1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,680 Well, I want to open with this particular Scripture in First 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,880 Timothy. It says these things I write to 3 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:08,720 you, though I hope to come to you shortly. 4 00:00:09,120 --> 00:00:12,560 But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,800 to conduct yourself in the House of God, which is the Church of 6 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:21,280 the living God and the pillar and ground of truth. 7 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:25,120 Before I actually get into the fullness of the message, I want 8 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:27,800 to share a testimony because I really believe it's what God is 9 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,160 speaking and something very powerfully that's happening in 10 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,200 the earth today. Last week on Tuesday as I was 11 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:39,200 recording a part of my message for my program, I guess you 12 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,840 called that I have on spiritual perception. 13 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:46,480 I was sharing how important it is that we would recognize that 14 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:49,760 we need to look at our world from a spiritual perspective. 15 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:54,440 The verse I used was from Isaiah 43 for getting those things 16 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:58,800 which are behind or for remember not the former things for new 17 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:01,320 things do I declare unto you, says the Lord. 18 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,600 And I was sharing on that program as God was speaking to 19 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:07,400 me. I really believe it's time for 20 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:09,840 us to go to a whole new dimension in what I've been 21 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,560 calling the new day. It's been over 20 years ago that 22 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,920 I had been praying and in the spanning service I heard the 23 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,240 Lord speak to me and He said it is a new day. 24 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,360 If you want to receive the power of this new day, you must open 25 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,600 up your heart so that you can receive the faith necessary to 26 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,200 walk in this new day. Now I've often shared from 27 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,880 Isaiah chapter 55 because the Bible says that the word comes 28 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,240 to us as seed for the sower and bread for the eater. 29 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:39,480 So when God speaks to us, just like when I'll be speaking 30 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,640 today, I've sought the Lord and this word is coming to you. 31 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:46,520 It can be bred for your eating that would strengthen you in 32 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:48,040 whatever you're going through right now. 33 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:51,280 But sometimes God gives us a word as a seed that's going to 34 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:53,520 grow and we're going to follow over time. 35 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:57,280 That's how we develop vision for our life or God has spoken to me 36 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,200 to have for the church and the things that we're walking in. 37 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:04,160 And so as I preach that word, prophesied that word, taught 38 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:05,960 that word. We've been had a seminar for our 39 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:10,280 pastors talking about it. I overtime realized this is one 40 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:14,040 of those seeds for the sower and that God wanted me to kind of 41 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,160 nurture that word. And in that process, he's also 42 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,960 taught me how important it is to recognize that when God speaks a 43 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,200 word prophetically, we oftentimes look for things to 44 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,400 immediately come to pass. But when you read prophecy in 45 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:29,920 the Bible, it typically is something that comes to pass 46 00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:34,080 over a long period of time. And so I realized that as God 47 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,920 had give me that word, that number one, it would work in a 48 00:02:36,920 --> 00:02:39,760 generation, that there were things that were necessary for 49 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,640 me to let God work in my heart in order for the word to come to 50 00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:45,360 pass. And so last week, as I was 51 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,520 sensing God saying to me, it's time for a new dimension to that 52 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,800 new day, if you would. I want a confirmation. 53 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:55,360 I'm like, Lord, I really want to believe that you are saying as 54 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:58,000 we're going in this new year, something fresh, something 55 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,200 powerful is gonna happen. Well, on Saturday morning when I 56 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,680 got up, I happened to go into the Internet as I'm getting 57 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:10,040 ready for my study for the day, and I noticed that we had went 58 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:14,080 into Venezuela. They had taken the President 59 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:17,640 Maduro of Venezuela into captivity, coming here to the 60 00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:21,880 United States in order that he might be tried for crimes that 61 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:23,760 he has committed in drug trafficking. 62 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:27,600 Well, I was very excited about that, But what was really 63 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:31,640 exciting for me is I've always seen God move in a supernatural 64 00:03:31,640 --> 00:03:33,440 way at our walk here at Mount Zion. 65 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,560 In my life in particular, as I've waited on Lord, I've had 66 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:39,040 miraculous things happen. I've seen how God has fulfilled 67 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:43,120 His word, but He always has given me confirmations as well, 68 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:44,920 and sometimes in a very supernatural way. 69 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,160 So as I go to look for something, I didn't want to use 70 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:50,880 the TV because I didn't want to wake up Bonnie, which is in an 71 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,920 area where she'd hear it. So I'm doing it on my Internet. 72 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:58,280 I'm go to YouTube and they happen to have NBC live that was 73 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,680 talking about it. Now, obviously when you're 74 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:03,120 watching the news, you got to be careful because some of it's 75 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:04,840 biased. So I knew that, well, if 76 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,040 President Trump had done it, NBC wasn't the voice to listen to 77 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:09,680 it, to get unbiased if you would. 78 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,920 But it was the only living live thing that was available. 79 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,920 So I went on to it anyway. And the guy was talking and this 80 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,079 is what he said, wow, this is amazing what's happening. 81 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:25,080 It's like it's a new day. It's the dawning of a new day. 82 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,680 And he said it like 3 or 4 times in just a minute's time. 83 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:33,920 And I'm like, Lord, thank you, Hallelujah for your 84 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,040 confirmation. So I, my ears were, my eyes were 85 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:41,360 kind of tearing up because I was so touched by the word that came 86 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,480 not just because it was a confirmation. 