So here we are chapter 2 acts we'll look at verses 14 through 21 and begin our study Luke writes but Peter standing up with the 11 raised his voice and said to them Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem Let this be known to you and heed my words For these are not drunk as you suppose since it is only the third hour of the day But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel and It shall come to pass in the last days says God that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy Your young men shall see visions Your old men shall dream dreams. I've been doing that a lot lately And on my men servants and on my maid servants I will pour out my spirit in those days and they shall prophesy I will show wonders in heaven above Signs in the earth beneath blood and fire vapor of smoke the sun shall be turned into darkness the moon Into blood before the coming of the great and notable day of the Lord and It shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved now. I'm going to give you a little information some information. I didn't give you last time we're together Because there are a couple of things that I didn't even touch on that I want to touch on and then we'll move on in to this Pentecost sermon and all of that But as I lay a foundation I'll remind you that the the day of Pentecost is fully arrived And the promise that God had made in the Old Testament as well as reiterated through the mouth of Jesus that promise has been fulfilled in Chapter one verses four and five Jesus had commanded his disciples to tarry in Jerusalem and they had He said there being it says they're being assembled together with them He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father which he said You have heard from me for John truly baptized with water But you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now and so Something that is very simple, but important to remember and if you write this down, it'll be a blessing in your life Very basic thing obedience results in blessing Just remember that obedience to the Lord results in blessing It was such a basic thing It's interesting how Jesus's call for obedience is repeated over and over again in the New Testament It's such a basic teaching But it seems that the Lord from the Old Testament to the New Testament has to repeat this one thing over and over Again, he says to obey is better than sacrifice Jesus said if you love me keep my commandments And so it's it's a central theme of a of a person's walk with God simple obedience You see when you when you're obedient to the Word of God when you're obedient to God He shows up in wonderful ways In John 14 Jesus said it like this at verse 21 John 14 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them. He is the one who loves me He who loves me will be loved by my father and I too will love him and show myself manifest myself To him I will manifest I will show myself to the one who obeys me because if he obeys me he loves me So it's a very basic thing and yet in the body of Christ It has to be repeated over and over again Obey me to obey is better than sacrifice obey me You see that from the old to the New Testament and Jesus has said it. He had simply said to them Just don't depart from Jerusalem Wait for the promise of the Father John baptized with water you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. It's a simple command Just wait Terry in Jerusalem in an obedience God is going to pour out a blessing on you and so as we've seen they waited obediently and they waited Expectedly for the promise and the promise was fulfilled now One of the things I didn't really speak to you about and I'm going to point it out very quickly is found in chapter 1 verse 13 as well as verse 15 in verse 13 chapter 1 When they had entered they went up into the upper room where they were staying Peter James John Andrew Philip Thomas Bartholomew Matthew James the son of Alpheus and Simon the zalot and Judas the son of James These continued It's one accord in in prayer supplication with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers And so I wanted to speak to you a little bit about that and share a little bit about this because what we have is We actually have a hundred and twenty people who are awaiting the promise that the Lord Jesus Christ had given There's a hundred and twenty that are waiting It says in verse 15 In those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples all together the number of the names was about a hundred and twenty And so I didn't even mention to you who those hundred and twenty were You know so I'm going to give you their names one at a time. No, I'm not I'm just teasing But I didn't mention that There were a hundred and twenty and the question would be asked who were these a hundred and twenty people we know That the Lord Jesus Christ intended to fulfill his promise to the Apostles But the Apostles who had remained faithful at that time were numbering only 11 Then they added as we know the the new Apostle to take the place of the one who fell Matthias Took the place of Judas. But so who are these hundred and twenty and where do we get the number? Because it mentions that again in verse 15 there was about and it's a word about there were about a hundred and twenty Who were they? Well, all we need to do is remember some basic things in Scripture One you need to remember that in Matthew chapter 28 Versus 16 and 17 it speaks concerning the fact that Jesus had spoken to his men and said that he would meet them on a mountain in Galilee and The men went there, but the men were not alone there There were others who had shown up alongside of him it speaks concerning in verse 17 that it says this they Worshiped him, but some doubted and so not amongst the 11. It wasn't amongst the 11 faithful that had this This is too good to be true attitude, but there were other people who were there now. How do we know that? well in 1st Corinthians chapter 15 verse 6 That verse mentions that there were over 500 eyewitnesses of Jesus after his resurrection When you look at Luke chapter 8 verses 1 through 3 Those verses speak of women who followed Jesus and financially supported him in Luke chapter 10 Verses 1 through 17 those verses mentioned 70 disciples that Jesus has sent to preach the kingdom of God is near and so the number 120 would include the 11 apostles The 70 disciples the women who followed Jesus They would include even as we read a moment ago Mary Jesus's brothers and many of the eyewitnesses that were spoken of in 1st Corinthians 15 6 That's where the 120 that are mentioned here, and it's almost off hand in verse 15 That's where those numbers would have come from So the 120 disciples in the upper room who are awaiting in obedience Were baptized by the Holy Spirit and as we saw last time we were together The result was a supernatural gifting with tongues languages that were unlearned And as we saw they began praising and magnifying God in languages that they had never learned Now it had stated in verse 5 of chapter 2 Here's something else. I didn't share with you in verse 5. There were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews notice the word devout Devout men from every nation under heaven. I didn't point out something about that the word devout What does that mean? We don't use that word very much anymore But the word devout literally speaks of being cautious and careful as To the realization of the presence and claims of God it speaks of reverencing God It speaks of fear and love combined Which produces reverence the Old Testament placed emphasis on fear But the New Testament emphasizes love Though there was love in the fear of God saints then there must also be fear in their love of God now and So these devout individuals were careful and cautious is what it's speaking about and these were individuals Who would not necessarily be taken in So they were careful and cautious as it pertains to their walks with God and what God has said But when this takes place when these hundred and twenty were baptized by the Holy Spirit and spilled out and began to Speak in these unlearned languages. We read that these people were confused as well as amazed and they began to question amongst themselves What is happening? So as some of these people are beginning to say what is happening others as we noted last time began to mock Thinking that had they had been drinking wine and had gotten themselves drunk Now I have to say this and this is all just laying a foundation for you. The disciples Were not staggering around They weren't laughing hysterically like some drunks I've been around happy drunks And I've been around angry ones If you got to be around a drunk, I guess a happy one's better than a mad one But what this is and there's really a reason I'm going to tell you this because Not that long ago There was a movement and it's still around. I mean you still see it. It's not quite as much now as it was before Where people were beginning to say that when you were baptized with the Holy Spirit Perhaps some of you are aware of this perhaps you saw this or me me even have experienced this yourself they would say that you are drunk in the spirit and All kinds of outlandish things began to happen There were people doing crazy things. I don't even want to go It's not even decent to express to you what was taking place sometimes in church services and people were blaming the spirit of God for these things You know it was bad enough. Some were barking like dogs in church services and Some were meowing like cats and I'm not making this up And I often wondered what if that dog was married to the cat does that mean that they fight like