there's also that part that you're in the right place tonight. And from what I just read and what we're going to read, are you ready to be in the most powerful moments that the church has ever seen, >> it's not just are you ready for the rapture. It's not just are you ready for heaven. It's not just are you ready to see your loved ones that's gone on to be with. It's not just that. It's are you ready to be in the greatest time there's ever been to be a part of the church, the bride of Christ. I wish we'd lay your Bibles down, lift your hands to heaven. I believe God's going to do something in this place tonight. Lord, we've come before you tonight. We already feel your presence. We've already, Lord, been sung to and been a part of the worship and been a part of the choir. We, God, are so unworthy, but we deem you worthy of all we could give you tonight. Lord, I pray that you would touch this time as we go into your word. I pray that you would bring us back into focus. That you would help our hearts and our minds, our soul to be in the right place tonight. Lord, I pray that you would help me, God. I'm nothing without you, lost without you, broken without you, and just another voice without you. God, I pray that you would anoint me tonight to speak your word. That it would help somebody get to heaven. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. And amen. You may be seated tonight. Are you ready? I've had frequent conversations with a number of people in the church and families, people in the same season of life that I am where we're trying to raise kids. And I've heard it even talked about as we mentioned the death of Charlie Kirk this week as he was one that oftent times in his speeches would define what the church was and what the church was responsible for. that it is a a movement nowadays. In fact, Gen Z and the generations coming after have been identified as one who has lost a mission. They they call it a mission drift. It's not really a missiondriven organiza uh of generation, so to say. And I know I if if even I I think there's part of this in me, but if like if we're on the same mission, let's just yoke up together, >> right? If we're if we we preach the same thing, we're trying to get to heaven, let's just do this thing together. I could care. I could care less on on a lot of things, but if we believe the doctrine and we believe in holiness and we believe in Acts 2:38 and we believe you're part of the church, let's just get together and try to get our families to heaven. Amen. But there's a there's a new there's a new generation and they're more about community than they are mission. It's drifted to I've I've seen it time and time again now where it's people will move across states and they will navigate to different social clubs and to different this just because they've got a friend somewhere they will abandon the mission and that's a scary thing to be identified as as a generation. I'm here to remind us tonight that there is a place called heaven and that is our goal. It is our mission. Let it never drift. Let it never be compromised. Let it never be forgotten. That there is a path, but there is a prize. >> Are you with me tonight? There is a prize. And if you don't have your eyes on that prize, you'll get your feet off the path. >> If you don't stay focused on the reason why we're here, you'll get caught up in things. Well, so and so didn't invite me to eat tonight. That that that's not a heaven or hell thing. Are you with me? I'm here and I'm not gonna drift away from the community just because I'm not jing with these people or they didn't ask me to do this or they didn't ask me to do that or I didn't get invited here. It really don't matter. I'm not here. I love you. I'm thankful to worship with you, but whether or not we eat together tonight ain't going to determine where I go to church. I'm in this church to get my family to heaven. I'm here to get my kids to heaven. I'm here because there's a man of God who's going to preach the doctrine and preach the word of God to get me to heaven. Don't allow the mission to drift. I'm in this world, but I'm not of this world. >> I'm just passing through. >> There's a movement. It's going on and they they call it deconstruction. It's a phenomenon within America in which Christians are rethinking their faith. They're tearing apart. That's why they call it deconstruction. Tearing apart previously held beliefs or the point they're no longer identifying as Christians. It is closely related to an exangelical movement that you may have heard of in a generation previous. You know, at least within this movement, they've named it the right thing. Cuz if you're going to leave Jesus, you're going to have to get out. you you you might as well get out that you know and and and and be willing to get out a wrecking ball. You're gonna have to do if you're going to leave Jesus, you better be intentional and understand what's about to happen. You're about to deconstruct your life. >> You're about to tear your life apart. The only way you can leave the creator of the univer only way you can leave Christianity is to deconstruct. And they're all about destroying what they know is right. They know it's right. And that the problem with knowing right is that's the only really way there can be a wrong. >> The only way you can be an atheist is to understand that there is a God. >> The only way you can be opposing that one thing is to know that that one thing is real. And so you you've you you maybe read some books or maybe listen to the podcast or you go back into some of the the the studies of history and see that that really some of these people were just you can't really be this without at least acknowledging that. >> So in order for there to be a wrong, there had to be a right to begin with. >> And so you really can't say that you don't believe in the right because you believe in the wrong. If there's a right, >> there's a wrong. If the wrong, there's definitely >> a right. So, we've got this generation that's all too confused and