1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,000 I keep praying and you keep proving. 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:12,000 Don't you have all you need? 3 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:15,000 Hey, sing that again. 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:22,000 Finding, you keep giving and keep on providing. 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,000 I have all I need. 6 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:29,000 You are all I need. 7 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:33,000 I keep praying and you're moving. 8 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,000 You keep proving. 9 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:39,000 I have all I need. 10 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:44,000 You are all that I need. 11 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:47,000 I have all I need. 12 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:52,000 He's all that I need. 13 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,000 That's pretty good right there. 14 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:58,000 There's honey in the rock. 15 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:06,000 I don't need to worry. 16 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,000 Sing that again. 17 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,000 Sing that one again. 18 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,000 In the rock, purpose in your plan. 19 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,000 Healing in the blood. 20 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:23,000 Healing in his hand. 21 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:28,000 He's seen up the honey in the rock. 22 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:34,000 Well, glory. 23 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,000 Give him the best praise you brought with you today. 24 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:42,000 Somebody ought to be screaming out loud to the top of your voice. 25 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:44,000 I great hallelujah. 26 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,000 Hallelujah. 27 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:53,000 There's honey in the rock, purpose in the plan. 28 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,000 Healing in his hand. 29 00:01:55,000 --> 00:02:00,000 I'm talking to Jesus. 30 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,000 Well, glory. 31 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,000 Go ahead and grab your Bible. 32 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:11,000 I've given you plenty ample opportunity to enter in through your praise. 33 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:15,000 Now I'm going to try to preach you in. 34 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,000 I'm hoping you go just a little further in the Word and you went and you praised 35 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:24,000 because you've kindly quenched on him this morning. 36 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:25,000 What's that mean? 37 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:29,000 That means you didn't do what you ought to do. 38 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:30,000 There's power in his blood. 39 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:31,000 Healing in his hand. 40 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:32,000 There's proven. 41 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:33,000 There's keeping. 42 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:34,000 There's providing. 43 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,000 He's done all that for you. 44 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,000 There's honey in the rock. 45 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:39,000 Right? 46 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:40,000 What rock? 47 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:45,000 The rock of ages that cleft my soul. 48 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:48,000 Turn with me to Romans chapter 12. 49 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,000 Romans 12. 50 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,000 My, my, my. 51 00:02:53,000 --> 00:03:01,000 We've sort of just almost went on in this morning. 52 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:05,000 Hallelujah. 53 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:10,000 Good to see some of you that's been out and sick and had some, a lot of stuff 54 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:11,000 going on. 55 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,000 Good to see you back in the house. 56 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,000 Good to see you. 57 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:18,000 Amen. 58 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:19,000 Good to see you. 59 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,000 This stuff, sometimes it gets a hold. 60 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,000 It just don't want to let go. 61 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,000 Then if there's multiple members in the house, seems like it's got to go through 62 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:34,000 everybody in back before kind of get rid of it. 63 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:38,000 Romans chapter 12. 64 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,000 Verse one, you know it. 65 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,000 When you hear it, you'll know it. 66 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:47,000 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your 67 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:54,000 bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable 68 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:55,000 service. 69 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:56,000 It's not unreasonable. 70 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:00,000 It's not way out there that you do these things. 71 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,000 Right? 72 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:10,000 And be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your 73 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:11,000 mind. 74 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,000 You got to get your head in the game. 75 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:14,000 Hello? 76 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,000 Matter of fact, what you and I are in is not a game. 77 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,000 It's a warfare, matter of fact. 78 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:22,000 You've got to get your head in the warfare. 79 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:26,000 Amen. 80 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:32,000 Renewing your mind that it may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect 81 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,000 will of God. 82 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:39,000 For I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to 83 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:45,000 think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, 84 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:53,000 clear minded, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 85 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:58,000 Now, this is going to be at times this morning, this may be a little bit of a 86 00:04:58,000 --> 00:04:59,000 bumpy road. 87 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,000 Might be a little bumpy. 88 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:05,000 Now, I'll tell you what we're pretty, here's our title. 89 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,000 Go ahead and throw that up, Brother Hunter. 90 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:11,000 Advancing Beyond the Limits of Complacency. 91 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:13,000 Oh, yeah. 92 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:15,000 Ooh. 93 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,000 Mm. 94 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:21,000 Prime example of the limit that we placed on our worship this morning. 95 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,000 I wish Brother Scott was here. 96 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:29,000 He does one of those t-t-ting, you know, when I hit one of them little humorous 97 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:33,000 sarcastic notes, t-t-boom. 98 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:38,000 That's what that was. 99 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:43,000 Advancing Beyond the Limits of Complacency. 100 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,000 Father, I love you and I thank you. 101 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,000 I pray your help today. 102 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,000 I know you're here. 103 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:57,000 What a wonderful visitation of your anointing that's in this room already 104 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,000 today. 105 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:05,000 Lord, we ask that for every heart and every mind and every ear that is 106 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:11,000 acceptable today to receive, I pray we receive from you. 107 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:16,000 And that you stir our heart and you stir our minds. 108 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:22,000 And that we move forward in our faith in you. 109 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:26,000 Move our church forward in our faith in you. 110 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:34,000 Corporately, together, we as the body and we as a whole move us, Lord, that we 111 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:37,000 may advance and be quick to give you the praise for it. 112 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:42,000 In Christ's name and the church said, ask your neighbor, are you complacent? 113 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:54,000 Every now and then, as a pastor, I kind of get pastoral. 114 00:06:54,000 --> 00:07:01,000 Normally, about 85% of the time, I'm what probably is described as an 115 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,000 evangelistic pastor. 116 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:08,000 Then there's that 15% that's scattered out through 52 weeks of the year where 117 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,000 we get right down to business. 118 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,000 I think the apostle Paul was a lot like that. 119 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:18,000 He was an evangelist, but when he got down to business, he'd write them and 120 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,000 say, look, don't make me come down there. 121 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:25,000 He would say things like, you better be glad I'm sending a letter not there in 122 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:29,000 person, you know, because I line you up, Father. 123 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,000 That's pastoral. 124 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,000 We have to be instructive. 