cats and dogs? I But it was just an odd It was an odd time in the church where the most outlandish things were being blamed on God and the Holy Spirit and They would point to this particular portion of scripture when it says in chapter 2 verse 13 Others mock and said they are full of new wine And so what was being said and it is still repeated not as much now as it was just a few years ago That you can become what is called drunk in the spirit and perhaps some of you are familiar with what I'm talking about And you would see them stagging around staggering around and in the church. I've seen it I have seen it with my eyes those kinds of things and they're blaming God saying God Made me do this because I'm drunk in the Holy Spirit like in the book of Acts chapter 1 verse 13 But I want you to notice there's a reason that I bring these things up to you So you're equipped to answer these things should you ever encounter it? I want you to see others mocking said they're drunk and So this was a slam. This was something they were saying against them as a way of simply mocking them What you need to remember is that the fruit of the spirit according to Galatians 5 23 the fruit of the spirit includes self control Self control is an evidence that you're filled with the Holy Spirit and a lack of Self-control can actually be one of the evidences that you are unsaved According to 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verse 3 where he speaks of the unsaved as being without Self-control so when the Holy Spirit is moving in your life He is actually producing the fruit of self-control Not a lack of control keep that in mind because if you watch any what is called Christian TV You might still see these kinds of things being perpetrated in the name of Jesus Christ You see what you have here is people who are confused and they're making an observation in order to dismiss what they're seeing So Peter is going to bring a scriptural explanation for a spiritual manifestation Now we believe that God gives us direction through his word and we examined the Bible to find God's explanation on anything that is Spiritual like the Bereans who when they heard what Paul had to say Examine the scriptures to see whether these things are so in first Thessalonians 5 21 It simply says test all things and hold fast what is good and So we need to have directions through the Bible through the word of God And that's why you'll hear me every time I open the word in one form or another. I will say to you Spend time in God's word Personally not simply here, and I thank God that you bring your Bibles and you open them of course of course But make a habit of doing that when you're by yourself Reading God's word and getting imbibed with the things of God Because that helps you to not be conformed to this world, but being transformed by the renewing of your mind and so that's what happens when you yield yourself as a living sacrifice to God and so What we have here is a very interesting thing. I want to point this out notice verse 14 Peter Standing up with the 11 raised his voice and said to them Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem let this be known to you and heed my words For these are not drunk as you suppose since it is only the third hour of the day this to me is so important that I could almost easily pass it up because of I just read it so very often. I don't really let myself meditate on one to stake in place, but let me remind you Who is this speaking the Apostle Peter? Peter now wait a minute. You're the one who denied the Lord and It wasn't that long ago Sometimes we don't realize that these kinds of things that are taking place were in within two months of one another From his denial of the Lord to standing in front of everybody from his hiding for fear of the Jewish authorities To him standing up in front of all of these people and preaching something happened Something happened. Listen Do you want to be used by God? I'm gonna speak to some who do do you want to be used by God get filled with the Spirit? Because if you walk in the flesh, you're not pleasing to God and you will not be used by the Lord But Pentecost is fully arrived guys the Holy Spirit in the shape of Flaming tongues landed on each individual and the result is the man who denied the Lord is now Confessing him openly Where does this boldness come from? from the Spirit of God It comes from the Spirit of God Do you want to be used by the Lord? I have had people say this to me in the past You know, you're pretty you're pretty bold. How did that happen? Be getting up be filled with the Spirit. You don't even realize that you're bold You don't you don't even realize that people call you bold and you don't even know that you don't even know if they're kidding You're joking. Well, how come you how come you speak so easily? What do you mean? How come you speak so easily? It seems so natural. It's not Naturally, I'm shy Naturally, I'm reserved Naturally, I'm to myself naturally my opinions are mine. I don't want to give them to anybody else Why would I give my opinions to people so they can tear them up and no, I don't do that keep it to myself But you're not that way of the Lord You want to be used by the Lord? Ask God fill you with the Spirit Fill me with the Spirit Lord. I want to be used this man who denied Jesus. This is so important You see if there's anything the church needs today at Spirit Field believers to start opening their mouths We need that desperate. No, I'm not saying be rude and I'm not saying be argumentative No, I'm not saying we should go out and with the bullhorn yell at people in cars passing by I'm not saying that if the Lord leads you to do that say you go to another church Where's your confidence come from?  It came from the power of the Holy Spirit And if there's anything that pastors need today It's much more than their natural abilities and capacities. I Thank God for the humorous pastors. I have many friends who are very funny You know my friend Raul I've had to pull over Years ago. I was listening to him. I would have to pull over. I'd be laughing so hard at the things he said I remember once I'll give you one instance He was saying this it's really important He said write this in the margarine of your Bible and I thought He just used to make me laugh. He still does. He still he still does when I lost my memory a few years ago I lost my memory. He called me at my house. He said David. He calls me David. Not David David David he says You lost your memory and I said yes, I did he goes. Do you remember you owe me $200 that was He's terrible. He's terrible So so where does your confidence come from? Where do where does your ability to communicate without fear come from?  They're baptized of the Holy Spirit They pour it out of that upper room They're speaking concerning the mighty works of God Some people are confused and amazed others begin to mock The Apostle Peter seizes on that opportunity to explain a spiritual thing with scripture And he preaches with a boldness to people who just a couple months ago He'd have been afraid would have taken him and put him put him to death And so he stands according to verse 15 to give an explanation He stands it says with the 11 that should speak of course of the Apostles And he immediately dismisses the mocking and he enters into his sermon He says in verse 16. This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel and so The prophet Joel wrote some 835 years before Christ When he says this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel I need to say that this prophecy that is being spoken of here has Not been totally fulfilled and will not be totally fulfilled until the 1,000 year reign and final judgment And at at that time it will all be completely Fulfilled because at that time all will be filled with the Spirit what this is he's saying is a Fortaste of what is yet to occur and so he begins to speak And he says in verses 17 and 18 it shall come to pass in the last days says God That I will pour out of my spirit on all flesh Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy your young men shall see visions your old men Shall dream dreams and on my men servants and on my maid servants I will pour out my spirit in those days. They shall prophesy and so This is the present era when he speaks concerning the last days Joel wrote it shall come to pass in the last days This is the present era where God is saving men the last days include when Jesus first came up until his return But in this context his spirit is being poured out on all flesh that word poured it means to be Gushing out it speaks of an abundance It in Acts 10 verse 45 You'll see the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out Even on the Gentiles. It's a gushing forth an abundance if you will and God had said in Isaiah 44 verse 3 I will pour out water on the thirsty land streams on the dry ground I will pour out my spirit on your offspring my blessing on your descendants So this is a prophecy that was fulfilled Where the pouring out of the spirit happens and as this is happening You shall come to pass in the last days says God that I will pour it out my spirit on all flesh He goes on to say this your sons and your daughters shall prophesy God is going to be moving He's going to be moving through men and women. It's a picture of God directing them. So sons and daughters will prophesy sometimes We don't even realize that the Lord is moving in a prophetic way where we're speaking concerning an event That that will happen. Let me give you an example Many years ago Probably 36 years ago at least maybe 37 years ago I was an assisting pastor in another fellowship