this world is putting on a show of wickedness and lies. Pastor preached about the spirit this morning. There's a strong undertoe against authority right now. >> If you're praying, you feel it. >> It's an attack on anything that represents the truth. >> In fact, I believe part of what just happened this week is you strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter. It's Satan's attempt at time and time and time again to attack someone who is unashamedly standing for truth. Anyone who speaks from spiritual authority or talks about submission or talks about doing things and standing for what's right and being unashamed about it, Satan is going to take interest in. So, we see this that there's things happening in our world, wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, haters of truth, lovers of themselves, and the list goes on and on as we are checking the boxes. And I'm here to remind you tonight that those of you, no matter how intrigued you are with end times or how unaware or un, you know, I'm just going to stay away from that. I'm just going to try to be ready. I get that. You're more probably in my boat. But I'll just tell you, there's no more boxes that need to be checked for God to come back. That's right. That's right. >> We're living in the last days. And so I ask you tonight, are you ready? >> Within CNN reports. I've preached on this before and I'll hit on it briefly tonight in September 27th. They're within this deconstruction movement is a group of people and they're actually exactly my age where they're they're leaving the faith. And there's this group that have claimed and have been diagnosed with what they call rapture anxiety. They're are being given PTSD medicine because of the fear of not something that has happened to them but something that they perceive is going to happen called the rapture. Any better anybody ever watched the left behind series? >> Huh? Raise your hand high. What a generation. You know, although we can, you know, we watched it, there are a lot of wrong things within that movie, okay? But it did stir up a generation. Let's say it that way. It it stirred up a generation. And and these the these people who were our age that grew up, you were maybe teenagers when it come out. They've watched these series. They've watched these movies and and and they they they've decided that I'm I'm so haunted by the fact that God may come back. that I've got to take some medicine to try to deal with this worrisome feeling in my mind. It's quite interesting. My wife told me before service, she said, "You've got Hampton kind of concerned about the rapture." And I know I'm a terrible dad. I said, "Good. It's why I'm here. All right. >> You might not like it. I know you all have you got angel wings and halos and you serve God because you love him and he died for you. >> But there's sometimes in my life growing up that there's certain things I didn't do. And there's certain places I didn't go. And there's certain things that I didn't do when I was all by myself that other people were doing when they were all by themselves. because I thought what my dad had told me and what preachers had preached to me was the God truth and that is God is watching you and he could come back at any moment there there was this sense of awareness there was this sense of of of are you ready >> to meet the Lord >> and I I know I know some of you it's it's a very we have a very coddled generation We have very coddled culture and then you have to really get outside yourself to really acknowledge some of the things and and I that that that word anxiety is is one that nobody wants to touch and it's a very I get it. It's a real thing, >> but it still sits on the top of the charts for the most discussed thing. >> But there there's certain parts of that that are not bad. >> That emotion is built into you and you were created by God. It's not some far-fetched emotion that that the devil brought. No, no, no. He cannot create anything. That emotion is in you for a reason. It's in you to bring you to an altar so that that altar can dispose of it. It can come in one ear and go out the other. But without an altar, it will live rentree in your head. But that anxiousness is good sometimes because it's supposed to provoke us to a place to where I feel comforting about the words. >> Comfort one another with these words. >> So we could really identify some of these things. The only other thing that's above the word anxiety within our world today statistically is nomophobia. And I fear that these two might work hand in hand. And that is the fear of being without your phone. Don't worry all the middle schoolers. I ain't going there tonight. All right. But let's look at scripture. Revelations 22:7. Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. Revelations 22:12, "And behold, I come quickly," five verses later, "and my reward is with me." Are you ready for that? To give every man according to his work shall be. Revelations 22 and 20, eight verses later, he which testify these things saith, surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Final words, final chapter, every word, every promise, every truth that we live our life on that we stand here biblically sound tonight. It all ends with this. I'm coming as fast as I can. >> You don't know the day. You don't know the hour. You don't know when it's going to happen. It's not going to be a secret. It will be sudden. It will be in the twinkle. It's just going to happen in a moment. But I'll tell you this from what I read and how the Bible closes. I understand two things. We win and he's coming quick as he can after the bride of Jesus Christ. I'm victorious. I'm an overcomer. I'm more than a conqueror through him who lo I've got all the things going for me. No weapon formed against me, Colin shall prosper. I'm more I've got all these things for me. I'm a winner and he's coming back after me as quick as he can. >> It tells me tonight that there's a longing within the text. >> He wants you to as you close the book to know, I'm