When Justice Becomes the Gospel: A Warning Against Lukewarm Faith

[00:00:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Thank you for watching!
[00:01:12] Let us pray.
[00:01:53] The Last Adoree Here Thou before me Worship and adore me
[00:03:06] of the Lord Jesus Christ

[00:05:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
I pray we all have come to worship the Lord.
[00:05:11] Amen.
[00:05:11] We didn't come to be seen.
[00:05:14] Amen.
[00:05:14] We've come to worship because God is worthy to be worshiped.
[00:05:19] And one thing I always say that when we worship him, we're not doing him a favor.
[00:05:24] When we say he's worthy, that means he's due.
[00:05:28] Amen.
[00:05:28] It's something that we owe unto him.
[00:05:30] I like a lot of amen.
[00:05:35] We know you're in the house.
[00:05:37] Amen.
[00:05:38] Amen.
[00:05:38] We're at a big football game and somebody scored a touchdown.
[00:05:43] Amen.
[00:05:44] God likes some loud praises also.
[00:05:49] Because I got a reserved nature doesn't mean I don't believe in praising God now.
[00:05:54] It doesn't mean I don't like alive the house.
[00:05:56] Amen somebody?
[00:05:58] Amen.
[00:05:58] So let's do stand for the call to worship.
[00:06:00] Oh come let us worship the Lord and let us bow down before God our creator for we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
[00:06:09] The hour cometh and now is when the true worshipers of the Father shall worship him in spirit and in truth for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
[00:06:20] God is spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
[00:06:27] Let us pray.
[00:06:28] Gracious God our Father we come this morning
[00:06:30] Again, to worship you in spirit and in truth.
[00:06:34] And Father, we acknowledge again your omnipresence, but we ask that you would manifest yourself in terms of your Shekinah glory, so there's no mistake about it, that you are indeed in the house, and you are dwelling in our hearts and our mind.
[00:06:48] So come fill this house, O God, with your glory, and bless us now.
[00:06:53] Come Holy Spirit, come Heavenly Dove.
[00:06:55] and fallen fresh on all of us even right now in the mighty marvelous and majestic name of none other than Jesus who is the Christ we pray amen and our hymn of praise is Silent Night amen and I was going to leave it but I thought I'd let the choir join in

[00:07:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Holy night, all is calm, all is bright, Round yon presence, yon power and child, Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace,
[00:08:03] In the heavenly peace Silent night Holy night Darkest night All is bright
[00:08:40] Christ the Savior is born Christ the Savior is born Silent night Holy night Son of God Love will rise
[00:09:25] Jesus was born as I heard.
[00:09:40] Saturday night, Holy night,
[00:09:56] Christ the Savior is born!
[00:10:18] Christ the Savior is born!

[00:10:22] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Amen.
[00:10:23] What a beautiful song, especially this time of the year.
[00:10:27] Amen.
[00:10:28] Y'all didn't hear me singing because the choir was drowning me out.
[00:10:32] Amen.
[00:10:34] Amen.
[00:10:34] I'm sorry, you may be seated.
[00:10:37] Amen.
[00:10:39] So I'm saying it's time to be seated.
[00:10:41] I'm seated.
[00:10:44] Our scripture lesson is from Esther, the fourth chapter.
[00:10:51] and verses 13 through 17.
[00:11:04] So Mordecai sent this word to Esther.
[00:11:06] Don't think for a moment that because you are in the palace, you will escape when all the Jews are killed.
[00:11:16] If you keep quiet at this time, at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place where you and your relatives will die.
[00:11:29] Who knows, this is what we focused on last week, perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this.
[00:11:39] We're going to come back to a little bit of that today.
[00:11:41] Then Esther sent their supply to Mordecai
[00:11:45] Go gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me.
[00:11:51] Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, my maids and I will do the same.
[00:12:01] And then, though it is against the law, I will go and see the king.
[00:12:06] If I must die, I must die.
[00:12:13] So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
[00:12:20] And I like the way maybe the King James Version and the NIV Version states that particular part of it.
[00:12:27] She said, if I perish, let me perish.
[00:12:31] And I'm going to get the topic to right now.
[00:12:34] Laying it all on the line.
[00:12:38] Laying it all on the line.
[00:12:42] And we're going to deal with that to some degree today.
[00:12:45] There's a time you got to lay it all on the line.
[00:12:50] I know I'm right about it.
[00:12:52] Amen.
[00:12:53] Mama, are you going to lead us into prayer this morning?
[00:12:57] All right.

[00:13:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
We have a Savior.
[00:13:11] We come this morning we just want to thank you because you granted grace upon us once again that we can come to the house of the Lord and to worship you to give you all the glory because all the glory belongs to you Lord and we take no credit for nothing God
[00:13:34] But we are looking to you this morning.
[00:13:37] We thank you that we are closed in our right mind and activities of our limbs of God.
[00:13:43] We can have eyes to see and ears to hear, a mouth to talk to praise your name, and hands, oh God, to work with, oh God, and our feet to walk.
[00:13:53] You are so grateful unto you, Lord.
[00:13:56] And we thank you.
[00:13:57] Hallelujah.
[00:13:58] Glory to your holy name, Lord.
[00:14:00] We thank you for your blood that was shed on Calvary.
[00:14:03] We thank you, oh God, for your word, because your word is a lamp unto our feet and it's a light unto our pathway.
[00:14:11] It directs us and leads us into all truth.
[00:14:14] We thank you for this moment right now.
[00:14:18] As a Savior was born,
[00:14:21] Who is the Jesus Christ, the Son.
[00:14:24] Hallelujah, we thank Him.
[00:14:27] That we have this privilege.
[00:14:29] That you saved our souls and washed us in your precious blood.
[00:14:33] We know there's power in the blood of Jesus.
[00:14:36] One that's working power that moves all things.
[00:14:40] That takes away all guilt.
[00:14:43] Because we are all guilty of God.
[00:14:45] We have come short of your glory.
[00:14:48] But you still have mercy unto us.
[00:14:51] And we thank you this morning.
[00:14:54] We thank you for being our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with the shepherd of our soul.
[00:15:01] Oh God, the anointed one, the Christ one, that brings deliverance, that brings healing.
[00:15:08] Look on those that are in the hospital, those in the nursing home.
[00:15:12] Oh God, they're sick in their bodies.
[00:15:15] Lord God, you are the healer.
[00:15:17] Oh God, we thank you.
[00:15:19] Thank you Lord.
[00:15:19] Thank you.
[00:15:21] Yes, God, we thank you.
[00:15:28] Your saving grace.
[00:15:31] You saved those that are lost.
[00:15:33] Stretch out your significant hand, God.
[00:15:36] Show your power in the midst of us, oh God.
[00:15:39] The nations, oh God.
[00:15:41] The kingdoms, oh God.
[00:15:42] The president, Lord.
[00:15:44] Help them to realize you is the God of all flesh, God.
[00:15:50] You the center of the world.
[00:15:53] We thank you.
[00:15:55] Bless the pastor.
[00:15:57] Strengthen him, God.
[00:15:59] Touch his body from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet.
[00:16:03] Help him keep it healthy, God, for your glory.
[00:16:06] Oh God, thank you, oh God, the word that you put in his spirit to bring forth, oh God, to teach us, oh God, to guide us, oh God, to the truth.
[00:16:16] Because you is the truth.
[00:16:18] Oh God, we thank you for First Lady.
[00:16:21] Thank you for touching our body, bringing her through, God.
[00:16:24] Oh God, we thank you for your healing virtue.
[00:16:28] Oh God, in Jesus' name, ever bless her, ever keep her, Lord, her family.
[00:16:34] Oh God, we thank you.
[00:16:36] We thank you for Seals Creek.
[00:16:38] What you doing in Seals Creek, God?
[00:16:41] Touch every heart, Lord, every mind.
[00:16:43] Oh God, help them to continue to reference you, oh God.
[00:16:47] Because you is the answer for every situation, every problem, God.
[00:16:52] We thank you.
[00:16:54] You give wisdom, you give knowledge, you give revelation knowledge.
[00:16:59] God, and we thank you for the knowledge, God.
[00:17:01] Hallelujah.
[00:17:03] Thank you.
[00:17:04] We thank you.
[00:17:06] We thank you for the choir.
[00:17:08] Touch continually.
[00:17:09] Strengthen them, O God.
[00:17:11] Continue anointing them afresh, God, to sing your Zion songs, the instruments, O God, touching their hands, O God, as they play, God, under the unction of your Holy Spirit.
[00:17:24] We thank you.
[00:17:26] We thank you for wisdom.
[00:17:34] We thank you for knowledge.
[00:17:35] Oh God, we thank you for favor.
[00:17:38] You give us favor, God.
[00:17:40] We thank you.
[00:17:42] We praise you for everything you have done.
[00:17:45] Look on the young people, God.
[00:17:48] Touch their mind, God.
[00:17:50] Change their heart, Lord.
[00:17:52] In the name of Jesus, we come against that spirit of murder, God.
[00:17:57] Hallelujah!
[00:17:57] You're the only one who can change hearts.
[00:18:01] Oh God, You're the one.
[00:18:03] Have mercy God have mercy upon your people because you're not willing for none to perish but all to come to repentance give repenting hearts today God we won't fail to give all the glory to you we're casting all our cares upon you because we know you cares have your way we won't fail
[00:18:26] We won't fail to give you all the glory and all the honor belongs to you.
[00:18:32] We ask in your son Jesus' name.
[00:18:35] In the church, say amen.
[00:18:37] Thank you, Lord.
[00:18:38] Hallelujah.