a friend of mine named Larry and his wife Donna Murray my wife and I had known them from prior to me Going into a full-time ministry. I'd known them for a long time and Donna and Larry went to Calvary Chapel Downey Donna was infertile, but she had made arrangements to adopt a child and so she Had the baby, but they had yet to formalize the adoption and So she calls me and she says Dave. She said I have a child. I'm adopting the child small baby an infant and She said to me can you dedicate my my little girl and I said I'd be honored and So we made arrangements for her to come on a Sunday morning and When she came to church with her baby I Had never done this before and I've never done it since When she handed me the baby this adopt this baby to be adopted She handed me the baby as actually I'll give you a second, but anyway It happened in a different way some other time, but anyway, I was holding the baby and I was holding the baby. I looked at Donna the adoptive mother and As I was sharing I looked at her and I said a sword is going to pierce your soul Where'd that come from? We're dedicated in a baby You don't say stuff like that and I shook my head and she's looking at me puzzled and I said and a sword shall pierce your soul And I prayed for the baby Within I don't remember how long within a few months They took the baby from her they took the baby from her That was a prophetic word. I Said you don't hold on hold on a Sword is going to pierce your soul Donna I've never done anything like that when my son Joseph was born and I was in the hospital room Marie gave birth And they brought the baby to me and handed me Joseph I still remember looking at this baby saying and I lifted the baby in my hands like this Before the Lord and I said in this one Shall serve the Lord my son Joseph has an anointing and I've watched him 35 years I'm watching God's work in this young man. He's a reader a Communicator loves Jesus and I know God uses that young man He was the one kid the other three, but this one here Just kidding quite obviously But there is this time of speaking forth God at this is this isn't something made up. This is what the scriptures says The scriptures makes it very clear your sons your daughters shall prophesy Your young man. He said shall see visions Visions are also called waking dreams No, I don't pretend to have experienced all the things that are being said here, but I Can give you one instance of this too. I was laying in bed and It was it's like Five in the morning and The the room became you won't believe this, but I'll say it anyway. It's true the room became Bright, but only in a certain area and I remember opening my eyes and in front of me were two young people and I looked at them and I said this is anyway, I don't know why I don't like to tell you these things because it sounds crazy But it's true and I I looked at them and I said, who are you? They're in my room. What are you doing here? I didn't have ADT at the time. How'd you get in here? And it was glowing and They said we are angels sent from God to anoint you For the pain that you're about to go through And I looked at them.   We went through some of the deepest pain We've ever gone through shortly after that remember and we made it through Because the Lord was with us. I Believe these things. I don't believe it happens to everybody. I don't know why these things have happened to me I really don't I don't talk about them because I don't elevate them above scripture in the spirit of God But these things are true These things are true your sons and your daughters they shall prophesy Your young men shall see visions Your old men they dream dreams well Look in your scripture, and you'll see that God used dreams It was in the Old Testament one of the ways that the Lord would speak you see it I'll give you names some you'll recognize others you may not But God had had spoken through dreams to a man named Abimelech to Jacob to Laban to Joseph Jacob's son He used a dream to speak to Pharaoh to Solomon in the New Testament he spoke to Joseph and He did use the medium of dreams in the Old Testament in the book of Job 33 verses 14 through 16 Job 33 14 through 16 It says God may speak in one way or in another Yet man does not perceive it in a dream in a vision of the night When deep sleep falls upon men while slumbering on their beds Then he opens the ears of men and seals their instruction In numbers 12 verse 6 he said here now my words if there was a prophet among you I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision I speak to him in a dream And so this is not something unusual that you find it was actually something spoken of in the Old Testament Now dreams could be used by the Lord and were used by God to communicate but they can also be a means of deception and That's why anything that you think the Lord is seeking to you in a dream needs to be tested by scripture In Jeremiah 23 32 God warned the nation by saying I am against those who prophesy false dreams Declars the Lord they tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies. I didn't send or appoint them They do not benefit these people in the least declares the Lord and so you always test whatever by scripture But he goes on in verse 18 on my men servants and my maid servants I will pour out my spirit in those days God's spirit is going to move he says on all flesh. He's speaking forth God's word. It's going to occur during that time In verse 19 he says I will show wonders in heaven above and signs In the earth beneath blood and fire and vapor of smoke All of these signs obviously are intended to point to the power of God Blood and fire vapor and smoke the sun will be turned into darkness These events are the events that are spoken of that surround the second coming And the signaling of the establishment of the kingdom of Jesus And it gives us insight into how long god will pour out his spirit. He's going to do it until the return of christ So those who enter into millennial reign with jesus will be a fulfillment of this word So this is his proof text Then he moves in begins to preach verse 22 Men of israel hear these words Jesus of nazar the man attested by god to you by miracles wonders and signs which god did through him in your midst As you yourselves also know him being delivered by the determined council and foreknowledge of god You have taken by lawless hands have crucified and put to death Whom god raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be held by it For david says concerning him our foresaw the lord always before my face for he Is at my right hand that i may not be shaken therefore my heart rejoiced my tongue was glad Moreover, my flesh will also rest in hope because you will not leave my soul in hades Nor will you allow your holy one to see corruption You have made known to me the ways of life You will make me full of joy In your presence And so now he addresses The people who are listening and with authority. I want you to see what he does He calls them to listen and to listen to him very carefully. He speaks concerning jesus of nazarith Mark this in your heart Jesus of nazarith is the center of all true preaching Jesus of nazarith is the center of all true preaching When paul was speaking in first carinthians chapter 2 verses 1 and 2 He said when I came to you brothers I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about god I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except jesus christ and him crucified Jesus christ This is so basic, but the church is forgetting it This is so basic We've turned things around. I don't want to belabor this. I might share a little bit on saturday about this We have turned things around guys in our day In a way that I really believe god is dishonored. I really do I was watching a well-known television preacher the other day marinai for just a moment I don't watch them very long because I become critical and then I bring it to you and then But let me use this as an illustration He was teaching out of a book That I'm familiar with He gave an opening And I sat to listen to see what he was going to do with those verses And it was an opening that related To god To his glory To his causing people to look to him for their future. That's what the passage speaks about But his message hinged on On on the people who were speaking to and what you end up with is a message That is about man and not about jesus and not about god But people flock to hear this guy speak because he makes them feel good When they do The problem is is he's not teaching the passage He's using it as a launching pad To cater to the whims fancies and carnal desires of his audience That concerns me It concerns me deeply Because on the one hand. Yes, god wants to heal our broken hearts. Jesus came to do that And yes, god has our tears in his bottle. He doesn't forget them And I thank god for the comfort of god But christianity doesn't hinge on me It hinges on him And when I know him I'll be okay But when I spend time trying to make me well I will work the rest of my life and never be well When I look at him he heals my soul He's the one who brings me to the place that he wants me to be. He's the one who's my comforter That's very important and we're forgetting that. Thank you very much. That's that's that's true That's that's true. That's absolutely true Briefly and I'll move on because we've got a lot of verses to cover One of the things that I love about When I got saved and by the way yesterday was my 46th anniversary So I was thinking about this just yesterday of coming to faith in christ one one of the things that that was true That I've never stopped believing and some people by