wanting to be with you. >> Do you want to be with me? >> So my question tonight is, are you ready? Cuz he is. >> Are you ready? cuz he's coming quick as he can. Are you ready to meet him? Cuz he's coming as quickly >> as he can. So what's he waiting on? I don't know. But God has a way of waiting to perfect timing cuz he waited on Noah to build the ark. >> He waited on the water to renovate the earth. He waited on Abraham to separate from Lot. He waited on Lot to get out of Sodom. He waited on Jacob to change his name. and he waited on Joseph to get out of pits and prisons. He waited on Moses for 40 years in Egypt and then waited on him 40 more years in the wilderness. He said, "I waited on Israel to spy out the land. I waited on Samson's hair to grow back. I waited on Samuel to anoint David and I waited in the garden of of Gethsemane till my sweat became as drops of blood. I waited six hours on a cross and three days in a tomb. And I waited with a group of people in an upper room. And I'm telling you, he's been longing. And he's been waiting for far too long. And I can feel the earth. I can feel the spirit. I can feel a stirring within our world today. And I don't know any other way to identify with it than the church of the living God is getting ready to be called home. And if that don't excite you, I'll be honest with you. I don't know why you're here tonight because that's the only reason we're here tonight. I've not come for any other reason but to meet him. Lift your eyes to the heels from which cometh your help. I love the music. I love the choir. I love the pews. I love the small groups. I love the community. But don't be deceived. Yes, sir. >> We're here for the mission. Are you ready? >> Ask your neighbor. Say, "Are you ready?" >> He said, "I've been waiting." >> The groom is anxiously waiting. The bride, are you as anxious to see him as he is to see you? >> He's coming. When? I I don't I don't know. I don't know. But he's coming quickly. Revelations 21-1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. Are you ready? For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw a holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God, and God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away." I don't know of a more powerful v verse that I could read to you tonight that ought to get you stirred up of all the death and all the sorrow and all the pain that some of you there ought to be a trends setter that just could shout amen. >> He says no more of that. >> And he that sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And he said unto me, "Right, for these words are true and faithful." Aren't you thankful they're faithful tonight? And he said unto me, it is done. I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. And I will give unto him that is the thirst of a fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I shall be his God, and he shall be my son. Oh, I want to see him. >> Look upon his face. >> It's everything. It's everything to a child of God. No more pain. No more fear. No more cancer. No more hurt, no more lies, no more crying, no more death, no more sin. We can list the list of noors. All the loved ones that have gone on, the great saints of God that will that will rise first. Uh he he's saying, "Get the bride ready. The world is wicked, but let me comfort you tonight to that with these words that he's coming. Get ready." >> Mom who's struggling, let me comfort you tonight with these words. He's coming. College student, be encouraged tonight. It's too late to give up. He's coming. High schoolers, there's gonna You ought to live like there's no tomorrow. Why? Cuz he's coming. Don't be deceived of wait until the next season of your life. As I reminded you Friday, a rush. There will be some middle school students that are middle schoolers when that trumpet sounds. >> There will be a generation of young people when he calls the church home. It's too late to be thrown in the towel. You know too much. He's done too much for you. You've overcome too much to give up now. >> So comfort one another with the words, "He's coming back." >> The early church in persecution, they had a way of greeting one another. You've heard it preached. You've heard it talked about. I'm just here as a reminder. That word marinatha, the Lord is coming. The early church is facing persecution, opposition to the truth from Caesar. They said you you can't use those that greeting in Jesus name. Greeting in Jesus Christ. Greetings in the They just simply said in the midst of persecution in the midst of all the things that we're facing, in midst of all the things that you're seeing in the world today, they just had this term they would use marinatha. living under those adverse conditions, the believer's morale was lifted by a hope of the coming of the Lord. >> He's coming. >> He's coming. >> He's coming. He's coming. And my grandfather's generation, it was Lord willing. He's coming. Everything was based upon the coming of the Lord. And let us not ever as the church, the church, the bride, forget that's why we're here. come to encourage you tonight, to comfort you tonight. No matter what you're going through, >> he's preparing a place for you. >> As human beings, we weren't supposed to see some of the stuff that we saw this week. >> Your soul is not built to process some of the things you saw online this week. You weren't supposed to go through some of the stuff you went through as a child. You weren't supposed to deal with some of the division and some of the falls and some of the failures that you went through. But I'm here tonight to remind you of a savior who didn't just come to forgive and to fill you. But he came to call you home. It's not about here. It's about heaven. >> It's all about heaven. We get so caught up with what's going on here and what's going to happen if I do. No. No. This is this is just a place we're passing through. This is not our home. >> It's not only worth it right now, but it's really going to be worth it all one day as the old song