125 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,000 Amen? 126 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:44,000 The idea with what we're looking to in this year's theme, advancing beyond 127 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:52,000 limits, is totally meant, solely meant to cause us to progress forward in our 128 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,000 faith in 2025. 129 00:07:55,000 --> 00:08:03,000 That we be more in love with Jesus and more reflective of him at the end of the 130 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,000 year than we are right now. 131 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:10,000 Today, the first Sunday of the third month of 2025, I don't know about you, 132 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,000 but it's causing my head to spin. 133 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,000 We are already in March. 134 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,000 It was just January the other day, right? 135 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:18,000 Here we are. 136 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,000 It's March. 137 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:24,000 The reality of what we're looking at and what we've been discussing and what the 138 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:30,000 Spirit of the Lord is bringing to the forefront of our mind, the reality of 139 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,000 putting behind labels, I'm not who I used to be. 140 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,000 You're not who you were. 141 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,000 You're not who God called you from. 142 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,000 We are new creatures in Christ. 143 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,000 Amen? 144 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:46,000 And to take those labels off and not allow the world to label us and to pin 145 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:50,000 something on us that we are not, but you are who God has called you to be. 146 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,000 You need to tell yourself that every morning. 147 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,000 I am victorious in Christ. 148 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:55,000 I am the victor. 149 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:56,000 Why? 150 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,000 Because greater is he that's in me than he that's in this world. 151 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:02,000 Take a deep breath, brush your teeth, and ease out the door and have a great 152 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:03,000 day in Christ. 153 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:04,000 Amen? 154 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:06,000 Because that's who you are. 155 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:10,000 That's who we are now, recreated in the image of Christ. 156 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:15,000 So we're putting off the labels and putting those things behind us and 157 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:21,000 endeavoring to understand how God desires growth in our relationships, in 158 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:27,000 our marriages, how God is endeavoring to grow us and to advance beyond the 159 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:31,000 limits of wherever we are and what parameters we've put around that we can 160 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:36,000 actually in our relationships grow closer to each other as we grow closer to 161 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:37,000 Christ. 162 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:38,000 Amen? 163 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:42,000 And that our marriages are reflective as Christ who loved the church and 164 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:43,000 gave himself for it. 165 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:44,000 Amen? 166 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,000 That we love each other in that regard. 167 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:52,000 As well as the crushing before the pressing positions us for progress in our 168 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:53,000 faith. 169 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,000 I have to trust God more off the press. 170 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:57,000 Amen? 171 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,000 I have to trust God more every time. 172 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:05,000 I feel as though I've been crushed by the world and by things and crisis and 173 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:09,000 situations and issues of life that may come and the enemy that may come 174 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:10,000 against me. 175 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,000 I feel as though the very life breath is being crushed out of me. 176 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:19,000 But when I come to myself, amen, I have a greater and a deeper trust in God 177 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,000 because he sustained me through the crushing. 178 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:26,000 And I know that he's going to sustain me through the pressing and that by 179 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:31,000 being pressed relationships can grow in depth and we progress in our faith 180 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:32,000 daily. 181 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,000 It's all about progressing in our faith. 182 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:40,000 And when we think about it, faith suggests a reach that is above ourselves. 183 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:45,000 It is man in his limited state reaching out, reaching up, and reaching 184 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:46,000 beyond. 185 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:47,000 Amen. 186 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:48,000 That's what faith is. 187 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,000 We'd hear the writer record it now. 188 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:55,000 Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not 189 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,000 seen. 190 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,000 It's you and I in our limited physical state. 191 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:04,000 But yet faith takes us beyond the limits of our flesh and enters us into 192 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:05,000 the realm of the spirit. 193 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:06,000 Hallelujah. 194 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:11,000 Whereby we can believe and trust God for the things that we are unable to 195 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:16,000 accomplish in our flesh knowing that he is able to do exceeding abundantly 196 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,000 above all that we ask or that we think. 197 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:21,000 It's mankind. 198 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,000 It's humanity reaching toward heaven. 199 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,000 Beyond his reach. 200 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:29,000 It's you and I seeing into the word and the promises of God by faith knowing 201 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:34,000 that God is able and we see above all that we can see. 202 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:39,000 It's knowing that by his grace that equips us and enables us day by day. 203 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:44,000 It's by the inward working of the power of the Holy Ghost that causes me to go 204 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:50,000 beyond the limits of my distrust in society but put my trust in God and to 205 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:55,000 know that God is my Savior and to know that there is honey in the rock and to 206 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:59,000 know that there's purpose in his plan and to know that there's power in his 207 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,000 blood and that there's healing in his hand. 208 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:06,000 It's by faith that I accept these things that see beyond my seeing and 209 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:11,000 understanding for what I see is temporal and that which I cannot see is in God 210 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:16,000 and God alone that he is able to sustain, that he is able to equip, that he is 211 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,000 able to cause you and I to overcome. 212 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,000 It's a progression forward. 213 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:35,000 Well, hallelujah. 214 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:47,000 A danger that exists to the Christian and to this process and this progression 215 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:53,000 in our faith is the danger of complacency. 216 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:55,000 Complacency. 217 00:12:55,000 --> 00:13:00,000 A feeling of quiet pleasure or security. 218 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:11,000 Often while unaware of some potential danger, satisfied and feeling you do not 219 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:16,000 need to try harder. 220 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:24,000 The danger for complacency to creep into a church body causes that church body to 221 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:32,000 become lethargic in praise, in worship, in prayer, and the spiritual disciplines 222 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:38,000 that cause a church to be endued with power from on high. 223 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:44,000 The danger of complacency is that we grow comfortable with the status quo. 224 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:51,000 The danger with complacency means we abort the plan of God for our lives because 225 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:55,000 God never called you and I to be comfortable. 226 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:56,000 Hallelujah. 227 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:59,000 Comfort's coming when we reach heaven. 228 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:05,000 We are called as good soldiers engaged in warfare against all that is set against 229 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:06,000 us. 230 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:10,000 The heater, the air one just kicked on. 231 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:18,000 We are engaged fully in spiritual warfare and become totally aware of everything 232 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:24,000 that the enemy is attempting to do around us and that we are engaged in opposition 233 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:29,000 and resistance to what the enemy is doing against us. 234 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:34,000 And if we have grown complacent, if we've grown satisfied, if we are unaware of the 235 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:39,000 dangers and the ills that are around us, then we do not engage in the warfare that 236 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:45,000 the Christian must engage in in order to obtain the victory in their life and in 237 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:48,000 the church in which they are attending in that body. 238 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:54,000 Can I tell you today, I am codependent upon your prayer, not fully dependent, but 239 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:59,000 I'm codependent upon your prayers for me as you are codependent upon my prayers for 240 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,000 you and that we pray one for another. 