the way Believe this is old-fashioned and out of date and I have to speed up To where we are now and I don't think that's gonna happen It can't When we would go to worship I was taught this from the day I got saved Yes, there was joy and yes, you know clap your hands all you people shout unto god with the voice of triumph That's something that happens in jewish worship if you go to the western wall and they're having a bar mitzvah or a wedding Whatever there's a lot of clapping and shouting You know that's part of the jewish culture and that was an expression of the joy that they have yes I'm 100 behind that but we were also taught That it's not about whether you like the band or like the song Because it wasn't about you it was about him and what I was taught to do from the beginning was just to do this That was one way The the worship teams would tell us don't be clapping for us It's about him. So you see that's in my blood That's who I am I'm a person who believes in giving him all the glory And it doesn't go to man It goes to him see a man didn't die a man just an ordinary man didn't die for me the man son of god He died for me. That's why I give him glory. That's why I worship him. That's why the band, you know can be a Worshipful or it can be a distraction. It just depends on who's being glorified That's how it works It's not Boy It's not the quality of musicianship It's the power of the holy spirit Upon a surrendered life I was listening to a worship team once And my worship leader went with me and he spoke to me afterwards and he said did you think that god was present in worship today? And I said absolutely He said let me he said I listened to that music On tape and the lead vocalist voice was isolated And not a single note was hit Every note that that worship leader sang was off tune He said and as a worship leader that's reminding me. It's not about the quality of my voice But the quality of my heart That god honors and that's where worship really happens. Don't forget that It's the quality of the heart Has god done something for you? Has he if he has you couldn't worship him But what if the person doesn't sing? Well, let me distract me. You know what then you're looking at them and not him, right? Let's keep our eyes on him Because that's how it works and and in the in the teaching of the word of god It's all about jesus christ and he says jesus was a man attested by god to you by miracles wonders and signs Which god did by supernatural means he's saying and it works god validated jesus as messiah In verse 23 he says him being delivered by the determined council and foreknowledge of god Notice this you have taken by lawless hands have crucified and put to death. That is a powerful statement Jesus's death was not by accident. It was god's determination Jesus's death was determined by god for redemption But it gives a call to accountability Notice what he says you have taken by lawless hands. You've crucified him. You put him to death now. These are unbelievers They instigated the death of messiah and he is saying directly. This is so So powerful so bold. He's saying you are guilty before god He's saying you need You need jesus christ verse 24 god raised him up having loose the pains of death It wasn't possible for death to hold him He says in verses 25 through 28 david says and he's speaking concerning the lord speaking prophetically through david in psalm 16 And so he uses this psalm as a proof text for the resurrection of jesus christ Now We're living in a time and i'll say this briefly, but it's true Where where a lot of times ministers of the word are afraid of offending sensitive hearers How many times can a person? Try and teach the word only to watch people get up and walk out And it can be so distracting and it can be so discouraging They won't even give a moment of their time to hear something they disagree with They like the gospel as long as it agrees with their own opinions But when something happens or is said they don't agree with they just get up and walk out never go back Why was it untrue? Well, I don't like the way they said it Really? Are you going to do what was said? Well, no, why would I because I don't like the way we it didn't form It didn't align with my opinions and therefore I'm not going to give them a moment I used to teach at this one church quite often I was invited quite often the pastor left that church. They never asked me back but Years ago.   Could you sit through the entire message and give me an opportunity to minister to you? Could you do that? Now that's kind of open. Don't you think that's kind of honest? Halfway in there's a guy off to my right stands up Storms out. It was a metal door I still remember him slamming the metal door as he walked out and I thought It was the pastor. He shouldn't have been such a bad example to the church No, I mean That's what we have today That's what we have today in the church people who just Forgive me. None of you are doing this. I'll just be open with you rude just rude When I was growing up my mom taught me something she said this when your father speaks you listen That's what my mom would say when your father speaks you listen And do you know even until my father went home to be with the lord and I was already in my 50s when he died We would be together for family things And my dad was a very quiet man very quiet And he would sit there. He kind of just glowed with the family around he just loved his family being around And we'd be talking and we're adults. We're older My dad was quiet. My mom would be talking people would be My dad would say, you know and instantly the room got quiet Instantly all four kids at the same time shut up and I was my dad's pastor And when my dad spoke I listened I learned a long time ago when your father speaking you listen The church needs to learn that too When the spirit of god is moving in a bible study listen Because god has something to say to your heart You may not understand much But what you do understand will bless your life That is so important And so he's speaking here and he's speaking concerning david and he's using the proof text Of this psalm as a proof text for the resurrection And he says in verses 29 through 36 men and brethren. Let me speak freely to you of the patriarch david That he is both dead and buried his tomb is with us to this day Therefore being a prophet and knowing that god had sworn with an oath to him That the fruit of his body according to the flesh he would raise up from the fruit he would raise up He would raise up the christ to sit on his throne He foreseeing this spoke concerning the resurrection of the christ that his soul was not left in hades nor did his flesh See corruption This jesus god raised up Of which we're all witnesses Therefore being exalted to the right hand of god and having received from the father The promise of the holy spirit He poured out this which you now see in here for david did not ascend into heaven But he says himself the lord said to my lord sit at my right hand till i make your enemies Your footstool And so this psalm was not fulfilled by david because david died and did not experience that resurrection at that time He's saying this is a prophecy related to messiah. This is what is called a messianic psalm and this was speaking concerning jesus christ Therefore verse 36 let all the house of israel know assuredly That god has made this jesus whom you crucified both lord and christ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart and said to peter and the rest of the apostles men and brethren What shall we do? Peter said to them repent Let every one of you be baptized in the name of jesus christ for the remission of sins You shall receive the gift of the holy spirit for the promise is to you And to your children And to all who are far off as many as the lord our god will call And with many other words he testified and exhorted them saying be saved from this perverse this twisted this crooked generation Those who gladly received his word were baptized That day about three thousand souls were added to them Three thousand at one invitation again, peter Brought the point home with very strong and very direct words He said in verse 36 you crucified Jesus who was lord in christ that listen if a person's going to get saved They need to take personal accountability for the death of christ Jesus god so loved the whole world that he gave his only begotten son Jesus is the potential savior of all men the actual savior of those who believe and so I had to see myself as The reason if you will That jesus died on the cross It wasn't mental error It wasn't a bad upbringing It wasn't my economic status It wasn't my ethnic heritage It wasn't any of that It was a sin question The question of sin needed to be answered I had to see myself As a sinner lost and on my way to eternal judgment Again one last thought And we'll close My daughter brought My three grandchildren Into my office yesterday my daughter cring three of my grandchildren My josiah who's 13 my sophie was eight and My stela who's four And they came walking him and they said happy spiritual birthday papa That was sweet Happy spiritual birthday papa and they all came and gave me hugs and kisses And I smile at them And I started sharing with them And I started saying you know and I started giving my testimony I said you know your papa was not a good person I said I was arrested three times all because of related to alcohol. I was a drunk I got arrested put in jail overnight Three different times I said you know your papa Was a very very lonely young boy And I started to cry And josiah is looking at me And his little eyes began to well with tears And my sophie they're looking they've never I don't cry around the family. I cry in church. That's why I cry That's a fact That's a fact They've never seen that in me never other than when they've been in church and they've seen my papa's Touched by something right There I am sitting in my office And I said I was lonely And I was hurting And I started to cry And I said but jesus christ Saved me and transformed me And look at what he's done And I pointed to my kids and I said he gave me grandma He gave me your mama And he gave me you And how grateful I am for all that god has done And that came because one day 46 years ago. I said I am the reason Jesus died on a cross. It was not that person or my dad's fault or my mom. It was me He died for me for my sins I was separated and he drew me back with cords of love and that's a god I will worship forever forever Because he is good The only way to be saved is to personalize that and peters boldness To point to them you crucified him as a powerful statement Coming from a man who less than two months earlier had denied even knowing him What's the difference the difference was the power of the holy spirit and the anointing that god gives And the proclamation of the word of god And if you have the power of the spirit the word of god He can give you boldness and god can use you to see others saved. Is there anything greater than that?  