[00:18:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Glory to God.

[00:18:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
What the Spirit of the Lord is, let us stand as one true and living church.
[00:18:55] The Church of Jesus Christ, let us now affirm our faith.
[00:19:00] I believe in God the Father Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, the only Son of our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, the third day rose from the dead,
[00:19:16] He ascended into heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
[00:19:21] From then shall come the jury to quicken the dead.
[00:19:24] I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
[00:19:33] Amen.
[00:19:34] You may be seated and we will give you another selection.

[00:19:51] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Singin' Jesus, Jesus, oh what a wonderful child Singin' Jesus, help me choir Meek and mild, new life, listen
[00:20:16] Singin' glory, glory, glory, to the new, I believe I said one more time, Singin' Jesus, oh Lord, hey, hey, hey, what a wonderful child, Singin' Jesus, Jesus, so lowly, weak in my new life,
[00:20:45] Listen to the angels sing, singing glory, glory, glory to the new, oh Lord, oh Lord He was held by the angels, born in a lonely manger
[00:21:07] Mary was his birth mother And Joseph was his father too Three kings come from afar They were guided by the stars
[00:21:23] To see the lonely, lonely manger that was filled, filled with straw.
[00:21:31] Hey, hey Jesus, help me Lord.
[00:21:35] Oh, what a wonderful, singing Jesus, Jesus, lonely making my new life whole.
[00:21:52] Listen to the angels sing Glory, glory, glory to the new born I believe I said it one more time He was held by the angels Born in a lonely manger
[00:22:13] Mary was his virgin mother And Joseph was his father too Three kings come from afar They were guided by the star To see Lord Jesus lay in a lowly manger That was filled with snow strong Singing Jesus help me Lord Oh what a wonderful child
[00:22:44] Jesus, Lord Jesus, so lowly, making my new life, hope, hey, hey, listen to the angels sing, glory, glory, glory, hey, oh Lord, oh, Jesus
[00:23:11] Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus Jesus
[00:23:20] I love to call Him, I love to call Him, Almighty God, King of Kings, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Mary's baby, He walked on the water, calmed the raging sea, fed five thousand, two fishes and five loaves of bread, Jesus, Jesus,
[00:23:46] J-E-S, J-E-S, J-E-S-U-S, Jesus, Almighty, all power in His hands He can destroy, He can defend Who wouldn't serve a God like that?
[00:24:06] Who wouldn't serve a God like that?
[00:24:08] Who wouldn't serve a God like that?
[00:24:10] He woke you up early this morning, started you
[00:24:15] On your way, on your way, on your way, Jesus, Jesus, I cried, Mary's baby, Jesus, Almighty God, Lily of the Valley, the Friday morning star, Jesus, G-G-J-E-S
[00:24:43] You is a Jesus, a Jesus, Jesus Singing glory, glory, glory to the new hey I'm singing Jesus, Jesus, oh what a wonderful child Singing Jesus
[00:25:09] So lowly, meek in my new light, hey, hey, hey, hey, listen to the angels singing glory, glory, glory to the new born King
[00:25:53] New life, new hope, new joy, listen, Juliet sing glory, glory, glory to the new born King.

[00:26:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Amen.
[00:26:18] What great singing this morning.
[00:26:20] As always, am I right somebody?
[00:26:23] Now, I want you all to charge this to somebody's head and not to their heart, because they just forgot their Advent candles.
[00:26:29] So we're going to pray for them, all right?
[00:26:32] So whoever is supposed to light the candles this morning, all right, come on, doctor.
[00:26:37] Amen.
[00:26:38] Please forgive them.
[00:26:40] They know not what they do.
[00:26:44] That's a shame, isn't it?

[00:26:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Okay, good morning.
[00:26:50] We'll walk in the light, beautiful light, come where the dewdrops of mercy bright, shine all around by day and by night, Jesus the light of the world.
[00:27:00] Today is the third Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of joy.
[00:27:03] Our joy is in God and in God's Son, Jesus Christ.
[00:27:07] Like peace, joy is a gift from God.
[00:27:09] It overtakes us and fills us when we remember what God has done and what God has promised to do.
[00:27:15] We light this candle today to remind us that Christ came and is coming again so that all people might have a rich and abundant life.
[00:27:23] We thank God for all the hope in which Christ gives us, for the peace which Christ bestows, and for the joy Christ pours into our heart.
[00:27:32] Now we'll be lighting all three candles.
[00:27:34] Peace, hope, and joy.

[00:27:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Amen.
[00:27:37] Well done.

[00:28:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Let us pray.
[00:28:07] O God of joy, Emmanuel, send your light into our hearts at this time.
[00:28:12] Help us be ready for the time of Christ appearing.
[00:28:15] Fix our hearts and our minds upon those things you have done and those things that you have promised to do, that we may have the joy you promised.
[00:28:25] As we worship you, strengthen us so that we may always do your will, and so bless you and the world you have made.
[00:28:33] Amen.

[00:28:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Amen.

[00:28:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Give your God some praise.

[00:28:46] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.