241 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:07,000 There is a new institution of prayer that God is stirring up at the Hope Wheel 242 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:09,000 Church of God. 243 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:13,000 Just the other night, Thursday night, our retired ministers and widows gathered for 244 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:19,000 our monthly or bimonthly fellowship stirred by our leader, Brother Ron Wood, in a time 245 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:26,000 of prayer that we have a renewed emphasis on prayer, that we engage heaven one more 246 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:27,000 time. 247 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:32,000 He went through the group and assigned different prayers and each one had to come up 248 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:33,000 with a prayer. 249 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,000 They had to write out a prayer. 250 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:40,000 And for you and I, what we're going to do from this Sunday until Easter, each Sunday 251 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:44,000 we're going to close out with one of those persons reading their prayer and a copy of 252 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:47,000 it's going to be made out and laid out for you in the four-year. 253 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:50,000 I want you to pick one up if you're going to pray it. 254 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:55,000 By the way, prayer, I just done a little quick little Google search today on the old 255 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:59,000 Interweb and it said the average Christian prays five minutes a day. 256 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:03,000 Well, I'm about to improve your prayer time by half. 257 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:09,000 It'll take you two and a half minutes to read the prayer that Brother Strickland led to 258 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,000 us over our country and this nation. 259 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:17,000 Just by the events of this past week, if you're not mindful, get your head out of the sand 260 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:23,000 and to know that our country needs prayer, that our leaders need prayer, and we must 261 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:25,000 engage in prayer. 262 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:29,000 So there is a renewed emphasis on prayer. 263 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:34,000 I warned you about this a few weeks ago that we're coming down to the point that we are 264 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:39,000 about to engage the enemy so that we may break the limits and the threshold into the 265 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:43,000 goodness of what God has for the Hopewell Church of God. 266 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:48,000 And I'm here to tell you today that we are going to have to enter in by prayer. 267 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:53,000 Some things goeth but not but by prayer and fasting. 268 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,000 We're going to have to push our plates away. 269 00:16:55,000 --> 00:17:00,000 We're going to have to bow our knees and lift our eyes toward the hills from which 270 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:04,000 cometh our help because our help comes from the Lord. 271 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:08,000 I know that there are legions of darkness set against some of you. 272 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:14,000 And my God, it's time that we are the instruments of light, engage in prayer. 273 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:29,000 We bend our knees and we make war against the enemy. 274 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:39,000 We must open our eyes and hearts so that we recognize the danger and avoid the pitfall 275 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,000 of complacency. 276 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:48,000 Brother Jimmy Talley in one of the chapters in the book that the overseer had them write 277 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:54,000 concerning the vision for the state makes this statement. 278 00:17:54,000 --> 00:18:03,000 Advancing effectively requires us to confront and transcend the obstacles of apathy, 279 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:08,000 complacency, and ritualized religion. 280 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:09,000 What does all that mean? 281 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,000 That means you've got to stir your heart. 282 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:17,000 Apathy is where there's a lack of care, a lack of love, and a lack of concern. 283 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:24,000 Well, my apathy's being stirred to the depths of my soul because passion is beginning to rise. 284 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:26,000 Compassion is beginning to stir. 285 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:33,000 And my love for lost humanity, those bound and afflicted by the darkness of this world, 286 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:35,000 is causing me to rise up. 287 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:40,000 And my hackles are standing up on the back of my neck and I'm getting mad at the enemy 288 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:41,000 every other week. 289 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,000 You've got sickness over you. 290 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:45,000 You've got this over you. 291 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,000 You've got that coming against you. 292 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:52,000 And as your shepherd, I just want to take my staff and beat the wolves away for you. 293 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:58,000 So there's a stirring in my soul over the congregation that's been given under my care 294 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:02,000 that my apathy is stirred to passion and prayer. 295 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:07,000 And let me tell you something, when I get to praying, mountains begin to shake and things 296 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:11,000 begin to move because God hears the prayer of the righteous. 297 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:12,000 Hallelujah. 298 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:17,000 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 299 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:21,000 Elijah prayed and it didn't rain for three and a half years. 300 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:24,000 Then he prayed and the cloud come. 301 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:30,000 And the cloud, I'm looking for the cloud to come and an outpouring to show up. 302 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:33,000 Get ready. 303 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:49,000 There's not going to be much room for the status quo. 304 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:55,000 There's going to start to be an uncomfortable feeling. 305 00:19:55,000 --> 00:20:12,000 Because the more intense his presence become, the more uncomfortable the lukewarm will be. 306 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:23,000 So I would probably use today as a solemn warning to stir yourself. 307 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:26,000 To shake yourself. 308 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:31,000 I take this as a solemn warning as if you don't know Christ and the free pardon of your sin 309 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:39,000 and you've repented, I suggest that you start getting ready to do so because you're on my hit list. 310 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:44,000 Honey, I'm going to pray that you get so uncomfortable that you can't stay in here. 311 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:49,000 You can't hear this preaching if you're just going to be complacent and you're just going to sit through 312 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:54,000 this status quo moment if you're just going to be content to hear good preaching. 313 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:57,000 Hope it's good. Whoever's doing it, I hope it's good. 314 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:03,000 Good preaching and good worship and good singing and leave here unmoved, unchallenged and unstirred. 315 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:05,000 Not on my watch anymore. 316 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:18,000 I'm praying the Holy Ghost meets you in your home, convicts you of your sin, and calls you to bow your knee. 317 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:21,000 Pastor, I thought you said you love me. 318 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:28,000 I do and do not desire to see you burn for eternity in a devil's hell and torment where there is nothing 319 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:32,000 but gnashing of teeth and the worm dieth not. 320 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:39,000 I would rather see you stroll with me one afternoon down the streets of that river of life and take the fruit 321 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:44,000 on the tree of life, hallelujah, than to know that you burn in a devil's hell. 322 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:52,000 Stop your sin! 323 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:56,000 That goes for all age brackets. 324 00:21:56,000 --> 00:22:02,000 Hello? 325 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:08,000 Told you it's going to be a little rocky and a little bumpy this morning. 326 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:18,000 Our pothole number one. Maybe we can avoid the other six. 327 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:22,000 Apathy. 328 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:25,000 It's a disease in the church today. 329 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,000 Yeah. 330 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:30,000 It's spirit draining. 331 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:34,000 It drains the life force out of a church. 332 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,000 Apathy. 333 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,000 What's apathy look like? Well, boys all pretty today. 334 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:45,000 I think I'll just sleep in. 335 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:49,000 I just don't think I'll go today. 