What is greater than that? What is greater than that? Nothing


Let's shoot this morning. I wanted to worship and to praise you today. We thank you for keeping your angels and camped around us. As we came into your house today, we ask that you keep your angels and camped around. We pray that you anoint every portion of this. My name wanted this morning, amen. No difference, what you're going to make it.  This is just another test, what you're going to make it. God's up, put a smile, it's just another. Let me encourage you, it's going to be hurting.  God's got a blessing, God's got a blessing, God's got a blessing. God's got a blessing. Hallelujah, our God, he never fails. And his word is yay and amen, hallelujah. God has always been good to me, hallelujah. And if we look into our own lives, we'll see that God has always been good to us. Amen. Thank you, Jesus. I love you, all my days. I've been here from the moment that I wake up until I look all my days. I've been here from the moment of the goodness of God. In darkness, you are clothed as a father. I've known you in the goodness of God. I've known you as a father in the goodness of God. And I would dwell in the house of the Lord. Amen and amen. Thank God for his goodness this morning, amen. We'll have the bishop this morning, amen. Please greet him. Hey, everybody, come on, let's do better than that. We just promised it with all of our life, with all of our breath, we'll sing of the goodness of God. You may be seated. Oh, get thanks unto the Lord because he's good and because his mercy endurance forever. I thank the Lord for those who are here today. Thank the Lord that we have another opportunity to come into his presence. And we've come with singing and praise. And I did some amaze at how the Lord works things out. You know, our program is not structured as maybe some others might be, but the Lord connects everything that comes into this purview. When our scripture was Psalm 150, it said praise the Lord. Praise God in the sanctuary. Praise him in the firming of his power and it goes on and on and on. And that's what we've done this morning. Come on, somebody. I need to hear amen. The Lord has moved in this place. For that, we're truly grateful that he would choose to come by and dwell in this house with us. I want to just have just a remark or two. I want to remind you of the convention. I'm gonna call on minister Marilyn to come and we're gonna encourage you to be prepared. The convention is right around the corner. There are things that have to be handled in a business sense. So I'm gonna encourage you now.  I'm gonna encourage everyone to register. And wherever you find yourself able to land in registry, I want you to do that. See, I became accustomed to hearing a phrase that said, people say, I don't have any money. And what they were saying is, I don't have any money for that. So if you got some money, I'm gonna ask you to support the work of the kingdom of God.  So I'm gonna ask you to shake your pocket book.  And find God worthy of a sacrifice on your account. Come on minister Marilyn. God everybody, Scripture tells us that the Lord causes us to arise to every good work. And I don't know about you, but I have found shield of faith fellowship of churches to be a good work, things are going on. Amen, this church, this fellowship. Amen, I've found to be working tremendously in it. Amen, and he places his approval in specific areas. He does, he does. He doesn't just give his approval to every denomination or whatever it is you wanna call it. Every sector is up saying it's all about him. You know, he has anointing on, amen. And I know shield of faith is a great work, amen. And I thank God, amen, for even having the opportunity to be a part, amen. The shield of faith, fellowship of churches convention. Our theme will be, I was taken out of the book of Acts. Amen, 15 and 16. After this pandemic, the whole body is needing some rebuilding you all, amen. And so this is an opportune time for amen for us to get oil washed. And whatever it is that we're needing, amen, to rebuild and to rejuvenate and revive for the kingdom of God, amen. Special guest will be Bishop Kelly R. Woods from Covenant Worship Center in Berkeley, California and Bishop Gentry Richardson from right here in Los Angeles, amen. And for the women, amen, Apostle Veronica Moore will be there on Friday at one o'clock. PM and on Saturday, amen. Can I have all the young people say yaya? A whole lot of young people in the house. And Bishop Jason Nelson, amen, will be the special guest and he'll be ministering there on Saturday, amen. He is a world-renowned international gospel singer and the Lord has highly anointed in, in the gift of ministry, amen. So you don't wanna miss any of it. There are seminars that are being prepared, amen, for your edification every day, Wednesday, April the 12th through the 15th, amen. Things that will up build and uplift you and edify your spirit, amen. And also the registration is only $20. Things that are going on and people want 150, 200, 300. Some folks asking 10,000 and going on with a special self. But anyway, hallelujah, our registration is only $20. And we're asking also if the Lord so touches your heart, if you will sponsor, amen, for $100. You can sponsor up to five people with that $100 or you can just give the $100, amen. God is worthy of it and the kingdom of God deserves, amen. The benefits we receive so much from God, amen. And this is an opportune time to give back. So prepare your hearts and your mind. If you wanna be, if you wanna work with the choir, I actually have the song list. We can get it, you can get that today. And we also, we have a prayer list. Everybody, please pray because this isn't an opportunity. Apostle Henry and Bishop Marty wanna make sure all the financial ends are taken care of before we get there so they don't have to go through taking offerings, long offerings and so forth. So make sure that you pray, that God will move and God will do it. Amen, touch our young people, amen. The special cry out for our young people because the enemy ain't playing but shield of faith ain't playing either, amen. And so we just thank the Lord, prepare your hearts. We have one more week and then we'll go into the convention week.  Get your minds and your hearts and your finances and everything prepared so that we can have a wonderful time in the Lord, amen. God bless you. Gene Words. At this point, we're gonna have our special music. Sister Shia. All right. Let's receive Sister Shia Gilliam as she comes. With a song given to her by the Lord. God bless you. Praise the Lord everybody. The song says, if you provide the fire, I'll provide the sacrifice. And this song right here, it speaks to me because ever since I've been so dedicated to coming to church and giving God my all and giving him the sacrifice, he's been giving me the fire, favor, grace and I couldn't be more thankful. So let's sing this song. If you provide the fire, sacrifice. If you provide the spirit. I won't be satisfied. Tell my cup. Scripture said the day you seek it with. Let's seek God. Seek God in earnest. So give us the victory that we seek. God bless you Sister Shia and Singers. Amen. Without further ado, I'll introduce to some and present to others the speaker for this morning, Elder Kevin Ross. Amen. And we know that he has a word from the Lord for us in this place. So I'm gonna ask you to stand. Let's stand and receive the speaker for the hour, Elder Kevin Ross. God bless you Elder Ross. Bless me so all I could think was anointing that if you provide the fire, I'll provide the sacrifice. I'll make myself available to burn. All I need is your anointing. I can't do it by myself. I pray that the anointing of God will continue to flow. What a blessing Sister Shia, we thank you for that. Praise the Lord everybody. You can go ahead and take your seats. I'm so honored to be here. Give honor to our bishop and our first lady. Give honor to the ministers. I honor our guests and our saints. And my testimony is the same. I was saved, I'm being saved, and I'm gonna be saved. And it's not by any goodness of my own it's simply the grace of God. I was so excited Wednesday night when Minister Merlin, she was teaching and she introduced her topic. And I believe I got it right. It says, do you really believe what you say you believe? Is that right Sister Merlin? Do you really believe what you say you believe? And I felt like running if I could run, I would have ran, but I says I can't run, I ain't gonna mess, you know. See, but a few days before that the Lord gave me the message for today and it says, it only works if you believe. So you put it together, it says, do you really believe what you say you believe because it only works if you believe. God's saying the same thing to us as a church. Have faith in God and have the faith of God. He's good, let's pray. Father, we just thank you for this time together. We thank you for your words, sir.  