[00:28:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Thank you for reading so well this morning.
[00:28:48] Amen.
[00:28:50] And I hope that you are all in the Christmas spirit.
[00:28:56] Let me say that again.
[00:28:56] I hope you're in the Christmas spirit.
[00:28:59] Amen.
[00:29:00] It is a time of celebration and a time of feasting.
[00:29:04] and sometimes we forget about those who are mourning.
[00:29:07] I learned this from grief counselors that sometimes people who have lost loved ones have a greater challenge during this season and so sometimes we forget about them so let's make sure we keep them lifted up in prayer and that we try to do our best to be there for them.
[00:29:27] Amen hope the lighting of the Advent candles will remind us of the purpose of the coming of Christ and what he brings to us and will come with his coming sometimes people just say I just want Jesus but Jesus represents something that he wanted to be real in our lives and it can be it's not just something you know to get us through earth and get us to heaven
[00:29:51] He wants us to live the abundant life now.
[00:29:54] He just reminds us that you're going to have trials and tribulations but be of good courage for I have overcome the world.
[00:30:02] But he made it clear we're going to have them.
[00:30:05] Amen somebody?
[00:30:06] And sometimes we act like we're going to be trials and tribulations exempt.
[00:30:12] No, you're going to go through some stuff.
[00:30:14] and and really what God really is doing is refining pruning us more that's the essence of what it's all about honestly that's the essence so he can use us the more
[00:30:34] you know maybe somebody that have pruned trees before I only read about it can maybe better explain why it's important to prune trees fruit trees you gotta cut off some dead stuff am I right somebody if you don't it'll suck the life out of the tree and the tree cannot bear be as productive as it can be and Jesus described that in John 15 chapter
[00:31:01] He prunes us.
[00:31:03] Why?
[00:31:03] That we may be more fruitful.
[00:31:09] I don't know where it came from that being a Christian is just going to be a hallelujah every day.
[00:31:14] That is not the case.
[00:31:16] You're going to go down in the valley some days.
[00:31:20] But what God wants us to know, He's God of the mountain and God of the valleys.
[00:31:24] Help me somebody.
[00:31:26] So it doesn't matter where I am, God is there.
[00:31:29] And if he's there, he's going to take care of us.
[00:31:34] Okay, let's get into it.
[00:31:39] Give God some praise for the choir and our musicians.
[00:31:45] And I really appreciate y'all letting me keep with you Sunday after Sunday.
[00:31:48] So the truth of the matter is, I can't carry a tune in a bucket.
[00:31:53] Amen.
[00:31:53] But my wife can sing.
[00:31:55] I think I told some of y'all, because she's hiding, sitting on her talent.
[00:31:58] Y'all let her know.
[00:32:01] Give God some praise.
[00:32:01] Our prayer warrior, amen.
[00:32:03] Our audio tech team, our usher.
[00:32:06] Give God some praise for you, the people of God, this morning.
[00:32:09] Give God some praise for the First Lady.
[00:32:11] Please pray for us.
[00:32:14] Your time, we got about 3.15, 2.15 Central Time.
[00:32:20] We was in the Holy Land, Alabama.
[00:32:24] Our granddaughter's college graduation from the University of Alabama on yesterday and so just a wonderful, wonderful day and we're so proud of her and our daughter for arranging such a grand celebration and so we thought it not robbery that we would be, of course we're going to be there to encourage and cheer them on.
[00:32:46] Amen.
[00:32:47] And for our members of our church, I don't know what the situation is here in Forest
[00:32:51] People attending, but I always try to make room if it's permissible to attend high school or any graduation for that matter.
[00:32:59] I don't care if it's kindergarten.
[00:33:00] I really mean it.
[00:33:01] If it's important to you, it's important to me if I can be there.
[00:33:05] I can't be everywhere.
[00:33:06] That is true.
[00:33:07] You know, especially, you know, director of church growth and development.
[00:33:10] But what I'm saying is when I can be there, I want to be there.
[00:33:17] I'll never fail when I can be there.
[00:33:21] All right, but there are times I can't be there.
[00:33:24] You got to excuse that.
[00:33:26] I mean that.
[00:33:27] If it's important to you, it's important to me.
[00:33:31] Amen, somebody.
[00:33:32] Our children need to know.
[00:33:34] Now, young people need to know we're with them all the way.
[00:33:38] Amen, somebody.
[00:33:40] You know, a kid with my granddaughter yesterday, just a couple little things, you know, young people things that she did.
[00:33:45] I said, that's all?
[00:33:47] Excuse all of that, you know, really, you didn't do anything.
[00:33:51] Oh, by the way, I need to celebrate this too.
[00:33:53] Yeah, because she graduated with a 3.985.
[00:33:56] You know, almost 4.0.
[00:34:02] And so, you know, being the proud grandfather I am, I had to say, now I want to know who is that teacher that gave her a B or B+, or A-, whatever it was that she did.
[00:34:14] She didn't quite get that 4.0, but she's always been an A student, very talented in so many different ways, and we're thankful for that.
[00:34:24] Amen.
[00:34:25] And when our children do well, we need to celebrate them.
[00:34:29] Because there's so many other dangers out there.
[00:34:32] I'm very serious about it.
[00:34:34] If they do well, you better thank God for them doing well.
[00:34:40] And celebrate them doing well.
[00:34:43] Because there's a world out there that's waiting to suck them up.
[00:34:47] Alright, let's get into the message this morning.
[00:34:50] Amen.
[00:34:53] Let us pray.
[00:34:53] Gracious Father, your man's service cometh now in this most sacred moment to impart your word of life and truth.
[00:34:59] I acknowledge I have absolutely nothing on my own merit
[00:35:02] to share with these your great people.
[00:35:04] So I ask that thou would please, sir, dislodge and dismiss any and everything unlike you.
[00:35:09] Bring me the complete unction and utterance of your spirit.
[00:35:12] Then I pray, O God, that you will consecrate all of our hearts and minds so we will receive it and apply it to our daily lives.
[00:35:18] This we ask in Jesus' name.
[00:35:20] Amen.
[00:35:21] Amen.
[00:35:21] I want to talk this morning, staying with the, the theme is still staying with the process, but I want to go back and pick up the latter part of chapter four
[00:35:32] Dealing with Queen Esther and today the focus is on the part more so if I perish or she said if I must die I must die.
[00:35:44] Now let me just in a nutshell I can say it right now honestly this whole Christian journey and process is God trying to get us to that place.
[00:35:58] I will voluntarily and willingly
[00:36:03] Put my life on the line for the sake of the gospel.
[00:36:11] I know that may sound scary.
[00:36:14] That's the point.
[00:36:18] It ought to be a measuring stick to really let us know where we are.
[00:36:25] That's the Bible.
[00:36:27] That's the calling of Christ.
[00:36:29] Not force me to give my life because I have to offer my life.
[00:36:35] Now we may not die physically but in terms of service.
[00:36:42] I'm going to let that marinate.
[00:36:46] That's the calling.
[00:36:49] Jesus said, if anyone will come after me or follow me, let them deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me.
[00:37:00] Did he not say that?
[00:37:03] Well, what did you think the purpose of the cross is?
[00:37:06] Going to a party?
[00:37:08] A picnic?
[00:37:10] To go to the cross means to be crucified.
[00:37:17] This is the calling.
[00:37:20] We see people in Scripture putting their lives on the line, and even sometimes in natural life, in times in which we live, there are people that put their lives on the line.
[00:37:33] Don't think Dr. Martin Luther King did not know, in fact, he even predicted his own death, or you might say prophesied his own death.
[00:37:42] And others did the same thing.
[00:37:44] And here's the point.
[00:37:46] It's not about us, it's about others.
[00:37:52] Harry Topman put a light on the line to free slaves.
[00:37:57] She was already free.
[00:37:59] Why go back?
[00:38:00] I mean, after she got her freedom, she said, I must go back and get others.
[00:38:07] See, positions are not about us.
[00:38:10] We talked about that some last week and we'll reiterate a little bit this week.
[00:38:14] But I just want us to be reminded this morning where Queen Esther said that if I perish, let me perish.
[00:38:24] But I'm going to see the King.
[00:38:27] Knowing that her life, you know, let's go back a little bit for those who may not have been here last week.
[00:38:33] Long story, I can't do the whole review, but there was a man named Haman who was really kin to King Agag whom Israel had to take out and probably that hatred and stuff built up so he doesn't like the Jews at all.
[00:38:52] In fact, he plotted to have every last one of them killed.
[00:38:59] That's why I've been saying don't worry about your enemies.
[00:39:02] God's going to take care of your enemies.
[00:39:03] He just wants you to focus on Him.
[00:39:06] I'm very serious about that.
[00:39:08] And then we say your enemy, He'll make your enemy your footstool.
[00:39:12] So don't be careful.
[00:39:13] Be careful how you destroy your own enemy because you may be kicking your footstool off under you.
[00:39:19] Let God handle that.
[00:39:21] Amen somebody.
[00:39:23] That's why he said love your enemies.
[00:39:25] I got your enemies.
[00:39:26] But anyway, so Haman hated the Jews and had a plot to kill them and even had the king to sign an edict, bottom line is, so he could wipe out the Jews.
[00:39:41] Mordecai discovered it.
[00:39:42] We said, by the way, Mordecai, Esther is his niece.
[00:39:49] and he was because of him when he found out the king had to have another queen that he fixed Esther up and all of that and had her enter into the contest that she won the contest and became the queen so now she's in a powerful position Mordecai found out there's a plot against them so he sent word to Esther saying
[00:40:17] You know, go to the king and let him know what's going on.
[00:40:21] She sent a text back saying, hey, the king has been in his chamber for 30 days.
[00:40:28] No one is allowed to go back there unless he invites them in.
[00:40:32] The only other option is if you go uninvited, the only way you can live is he extended the scepter to you.
[00:40:41] Other than that, you die.
[00:40:43] there was a point I can't go unless I put my life on the line he's not sent for me and I can't go to the king that's the predicament and so he said to her well look at it this way if you don't go I'm paraphrasing it now deliverance gonna come from somewhere else
[00:41:10] And that was part of the point last week.
[00:41:12] God preserves his holy people.
[00:41:16] See, you got to understand that it was the lineage of Christ that was at stake.
[00:41:23] God had to preserve the line from Abraham to Christ.
[00:41:30] Oh, somebody ought to hear me right now.
[00:41:33] I said God had to preserve the line from Abraham to Christ.
[00:41:39] So he couldn't let the Jews be wiped out.
[00:41:44] God's word, his promise was at stake.
[00:41:49] That's what's going on in this text.
[00:41:52] And that's why we need to know what the promises of God is for our lives.
[00:41:56] So we don't get so uptight and all mad and all bent out of shape and fighting other folks when you don't have to fight other folks.
[00:42:05] I promise you, I don't spend time on my enemies.
[00:42:08] That's a waste of time.
[00:42:11] I don't focus on those who don't like me.
[00:42:14] That's their problem, not mine.
[00:42:18] I mean that.
[00:42:20] Get mad all you want to, that won't seem to me.
[00:42:23] Only God got my destiny in His hands.
[00:42:28] And only I can stop it by getting out of His hands.