336 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:56,000 Well, I do have a little bit of a headache, but it's because I slept past my coffee time, and I know it's caffeine, 337 00:22:56,000 --> 00:23:02,000 but I think I just won't go today. 338 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:11,000 It's even worse when you plan it on Friday. 339 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:16,000 Yeah. Yeah, you done made up your mind Friday you ain't coming. 340 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,000 You don't know you lazy hides staying at the house. 341 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:26,000 Well, what are you going to do when the trumpet sounds and you piled up at the house at Bed Springs Church of God? 342 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:28,000 Huh? 343 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:32,000 Do you think the trumpet's going to reach you? 344 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:34,000 Huh? 345 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,000 At Couch Cushion Church of God? 346 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:40,000 You think you, I mean, come on. 347 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:45,000 Look, I know we get tired, but you're going to be tired on Monday, and you're going to get up and go do the same thing. 348 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:50,000 Why not at least come get some strength for Monday? 349 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:54,000 And then by Tuesday you're going to be like, oh, the devil just won't wear it left seated. 350 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:58,000 He just won't leave me alone. 351 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,000 They're this at work, and they're that at work, and yada, yada, yada. 352 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:07,000 If you'd have been in the house of the Lord Sunday, you would have heard your pastor tell you stir up your apathetic spirit in prayer and in fasting 353 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:15,000 and get in the Word of God so that you'd be able to confront, and you're not apathetic, but you have compassion. 354 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:24,000 You have decency, unconcern, satisfied with where I am. 355 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:25,000 What was that other one? 356 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:28,000 Religious one? 357 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:33,000 Ritualized religion. 358 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:42,000 You know, that's one of the reasons that we don't practice a lot of the rituals of the church. 359 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:51,000 I don't do that a lot, because I'm not going to give anybody an excuse over the ritual, 360 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:56,000 because what tends to happen is, well, here's the stuff, just going to put it like this. 361 00:24:56,000 --> 00:25:04,000 We ain't got enough of the spirit to keep it from becoming a ritual, 362 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:12,000 and I don't tell you something, that five minutes a day, I doubt if we get that, really. 363 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:18,000 I mean, that's giving us a break, I think. 364 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:24,000 That much prayer. 365 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:33,000 We'll get to where we set into the ritual, and the ritual takes the place of our passion. 366 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:43,000 Taking the wafer and the cup takes the place of the body and the blood. 367 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:48,000 And we lose the love for the body and his blood that was spilled for us, 368 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:55,000 because we drunk the cup and ate the wafer. 369 00:25:55,000 --> 00:26:02,000 So many other things that we get caught up with in our religion. 370 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:08,000 Religion's not all necessarily wrong or bad, it's just that it becomes the central focus. 371 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:16,000 James said, pure and undefiled religion is this, that you visit the fatherless and the widow. 372 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:21,000 There's nothing wrong with that. It's needed. 373 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:27,000 The fatherless and the widows need comfort. They need assistance. 374 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:35,000 But that's not solely where we are. We're in relationship. 375 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:40,000 And if we're not careful, complacency takes over, status quo sets in, 376 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:45,000 and we don't even move through quid pro quo anymore. 377 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:51,000 Where, Lord, I'll do this for you if you do this for me. 378 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:57,000 Bargaining in prayer never gets us anywhere. He's already quod the pro. 379 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:02,000 There's no quid to it. 380 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:05,000 He's already given bankrupt heaven for you and I. 381 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:09,000 Don't you think that deserves a little bit more than our complacency? 382 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,000 Don't you think that deserves a little bit more than our apathy? 383 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:18,000 Don't you think coming into the house of God knowing he sent his only begotten son 384 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:22,000 for your and my sorry and wretched sin drenched hides, 385 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:26,000 and he let him be nailed to a cross on Calvary's old hill, 386 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:31,000 pierced his side and hands and feet and brow, 387 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:38,000 for you and I to grow to a state of... 388 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:42,000 No, I don't really think so. 389 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:46,000 I don't. 390 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:50,000 He's already realigned the status. 391 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:56,000 All those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 392 00:27:56,000 --> 00:28:00,000 So how are we to avoid the pitfall? 393 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:02,000 All that was introduction. 394 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:06,000 How are we to avoid the pitfall of complacency, 395 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:10,000 let alone apathy, let alone ritualized religion? 396 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:14,000 Just going through the perfunctory motion, that's what that is. 397 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:17,000 And the routine that we set for our lives, 398 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:20,000 and we get up and we go through our Sunday routine. 399 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:23,000 Well, I'm here to interrupt the Sunday routine. 400 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:28,000 I'm here to throw it into the wind because it's not routine that we desire. 401 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:31,000 It's not routine that we need in our life. 402 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:34,000 It's the power of the Holy Ghost. 403 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:38,000 Amen. That's what we need in our life so that we are enabled by that 404 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:42,000 on tomorrow and Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 405 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:45,000 and Saturday that we come back in here next Sunday, 406 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:49,000 not apathetic, not complacent, but invigorated 407 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:52,000 because of His grace is visited with us every day of the week. 408 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:59,000 Why? Because we have communed with Him in prayer. 409 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:05,000 We avoid the pitfall of complacency by prayer, praying. 410 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:07,000 I'm trying to check the time here. 411 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,000 I don't want to keep you too long today. 412 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:12,000 I'm all right, but I ain't going to keep you too long 413 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:14,000 because you won't hear what I'm saying. 414 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:17,000 You're going to check out here in a little while, 415 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:22,000 if you didn't check out at sin. 416 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,000 I can't believe He told me to stop sinning. 417 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,000 Well, believe it. Just go ahead and believe it. 418 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,000 I'll tell you again, quit sinning. 419 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,000 Stop your cussing. 420 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:33,000 Stop all that garbage that you're involved with. 421 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:37,000 Stop your gossiping. 422 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,000 Stop your tail-baring. 423 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:41,000 If you're adulterating, stop it. 424 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:44,000 If you fornicate, quit. 425 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:52,000 If you're drinking, smoking dope, taking drugs, get over it. 426 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:56,000 If you're in an alternative lifestyle, repent from it. 427 00:29:56,000 --> 00:30:00,000 I'm trying to make sure I was thinking that I cover all of our sin bases. 428 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:06,000 If you're being a hypocrite, come on, hypocrite. 429 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:09,000 Come on, repent and be genuine. 430 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:13,000 Say, you got the hypocrites, you got the alcoholics, 431 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:15,000 you got the drug addicts, you got the smokers. 432 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:19,000 Dippers, you dippers, quit. 433 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:30,000 I'm going down my sin list. 434 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:32,000 You know some of the hard stuff goes down better with the honey 435 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,000 from the rock, doesn't it? 436 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:37,000 Well, I don't know if it's a sin or not. 437 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:53,000 Well, if you don't know, then it probably is, so stop. 438 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:58,000 That's my best Joe Lowstein for you today. 439 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:01,000 You never hear of this at Joel's Place. 