You have provided the fire and we bring the sacrifice of praise and we have come to bless you and to honor you. So help us God, use us God, give us a word for your people. We will bless you in the name of Jesus, amen. Romans 117 says, and the just shall live by faith. The just shall exist by faith. The just shall survive by faith. The just will prosper by faith. The just shall persist and endure by faith. God has made provisions for us in advance, Bishop. Even before you get that he has provided provisions, but it's only gonna work for you if you believe it. The foundation of our faith is based upon the account of God, who he is and what he does. We believe that God is highest in rank, power, and authority. We believe that God is creator and sustainer of everything. We believe that we owe God worship by right of creation. He created us and right of redemption. He redeemed us.  He's all of that. There's so much more. If you believe, then you'll see the goodness of God. But you gotta believe it. Now there are many people that don't believe what we believe. And they would try to convert us to their way of believing. Many people have many different belief systems that they hold on to. Some believe in the Big Bang theory that there was a cosmic bane and all of a sudden it just all kinda came together. Some people believe in evolution that man evolved from a one cell, a neighbor, and became a man. That's kinda like saying there was a piece of metal that sat on the ground and involved into a watch. I don't think so. I don't think so. Some believe in secular humanism and on and on and on, there are all kinds of different beliefs that people hold on to. We have different platforms and media outlets and all of them are pushing what they believe to be right and what they believe and what they hold on to. But the question is today, whose report will you believe? And I will believe the report of the Lord. I don't know about you. I believe I do know about you, but we're going to believe what God said. To many people have tried to figure out some of the what's and some of the why's and how it all comes together. But at some point, you simply have to believe the word of God. You can't figure it out, the exes and the owls, but the Bible just says have faith in God. So you can be going through a test and a trial and you try to figure out how in the world am I gonna get out of this? But when you have faith in God and you go to God in faith somehow He brings you out, somehow He turns it around, somehow He makes a way out of no way. I was talking to somebody yesterday, I said, who do you know that can win a war with frogs, flies and grasshoppers? God did it. Who do you know that can divide the red sea and cause people to walk across on dry land? God did it. The Bible says, is there anything too hard for God? So no matter what you're going through, no matter what the problem is, just have faith in God. He's gonna bring you out. But it ain't gonna work for you if you don't believe it. It's just that simple. Sister Merlin taught us on Friday night in the Bible class and it was wonderful.  If you don't come on Wednesday night to Bible class, you are missing it. I'm gonna tell you, we hear some good stuff and we ain't gonna tell you about it on Sunday. I shouldn't have even told you today. No, no, that's right. But Sister Merlin said, his ways are not our ways. And his thoughts are not our thoughts. See, sometimes people think, I could figure out God all by myself. But at the end of the day, his ways are not my ways. See, I think I'm pretty sharp. I think I got it all together. But I found out his ways are not my ways. His thoughts are not my thoughts. He can do things I couldn't even imagine to do because he's God. See, sometimes we talk about God and we just kinda just throw it out there. But when you think, consider all that is behind that name. And then he said, and I've given him a nameness above every name and not the name of Jesus. Every knee shall bow. It's all wrapped up in the name of Jesus. So question is, do I really believe what I say I believe? Do I really believe the report of the Lord? Do I really believe the report of the Lord? I was thinking about that. What you believe will change what you say and what you do. If it doesn't change what you say and what you do, then you don't really believe it. See, James said, you show me your faith by, you know, what you say, I'll show you my faith by what I do. So we take the word of God and we act on the word of God. God has done some great and wonderful things in our lives. God has given some exceeding great and precious promises to us in his words, but none of it is gonna work unless you believe it, unless you believe the word of God it will do you no good. Turn to Hebrews chapter four. Hebrews chapter four, you know, Hebrews chapter four. You know, first let's look at Hebrews chapter 11 because I wanna start there and then go back to four. It says, now faith is a substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things that not seen says by the elders obtained a good report. It says through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. So things which are seen were not made from things which do appear. It says by faith able offered unto God a more excellent, a more excellent sacrifice than came. By which he obtained witness that he was righteous. God testifying love his gifts and by saying he being dead yet and speaking. By faith in it was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his translation, he had a testimony. There's something about when you have a testimony. See words don't mean much if you don't have a testimony behind what you're saying. He said he had a testimony and the testimony was I please God. See when I'm going through a test in a trial and see God he's merciful he's forgiving and he'll help me but you know what when I know I please God that I know he's gonna bring me out and he's gonna bring me out all right he's gonna make a way because I've tried to please him.   See but it is something about the favor of God. So he had a testimony that he pleased God but here it is, here it is. But without faith. But without faith. See faith is kingdom currency. If you need God to do something if you need favor from God you need to have faith. He says but without faith it's impossible to please him. In the story. It says for he that cometh to God must believe. He that cometh to God must believe, believe what? It says believe that he is. Believe that he exists. We used to sing a song years ago oh I know that Jesus is real.  But when you believe that he is real then you can come to him in faith because you believe that he is and that he's a rewarder of them that diligently, faithfully, constantly seek him. Now go let's go back to chapter four because I want to put this together. For verse one and two. Now over in 11 it says but without faith it is impossible to please him. For verse one. It says let us therefore fear less a promise being made of us of entering to his rest any of you should to come short of it. And it says for unto us was the gospel preach as well as unto them. But the word preach did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. So the word says let us be careful that we don't miss any advantage of any of the promises that God has made to us. Let's not miss it. Let's not come up short. It says some heard the gospel some heard the word of God preach but it did not work for them. Why? Although they heard it. They heard the word. They heard the good news. They heard the good report but it was not mixed. Their hearing was not mixed with faith. Their hearing was not mixed with believing. See when I hear a word from God even if I don't say it out loud in my mind I say I believe that. If I hear something that sounds crazy but it's in the Bible I say that must be for me because I mix what I hear I mix faith with it because my faith activates the promise. I like that. It said it was not mixed with faith although they heard it it did not work for them because it only works if you believe it. See God promised the children of Israel the land of Canaan the promised land. And Hebrew says for those over 40 says they did not enter into the rest of God because of unbelief. See a lot of us think maybe they didn't enter into the promise because they sin, yeah they sin but God said that wasn't the paramount problem. He said they didn't enter in because they didn't believe. See if they believed that I got it right. If they believed they would have repented. He said but they did not believe it was not mixed with faith and the problem with that is it only works if you believe.  