says. So hold on. Don't give up. Don't throw in the towel. It's all going to be worth it. So are you ready? Are you ready? He said, "Let that cry," Matthew says, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh, be continually sounding in your ears. How long's it been since you thought about it? How long's it been since you read about it? Beginning now to live as though you were assured that the night that you were to go forth to meet him. And I I believe that Jesus is coming and the most com it ought to be the most comforting thing to the bride of Christ. It ought to be the most comforting thing, brother Cheshan, that we're here tonight knowing that we're in good hands. He's coming. He's coming. It can't get too much worse before he sounds that trumpet. >> So, let's look at this. Revelations 12:9 says that that that because that that the the devil understands perhaps more than we do. I'm not going to read this entire passage, but read 9 through12 in your in your in your spare time this week. Maybe make a note of it, but it all closes down that the the great dragon was cast out and he he's dealing with all the things he's dealing with and he's here to deceive the whole world and he's the accuser of the brethren. And they give some descriptions of who the devil is and what he's trying to do. But verse number 12 says, "Therefore rejoice heavens, ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the seal of the devil is come down unto you having great wrath >> because he knows that he has a short time." He knows he has but a short time. So we see this that that that that the words of John the Revelator in Revelation closes the book out saying that that that God is is ready. He He's coming quick. I I'll come quickly. And then we see that that there seems to be this anxiousness, and I'm carefully using that word, anxiousness of of God to come back after the bride. And then we see that the devil knows that he's a little anxious because he's got but a short time. >> So if everybody else realizes the time is short, why don't we? >> He says life's but a vapor and we act like we got years to get this thing straightened out. We got people that are just living however they want to live. I'm telling you, the days are evil. The days are wicked. It's the time of the church. And I want to be a part of it. I hope you want to. I'm telling you. Are you ready for the rapture? Are you ready for the best days of the church? God forbid the devil's working harder than we are. >> He's pursuing you more than you're pursuing heaven. We're not going to make it. He knows his time is ticking and he's working overtime. Are you ready? >> Are you ready? >> He has a deadline, but so do we. >> For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout. The voice of the archangel with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. After this, I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me, which said, "Come up hither, and I'll show thee the things which must be hereafter." There's a trumpet that's going to sound. There's a trumpet that's going to sound. Now, I don't know about you, but if you're laying in your bed all by yourself and you made that thing your ringtone or something. I just gave some of you kids a really, really good idea. I'll text you the sound bite later on. This trumpet is used over and over and over again. Says this trumpet's going to sound. It's going to it's going to be played. And it became a thing where this trumpet he says you're you're going to hear this trumpet. I'm going to call you. Well, you're going to hear this trumpet and it it ought to stir you. It ought to be it ought to be something that excites you. It ought not be something that scares you half today. It ought to be something that is kind of brings some rejoicing with that. It says, "Oh, this is a day I've been waiting on. This is not the day I'm fearful of. This is what I've been listening for. This is what I've been longing for. This is why I come to church on Sunday morning. Why I come to church on Sunday night. Why I come to Bible study on Wednesday night. Why I come to prayer on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and that's why I'm doing what I'm doing. Why? Because there's a trumpet going to sound. Come on. If you're looking for that trumpet to sound, would you just praise him for a moment? Would you just praise him for a moment? Oh, I want to see him. I want to look upon his face. Oh, hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. >> Somebody shout hallelujah. >> Hallelujah. You see these trumpets? It's no coincidence why God says, "I'm I'm going to sound a trumpet." >> There's a couple of trumpets in the Bible. One's a ram's horn and one's a trumpet of silver. >> The ram's horn was used for sacrifice in the year of Jubilee. The walls of Jericho. They sounded a trumpet. That was a ram's horn. It represented deliverance. But the silver trumpet was used for atonement. It was used to call Israel to be a witness. The silver trumpet was used as a call for ministry. Anything that had to do with ministry, they're going to sound the silver trumpet. And it had a little bit of a different sound to it. All through the Bible, the trumpet was a call to ministry and sacrifice. >> The sound of deliverance was ultimately that reminder that one day >> he's not just going to deliver us from this day of atonement. One day it's not just going to be delivering us from these sins. And it's not just going to be a call to ministry. It's going to be a call home. There'll be no more hurt. There'll be no more heartache. There'll be And so he he all throughout the Bible, he uses these trumpets >> so that you'll be ready for the final trumpet. >> But I've got to yield to the current trumpet >> if I want to have my ear tuned to the final trumpet. He used the trumpet to the call of assembly. Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together. The trumpet sounds on Sunday morning. The trumpet sounds on Sunday night. The trumpet sounds on Wednesday night. And if I'm going to hear that trumpet and hear well done, I got to be here when the trumpet sounds the call for me to come into the house of the Lord into the brought They use the trumpet to sound the alarm. >> You need that man of God in your life to be able to sound the alarm. >> He that hath an ear, let him hear, sound the trumpet. >> Paul says, "If any trumpet give an uncertain sound, >> who shall prepare himself for battle?" Some people are not ready to fight because they incline their ear to something other than the word of God, the man of God, the house of God. And therefore, when the trumpet sounds, they're not going to know what's going on. >> Reminded of John's gospel where Jesus is talking. He said that that the word of God just spoke and some of you didn't hear nothing but thunder. The reason people going to be walking around not knowing what's going on shocked because their ears not inclined to that trumpet. >> Well, that trumpet's been calling me for years. That trumpet's been sounding for years. We've been praising him. We've been worshiping him. And so, we're talking about this everlasting kingdom. Moth and rust can't destroy. Thieves can't break in and steal. It stands on the truth and nothing else. a reminder to put your life in the right place, to invest your time, your talent, your treasure in the right place, be in covenant, all of the things, the principles of the Old Testament. You didn't get to any of those feasts. You didn't get to any of those principles. You didn't get through the book of Deuteronomy. You didn't get through any of those principles and promises without there being a sound of a trumpet. >> It's a feast day. It's time to go sacrifice. It's a feast day. It's time to go before the priest. It's a feast day called Pentecost. It's time to go celebrate. It's a feast day. It's time to go be with God's people and do so. The trumpet was a way of life to them. It was something that when it sounded off, I got to go be with God. I got to go be with God's people. Why? Because there's a mission that I can't forget. And I want to keep it in the front of their minds that this is not my home. I'm just passing through. So I ask you this in the 21st century, what are you doing personally and what are you doing for your family that is reminding you of the rapture? >> Let's get right down to where you're at tonight. You get 52 Sundays a year. >> 52. >> That's it. >> I understand we have we have Sabbaths on vacations and all those things. 52. Do you think 52 services or Sundays Sunday morning, Sunday night devoted to God is enough to get you and your family to heaven? >> It's a good church. You you hear wonderful pastor preaching the word of God, but that's a lot of days to not have a reminder. So why have we turned ourselves to prayer? An opportunity to pray not just Sunday, >> not just Wednesday. Why? I need a reminder. >> This is not my home. >> Things aren't going well at work. This is not my home. Things are not turning out the way I thought they would. This is not my home. I don't feel the way I really think I should be feeling about my college education or this class or I didn't make the team or I did this didn't have my batting average little. No, this is not my home. >> I need a reminder that there is way more to this life than where I'm at. So, I'm just simply here to remind you tonight to be ready. There's a wedding day coming and I'm here to remind the church, the bride's got to be ready. I can feel a little bit anytime we discuss this topic, it it stirs up people. And I know there's some of you like, you're just playing on my emotions. And if you're not careful, you'll fall into the deception of our culture >> because it's supposed to be a comforting word. >> But I guess it's comforting based upon your condition >> because fear is something that is necessary. >> That's right. I >> I'll I I'll I'll gradually work my way through this in closing. But fear is something that's necessary. >> That's right. >> Luke 17 says, "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the son of man. They did eat and they drank. They forgot. Married wives. They were given to marriage until the day of Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all. They forgot. The idea is not there that it hadn't rained and all the things. He says it's going to be like that when the coming of the Lord happens. >> So by faith being warned of God of things seen as yet, moved with fear, >> Noah prepares an ark for the saving of his house. >> Never seen it rain, >> just like you and I have never seen a rapture. >> He builds a boat for the saving of his family. moved with >> fear. Now, Noah found grace in the eyes of God. >> But grace ain't why he built that boat. >> He built that boat because of fear. >> There's some Sundays you need to come to church >> and get in the boat >> just because of fear. >> You don't feel like it. >> You don't feel his grace. You don't feel his mercy. You don't feel the butterflies. You ain't excited about it. You'd rather stay in the bed. You'd rather watch the football game. Whatever the case may be, >> but guess what? Fear. >> I know it's not popular. You don't have to tell me that. >> Fear. Moved with fear. >> Fear is a necessary thing. Jude said, "And some have compassion making a difference, and others save with >> fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted of the flesh." Matthew 10:28, the words of Jesus Christ, these are written in red. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear him. >> Which is able to destroy both the soul and the body in hell. >> Fear him. >> Fear him. And I I I get it. You know, fear is a reverence. Fear is a is authority. And fear is a being and all of Yeah. But there's also this part of if I don't live by this book, he's the one going to say, "Depart from me. I never knew you. There's nothing wrong with having fear of burning forever in a lake of fire. I know. I know. I know. I can feel it. >> The fear of the Lord is the beginning. >> The wise man Solomon says, of wisdom. Perhaps we wouldn't have so so much foolishness in our world today if we didn't have so much fearlessness. The reason we got people acting like fools is we got people that have lost respect and they've lost their awe. They've lost their fear of all that is holy, all that is. Why they acting like that? They have no fear of God. >> Why they sitting like that in the back of the prayer room? They have no fear of God. Why they dressed like that? They have no fear of God. why they post the things they post on. They have no fear of God. It is the answer to all things. I don't have time tonight, but let me explain something to you. You want to go look at two things that mirror one another. You go look at the distinction and characteristics of the last day people of that are against the church. And you go look at the descriptions at Proverbs and all the the the the the wording how it is written of people that do not have a fear of God. And you can match them. They mirror one another. >> You don't fear God, you're living in hell on earth. >> Fear, a lack of fear. Those who do not fear God become familiar with his spirit, his word, and his church. They lose proper perspective of God. They behave irreverently around the things of God and his house. They lose the lifestyle distinctives. They should that should mark a child of God. They lose respect for the man of God and the saints of God. They in eventually fall in love with ungodly behavior because the fence of fear is gone. >> That's the generation we're living in. That's the generation I'm asking some young folks tonight. Are you ready? Are you in this world >> but not of this world? >> I'm asking, are you ready? It's a reflection of the last days. 2 Corinthians 7:1. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness and flesh and the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Why do you do what you do? I fear God. Why do you dress like you dress? I fear God. No, I know you don't understand it. I know you don't want to dress that way. I know you'll compromise some things. I know you'll water it down. Why? You ain't got no fear of God. >> Hear me tonight. I preach what I preach because I'm going to have to stand before God and give account for what I say. >> That's right. >> Are you with me tonight? >> Daddy, be careful what you say around that dinner table. Says, "Oh, we don't have to do that. Oh, we don't have to do that. Oh, I don't know so much about what's pastor with." Now, I love this part, but that part I You better be careful. When it comes to the house of God, when it comes to the word of God, when it comes to the man of God, >> fear, >> fear, >> I know it ain't popular. >> Some of you that hang out with me, they think, "My God, that boy's hard on them boys. >> Hard on them boys." No, no, no, no. >> I know. It's again, I have to walk down here with you. Come on, >> you can be seated. A lot of people ask me, "How did you get to where you're at today?" I had a dad I was scared to death of. Still scared to death of it. It works. >> My dad loves me. My dad's given me anything he could ever give me. He's guided me and led me, but he disciplined me. Yes, sir. No, sir. Yes, ma'am. No, ma'am. I'm talking 16, 17, 18, 19. It don't matter. >> You talking to an adult? Yes, sir. >> I still get told in places of business, you don't have to say yes, ma'am. To me. I'm like, if my dad's here, I do. discipline. >> There's a healthy fear, >> reverence. Oh, young people, don't you fall prey >> to this culture that says you can dishonor and disrespect somebody in authority over you. You are losing a fear that is going to cause you to be a fool. You will be a fool as an adult if you don't have a fear as a young person. Hear me tonight. I preaching under the uncction of the Holy Ghost. We got to bring back some of that special fear and reverence and awe for our elders. You say, "Well, I thought you talking about fearing God." Yeah, that's where we get caught up cuz we think we can treat our elders like trash and then we got this special reverence and awe of God. No, sire. He says, "How can you say you love God and you don't love your brothers? Therefore, what's that tell me?" The logic of God says if I can't treat him right, I can't treat him right. >> I can't run you in the ground and disrespect my elders and think I've got this fear of God. No, Siri, it's going to transcend into your relationship with God. If you're disrespecting your teacher, I don't believe you're praying. If you're disrespecting your parents, I don't believe you're listening to your pastor. Why? Because that's the way it works. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. Whatever a man sws, that shall he also. >> Are you ready? >> If you're ready, you're going to have to have a fear of God. >> The law was dedicated, which is the tabernacle of Moses. I don't have time to go into this. It was dedicated during Passover. The early church was dedicated during Pentecost. But the end time church is represented of the temple of Solomon, the Old Testament. It's dedicated during tabernacles. The end time church will experience God's glory like never before. I'll read these two passages of scripture, but I simply want to encourage you tonight. Are you ready to be a part of the greatest hour of the church? It came even to pass as the trumpeteers and singers were as one to make one sound to be heard praising and thanking the Lord. Thank God for the choir. And when they lift up their voice with the trumpets and the symbols and the instruments of music and the praise, the Lord sang, for he is good and his mercy endureth forever. Then the house was filled with a cloud. Oh, even the house of the Lord. So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud for the glory of the Lord had filled the house. What's he talking about? He's talking about the last days church. He's talking about the church that you and I are going to be a part of. You say it's wicked. It's vile. I don't like what's happening in our nation. Lord, heal our nation. No. This is the end time church. Bring them in. Let them come into the house where the glory is. Let him come into the house with a cloud so thick that we just stand in awe of who he is. That's the part of the church you're about to be a part of. Are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready? >> Hagi 2 and six. You can remain standing for thus sayith the Lord of hosts. Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth, and the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all the nations shall come, and I will fill the house with glory, sayeth the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, the gold is mine, sayeth the Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house, the glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former, sayeth the Lord of hosts. I'm here to speak over this church tonight that I know the world's dark. I know you're trying to decipher things in your mind that's going on even within your personal life and how you're raising your kids and how you're navigating this and navigating that and it beca it's becoming more difficult than ever before. But I'm here to proclaim over this house tonight that the glory of the latter house shall be greater than the former, saeth the Lord of hosts. And this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts. >> Are you ready? >> Are you ready tonight? Before we open these altars, you say, "Brother Hammond, I feel like I'm ready. I've been baptized in Jesus name. I repented of my sins, been baptized in Jesus' name. I've got the evidence of the Holy Ghost by speaking in another tongue. I've obeyed the plan of salvation. I'm trying to live for God the best I can, but I just want to be ready. Can I give you some application tonight? Could I answer the question? You say, "How do I stay ready?" So, I've asked you about 700 too many times. Whatever it is tonight, are you ready? Let me read this passage. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. But of that day, and that hour knoweth no man, know not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son of Man, but the Father. Take ye heed >> watch >> and pray. >> Watch >> and pray. Say it with me. Say, "Watch, >> watch >> and pray." >> And pray. >> Watch >> and pray. >> You know not when the time is. So watch >> and pray. For the son of man is a man taken a far journey who left his house gave authority to his servants to every man his work and commanded for the porter to watch. So watch ye therefore for you know not when the master of the house cometh at even or at midnight or the crowing or in the morning less coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all. Watch. I've come to tell you tonight, church, get your eyes back in the clouds. Get your head back up. Get your eyes back on where they're supposed to be. Get your eyes on the prize. The prize is heaven and the path is prayer. In perilous times, we've got to pray. Prayer. Keep our eyes where they're supposed to be. I told the students Friday morning, I don't know if you ever been there, you might have to, some of you seasoned saint of God might have to go down memory lane. I remember as a kid and I'm reliving some of these moments now. I tell Beckham, "Hey, go put your clothes up. Straighten your room up. Give him a little laundry list of whatever he needs to do before he can do something else. Just sharp leave 15, 20 minutes, come back. Still sitting there playing and I can hear I can hear the TV, Brother Riley. I can hear that there's stuff happening on the TV. the video games that somebody's controlling it, you know. But as I begin to creek through the hallway, I hear a stirring. Things start getting thrown, moved around because he's frantically trying to get done what I asked him to do. And I know that's a very elementary, very elementary example, but whatever you got to do that God's asked you to do, I'm begging you to do it. For today is the day of salvation. Don't put it off to tomorrow. In the world we're living in, there may not be a tomorrow. There's not going to be any creaking steps or rattling door handles. It will be sudden. And I want to be comforted in knowing I got my house in order. I got my family in order. I'm familiar with that trumpet. I've heard it sound week in and week out. Week in and week out. So, what are you saying? I I just want you tonight, I'm begging you. If you would, would you get your family? If you don't have your family here, if it's just you, maybe get a friend, but could we gather around this altar and could we just make sure that the things which are holy remain holy. The things which are important remain important. The things which are sacred remain sacred. For the fear of the Lord is the beginning. We ought to just stand in awe of him tonight. We ought to just stand with our eyes lifted. Come on. If there's some of you in this place tonight that know you're not ready, please get ready tonight. Find you an altar of repentance. We have water that we can baptize you tonight. But whatever you got to do, I want you to be able to answer the question, "Yes, I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready." Watch ye therefore and pray. Watch ye therefore and pray. No man knows him. Come on, daddy. Grab your kids. The best thing they can hear is not another song. It's to hear you pray. The best thing that your kids can hear, mama, is to hear you pray. The best thing your spouse can hear tonight is to hear you pray. Oh God. Oh church, get ready. Church, get ready. Church, get ready. This is the greatest hour of the church. It's the greatest hour of the church. It's the greatest hour of the Come on, let's pray. Come on, let's pray. We don't need any music right now. Let's just pray. Let's just pray. Singers, musicians, grab the hold of somebody. Let's pray. Come on, link up with somebody. Nobody's praying by themselves right now. Nobody's praying by themselves right now. Get the church ready without spot, without blemish, without wrinkle. Come on. Pray. Pray. Watch and pray. Watch and pray. Here you want. my friends God at the lies that they lived. Holy Ghost. I ask