440 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:09,000 Unless Victoria preaches it. 441 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:19,000 Whew, about lost it. 442 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:24,000 I can't wait until Brian's been doing this for 30 years. 443 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:27,000 Oh, I won't be around to see it, but 30 years, 444 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:34,000 I'll be 108 and that ain't going to happen. 445 00:31:34,000 --> 00:31:36,000 I don't know, there are those getting Social Security checks 446 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:40,000 at 120, so I might make it. 447 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:44,000 Get back on track here. 448 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:54,000 We avoid the pitfall of complacency by prayer. 449 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:57,000 Jesus said 18 in one of Luke's Gospel, 450 00:31:57,000 --> 00:31:59,000 men ought always to pray and not to faint. 451 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:02,000 That not faint means to lose heart. 452 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:04,000 It means not to quit early, not to give up 453 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:08,000 because it doesn't look like the situations are changing. 454 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:10,000 Keep on praying. 455 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:11,000 Keep on praying. 456 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:15,000 Prayer is the protein to our faith. 457 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:17,000 Hey, come on now. 458 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,000 Prayer strengthens our faith. 459 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:23,000 Something to know about prayer is you never change God's mind 460 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:25,000 when you pray. 461 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:32,000 Your prayer conditions your will to accept His will. 462 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:34,000 Hello. 463 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:38,000 And on occasion, His will is, you got to know this, 464 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:41,000 God is even different than a woman. 465 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,000 You know, it's been said that a woman has 466 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:48,000 and reserves the right to change her mind, right? 467 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:52,000 God's even above that. 468 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:57,000 And He can be reminded of things and He altered the course. 469 00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:59,000 He delayed the event. 470 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:02,000 Hezekiah the king was sick and about to die 471 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:04,000 and was on his deathbed. 472 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:06,000 Isaiah the prophet comes into the palace 473 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:08,000 and he goes into the king's shaver and he tells him, 474 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:12,000 get your heart in order for you going to die, boy. 475 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:14,000 Make sure you got everything right with God. 476 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:16,000 And he turns and begins to exit the palace 477 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:18,000 and before he could get off the property, 478 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:22,000 Hezekiah the king rolls over on his bed 479 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:24,000 and puts his face toward the wall 480 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:28,000 and he begins to pray and to seek and to entreat his God. 481 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:32,000 And in that prayer, he reminds God of his faithfulness. 482 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:36,000 He reminded God of his goodness over his life 483 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:40,000 and God saw fit to allow him 15 more years. 484 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:42,000 He didn't let him live forever. 485 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:44,000 He just extended his time on the face of this earth 486 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:46,000 when he probably would have been better off to go 487 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:50,000 as the Lord was taking him for all that transpired after that 488 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:52,000 because it was kind of miserable for Hezekiah 489 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:54,000 because he lost his way. 490 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:56,000 But God, amen, and here's how he said, 491 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:59,000 I need a sign, God, how's this going to happen? 492 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:01,000 Well, I want the sun down to go backwards. 493 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:03,000 I want the sun to reverse its course. 494 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:06,000 And I'm here to tell you today the only reason 495 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,000 that a sun will reverse its course 496 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:11,000 or earth will reverse its course on its axis 497 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:13,000 is because of God who created it 498 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:16,000 and had been reminded of his faithfulness. 499 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:18,000 Oh, my God, of how good he is. 500 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:22,000 And in that prayer, God answered it in 15 years 501 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:24,000 as Hezekiah's life was extended. 502 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:27,000 It's not that we change God's mind when we pray, 503 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:30,000 but when our will gets aligned with the will of God, 504 00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:35,000 then God may do anything on my and your behalf 505 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:37,000 because he reserves the right. 506 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:39,000 He is not a man that he should lie. 507 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:40,000 Hallelujah! 508 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:42,000 But he is holy and he's true. 509 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:44,000 And his character, his honesty and love, 510 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:47,000 and he'll do, he'll move heaven and earth for you 511 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:49,000 because he loves you. 512 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:51,000 Yeah! 513 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:58,000 1 Timothy 2, verse 1 reads this. 514 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:04,000 I exhort therefore that first of all, supplications, prayers, 515 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:07,000 intercession, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 516 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:11,000 for kings and for all that are in authority 517 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:15,000 that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life 518 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:18,000 in all godliness and honesty. 519 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:22,000 Jesus said men ought always to pray. 520 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:24,000 Paul furthers again and says, 521 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:27,000 therefore now, here's what's supposed to happen. 522 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:30,000 You pray with supplication, 523 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:34,000 and we can go on down again and look at Ephesians 6, 18. 524 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:37,000 Prayer promotes and equips for ministry and opportunity. 525 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:40,000 Ephesians 6, 18, praying always with all prayer 526 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:44,000 and supplication in the spirit and watching therein too 527 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:47,000 with all perseverance and supplication for all saints 528 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:50,000 and for me that utterance may be given unto me 529 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:54,000 that I may open my mouth boldly to make known 530 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:57,000 the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador 531 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:01,000 in ponds that therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. 532 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:05,000 Prayer opens up opportunities for you and I to witness 533 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:07,000 and you and I to minister. 534 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:09,000 You can add a minute to your prayer, 535 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:11,000 I'll have us up to 10 minutes before it's over. 536 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:13,000 You can add one minute to prayer by saying, 537 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:15,000 Lord, open a doorway for me today. 538 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:17,000 Present me somebody that needs you 539 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:19,000 that I may just tell them you love them. 540 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,000 You don't have to go through the ABCs of the gospel. 541 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:24,000 You don't have to break down the mysteries of the Trinity. 542 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:26,000 You just have to say Jesus loves you, 543 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:29,000 this I know for my Bible tells me so. 544 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,000 He loves me and here's what he's done for me 545 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:33,000 and he is no respecter of person and he'll do it for you. 546 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:35,000 I'll put you on my prayer list 547 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:37,000 and if you need a ride to church Sunday, 548 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:40,000 I'll come by and pick you up and you can come and go with me. 549 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:42,000 That's all you need to do. 550 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:45,000 Prayer opens up doorways for you are able to do ministry. 551 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:48,000 Paul said pray one for another, pray for all the saints, 552 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:50,000 but most of all I want you to pray 553 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:52,000 that I have an opportunity to open my mouth 554 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:55,000 and share the mystery of the gospel. 