[00:42:34] This is God's way.
[00:42:38] I'm telling you, too many people that get sidetracked, derailed.
[00:42:42] They never get what God has for them.
[00:42:45] They sing about it, shout about it, but they never get it.
[00:42:47] And they never get it because they're focusing on their enemies.
[00:42:51] Even though this is an indirect illustration, but do you remember when Peter, Jesus came walking to the, there was a storm out on the sea of Galilee and the storm came and they were out on a boat and Jesus came walking to them on water?
[00:43:07] And first there was a frame and Jesus had to say, is it I?
[00:43:11] But guess what happened?
[00:43:13] Peter said, Lord, if you bid me to come.
[00:43:16] And Jesus said, come on Peter.
[00:43:17] Watch this now.
[00:43:18] Peter was walking on water until when?
[00:43:22] He looked around and saw the waves and all that stuff and the wind blowing.
[00:43:29] When he did that, he took his eyes off Jesus and started to sing.
[00:43:36] That's what Satan want us to do right there!
[00:43:39] Take your eyes off Jesus!
[00:43:43] I'm a big kid, can I go churchy on you?
[00:43:46] When I don't like what's going on, I quit.
[00:43:50] Help me somebody.
[00:43:52] Who you working for, Jesus or the pastor?
[00:43:55] Or the church?
[00:43:57] No, seriously, who you be working for?
[00:43:59] Because he'll never leave you, nor forsake you, nor disappoint you!
[00:44:05] I may disappoint you, but not Christ.
[00:44:09] Well, I didn't know the church was like that.
[00:44:12] But let me tell you something.
[00:44:13] You know what?
[00:44:14] The church yacked up.
[00:44:15] You know how I know?
[00:44:17] Because all of us are part of it.
[00:44:21] That's right.
[00:44:22] And you know what I normally say?
[00:44:24] If you find a perfect church, you can't join it because it won't be perfect anymore.
[00:44:30] So you may as well stay with what you got.
[00:44:33] Amen.
[00:44:34] God promise all you're going to do is change names, but you're going to find the same personality.
[00:44:38] I'm going to tell you where you go.
[00:44:40] I've been a member of several and I've passed several the same names.
[00:44:45] The names and faces are the only thing that changes, but the personalities are the same.
[00:44:54] So you may as well hold on to what you got.
[00:44:57] At least you know one another here.
[00:45:00] If somebody don't like you in this church, you should have figured it out by now.
[00:45:05] You go somewhere else, you got to figure out who don't like you.
[00:45:11] But here, if they don't like you, you know they don't like you by now.
[00:45:18] Don't worry about my enemies.
[00:45:20] They're stupid.
[00:45:20] They're foolish.
[00:45:22] When Jesus got me, and he promised me that he will see me through, that no weapon formed against me shall prosper.
[00:45:32] He promised me that.
[00:45:34] We're going through all of these examples about Joseph and what his brothers tried to do to him.
[00:45:40] Because God has spoken over Joseph's life.
[00:45:42] Have I not been saying time and time again?
[00:45:45] Know what God has spoken over your life so you can stay focused, stay with the process.
[00:45:56] Another thing, God didn't call me to be successful.
[00:45:59] He called me to be faithful.
[00:46:03] We categorize pastors and pastors categorize themselves as who's the greatest.
[00:46:09] But who is the greatest?
[00:46:11] How you measure it?
[00:46:13] And what's your measuring stick?
[00:46:18] You don't know?
[00:46:20] That's in God's hands.
[00:46:22] I know I'm right about it.
[00:46:24] See, we're talking about preferences and personal likes.
[00:46:30] But who is the greatest?
[00:46:32] Do you know one plant or a plant?
[00:46:35] One water?
[00:46:37] But who gives the increase?
[00:46:39] God.
[00:46:40] I don't care how much I plant and how much the next one put the water down.
[00:46:45] If God doesn't give the increase, there'll be no increase.
[00:46:49] Amen, somebody.
[00:46:50] Oh, I love the way Pastor Mary wears a plant.
[00:46:53] Yeah, but you don't have anything.
[00:46:55] Oh, I love the next passage.
[00:46:57] Oh, he can add that water to the ground.
[00:47:00] So what?
[00:47:01] You still don't have anything?
[00:47:03] Only that God give the increase.
[00:47:09] Don't get caught up into that.
[00:47:11] I don't get caught up in one church versus another church.
[00:47:16] I know I'm right.
[00:47:17] I'm not talking about selfishness in general.
[00:47:20] That's not my assignment.
[00:47:22] My assignment is to do what thus saith the Lord God of Israel.
[00:47:28] Let me know what y'all got me all off track.
[00:47:31] How do I let y'all do this to me every Sunday?
[00:47:35] I should have learned by now.
[00:47:37] Okay, I know you now.
[00:47:38] I know thy ways.
[00:47:41] This is what I honestly believe.
[00:47:45] All of us, when we get to heaven, if God were to do a replay,
[00:47:50] we show all the blessings we could have had huh we'll be so shocked he said but you lost focus you started fighting your enemies rather than following me your enemies all see here's the point your enemies are already defeated just like beating a dead horse what can you do to a dead horse
[00:48:17] He's already dead.
[00:48:19] He can't feel any pain.
[00:48:23] It makes zero difference.
[00:48:26] That's what God is trying to tell us.
[00:48:28] The enemy is already defeated.
[00:48:32] That's what Malachi was trying to say.
[00:48:35] Yes, if you don't do it, deliverance will come from another place.
[00:48:39] Why?
[00:48:39] Because God is going to preserve the lineage of Christ from Abraham as he promised and actually going back to Adam.
[00:48:52] Matthew's version just talks about 42 generations.
[00:48:56] From Abraham on to Christ.
[00:49:00] But Luke version goes all the way back to Adam.
[00:49:05] Huh?
[00:49:09] I think sometimes we're too hard on Adam.
[00:49:12] Yes, he messed up.
[00:49:14] But believe me, after he messed up, he kept the faith and taught his children to keep the faith.
[00:49:25] amen somebody let me wrap this up so now he said if you don't do it that's the deliverance will come from another place and I can't get that over enough let me tell you something if I don't want to do right in the church by you don't you know God got folk that you ain't never met yet he haven't met yet
[00:49:53] I don't know what the church is going to do without me.
[00:49:56] Maybe better.
[00:50:05] Just check on out.
[00:50:08] I'm serious.
[00:50:09] I'd be a fool to think you can't make it without me.
[00:50:11] What did you do before you met me?
[00:50:14] I wasn't here in 1879, 18 whatever.
[00:50:17] I wasn't here then.
[00:50:19] In all those other years, I was not here.
[00:50:22] You just met me officially last year.
[00:50:25] So what did the church do all of those years?
[00:50:29] I show up like I don't know what they're going to do without me.
[00:50:31] If I wasn't here, I'd be calling myself a fool.
[00:50:40] I mean there's crazy stuff people come up with sometimes.
[00:50:43] Lord knows I don't mean you.
[00:50:44] I mean in general in the church, like church just started when you showed up.
[00:50:51] Church been going on for all these years since Christ left.
[00:50:55] And even at that day, the Old Testament version of the church, the church always going to roll along.
[00:50:59] God always have himself some prophets that never bowed to neither veil.
[00:51:03] Let me tell you something.
[00:51:04] God always have what we call a remnant people.
[00:51:08] They may be silent.
[00:51:09] You might not know who they are, but God will forever preserve himself a remnant people.
[00:51:15] Always and forever.
[00:51:20] I thought about Heatwaves, some of y'all too young for that.
[00:51:24] Well, somebody remembered.
[00:51:27] Amen.
[00:51:29] So, but anyway, so what we're saying that, and that many songs that go along with it, and one is I Surrender All.
[00:51:36] All to Jesus I surrender.
[00:51:38] Why is this now?
[00:51:39] See, remember, I only preach and teach, which is what we sing and pray and testify about.
[00:51:44] All to Him I freely give.
[00:51:47] But see, that's the process.
[00:51:50] To give more and more of myself.
[00:51:56] So that means I got work to do.
[00:51:59] So now you can say it in a manner of speaking, but in actuality, there's something that we love to hold on to.
[00:52:06] I know we're not going to talk about it.
[00:52:08] People got an ugly attitude, like those ugly attitudes.
[00:52:11] You know why?
[00:52:12] Because they feel they can tell folks off.
[00:52:15] When they get ready to tell them all.
[00:52:17] Amen, somebody.
[00:52:18] And you got a nice attitude, you don't find yourself telling people all.
[00:52:22] You may wish later on you had, but you don't.
[00:52:26] And then it goes on to say, watch this now.
[00:52:28] I surrender all, I surrender all, all to thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
[00:52:35] God, I'm giving you my whole self, everything about me.
[00:52:38] I'm in your hands, whatever you want to do.
[00:52:41] Now, so we sing it, but it's a process to get there.
[00:52:46] See, and not for us, but for the good of others.
[00:52:51] I'm serious church, this is what it is.
[00:52:54] That's why this calling is unlike any other leaders.
[00:52:57] And leadership, the higher you go, the more you call to give yourself first.
[00:53:02] I know I'm right about it.
[00:53:06] And even if it's not physical death, it may put your life on the line to be killed.
[00:53:13] But not just that, also in service and in every way that I can.
[00:53:18] Actuality, we cannot have any limitations.
[00:53:24] Huh?
[00:53:25] Oh, getting mighty quiet up in here now.
[00:53:28] Esther had to put it all on the line.
[00:53:31] Did she not?
[00:53:32] If the Jews were going to be spared, she had to put her whole life on the line.
[00:53:36] She said, if I perish, let me perish.
[00:53:40] Or if I die, let me die.
[00:53:43] But I'm going to see the king.
[00:53:44] Why?
[00:53:44] Because if I don't do it, all the Jews can be killed.
[00:53:49] But Mordecai had reminded her, but God is going to spare them.
[00:53:53] You and your house will be killed.
[00:53:56] Because once they find out you're a Jew, because they hid her identity.
[00:54:02] So the king didn't know she was a Jew.
[00:54:05] But once they find out, they're going to kill all the Jews.
[00:54:14] The enemy has a plot to take you out.
[00:54:20] And he uses people, sometimes your so-called friends, to do it.
[00:54:27] That's why the young folks call them frenemies.
[00:54:32] Friend, friend, you know like enemies, friend and enemy, put them together, frenemies.
[00:54:39] Because they'll be smiling, somebody just sing a song about it, y'all remember, they smile, oh the OJs.
[00:54:46] They smile in your face, but all the time they want to take your place, backstabbers.
[00:54:51] Come on, y'all know it, you know it, come on, I'd like to know it now.
[00:54:54] You know it, huh?
[00:54:58] Huh?
[00:54:58] All the time they want to take your place.
[00:55:00] A few of your friends, I can't remember all this, but they sure look shady.
[00:55:06] And so all I'm saying, church, is that the God is calling on all of us to lay our lives on the line.
[00:55:13] But let me, I got to close it out.
[00:55:14] But he said, but one thing about that, I want you to remember that God has, first of all, a master plan.
[00:55:25] And the plan is to preserve his holy nation.
[00:55:30] and keep his holy nation until Christ come and when Christ come Christ shall rule and reign forever and ever he's not here in bodily form right now but his word is supreme and he left the church to be in power God didn't mean for the church to be weak and impotent like it is nowadays the word of the church should count
[00:55:59] I can scare you to death.
[00:56:04] The essence of what we have to do is fight the cause for justice.
[00:56:11] But where's the church?
[00:56:14] And there's more than one way of doing it.
[00:56:16] So you don't know me.