you. >> Come on, Daddy. I'm asking you, Mom. I'm asking you to push in prayer tonight. The glory of the Lord. Let it fill the house. Oh, let it fill the house tonight. >> Come on, lift up your voice. >> Lift up your voice. Lift up your voice. God, we need you. I'll tell I can see you. Come on, young folks. That's a That's a cry. Come on. That's a cry. That's a cry to the Lord right now. >> Come on. Let your heart burn for him. Come on. Cry out to him right now, young people. Come on, lift up your voice. Let the tears blow. God, I want to be ready. God, wash me, God. Cleanse me, God. Lord, purge me, oh God. Come on. That's it. Come on. That's it. I encourage families to pray with families. Oh, we got to get the mission right. Families pray with families. Young people pray with young people. Come on. Ask God to help us. Help us, oh God. Above all else, we got to be saved. >> Oh, I got to be saved, oh God. Come on. That's it. You know better than than anybody in this room. You know if there's somebody in your family that's struggling, go pray with them. It's just heaven or hell. Go pray with them. Come on, have be bold about it. Go pray with them. God, touch them tonight. God, touch them tonight. God, touch us all tonight. God, we want to pull them out of hell tonight. Come on, mama. Intercede for that prodal that's not here. Come on, daddy. Intercede for that prodal that's not here tonight. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh, come on. Come on. Come on. Nobody looking around for just another moment. The Lord's stirring. God's moving. God's touching people. Come on. Nobody looking around. Grab a hold of somebody by the hand and lift it up to heaven. God, I want to be ready. God, I want to see the great and mighty things you're going to do. Oh, God. I want to be a part of change in my world. God, I want to be a part of change in my city. God, I want to lead my family, God. >> Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. She is awesome. Hallelujah. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. We got one getting ready to be baptized. Is there anybody else under in the sound of my voice that wants to be baptized? We have everything you need tonight. Would you do this with me with one more time? Would you lift your hands to heaven high as you can? And would you lift your voice? Oh, and the name, the presence of God is so strong in this place right now. Oh Jesus we love you. Jesus we love you. Oh, we love you, Jesus. We love you, Jesus. Would you stretch your hand up to the baptismal pool tonight in Jesus name? Lord, we pray over this man, God, who's made a decision, Lord, Lord, to prepare himself, oh God, for what you are preparing for him, oh God. Lord, I pray in the name of Jesus that you would touch his life that as he goes down an old man, he'll come up a new man in Christ Jesus. Old things are passed away and all things are made new. Lord, we've come to celebrate this tonight as what was lost is found, Lord. Lord, this is why we're a part of the church, oh God. Lord touch him in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. >> Jesus name. >> Oh God. Oh God. >> Paul McDow upon the profession of your faith and in obedience to the word of God. I now baptize you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. And the Bible says that you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost in Jesus name. in Jesus name. Yes. Yes. Yes. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Yes, God. Yes, God. Yes, God. Yes, God. Yes, God. Yes, God. Oh, hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. >> Jesus, we thank you. Jesus, we thank you, >> Jesus. We thank you. Jesus, we thank you, Lord. We thank you, Lord. We thank you, Lord. We thank you. Oh, we bless you, Jesus. We bless you, Jesus. We bless you, Jesus. We bless you, Jesus. Oh, sweet God. Oh, yes, God. Yes, God. Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. >> Come on and clap your hands for one soul in the name of Jesus. We thank you, Lord. Got one more. You got one more to be baptized. I received a text this week from my friend uh Pastor Tuttle in Viter, Texas. In the midst of all the things that were happening in the middle of the week, he sends me a random text and just says just simply says this. I'm going to read it to you tonight. Says, "The only battle we have to win is prayer. Keep praying. It's all it said. The only battle >> we have to win is prayer. I know it can be overwhelming at times, mom and dad. I know it can be overwhelming at times. No matter what's it it can it can be it seem like this big. Just just keep praying. Watch and pray. There's no coincidence that we have transitioned into this season of prayer when we have. We've been discussing the thoughts and the ideas of this and pastor felt prompted to step into it when he did for a reason because the solution to everything that's going on in our personal lives in our world is prayer. Amen. Is prayer. Amen. Let's reach our hands up here to the Roach family. Lord, we thank you, Lord, for this young lady who's come to be baptized tonight. Lord, I thank you for her heart that's turned towards you. Lord, I pray that you would minister to her right now, Lord, as you know that she understands, God, that everything she's ever done, Lord, is about to be buried in the name of Jesus. Lord, I pray that you would touch her, feel her, lead her, guide her as this, this is the beginning of a life, Lord, dedicated to you. Lord, we ask you to touch her tonight in Jesus name. Jesus name. Jesus name. Paisley Roach, upon the profession of your faith and in obedience to the word of God, I now baptize you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. And thank God you have already received the gift of the Holy Ghost in Jesus name. In Jesus name. Come on. That's it church. Let's rejoice. Let's rejoice. Oh hallelujah. Would you close your eyes and tilt your head back and just lift up a shout of praise? Come on. If you believe the word of the Lord, would you lift up a shout of praise? Oh, hallelujah. Hallelujah.