555 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:56,000 Hallelujah! 556 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:59,000 Just pray that I've got somebody to preach the gospel to. 557 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:01,000 You see, you can't have that attitude 558 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:03,000 and be stooped up in apathy. 559 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:05,000 You will not have that attitude 560 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:07,000 and be caught up in complacency. 561 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:09,000 You will not have that attitude 562 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:14,000 and be overwhelmed and statured by ritualism of religion. 563 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:17,000 You've got that because you've got the heart of Jesus. 564 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:20,000 You want to see people have the experience that you're having 565 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:23,000 and you're going to pray that they do. 566 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:25,000 Prayer opens up our understanding. 567 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:28,000 Brother Ken's favorite verse 33 and 3 568 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:30,000 when he's doing mechanic and a riposte. 569 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:32,000 Call to me and I will answer you and show you 570 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:34,000 great and mighty things 571 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:36,000 which you do not know. 572 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:37,000 Hallelujah! 573 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:39,000 God says if you don't understand it and you don't know it, 574 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:42,000 if you'll come and pray and talk to me about it, 575 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:45,000 I'll show you some stuff that'll blow your mind. 576 00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:47,000 I'll show you how to stitch it. 577 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:49,000 I'll show you how to clip it. 578 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:51,000 I'll show you how to hit it with a hammer. 579 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:52,000 I'll show you how. 580 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:55,000 I'll show you, I'll tell you because my thoughts 581 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:58,000 are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways, 582 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:00,000 but they are so much further above. 583 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:02,000 But if you'll call on me, I won't be selfish. 584 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:04,000 If you'll pray to me, then I will answer. 585 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:07,000 You pray in the day of trouble and he'll show up. 586 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:08,000 Amen. 587 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:11,000 You pray in darkness and he'll illuminate and be the light. 588 00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:13,000 You pray! 589 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:23,000 Jeremiah says call the Lord through him. 590 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:26,000 He says call on me and I'll answer you. 591 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:28,000 The author of the Hebrews said in chapter 4, verse 16, 592 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:31,000 let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace 593 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:40,000 that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in a time of need. 594 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:48,000 If you practice in sinners out there, 595 00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:50,000 you go to him in prayer, you approach his throne 596 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:53,000 and you ask for his mercy. 597 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:55,000 Hello? 598 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:56,000 God have mercy. 599 00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:59,000 Isn't that what they say in the death chamber 600 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:02,000 when they get ready to throw the switch or hit the plunger? 601 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:05,000 May God have mercy on your soul. 602 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:09,000 That's the only way we get mercy is that God has it. 603 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:12,000 Because you live in a merciless world. 604 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:14,000 Hello? 605 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:17,000 Driven by the prince and the power of darkness and of the air, 606 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:20,000 there's no mercy in this world, 607 00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:25,000 but there's an abundance of mercy when you approach God's throne 608 00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:28,000 and you come approaching in your hour of need. 609 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:30,000 And he's not going to kick you out 610 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:34,000 because when you humbly bow from a contrite heart and spirit 611 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:36,000 and you confess your sin, 612 00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:39,000 oh God have mercy on me, I'm a sinner, 613 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,000 I've got a problem with this, I've got a problem with that, 614 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:45,000 I can't get over this, and I need mercy and I need your grace 615 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:48,000 because I'm at my point in hour of need 616 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:51,000 and you have given an open invitation for me, 617 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:55,000 so therefore here I bow myself. 618 00:39:55,000 --> 00:39:58,000 I think the hardest converts are the hypocrites 619 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:01,000 because we think we got it right anyway. 620 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:07,000 We need more mercy than just a flat out plain old sinner 621 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:09,000 that knows he's a sinner. 622 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:11,000 Isn't that what Jesus said? 623 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:13,000 When you go down to pray, 624 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:17,000 don't be like them fellas that just get right there on the corner. 625 00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:20,000 I don't know if you've ever seen a video of the prayer room 626 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:23,000 that's outside the western wall. 627 00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:29,000 They still go in there. 628 00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:32,000 They've got their phylactery on their arm 629 00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:34,000 and they've got that rope all around, 630 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:36,000 they've got that prow shawl over their head 631 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:38,000 and as loud as they can get in Hebrew, 632 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:40,000 them old boys are rocking. 633 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:43,000 Doing this right here. 634 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:45,000 She said don't be like them boys, 635 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:48,000 be like that sinner that just got down there. 636 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:53,000 The hypocrite comes up and says Lord, 637 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,000 I'm glad I'm not like this guy standing beside me. 638 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:58,000 And he carries on in his prayer. 639 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:00,000 Jesus said don't be like that. 640 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:02,000 Be like the guy that he was talking about, 641 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:04,000 Lord I'm a sinner. 642 00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:08,000 That's how we pray. 643 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:11,000 Positions of prayer, standing on your knees in meditation 644 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:15,000 as you move about in your closet with the door closed behind you 645 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:20,000 are positions of prayer. 646 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:22,000 How many of you pray like I do? 647 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:26,000 It's kind of a conscious on and off prayer all day. 648 00:41:26,000 --> 00:41:32,000 I'm not just talking about just stopping everything you're doing 649 00:41:32,000 --> 00:41:35,000 and just getting down. 650 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:39,000 Where you're like hello, tell him we're almost done. 651 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:41,000 Tell him we're almost done. 652 00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:47,000 Tell him he's alone today but he's almost done. 653 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:52,000 Those are great times when we can get down at the altar. 654 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:54,000 Hello? 655 00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:55,000 Wonderful times. 656 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:57,000 They're great times when we can enter into our prayer closet 657 00:41:57,000 --> 00:42:00,000 and shut everything and everybody out. 658 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:03,000 Those are wonderful times of prayer. 659 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:08,000 But I dare say for the majority of us your time is so scheduled. 660 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:10,000 You have to pray a lot like I do. 661 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:14,000 Why are you walking across the yard? 662 00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:18,000 When you're not doing something you might cut a finger off with, 663 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:24,000 you're praying, mind constantly on God. 664 00:42:24,000 --> 00:42:29,000 That's how we don't sin against God because our mind's constantly on God 665 00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:32,000 and pleasing God and you're continually in prayer. 666 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:36,000 I see different objects, I see different things and it causes me to pray. 667 00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:39,000 It reminds me of God, God looking over me, God looking down on me, 668 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:44,000 God providing for me, God proving for me, all that stuff we sung about this morning. 669 00:42:44,000 --> 00:42:48,000 It reminds me of that so I'll enter into a season of meditation and praise. 