If God said it now we have to know that God said it and not mama and them and not Ray Ray and them. I was talking to a friend of mine the other day he asked me a question. He says when you go to God and pray does he usually agree with you? I said surprisingly he always agrees with my prayer. He said you better go back here and listen again. See we have to get a mind to know the difference between my spirit my human spirit and the spirit of God. See because I've discovered if I see God and I get a word to go do something that's right that I don't want to do I know that's God. It didn't come from me because I know I don't want to do it but if God said forgive I got to forgive if God says repent I got to repent if God said move I got to move because if I'll do what he told me to do if I believe the report of the Lord he'll bless me. Over and over and over and over again see some of the common reasons people give for not believing or there is no evidence of God I can't see him I can't touch him but we just read in Hebrews is that we must believe that he is and that he exists even when I don't see him when I don't feel him I know he's there and he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him in other words if I live for God he's going to bless me if I live for God he's going to make a waste for me if I live for God he's going to open some doors that no man can open and no man can shut that's all the evidence that I need some people feel like he didn't answer my prayers write this down God is not your sugar daddy you can't tell him give me a job give me a car give me some money and a honey now he'll do that but don't you walk up and demand that you do it right now he's not on demand he's on worship he's on praise he's on trust I come to him and I make my request known but I add this disclaimer if you don't give it to me right now please consider for your consideration maybe later and then you know some people some of the excuse another excuse is somebody at church hurt me they hurt my feelings I got news for you everybody at church have been hurt and some of us two or three times every Sunday been hurt see we need to grow up and stop acting like a baby the Bible said quit and be like me said be strong in the Lord in the power of his might because he'll bring you out he'll deliver you but you gotta be strong you gotta fight the devil not people but the devil he was a big one I read it and it knocked me out of my chair some people they can't believe cause they wanna be sexually free to do whatever they wanna do they wanna do it too it's another thing write this down sex is reserved for married couples only write that down and under but write men a husband and a wife you can't have two of the same but a husband and a wife it is reserved for them but people have reasons they have all kinds of crazy reasons that they use to justify not believing God or to stop believing in God second chronicles 2020 says believe in the Lord and you shall be established believing in his prophet the man sitting right there and you shall prosper see it only works if you believe him if you will have confidence in that man right there if you will bless that man right there God will cause you to prosper that's the book I didn't write it he was here when I got here but in the book of second king chapter 6 and 7 Samaria was under siege the city was surrounded nobody in and nobody out no food in no food out even the 99 cent store was closed it was rough y'all the situation had got so bad that they were eating donkey heads they were eating, they were selling it and see a donkey head was considered unclean but if you get hungry enough you gonna eat some stuff that you never thought you'd eat now I don't deal with chitlins but if I got hungry enough I put me some hot sauce on them bad boys and call a steak and go for it I might have to hold my nose but if you hungry enough you won't even hold your nose you'll be eating with both hands the situation had got so bad that they were taking dove dong to make soup just like camel soup good oh my goodness the situation was so bad two women got together said look today we'll eat your baby we'll eat my baby and they ate the one woman's baby but the problem was the second woman took her baby and hid her baby see you can't trust in people people will let you down people will hurt your feelings can anybody testify to that don't raise your hand I know you're out there things were out of control they were selling food for two and three times what it was actually worth just like they're doing today these major corporations are price gouging they're taking advantage of the moment I live in Inglewood they send us a thing and they said don't get upset but when you get your gas bill and your electric bill it's probably going to be two or three times what it normally is because they can't and they roll back they gave us some money back but things were that bad but the good thing about it was God sent a word hallelujah one word from God will change everything one word from God will turn your situation around one word from God will open doors for you one word from God will heal your body all you need is one word one word so it's as soon or later it's going to turn in your favor turning your Bible to 2 Kings chapter 7 2 Kings chapter 7 so they're in this lockdown the city is under siege nobody can get in nobody can get out and people are literally starving to death we live in America we've never seen real gross poverty but I've come to meet some people that have seen people starving to death and that was a situation in chapter 7 verse 1 and verse 2 it says and then Elijah the prophet said hear ye the word of the Lord thus said the Lord tomorrow about this time measure a fine flower shall be sowed for a shekel and to measure a barley for a shekel in the game of Samaria verse 2 it says and then a Lord a leader whose hand the king lean answered the man of God now you better be careful how you talk to the man of God I'm not talking about myself but I'm talking about this man right here see because he carries the anointing you know David said touch not my anointing to do my prophet no harm so he this man is bold enough he answers the man of God and says behold if God would make windows in heaven might this thing be in other words you must be crazy you're talking like you have lost your mind how is God going to do this it is impossible but the word said but with God all things are possible I don't have to see it I don't have to understand it I don't have to figure it out all I have to do is know with God it's possible and he said behold I shall see it with your eyes but you shall not eat thereof you're not going to taste it so 2 Kings verse 7 one they're in this famine and God makes a promise he says about this time tomorrow everything is going to be turned around and then in verse 2 this man this unbelieving man that one of the leaders that works with the king said I don't believe the word of the Lord that was spoken how could it happen and then the man of God says you're going to see with your eyes but you're not going to be able to touch it you're not going to be able to eat it because of unbelief it's not going to work for you because you don't believe God took four lepers led them to the enemies camp God in the enemies camp found the blessing so you need to know God's got a blessing just for you now you have to get up and go get it he's not going to just lay it in your lap but God's got a blessing with your name on it and can't nobody have it but you and you've got to go get the blessing and this is what I like about it they went and found the blessing they enjoyed the blessing and they went back and shared the blessing when God blesses you do you share what God has done for you with somebody else or do you hoard it all up says for me in my own I'm going to put it in my can and sit on the can I didn't sound racist about it I'm sorry I just talked about that scratch the can thing y'all know what I'm saying so they went back and they shared now let's go back to chapter 7 let's look at verse 18 through 20 said and it came to pass as a man of God had spoken sang two measures of barley for a shackle and a measure of fine flour for a shackle it says she'll be tomorrow about this time at the gate of Samaria says and that Lord that answered the man of God and said behold if the Lord should make windows in heaven should this thing be it can happen that's crazy do you see what's going on said and he said behold I shall see it with our eyes and you're not going to eat thereof verse 20 it says and it fell unto him for the people tried him the people trampled upon him the people ran him down into the ground he was right at the gate he saw it but he couldn't have it he couldn't taste it he couldn't touch it he couldn't eat it because he didn't believe see that unbelieving man he died because he did not believe the report of the Lord and it only works if you believe it God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt they believe what God said they put the blood around the doorpost but it came to me I would just imagine Pastor Bobby that some of the Egyptians saw what they were doing and laughed but you know what in the morning all of their first born were dead they didn't believe it didn't work for them Noah built an ark out in the middle of nowhere and he built an ark and Noah said they said Noah why are you building an ark he says because it's going to rain you know what they said and we ain't never seen rain before but if there was a brother he was almost prophetic he said when it came to that Noah should have said how long can you treat water see because Noah believed God Noah acted on what God said Noah obeyed God and then it rained and everybody drowned but Noah and his family got to make it up in our mind no matter what it feels like no matter what it looks like no matter what people say I'm going to believe the report of the Lord I'm going to believe what God said I'm going to do what God said do we have to