[00:56:16] You really don't know me.
[00:56:22] We ought to be dissatisfied with what's going on in the world today.
[00:56:25] And Lord knows our nation.
[00:56:28] And we're going to pay for some stuff.
[00:56:31] And the church is going to speak up.
[00:56:34] So we're going to catch it too.
[00:56:38] All these nasty, ugly, ungodly, wicked things are being said about people in Africa and this nation and the world benefit from it.
[00:56:51] So you get to a point where you get, listen, somebody take me out, well, I'm 68 anyway.
[00:56:57] Come on, y'all.
[00:57:02] No, really?
[00:57:03] Do you not hear those ugly things said about Somalia?
[00:57:08] How can Aaliyah say those ugly things about people of God?
[00:57:18] You have what you have because of God.
[00:57:22] God and the whole world belong to God.
[00:57:30] This stuff ain't pretty, y'all.
[00:57:33] This stuff is ugly for this nation.
[00:57:36] Because here's the deal.
[00:57:37] God deals with the nation when we don't speak out.
[00:57:40] He'll deal with the person if we speak out.
[00:57:42] But if we keep silent, he'll deal with the whole nation.
[00:57:47] Because they're complicit with this mess.
[00:57:54] It was even wrong when this certain group of people voted for him.
[00:57:58] because they thought that meant we would be deported.
[00:58:02] That's wicked politics.
[00:58:04] I'll say it.
[00:58:05] That's wicked politics.
[00:58:07] The only reason I'm going to vote for him is so he can deport us.
[00:58:11] But guess who they thought was an immigrant or not an immigrant?
[00:58:15] It was them.
[00:58:16] You dig one ditch, you better dig two.
[00:58:22] They dug a ditch for us, but that one they dug was for them.
[00:58:30] See the gospel ain't no mushy mushy stuff.
[00:58:31] I don't care what people say.
[00:58:34] The gospel is about justice.
[00:58:38] I believe at the center of the being of God is justice.
[00:58:45] Love is one arm and power is the other arm.
[00:58:52] But the center of the being of God is about justice.
[00:58:56] What he said, treat everybody right.
[00:59:02] The whole law is summed up in a single point.
[00:59:06] Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
[00:59:09] That's the whole word of God.
[00:59:15] What's the greatest commandment?
[00:59:17] Forget what's on there and I'm through.
[00:59:20] Love the Lord thy God.
[00:59:22] With all thy heart, mind, soul, and strength, and thy neighbor as thyself.
[00:59:30] And the second is like unto the first.
[00:59:32] To love God with all your heart and all your mind is to love your neighbor as thyself.
[00:59:39] Or somebody ought to hear me now.
[00:59:41] See the second is likened to the first.
[00:59:44] The first is the Lord, the God with all your heart, all your mind, and all your soul, and your neighbor as yourself.
[00:59:52] Watch this.
[00:59:53] For on these two hang all the law and all the prophets.
[00:59:58] Everything that Moses wrote, everything that Jeremiah had to say is all about treating one another right?
[01:00:08] Being fair.
[01:00:11] I promise you there's a whole Bible and God doesn't care to hear nothing else I got to say if I don't treat you right.
[01:00:23] But get in the word and then all this mushy mushy stuff folks trying to make you think you believe.
[01:00:28] That's why read Isaiah first chapter.
[01:00:32] I'm going to tell you what God said.
[01:00:33] I'm paraphrasing.
[01:00:34] Read it.
[01:00:36] I wish they'd get the blank out of my church.
[01:00:41] I'm tired of the use the fire thing light on my altar.
[01:00:44] They couldn't mean nothing.
[01:00:46] Seek justice.
[01:00:48] What?
[01:00:49] Did he say what?
[01:00:51] Seek justice.
[01:00:53] Take care of the widow and the orphans and the fatherless.
[01:00:59] That's the Bible.
[01:01:02] They just got different writers writing about the same thing.
[01:01:07] but that's the word getting mighty quiet up in here as they get mighty quiet up in here but to know what God is all about hey but know what God is all about hear about his people hear about blessing his people
[01:01:26] and about us doing one another right so that everybody can be blessed.
[01:01:31] So I'll go ahead and close it out about Queen Esther.
[01:01:36] So the point what you were making was that God wanted to preserve His Holy Nation because guess what?
[01:01:44] God, He had a master plan.
[01:01:46] and the plan of salvation was already in place long before Jesus showed up.
[01:01:54] Tell me somebody, huh?
[01:01:55] For God put a plan of salvation before the fall of Adam because the word said
[01:02:01] The Lamb of God was slain before the foundation of the world.
[01:02:06] So the Lamb of God had already made up his mind and already had a divine plan that whenever man messes up that I will save him.
[01:02:16] So the plan of God of salvation was already in place before the fall of Adam
[01:02:21] The call of Abraham the blessing gave to Judah that he shall hold the scepter unto Shiloh come before David was anointed king of Israel before the prophetic voice of Isaiah for unto us a child is born a son is given the government shall be on his shoulder and he shall be called what wonderful counselor mighty God
[01:02:46] Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace Before Mary got pregnant and started throwing up in the morning Guess what?
[01:02:54] God had already implemented a plan of salvation It was implemented before the foundation of the world So God had a plan to save Israel He got a plan to save you He got a plan to save you Here's the point
[01:03:16] I'm through.
[01:03:18] Sometimes it will come down to what we call the wire.
[01:03:23] Huh?
[01:03:23] Because if God, you know, something out against us today, we want God, you know, to get rid of it now, not next week.
[01:03:32] I know I'm right about it.
[01:03:34] And oftentimes, that's why the old people say he's an old-time God.
[01:03:38] Y'all remember that?
[01:03:40] Remember the old-time God?
[01:03:41] Yes, he is.
[01:03:42] So sometimes God shows up right at the last moment.
[01:03:46] sometimes like the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego he allows them to be thrown into the fire as Ferdinand and then show up in the fire.
[01:03:55] He'll wait until Daniel was thrown into the lion den and then he showed up in the lion's den.
[01:04:01] See, we want God to keep us from going in the fire and keep us from going in the lion's den.
[01:04:05] I know I'm right about it, huh?
[01:04:07] But God allows us to go in it and then he says, I'll save you while you're in it.
[01:04:13] Amen.
[01:04:14] I'm like you.
[01:04:15] I want God to save me, but don't let me go in the fire.
[01:04:18] Amen.
[01:04:19] I want to sing this on you.
[01:04:20] Keep me out of the fire.
[01:04:24] That's what I would like to sing, but no, he shows up in the fire.
[01:04:28] Huh?
[01:04:30] I know I'm right about that.
[01:04:30] We would just get that one right there.
[01:04:33] He shows up in the fire.
[01:04:36] He shows up from Pharaoh behind Israel and down at the Red Sea.
[01:04:41] Huh?
[01:04:42] And Pharaoh is coming, closing in on them.
[01:04:45] He showed up right there when Moses crying out.
[01:04:48] Moses crying out.
[01:04:50] The folks crying out that Moses was not great in Egypt.
[01:04:54] Why you got to bring us out here to die?
[01:04:57] And Moses was crying out to me.
[01:05:01] God said, Moses, what's in your hand?
[01:05:03] Even Moses had to be reminded.
[01:05:05] God had already given him authority in the staff.
[01:05:10] Moses said, well, just this old stick.
[01:05:12] God said, watch this.
[01:05:13] See, God didn't do it by osmosis.
[01:05:15] Moses, hold it out.
[01:05:18] See, God worked through human agency.
[01:05:20] Moses hold out the rod Moses held it out and the water rolled up and then God sent a wind to dry the ground and Israel walked through on dry ground when Pharaoh and his whole army got in the Red Sea God and Israel on the other side God said hold it back out over the water and the water came together and all the Pharaoh and his army drowned
[01:05:50] God says he's got you, he's got you.
[01:05:53] Amen, somebody.
[01:05:55] Anyway, I told you the conclusion last week, but I got to say it again today.
[01:06:00] I'm really through with the message.
[01:06:01] So Esther decided, I forgot, I can't preach it today, but Esther said pray and fast.
[01:06:10] which they did and sometimes I want to lift that up today but just know there's time you got to pray in fast church amen somebody we covered Bible study we talked about there are times you got to lament you got to cry out unto the Lord yeah you got to balance that out yeah there's some time to pray but I swear there's some time you got to cry out too and I got to learn what to do when
[01:06:32] All of that is scriptural.
[01:06:35] Don't you believe that lie, you're going to praise your way through everything.
[01:06:38] Sometimes you better cry out unto the Lord.
[01:06:41] And we said that last week with Hannah.
[01:06:44] Hannah, out of the anguish of her soul, she cried out unto the Lord.
[01:06:49] Help me somebody, huh?
[01:06:50] Am I right somebody?
[01:06:51] Out of the anguish of her soul, she cried out.
[01:06:54] Her bitterness and sadness, she cried out unto the Lord.
[01:06:58] And God heard her.
[01:07:00] When Hagar and her son and Sarah and Abraham kicked out a mother with a young baby, that's a long story, but kicked her out and she'll be by herself and the baby started crying and the Bible says God heard the cry of the baby.
[01:07:20] God will hear your cry.
[01:07:21] Somebody wrote a song about it.
[01:07:23] I love the Lord because he heard my what?
[01:07:26] He heard what?
[01:07:28] and Pity, My Evergrown.
[01:07:30] There are some times you better learn how to cry out unto the Lord.
[01:07:36] Day and night, cry out.
[01:07:38] If you're angry, let God know you're angry.
[01:07:41] If you're sad, let God know that you're sad.
[01:07:44] Wherever you are, let God know that's where you are.
[01:07:49] Anyway, fast forward.
[01:07:52] I went to the king.
[01:07:53] I told you that last week.
[01:07:55] The king embraced her and encouraged her.
[01:07:57] Come on in, come on in, honey.
[01:07:58] She was looking good, smelling good.
[01:08:00] Lady, that's another story.
[01:08:02] But don't bother me, okay?
[01:08:03] I'm just only saying what the text said.
[01:08:06] But she was.
[01:08:07] Read the Bible.
[01:08:09] So y'all got to know how to get to men.
[01:08:11] That's scripture.
[01:08:15] I'm not telling y'all the truth.
[01:08:17] Men ain't hard.
[01:08:18] They're simple.
[01:08:19] You just got to learn what it is.
[01:08:21] Amen, somebody.
[01:08:22] I promise you.
[01:08:23] God, I'm very serious about it, huh?
[01:08:25] I mean, you got to put on some sweet-smelling stuff.
[01:08:28] Okay, why we get quiet on this stuff?
[01:08:35] We are spiritual and natural.
[01:08:37] Huh?
[01:08:39] So that's why we have to have workshops on stuff like this.
[01:08:41] And one of the biggest ones they have going on, in my opinion, is on relationships.
[01:08:47] Male, female, husband, wife.
[01:08:49] I think that's the biggest one we need.
[01:08:51] God knows I do.
[01:08:52] And why we shouting in church, but we don't know how to relate.
[01:08:56] You see, God wants us to deal with stuff like that.
[01:09:00] Because if the church doesn't deal with it, who's going to deal with it?
[01:09:03] Who's going to teach it from God's perspective?
[01:09:05] If God made it, don't you think God knows all about it?
[01:09:09] Don't you know God put it in the Bible?
[01:09:12] See, everything is not a shout.
[01:09:15] Some things are how to get along at home.
[01:09:23] I don't apologize.
[01:09:24] You shouldn't ever.
[01:09:25] I'm here and I'm going to teach you.
[01:09:31] Huh?
[01:09:32] Amen, somebody.
[01:09:35] We take all these little nice vows, these nice little dresses and tuxedos and everything, beautiful arrangement, everything all pretty, and then we don't know what to do after I do.