670 00:42:48,000 --> 00:42:52,000 On my mind I'm concentrated on God, just thanking him for his goodness, 671 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:53,000 thanking him for his mercy. 672 00:42:53,000 --> 00:42:56,000 There's other times I'm walking across the yard begging God for his forgiveness 673 00:42:56,000 --> 00:43:00,000 because I've just got frustrated, I've just got aggravated, 674 00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:04,000 and I lost my temper and I lost my cool and I snapped at Sister Kathy 675 00:43:04,000 --> 00:43:12,000 and it wasn't really her fault, it was my fault and what I was doing. 676 00:43:12,000 --> 00:43:17,000 It happens too much. 677 00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:22,000 Constant, men ought always to pray. 678 00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:28,000 And then we value those times when we can get down to business. 679 00:43:28,000 --> 00:43:32,000 We value those moments when we can get on our knees and pray. 680 00:43:32,000 --> 00:43:34,000 Prayer aligns our will with God's will. 681 00:43:34,000 --> 00:43:41,000 It causes us to be mindful of his word. 682 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:52,000 Prayer, faith, and the word of God opens the avenue that it may result in the miraculous. 683 00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:54,000 The miraculous, you know what a miracle is, right? 684 00:43:54,000 --> 00:44:02,000 Miracle, that which is caused by the direct intervention of supernatural power. 685 00:44:02,000 --> 00:44:07,000 The direct intervention of supernatural power. 686 00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:14,000 That's a miracle. 687 00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:23,000 And God performs them every single day. 688 00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:35,000 Every single day, some of you, many of you are recipients of divine intervention in supernatural ways. 689 00:44:35,000 --> 00:44:42,000 Every single day it baffles the mind of the carnal. 690 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:45,000 It causes them to scratch their head. 691 00:44:45,000 --> 00:44:47,000 One x-ray shows a tumor. 692 00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:50,000 The next x-ray says it's gone. 693 00:44:50,000 --> 00:44:53,000 Hello, amen. 694 00:44:53,000 --> 00:44:55,000 Before the prayer, there's a fever. 695 00:44:55,000 --> 00:44:57,000 After the prayer, there's a cool. 696 00:44:57,000 --> 00:44:59,000 Hallelujah. 697 00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:04,000 It doesn't have to open up a red sea to be constituted as a miracle. 698 00:45:04,000 --> 00:45:09,000 It simply has to be divine intervention into your life. 699 00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:15,000 When the supernatural comes in and transforms the realm of the natural to the will of the supernatural, 700 00:45:15,000 --> 00:45:17,000 that is a miracle. 701 00:45:17,000 --> 00:45:21,000 And the miraculous happens because we are in prayer. 702 00:45:21,000 --> 00:45:25,000 And we are mindful of the divine's interaction into our life. 703 00:45:25,000 --> 00:45:31,000 When the spirit breaks in, when the power of God breaks through the portal of what we know is time and space 704 00:45:31,000 --> 00:45:38,000 and enters into the realm of where we are and in our being, and he alters the events of our life, 705 00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:54,000 in that very moment, the supernatural prayer, faith, the Word of God, 706 00:45:54,000 --> 00:46:00,000 those three alone will keep you out of the pitfall. 707 00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:07,000 Those three alone will keep your mind state on end. 708 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:09,000 Is that what our text says? 709 00:46:09,000 --> 00:46:11,000 I thought that was it. 710 00:46:11,000 --> 00:46:15,000 You get over to it, the air blew it over. 711 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:18,000 Romans 12, right? 712 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:22,000 Is that where we're at? 713 00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:24,000 Verse 1. 714 00:46:24,000 --> 00:46:28,000 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies, 715 00:46:28,000 --> 00:46:34,000 a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 716 00:46:34,000 --> 00:46:40,000 Some of those things that we were talking about earlier, it's just reasonable service not to do that, 717 00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:47,000 that we present our bodies as sacrifices, holy. 718 00:46:47,000 --> 00:46:55,000 And be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind 719 00:46:55,000 --> 00:47:04,000 that you might prove what is that good and acceptable and the perfect will of God. 720 00:47:04,000 --> 00:47:06,000 Prayer aligns us for that. 721 00:47:06,000 --> 00:47:10,000 Stand with me, I'm quitting. 722 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:14,000 Y'all fold around, let me go past 12. 723 00:47:14,000 --> 00:47:20,000 Again. 724 00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:25,000 Prayer. 725 00:47:25,000 --> 00:47:36,000 Between now and Easter, we're going to elevate our level in prayer. 726 00:47:36,000 --> 00:47:44,000 I would simply ask that you at least double your time in daily prayer. 727 00:47:44,000 --> 00:47:51,000 If you're not doing anything, give me a minute and you've done it. 728 00:47:51,000 --> 00:48:03,000 Let's elevate the intensity of our prayers so that we may know what is the mind 729 00:48:03,000 --> 00:48:10,000 and the will of God for hope will. 730 00:48:10,000 --> 00:48:15,000 By show of hands, how many of you have family that need Jesus? 731 00:48:15,000 --> 00:48:21,000 Okay, there's you two more minutes. 732 00:48:21,000 --> 00:48:24,000 By show of hands, how many of you have circumstances, issues, or crisis 733 00:48:24,000 --> 00:48:27,000 that you need a divine interruption in? 734 00:48:27,000 --> 00:48:29,000 Stick them up. 735 00:48:29,000 --> 00:48:35,000 There's you two more minutes. 736 00:48:35,000 --> 00:48:40,000 By show of hands, how many of you got more money than you know what to do with? 737 00:48:40,000 --> 00:48:45,000 I was going to say see me. 738 00:48:45,000 --> 00:48:47,000 There's you another couple minutes. 739 00:48:47,000 --> 00:48:54,000 But let me just give you a little pastoral instruction before you pray that one. 740 00:48:54,000 --> 00:49:00,000 If you're not tithing on what you got, don't ask God for more. 741 00:49:00,000 --> 00:49:04,000 Unless you're tithing and giving on what he's already doing for you. 742 00:49:04,000 --> 00:49:09,000 And by the way, if you're struggling and not tithing, I challenge you to try tithing 743 00:49:09,000 --> 00:49:13,000 and watch the struggle begin to dissipate. 744 00:49:13,000 --> 00:49:17,000 And then he may trust you with some more. 745 00:49:17,000 --> 00:49:19,000 So there's a couple more minutes. 746 00:49:19,000 --> 00:49:25,000 I've got you up to about 12 minutes of prayer right now. 747 00:49:25,000 --> 00:49:29,000 Just by stating the obvious. 748 00:49:29,000 --> 00:49:35,000 By show of hands, how many of you want to grow closer to the Lord? 749 00:49:35,000 --> 00:49:39,000 Okay, there's you another five minutes. 750 00:49:39,000 --> 00:49:46,000 So we got you close to 20 minutes and I'm going to stop right there. 751 00:49:46,000 --> 00:49:49,000 We need to pray. 752 00:49:49,000 --> 00:49:52,000 We've got to pray. 753 00:49:52,000 --> 00:49:55,000 God's moving. 754 00:49:55,000 --> 00:49:57,000 He's moving in our midst. 755 00:49:57,000 --> 00:50:06,000 I get testimony all the time of what God's doing, how God's working, how he's making a way. 756 00:50:06,000 --> 00:50:15,000 Washing machines go down, somebody brings me a nearly brand new one and hooks it up. 757 00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:22,000 Testimonies like my car had 300 plus thousand and the Lord helped me to trade for one 758 00:50:22,000 --> 00:50:34,000 150,000 and I don't owe a thing because God helped me. 759 00:50:34,000 --> 00:50:37,000 That's just a couple and they go on and on and on. 760 00:50:37,000 --> 00:50:42,000 Oh, we got a picture of a check in the mail the other day for $9. 761 00:50:42,000 --> 00:50:48,000 They're still coming in. 762 00:50:48,000 --> 00:50:53,000 We need God. 763 00:50:53,000 --> 00:50:56,000 I want you to come and join me in this altar. 764 00:50:56,000 --> 00:50:57,000 Brother Duane's getting ready. 765 00:50:57,000 --> 00:51:01,000 He's going to close us out in a moment with this prayer for our nation. 766 00:51:01,000 --> 00:51:05,000 There's going to be a copy of it. 767 00:51:05,000 --> 00:51:09,000 Y'all come. 768 00:51:09,000 --> 00:51:12,000 That's what it means by come down here and join me at the front. 769 00:51:12,000 --> 00:51:19,000 It means get out your seat and come on. 770 00:51:19,000 --> 00:51:32,000 Sorry, I didn't illustrate more. 771 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:41,000 But before Brother Duane closes us in this prayer for our nation, I want us to just pray together. 772 00:51:41,000 --> 00:51:45,000 Just a few minutes, a minute or two. 773 00:51:45,000 --> 00:51:56,000 We can get two of your 20 right here. 774 00:51:56,000 --> 00:52:03,000 Man. 775 00:52:03,000 --> 00:52:32,000 I'm just looking at you. 776 00:52:32,000 --> 00:52:35,000 Yeah. 777 00:52:35,000 --> 00:52:37,000 Here. 778 00:52:37,000 --> 00:52:43,000 Yeah. 779 00:52:43,000 --> 00:52:53,000 Yeah. 780 00:52:53,000 --> 00:53:03,000 Yeah. 781 00:53:03,000 --> 00:53:14,000 Yeah. 782 00:53:14,000 --> 00:53:24,000 Yeah. 783 00:53:24,000 --> 00:53:25,000 Thank you, Lord. 784 00:53:25,000 --> 00:53:26,000 Just take a minute. 785 00:53:26,000 --> 00:53:27,000 Just like the Lord. 786 00:53:27,000 --> 00:53:28,000 Thank the Lord. 787 00:53:28,000 --> 00:53:30,000 Lord, we thank you this morning. 788 00:53:30,000 --> 00:53:31,000 You have the answers. 789 00:53:31,000 --> 00:53:32,000 You have the answers. 790 00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:36,000 Thank you, Holy Ghost. 791 00:53:36,000 --> 00:53:37,000 Let's pray together. 792 00:53:37,000 --> 00:53:38,000 Father, we come to you. 793 00:53:38,000 --> 00:53:41,000 Thank you for your word today. 794 00:53:41,000 --> 00:53:46,000 Thank you for your interruption into our gathering today. 795 00:53:46,000 --> 00:53:53,000 Thank you for speaking this reminder to us to let us know that you have the answer. 796 00:53:53,000 --> 00:54:06,000 Lord, as we begin to pour our hearts out to you right now, Father, I would pray over us all that we have a cultivated desire to communicate in prayer with you. 797 00:54:06,000 --> 00:54:17,000 In this, Lord, I pray over the body today and your awareness of prayer to be in conversation and communion with you in prayer. 798 00:54:17,000 --> 00:54:35,000 And we set our mind on you that we align our bodies to be that holy sacrifice, which is reasonable in our service that we put aside and lay aside the weight and the sin that does so easily be set us. 799 00:54:35,000 --> 00:54:46,000 And that we begin to engage in prayer that creates opportunity for the miraculous. 800 00:54:46,000 --> 00:54:56,000 Lord, that we pray as Daniel when he was commanded not to pray, but yet went as before three times a day and said his face towards you. 801 00:54:56,000 --> 00:55:02,000 And he prayed. 802 00:55:02,000 --> 00:55:08,000 And that we continue that prayer as we feel as though we're caught in the den with the lions. 803 00:55:08,000 --> 00:55:11,000 Because of that previous prayer. 804 00:55:11,000 --> 00:55:16,000 And even though we seem denial may be the fact. 805 00:55:16,000 --> 00:55:18,000 Yet, but delayed by the enemy. 806 00:55:18,000 --> 00:55:28,000 But the answer will arrive because you reminded us this morning that you have the answer. 807 00:55:28,000 --> 00:55:32,000 Your instruction for me is to call out to you. 808 00:55:32,000 --> 00:55:37,000 Oh, God, you know our needs, you know, our physical needs, you know that we need a touch of healing. 