believe the report of the Lord and I said all that to say this the question is today whose report are you going to believe I will I will believe the report of the Lord his report says I'm healed his report says I'm filled with the Holy Ghost and power his report says I'm free I believe it free from sin free from sickness free from poverty free from lack someone said God said it God said it God said it God said it God said it God said it whether you believe it or not that settles it if God said it the best I can do is I line up with everything God says if he says it can happen I say I believe it if he says I'm going to do it I say I believe it if he says I'm going to open up a door and make a way I don't know how you're going to do it but I believe it I believe the report of the Lord Mark 11 23 Jesus said speak to the mountain you speak to the mountain he didn't say I'm going to speak for you he says you speak to the mountain and tell it to be cast into the into the midst of the sea and it says and it shall be done so I'm going to speak to the mountains in my life I'm going to speak to the trouble in my life I'm going to speak to the situation in my life and I'll tell them you got to move you got to move you got to go in the name of Jesus they got to move they've got to move tell somebody they've got to move they got to move they got to go God said it I'm confident that this thing is going to work for me because God said it God said it he said it and I believe it this is the day of victory this is the day of breakthrough this is the day of celebration this is the day for running this is the day for shouting this is the day for dancing because the enemy has been defeated and Jesus is Lord and we win we win we win do you remember tell your frenemies tell the devil to his face we win in Jesus name we've overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony and we declare that Jesus is Lord I believe I believe the report of the Lord and I believe it because I found out it only works if you believe God bless you whose report do you believe I'm encouraged by the word of the Lord Scripture says that as a man think it in his heart so is he think it in his heart his inner most being think it when it seems totally impossible think it in his heart and in the last Scripture Elder Ross used Mark 11 23 just above it the testimony that we are to believe is the testimony of Jesus Christ now when you go to court I've been on jury duty way too many times and I've come to understand the system and when you're trying to win your victory you need somebody to testify you don't have to go to jury duty to see that you can see that on Judge Mathis when a person says well the guy next door said that's inadmissible you need to have witnessed it yourself but when there's a credible witness that comes forth with testimony that's where victory comes to be Jesus said in this verse he said have faith in God therely I say unto you that whosoever shall say unto this mountain be thou removed and be cast into the sea and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe those things which he said shall come to pass it shall come to pass whatever your test or trials that comes into your purview when you believe God's reports if you believe that God says you can move a mountain the mountain will be removed hallelujah it shall be shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he shall say I'm sorry what he says shall come to pass he shall have what so ever now what does that include what so ever everything what so ever that means whatever your mind whatever your heart can conceive of and you have the faith and the testimony of Jesus Christ that is possible all you've got to do is lean on God's word lean on his word hallelujah lean up on the arm of Jesus he'll help you along amen what I want to do is I want to today if there's anyone present who's not yielded themselves or not availed themselves to the testimony of Jesus Christ when he says that whatever you need he said I can fix it if you can believe in your heart that the Lord can make you prepared for heaven if you believe it in your heart God said I'll do it for you He said I'll come into your life make the things that are wrong I'll make them right he said I can give you the victory but you got to engage me as your lawyer he said I'll take your sins away the day that you seek me with all your heart he says you'll find me and I'll give you victory like no other at this point I would invite anyone whether you're in the building or whether you're in the media land you need to come to Jesus if you've not I'm right with God many people feel like there's nothing to be done I've heard about people who heard this recently from a testimony from someone said people said I used to go to church I don't believe it anymore I don't have anything to do with church well that's I've been through myself throughout all of eternity out of the presence of the God that we serve and the God that we love so we invite you to come to Jesus come to Jesus come to Jesus don't put off for tomorrow what you can do come to Jesus today let's just sing a round of that come to Jesus come to Jesus come to Jesus come to Jesus come to Jesus just now just now just invite you to come to the altar effectual problem whatever test we're going through we can come to Jesus and he'll embrace us he'll give us victory the church was began back in act when the spirit of the Lord fell upon those who believed his report he says I'm going to send a comforter when I send the comforter the comforter is going to be with you now the disciples had walked with Jesus but Jesus left and he says I'm going but I'm going to send back a comforter the comforter that he sent was his spirit to live inside of you when the spirit of God lives inside of you you allow him to guide your life that's where our victory comes through the power of God by baptism in water in Jesus name and the infilling spirit of God the Holy Ghost that will prepare us to see God's space in peace and I'm looking forward I'm looking forward to somebody getting the need getting the help that they need the Lord is standing ready and willing so I invite you if there's those who need prayer come to the altar come to the altar for deliverance and deliverance thank you Jesus thank you Jesus recognize your need for him to say it all the time you know everybody wants to go to heaven many people don't want to pay the price but the price well I'll say it's on sale right now he said just give it to me just give it don't wrestle with it you can't live saved by yourself you can't live well enough for God to accept you without his help and so if we find out that we if we'll admit that we have a problem which is the beginning of restoration the Lord will restore us if we'll believe his report that he says I'll bear your burden I'll give you the strength that is required for you to meet me in peace meet me in peace everybody's going to meet God one way or another in peace or otherwise God is merciful he's kind but he's got another side amen alright without further ado minister sorting will come and help us with the offering praise the Lord thanks hallelujah the bishop said everyone wants to go to heaven and also everyone wants to be blessed everyone wants to be blessed who don't want to be blessed everyone wants to be blessed but there's a way to be blessed in Proverbs 3 9 10 it said honor the Lord with your wealth with the first fruit of all your crops they said then your barns would be filled to overflow it and your vats will brim over with new wine in the living Bible it says honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency from righteous labor and with the first fruit of all your income so shall your storage places be filled with plenty and your vats be overflowing with new wine and now look up the word vats vats is a tank or a tub you know how big a tank is just imagine it's the Lord bless you that much in which he is able to do to bless you that way so it's up to us to pay our tithes give our offering and the Lord will bless us and to say when you do it God's way you will be blessed you will be blessed in every area of your life every area of life whatever it is whatever it is your health your job your children or whatever the situation or making decisions the Lord will bless you because you are being obedient to his word please stand with me in Jesus name let's hold our offering up to the Lord in Jesus name in the name of Jesus we thank you we praise you Lord God we glorify we magnify your name Lord God we thank you Lord God for who you are Lord God and what you are Lord God in each and every one of our lives Lord God in the name of Jesus Lord you sit in your word that you will supply all of our needs according to your riches and glory in Christ Jesus Lord God we ask you this morning Lord God the gift and the giver Lord God in Jesus name we pray amen and amen please bring your offering to the altar amen Jesus Lord God we thank you for this offering we thank you Lord for those who had a mind to give Lord God to have a mind to be obedient Lord God to your word Lord God we ask you this morning Lord God in the name of Jesus that you are multiplying Lord God let it continue Lord God to meet the needs Lord God in this church Lord God let it continue to further the work Lord God that's going forth here Lord God that you Lord God and you alone Lord God may be glorified and magnified Lord God through this ministry Lord God in Jesus name in Jesus name we pray amen amen to believe the word of God hallelujah come on if you're determined come on let's get the determination we gonna get ready to go home hallelujah you all have a blessed