[01:09:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Huh?

[01:09:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
I'm serious.
[01:09:54] I am so serious.
[01:09:56] I think it's a travesty for the church to ignore the issues that people wrestle with the most and talking about heaven.
[01:10:05] Heaven gonna take care of itself.
[01:10:10] I'm not worried about heaven.
[01:10:12] That's why you don't even say a lot about heaven.
[01:10:14] That gonna take care of itself.
[01:10:18] But the challenge of life is living down here, and how do we do it one with the other?
[01:10:24] How do you take two people from different backgrounds, sometimes different values, different priorities, and the two shall become one?
[01:10:35] How do you do that?
[01:10:41] Okay.
[01:10:42] Y'all don't want to talk anymore, so I'm covering it up.
[01:10:46] Huh?
[01:10:47] I'm as serious as I can be.
[01:10:49] How you get along with the siblings?
[01:10:54] Especially after sometime mom and dad die.
[01:10:59] Everybody come together for Thanksgiving.
[01:11:02] Then mom and dad check out.
[01:11:03] Everybody go their separate ways.
[01:11:10] I know it's real talk.
[01:11:12] You see, God called the church to deal with it.
[01:11:16] See, I wonder what God thinks about our sermons.
[01:11:20] Sometimes we just say, I wish you could get that junk out of my house.
[01:11:24] What I want you to deal with is where people live and hurt.
[01:11:28] And do you know that when they really teach us what a sermon is, if it doesn't touch people where they live and hurt, it's not a sermon at all.
[01:11:37] I just wasted my time and yours.
[01:11:45] So you got to get real.
[01:11:47] That's what Jesus did with the issues of life.
[01:11:49] When man came to Jesus, make my brother divide the inheritance with me.
[01:11:54] Jesus is a man who made me a judge between the two of you.
[01:11:58] He asked him that really.
[01:12:00] And then he said, be aware, told the rest of the folk, of all kind of greed.
[01:12:07] He was saying to that man, you know, you might have a greedy problem.
[01:12:13] Okay, can I get out safely?
[01:12:19] No, okay, I promise I'm through.
[01:12:22] All I'm saying, church, is there are real issues in life, and the church will close our eyes and just talk about going to heaven when we die.
[01:12:33] If you don't know that by now, Lord have mercy on you.
[01:12:37] Okay, can I say this?
[01:12:39] If everything, we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and our Savior, we're all going to heaven when we die.
[01:12:45] Can we hand that and put that on the shelf?
[01:12:47] So I don't have to talk about that anymore, right?
[01:12:50] We're going to heaven, we just want to hear it, okay?
[01:12:52] Record it and then play it all you want to.
[01:12:57] All through the week.
[01:12:59] Alright, okay.
[01:12:59] Now, how do we deal with one another?
[01:13:03] How do you deal with authority?
[01:13:05] What if I don't do right?
[01:13:06] How do you deal with that?
[01:13:10] There's a way you deal with it.
[01:13:13] And there's a way you don't deal with it.
[01:13:16] You can deal with it and still be in good graces with God.
[01:13:19] On the other hand, you can deal with another way and be out of graces with God.
[01:13:24] See, even though Saul was trying to kill David, David
[01:13:30] Now, Saul went into the outhouse in the cave.
[01:13:33] David walked up, you know, slipped up in the cave and cut part of his robe off and ran out of the cave and said, look here, I could have killed you.
[01:13:43] But David said after that, I was grief-stricken that I had touched the anointing of God.
[01:13:51] See what I mean?
[01:13:53] He was saying, God, you got to deal with Saul.