809 00:55:37,000 --> 00:55:42,000 We need divine intervention in our situation and in our crisis. 810 00:55:42,000 --> 00:55:45,000 Lord, you know that we need healing. 811 00:55:45,000 --> 00:55:53,000 So I call on you, Lord, to be healer. 812 00:55:53,000 --> 00:55:56,000 To be healer. 813 00:55:56,000 --> 00:55:59,000 You said call, so I'm calling out. 814 00:55:59,000 --> 00:56:04,000 I'm claiming your word in my prayer by his stripes. 815 00:56:04,000 --> 00:56:13,000 We are healed. 816 00:56:13,000 --> 00:56:16,000 Oh, come on now. 817 00:56:16,000 --> 00:56:17,000 Just go ahead. 818 00:56:17,000 --> 00:56:18,000 You tell him you call. 819 00:56:18,000 --> 00:56:21,000 I'm calling for me and Sister Kathy right now. 820 00:56:21,000 --> 00:56:23,000 You lift your voice. 821 00:56:23,000 --> 00:56:26,000 I'm calling out because we need a healing in our life. 822 00:56:26,000 --> 00:56:29,000 We need a healing in body, mind, spirit today. 823 00:56:29,000 --> 00:56:30,000 We need a healing. 824 00:56:30,000 --> 00:56:31,000 We need a restoration. 825 00:56:31,000 --> 00:56:34,000 We need a restoring is what we need. 826 00:56:34,000 --> 00:56:37,000 So I'm calling on the Lord. 827 00:56:37,000 --> 00:56:39,000 Do you trust in God? 828 00:56:39,000 --> 00:56:43,000 Call out to him. 829 00:56:43,000 --> 00:56:44,000 Tell him what you need. 830 00:56:44,000 --> 00:56:47,000 Tell him what your crisis is. 831 00:56:47,000 --> 00:56:49,000 Tell him what your dilemma is. 832 00:56:49,000 --> 00:56:53,000 Call that son, daughter, grandchild, family, friend, 833 00:56:53,000 --> 00:56:56,000 neighbor that's lost and dying and the devil's got them in the 834 00:56:56,000 --> 00:57:00,000 clutches and the chains of sin and destroying their very life. 835 00:57:00,000 --> 00:57:02,000 Call out their name right now. 836 00:57:02,000 --> 00:57:06,000 Holy Ghost, we ask that you go to their heart and begin to deal 837 00:57:06,000 --> 00:57:07,000 with the sinner. 838 00:57:07,000 --> 00:57:09,000 Deal with the backslider. 839 00:57:09,000 --> 00:57:11,000 Deal with them, Holy Ghost. 840 00:57:11,000 --> 00:57:13,000 Convict them of their sin. 841 00:57:13,000 --> 00:57:17,000 Convict them of their sin. 842 00:57:17,000 --> 00:57:21,000 Save my sons and save my daughters. 843 00:57:21,000 --> 00:57:24,000 Save my grandchildren, Lord. 844 00:57:24,000 --> 00:57:26,000 I'm calling on you, Lord. 845 00:57:26,000 --> 00:57:29,000 Lord, you give me the invitation to come boldly so boldly I've 846 00:57:29,000 --> 00:57:30,000 entered in today. 847 00:57:30,000 --> 00:57:33,000 Boldly I'm coming standing right before you. 848 00:57:33,000 --> 00:57:39,000 And as I stand I humbly bow at your throne asking, oh God, save 849 00:57:39,000 --> 00:57:41,000 to the uttermost. 850 00:57:41,000 --> 00:57:43,000 Save my brothers, Lord. 851 00:57:43,000 --> 00:57:46,000 Save my brothers, Lord. 852 00:57:46,000 --> 00:57:49,000 Save them, Lord, in their sin. 853 00:57:49,000 --> 00:57:52,000 Save them from their selves, oh God. 854 00:57:52,000 --> 00:57:54,000 I saw the Lord. 855 00:57:54,000 --> 00:57:56,000 Seek him out this morning. 856 00:57:56,000 --> 00:57:57,000 Pray. 857 00:57:57,000 --> 00:57:58,000 Tell him what it is you need. 858 00:57:58,000 --> 00:57:59,000 Talk to the Lord. 859 00:57:59,000 --> 00:58:01,000 You're at the throne this morning. 860 00:58:01,000 --> 00:58:03,000 You're at his throne today. 861 00:58:03,000 --> 00:58:04,000 Healing. 862 00:58:04,000 --> 00:58:06,000 How many need healing? 863 00:58:06,000 --> 00:58:08,000 I need a healing in my body today. 864 00:58:08,000 --> 00:58:09,000 I need a healing. 865 00:58:09,000 --> 00:58:11,000 I seek you for healing today. 866 00:58:11,000 --> 00:58:12,000 You said ask. 867 00:58:12,000 --> 00:58:15,000 Your stripes, your blood, lay down on your feet. 868 00:58:15,000 --> 00:58:17,000 Your blood laid out for us. 869 00:58:17,000 --> 00:58:19,000 Your giving of your grace. 870 00:58:19,000 --> 00:58:20,000 Hallelujah. 871 00:58:20,000 --> 00:58:22,000 You give your life for my body. 872 00:58:22,000 --> 00:58:26,000 Yours was broken that ours may be healed in Jesus' name. 873 00:58:26,000 --> 00:58:32,000 In Jesus' name. 874 00:58:32,000 --> 00:58:33,000 Call on him. 875 00:58:33,000 --> 00:58:36,000 If you're tormented in your mind every day, if the devil just 876 00:58:36,000 --> 00:58:42,000 wreaks havoc in your mind every day, you call on the Lord. 877 00:58:42,000 --> 00:58:46,000 He'll provide for you a peace that passes all understanding. 878 00:58:46,000 --> 00:58:52,000 He'll provide for you a peace that passes all understanding. 879 00:58:52,000 --> 00:58:55,000 He said in this world you shall have tribulation but be of good 880 00:58:55,000 --> 00:58:59,000 cheer for I have overcome the world and my peace give I unto 881 00:58:59,000 --> 00:59:03,000 you not as the world giveth but my peace give I unto you that 882 00:59:03,000 --> 00:59:07,000 your joy may be full. 883 00:59:07,000 --> 00:59:09,000 Hallelujah. 884 00:59:09,000 --> 00:59:17,000 Through the course of your day tomorrow concentrate on him. 885 00:59:17,000 --> 00:59:23,000 If you're working a high risk dangerous job keep your mind 886 00:59:23,000 --> 00:59:26,000 focused and pray when you go on break. 887 00:59:26,000 --> 00:59:27,000 Pray when you go on lunch. 888 00:59:27,000 --> 00:59:29,000 Slip out to the car for lunch. 889 00:59:29,000 --> 00:59:31,000 Take your sammich out to the car. 890 00:59:31,000 --> 00:59:34,000 Eat your sammich and talk to the Lord. 891 00:59:34,000 --> 00:59:36,000 You can eat between bites. 892 00:59:36,000 --> 00:59:39,000 You can pray in between. 893 00:59:39,000 --> 00:59:41,000 We do it all the time. 894 00:59:41,000 --> 00:59:43,000 We sit down with each other for supper. 895 00:59:43,000 --> 00:59:45,000 We're chewing and we're talking. 896 00:59:45,000 --> 00:59:47,000 The Lord's okay with that. 897 00:59:47,000 --> 00:59:49,000 He knows you got 30 minutes for lunch. 898 00:59:49,000 --> 00:59:51,000 Say, Lord, bless my sammich. 899 00:59:51,000 --> 00:59:54,000 Pardon me while I chew and talk at the same time. 900 00:59:54,000 --> 00:59:56,000 But I'm calling on you today. 901 00:59:56,000 --> 01:00:06,000 I'm talking to you at lunch, Lord. 902 01:00:06,000 --> 01:00:12,000 My Savior, he's one. 903 01:00:12,000 --> 01:00:15,000 He will never fail. 904 01:00:15,000 --> 01:00:17,000 He will never fail. 905 01:00:17,000 --> 01:00:19,000 You want to pray down there? 906 01:00:19,000 --> 01:00:22,000 You will never fail. 907 01:00:22,000 --> 01:00:26,000 He will never fail. 908 01:00:26,000 --> 01:00:28,000 You got to trust in him though. 909 01:00:28,000 --> 01:00:29,000 Amen. 910 01:00:29,000 --> 01:00:30,000 Listen to this prayer. 911 01:00:30,000 --> 01:00:32,000 There's a copy of it out on the table. 912 01:00:32,000 --> 01:00:33,000 Get one per family. 913 01:00:33,000 --> 01:00:34,000 Take it with you. 914 01:00:34,000 --> 01:00:39,000 And at some point every day this week, read it. 915 01:00:39,000 --> 01:00:41,000 I want you to read this prayer. 916 01:00:41,000 --> 01:00:44,000 And by the end of the week, it's going to become, you won't have 917 01:00:44,000 --> 01:00:47,000 to focus so much on the words, but you're going to be able to 918 01:00:47,000 --> 01:00:49,000 pray it because this is a prayer for our nation. 919 01:00:49,000 --> 01:00:52,000 And then next Sunday we'll have another one. 920 01:00:52,000 --> 01:00:55,000 And the author of that prayer is going to come up and they're 921 01:00:55,000 --> 01:00:58,000 going to, St. Francis of Jackie, she don't want to come up here. 922 01:00:58,000 --> 01:01:00,000 She's going to have to pray from the floor. 923 01:01:00,000 --> 01:01:03,000 But we're going to lead out with that prayer. 924 01:01:03,000 --> 01:01:05,000 We're going to close with these prayers. 925 01:01:05,000 --> 01:01:07,000 And then you take it home and pray it weekly. 926 01:01:07,000 --> 01:01:10,000 And if you want to add to your prayer time, you keep your 927 01:01:10,000 --> 01:01:11,000 little file of them. 928 01:01:11,000 --> 01:01:13,000 You know what I'm saying? 929 01:01:13,000 --> 01:01:15,000 And you re-pray the first one. 930 01:01:15,000 --> 01:01:17,000 And then you pray the second one. 931 01:01:17,000 --> 01:01:20,000 And by the end of it, you're going to be doing seven prayers 932 01:01:20,000 --> 01:01:21,000 by Easter. 933 01:01:21,000 --> 01:01:26,000 That'll get you past that five minutes, I guarantee you. 934 01:01:26,000 --> 01:01:28,000 Praise the Lord. 935 01:01:28,000 --> 01:01:34,000 Like the pastors already said, if there was ever a time in our 936 01:01:34,000 --> 01:01:38,000 history of our nation that we need to be praying for our 937 01:01:38,000 --> 01:01:46,000 nation, now is the time. 938 01:01:46,000 --> 01:01:50,000 Let us pray. 939 01:01:50,000 --> 01:01:54,000 Almighty God, we begin this prayer with thanksgiving for the 940 01:01:54,000 --> 01:01:59,000 great country and the church you've allowed us to be a part of. 941 01:01:59,000 --> 01:02:03,000 I confess that this country has wandered far from you. 942 01:02:03,000 --> 01:02:07,000 Satan has deceived many and we need you now more than I can 943 01:02:07,000 --> 01:02:09,000 ever remember. 944 01:02:09,000 --> 01:02:12,000 I pray that your favor would rest upon our country and that we 945 01:02:12,000 --> 01:02:16,000 would once again embrace the Christian principles that made 946 01:02:16,000 --> 01:02:18,000 this country great. 947 01:02:18,000 --> 01:02:21,000 We know that the leaders that you have placed over us are 948 01:02:21,000 --> 01:02:23,000 flawed human beings. 949 01:02:23,000 --> 01:02:27,000 We also know that they serve by your grace. 950 01:02:27,000 --> 01:02:31,000 Today we ask for you to lay your hand on each of our current 951 01:02:31,000 --> 01:02:32,000 leaders. 952 01:02:32,000 --> 01:02:36,000 I pray that you would touch our president and all of our elected 953 01:02:36,000 --> 01:02:37,000 officials. 954 01:02:37,000 --> 01:02:40,000 Open their eyes to the needs of the people. 955 01:02:40,000 --> 01:02:44,000 Remind them that they are commissioned to serve and give 956 01:02:44,000 --> 01:02:47,000 them wisdom, courage, and strength. 957 01:02:47,000 --> 01:02:52,000 Guide their thoughts, direct their decisions, and let your 958 01:02:52,000 --> 01:02:55,000 will be done in our world. 959 01:02:55,000 --> 01:02:58,000 I also pray for our church. 960 01:02:58,000 --> 01:03:02,000 You've placed us in a world, but you've called us to be separate 961 01:03:02,000 --> 01:03:03,000 from it. 962 01:03:03,000 --> 01:03:08,000 Open our eyes to the desperate needs all around us and let us 963 01:03:08,000 --> 01:03:13,000 clearly see the fields that are white already unto the harvest. 964 01:03:13,000 --> 01:03:18,000 Give us one more time a passion to win the lost at any cost. 965 01:03:18,000 --> 01:03:23,000 Open our eyes to the power of prayer and draw us into a deeper 966 01:03:23,000 --> 01:03:25,000 relationship with you. 967 01:03:25,000 --> 01:03:29,000 Inspire us to live in such a way that everyone around us will see 968 01:03:29,000 --> 01:03:31,000 you. 969 01:03:31,000 --> 01:03:35,000 Send a new fire to our churches that will change our communities 970 01:03:35,000 --> 01:03:36,000 for you. 971 01:03:36,000 --> 01:03:40,000 Annoy our spiritual leaders with a supernatural touch. 972 01:03:40,000 --> 01:03:45,000 Give them vision beyond human ability, courage to stand against 973 01:03:45,000 --> 01:03:50,000 Satan for us, and wisdom direct from the throne of God. 974 01:03:50,000 --> 01:03:54,000 Help them to see where you're going so that they may lead us 975 01:03:54,000 --> 01:03:56,000 closer to you. 976 01:03:56,000 --> 01:04:02,000 And finally, Lord, I open our eyes to their needs. 977 01:04:02,000 --> 01:04:07,000 Help us to come alongside them and hold up their hands so that 978 01:04:07,000 --> 01:04:10,000 we may all fight the good fight for you. 979 01:04:10,000 --> 01:04:13,000 In Jesus' name we pray. 980 01:04:13,000 --> 01:04:32,000 Amen.