[01:13:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
I can't.

[01:13:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Okay, that's it.
[01:13:57] The invitation is extended.
[01:14:05] We'll finish up Esther when we finish up Esther.
[01:14:08] Why do you think God took us this way this morning?
[01:14:10] For a reason.
[01:14:12] So what the church is all about.
[01:14:13] Have you given your all
[01:14:20] Have you made your mind to give your all?
[01:14:22] Because that's a lifelong process.
[01:14:24] Myself included.
[01:14:27] Honestly.
[01:14:28] It's a lifelong process for me to give my all.
[01:14:32] I'll be giving until the day I die.
[01:14:35] Yielding more and more of my life to Christ.
[01:14:37] But not one of us in here or that have ever lived in a human body except Christ himself has fully yielded everything over to God.
[01:14:49] Are y'all with me now?
[01:14:51] You may stand.
[01:14:54] Christ, so first of all, let's start with making sure that you're saved.
[01:14:58] I don't mean your name on the church roll.
[01:15:01] That's not going to save you.
[01:15:02] God's not going to ask Pastor Mary or Anita McDaniel about, let me see the roll in Seals Creek or whatever the church may be out there.
[01:15:12] He's not going to do that.
[01:15:14] Huh?
[01:15:16] Your name gotta be written in the Lamb's Book of Life and that is written when you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior.
[01:15:23] And that's the only way you can get in there.
[01:15:27] Your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life and the day gonna come when He shall open up the Book of Life.
[01:15:33] That's what it means.
[01:15:34] He will open it up.
[01:15:37] It will be kept sealed.
[01:15:39] until that day of judgment and he will open up the book of life and you want to make sure your name is written in the Lamb's book of life the only God can write in there or have the angels are writing in there that's the invitation anyone
[01:16:08] I want to accept Jesus your Lord and your Savior.
[01:16:11] Give your life to Christ.

[01:16:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
I want to unite with this church fellowship.

[01:16:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Listen on virtual platforms.
[01:16:31] You may give your life too.
[01:16:40] Offers may come and receive the offering.

[01:17:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Jesus, take me now I surrender all
[01:17:53] Amen.

[01:18:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Let us stand.
[01:18:04] Give thanks unto God for the offering and thank you for your gifts.

[01:18:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Amen.

[01:18:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
And who's doing the announcements first?
[01:18:51] Anyone?
[01:18:52] You are doing?
[01:18:53] Okay, thank you.

[01:19:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
We have a few announcements here.
[01:19:15] All right, first off,
[01:19:16] You know, the announcements come in the email, so you can always look on the email and get the announcements.
[01:19:21] But we will always read them as we have them here.
[01:19:24] If you'd like to, if you'd like to, excuse me, if you'd like to, Lord?
[01:19:33] Good morning, church family.
[01:19:35] If you'd like to, would like to donate a poinsettia to decorate the church, you may do so, or you may donate to the flower farm for the one that we already have.
[01:19:44] All parents and children ages 13 to 21 please see Sister Shantae by December 20th in reference to some activities that are coming up.
[01:19:54] The missionary department would like to say thank you to all that donated to the Advent calendar to assist the families of Zion Hill Apartments.
[01:20:05] Bible study and prayer will be this Wednesday as follows.
[01:20:14] A couple of little announcements.
[01:20:16] The 21st, next Sunday, we will be feeding, we'll be eating our Christmas meal.
[01:20:25] Please come and fellowship with a Christmas meal.
[01:20:31] I take this real serious because one of the programs, the District Men's Ministry wanted to have a, each church will have a, they're gonna give the church
[01:20:43] A turkey to give to an individual family.
[01:20:48] And I said something to my wife.
[01:20:51] I said, we're having a Christmas meal.
[01:20:52] I will make sure the same, just enjoy everybody come to our Christmas meal versus giving one family a turkey for a meal.
[01:21:04] And I think we all are blessed here in Sears Creek.
[01:21:08] And it would be hard for me to say, who is needy of a Christmas meal?
[01:21:14] And what I'm saying, I want everyone that's here today and other members to please come so we can eat in fellowship our Christmas meal on next Sunday.
[01:21:22] If that's alright with y'all.
[01:21:26] And I'm going to give it to Stacy.

[01:21:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Good morning, church.
[01:21:31] What a powerful message we had this morning.
[01:21:34] I felt like that was personal for me because I'm not there yet.
[01:21:38] But I'd just like to highlight January the 17th.
[01:21:42] I'd like for all of you all to put that on your calendar.
[01:21:44] If you don't have this card, just raise your hand and she'll be more than glad to give you one.
[01:21:48] I'd like to personally invite all my church family to spend about three hours with me and my group, the Pyramids of Salisbury.
[01:21:55] We're having our annual program January the 17th at the Bethel Center in Kannapolis, North Carolina.
[01:22:01] We have upgraded this program and we're bringing in three touring artists.
[01:22:07] Three touring artists.
[01:22:08] They tour nationally on the East Coast.
[01:22:10] Along with the pilgrims and the carriers of joy, we have D. Morton out of Tennessee.
[01:22:19] We also have the New Creation out of Durham.
[01:22:24] And we also have Flossie Boyd out of South Carolina.
[01:22:27] Flossie Boyd and Favor out of South Carolina.
[01:22:30] If you want to do something different, or you want to give someone a Christmas present, just buy them this ticket and give it to them for a Christmas present.
[01:22:39] and they can go after Christmas.
[01:22:41] Tickets only $20.
[01:22:42] It's $25 at the door and I'll be more than glad.
[01:22:45] I know you will enjoy yourself.
[01:22:48] Spend about two hours and a half to three hours at the Belfer Center and you will enjoy yourself.
[01:22:52] If you like gospel music or if you just want to do something different, I have the tickets for the program and God will continue to uplift the name of Jesus through our song ministry.
[01:23:02] Amen.

[01:23:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Thank you.
[01:23:10] Okay, saying that us govern ourselves accordingly, and Brother Stacy, you know, because I keep such a busy schedule, please remind me, but it's my intent always to support everybody if I can.
[01:23:22] There are times, like there's a program this afternoon, I said to the people I should say it to, I don't know that we can make it today.
[01:23:31] After having to get up so early, don't let people fool you about I do work hard, that's true, but I know how to take care of myself.
[01:23:40] And I believe in that, I try to eat right, exercise, I kid about certain things, but trust me, I'm not a dessert fan, I eat certain things I like, but what I like, to keep from eating it, I don't buy it.
[01:23:52] See, like I like fig noodles, I don't buy them.
[01:23:54] Somebody may buy some every now and then, and I promise, it's rare I buy them, because I know what'll happen to them.
[01:24:01] They'll go bye-bye somewhere.
[01:24:05] Well, they will.
[01:24:06] I don't.
[01:24:06] I'm not telling you what they do.
[01:24:08] I don't do soft drinks.
[01:24:09] I may drink a soda once a year.
[01:24:12] I just don't.
[01:24:13] I exercise pretty much daily, and the challenge for my
[01:24:20] Apple Watch is for this month, do seven miles, 14 days.
[01:24:27] I'm at 12 of those days.
[01:24:31] Y'all hear what I'm saying?
[01:24:32] What I'm saying is I believe in getting my rest.
[01:24:35] So like today, so we're resting.
[01:24:37] Should we go here or should we go home and get some rest?
[01:24:40] See what I mean?
[01:24:41] And you take care of yourself.
[01:24:43] You know, the body, part of the stewardship is your body is your temple.
[01:24:47] It's the temple of God.
[01:24:48] Amen, somebody.
[01:24:50] It's not just a body.
[01:24:51] It's what God resides in.
[01:24:53] It's not this building that's most important to God.
[01:24:56] This is just a replica of this.
[01:24:58] And then with the Bible, all of us together form the temple of God.
[01:25:02] That's what God wants.
[01:25:05] Not the building.
[01:25:08] Jesus didn't die for a building.
[01:25:09] He died for the people.
[01:25:11] and the people so individually we are temple but by the greater context of scripture is the body of believers are the real temple of God that he desired to dwell in the midst of them that has always been the context of scripture always been the context of scripture I would dwell in the midst of my people and he wanted in the midst so that everybody got equal access
[01:25:41] Look at the tabernacle and how the tribes had to count.
[01:25:47] Three on the north, three on the south, three east and three west, and the tabernacle was in the center.
[01:25:54] That's God.
[01:25:55] So keep that in mind.
[01:25:58] So take care of yourselves.
[01:25:59] Amen.
[01:26:00] Get quiet up in here now.
[01:26:02] It's okay to eat whatever you eat from time to time.
[01:26:04] We got that.
[01:26:05] That's okay.
[01:26:05] But I'm saying for the most part, God wants you to take care of this temple.
[01:26:09] Believe it or not,
[01:26:11] When God created us in the beginning, this body was meant to last throughout eternity.
[01:26:21] It's sin that takes it down.
[01:26:24] But it was created to last forever and ever and ever.
[01:26:29] And that's why when Jesus comes back, you should get a new body.
[01:26:35] You're not going to be a floating spirit.
[01:26:37] You're going to get a new body.
[01:26:39] that cannot be defiled by sin anymore.
[01:26:44] Y'all hear me?
[01:26:45] And that's why there will be no more sickness, no more disease, no more death, no more sorrow.
[01:26:55] Now y'all want a heavy message?
[01:26:57] That's it.
[01:26:58] I hope you recorded it.
[01:27:03] Okay, now really, okay, I'm going to leave that alone.
[01:27:06] So next week, I do want to say I do really want to be there.
[01:27:11] If any of y'all have anything, if we can be there, we're going to be there.
[01:27:14] If I can't come, I'm going to let y'all be honest enough to say I'm sorry, I just can't get there.
[01:27:19] You know, because I do believe in taking care of this temple as best as I can.
[01:27:23] Amen?
[01:27:24] So I got to balance that with things to do first to getting proper rest for this body.
[01:27:30] Amen?
[01:27:31] I don't want this good, well-tuned, fine-tuned body.
[01:27:35] I figured I'd make you laugh there.
[01:27:39] Hold on to this wonderful body.
[01:27:41] Okay, all right.
[01:27:43] All right, so Christmas dinner, fellowship dinner is next Sunday?
[01:27:47] All right, and what did we say last week?
[01:27:49] The rule, the recommendation?
[01:27:52] Come full.
[01:27:53] No, that's a joke.
[01:27:55] Come hungry, come hungry, come hungry.
[01:27:57] All right, is that it?
[01:27:59] Okay.

[01:28:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
All right.
[01:28:02] My queen is trying to tell me another announcement.
[01:28:05] I can't quite understand some of it.
[01:28:09] Dessert.
[01:28:10] Oh, dessert.
[01:28:11] Oh, the same standard.
[01:28:12] Ladies bring dessert.
[01:28:13] That's what the M.C.
[01:28:15] is telling me.
[01:28:15] Ladies or men.
[01:28:17] Equal opportunity.
[01:28:20] Bring a dessert.
[01:28:23] Last little thought when you say that pastor said something, I want to make sure the church understand.
[01:28:28] If you have gifts to anyone, being a pastor or whatever, next week may be the opportune time.
[01:28:34] He just said he don't like desserts, so don't bring him no cake or anything.
[01:28:38] But if you want to bless someone during the Christmas holidays, that would be the time to do it.
[01:28:45] Eastern ministry or however you choose to do it.
[01:28:47] So fill that time on next week.
[01:28:50] And I think we'll have the bags next week.
[01:28:52] So everybody will get a gift next week.
[01:28:55] You get the fruit bag.
[01:28:56] And let me tell you, that's a blessing.
[01:28:58] An orange or apple or so, that's a blessing.
[01:29:01] That's all, Pastor.

[01:29:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Oh, thank you.
[01:29:03] If somebody give me something, I will.
[01:29:05] I really will.
[01:29:05] No, no, no.
[01:29:08] What I'm saying is if you think enough to give me something, I will partake of it because you thought enough to give it.
[01:29:16] I don't want to turn people's gifts down.
[01:29:19] I'm very serious about that.
[01:29:20] I've eaten a lot of things sometimes because not so much I desire to, but people thought enough of you to do it.
[01:29:27] Sometimes people have stuff at church, and especially we have a men's cook-off,
[01:29:31] Everybody wants the pastor to taste theirs.
[01:29:34] So whether you want it or not, you eat it and act like you like it.
[01:29:39] Because they want you to.
[01:29:40] And that's fine.
[01:29:41] I really don't knock that.
[01:29:42] So I really do try.
[01:29:44] But what I'm saying for the...
[01:29:46] They teach the 80-20 rule, or at least me.
[01:29:49] I don't know what Dr. Tanya teaches.
[01:29:54] But they teach us what they call the 80-20 rule.
[01:29:57] Eat healthy 80% of the time and you can do whatever you do 20% of the time.
[01:30:04] Alright?
[01:30:05] Don't declare December the 20% rule the whole month.
[01:30:10] Y'all will catch it tomorrow.
[01:30:13] But really, so eat healthy as best as you can, exercise, do all your screening and tests you're supposed to take, do all of that.
[01:30:21] Amen?
[01:30:22] Alright, okay, is that it y'all?
[01:30:26] Okay, all right, so the benediction.
[01:30:30] Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
[01:30:39] To the only wise God our Savior be glory and majesty, dominion and power now and forever.
[01:30:46] Let the saints of God say,
[01:31:07] Alright, you all enjoy your week, and we'll see you next Sunday.