87 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:46,320 I'll explain a little bit more, but also laughing because I'm so 88 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,600 excited about what God is doing because I've often shared how 89 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,440 important it is for us to realize that God isn't just 90 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:55,400 moving in our world. So when I pray, I don't just 91 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:57,080 pray for my needs and church needs. 92 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:59,600 I pray for what's happening in the world because I feel 93 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:01,840 committed to the greater body of Christ. 94 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:05,200 One of the burdens I have is we often will say, well, we have a 95 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:09,320 church in Havana, Cuba, we have one in Mexico, we have one in 96 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:12,080 San Salvador. And you'll hear that and some 97 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:14,040 people have one of mission trips for those countries. 98 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,880 So you can relate to it just a little better than that. 99 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,080 But because we know our family in Havana, of course, that is 100 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,320 very special. And I pray we send the money 101 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:28,040 once a month so that they can have food because it's such a 102 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:31,640 bad economy. If somebody says they believe in 103 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,840 communism, I say go live in Cuba for a while because when you go 104 00:05:35,840 --> 00:05:38,360 there, you find out communism doesn't work. 105 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,880 And this is one of the sad things he'll tell us is, you 106 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:45,040 know, it's nice to have money to buy things, but in our country, 107 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:47,480 oftentimes there's nothing to buy. 108 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:52,200 And that includes food. And often times they have roving 109 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:54,720 lockout, says they call them, or blackout. 110 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,920 So they sometimes will go a week or two without electricity. 111 00:05:57,920 --> 00:05:59,680 So you can imagine what that does. 112 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,080 No food, no electricity. It's just a terrible place. 113 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,800 So I'm of course, praying always the God would deliver them from 114 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:09,960 that dictatorship that's controlling the country. 115 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:15,720 Now, in the early days of Castro running the country, he has 116 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:18,720 support from the Soviet Union because they love to have a 117 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:22,840 thorn in our flesh, so to speak, just South of US, 90 miles from 118 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:25,520 Miami. And we even had what was called 119 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,880 the Cuban Missile Crisis when John F Kennedy was president 120 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,960 because they were actually going to put nuclear weapons there. 121 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,280 But they had the support of the Soviet Union until, of course, 122 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:39,320 the Soviet Union collapsed. So in the 90's, the country 123 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,440 suffered. I can't think of the name for 124 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,880 it, but they talk about as a special time of suffering 125 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,320 because nobody was paying their bills, because they couldn't pay 126 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:50,320 their own. Well, because of Venezuela 127 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:55,000 falling into the hands of a communist dictator in after the 128 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,560 year 2000 sometime, I can't think of the exact date. 129 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:02,600 He of course was willing to help them financially and in return 130 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:08,040 Cuba has given him a 20,000 man private security force because 131 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:11,160 he doesn't trust his own army to do that for his protection. 132 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,360 Plus they send doctors because they have a lot of doctors in 133 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,640 Cuba who've been trained through their system so they get money. 134 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,120 So when I pray, I pray, Lord, tear down the stronghold of 135 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:23,520 Venezuela. Lord, tear down the strongholds 136 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:24,800 in Cuba. Guess what? 137 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,440 It's happening right now and I'm thankful for that. 138 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:31,880 Now, this is important to understand because just like I 139 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,640 was mentioning, there's prejudice in news reports, even 140 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:39,400 in philosophies that we might as Christians agree with. 141 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,680 Like in conservative circles, there's a big debate whether we 142 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:45,600 should be involved in nation building or whatever. 143 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,840 But when it comes to God speaking, you have to understand 144 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:50,920 something. Or even when God's answering 145 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:54,080 prayer, sometimes you have to realize that we're in a Kingdom 146 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,720 that's above earthly persuasions. 147 00:07:57,160 --> 00:07:59,880 So you can have whatever opinion you want to have, but when 148 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:01,680 heaven moves, it moves. Amen. 149 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,640 Church. And when heaven moves, it 150 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:08,120 sometimes isn't in our comfort zone or what we agree with 151 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,120 politically, whatever. But I want you to understand 152 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,120 something. Our God reigns in the heavens. 153 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,760 Amen. And I'm even excited about 154 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:18,760 what's happening over in the Middle East. 155 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:22,160 There's all kinds of St. demonstrations in Iran right 156 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,120 now. To me, the Kamenini and all the 157 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,160 other followers that he's had, the Alia Toya's that have ruled 158 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:31,160 the country, that's when a Satan seats and I'm glad what's 159 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,760 happening. Past presidents have not 160 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:37,159 supported those demonstrations. We have one now that's a little 161 00:08:37,159 --> 00:08:40,120 bit different, as you may have noticed in history. 162 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:44,200 And he put on social media that we were, our guns were locked 163 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:45,760 and loaded or something like that. 164 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:48,640 Let him know that we're behind the people there. 165 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:53,320 Again, it doesn't matter what your political persuasions are. 166 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:55,240 How do you know that? We have to understand as 167 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:58,400 Christians that we live in the Kingdom of God. 168 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:01,920 And so I don't see Mount Zion as just a church in the United 169 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,520 States of America. I see Mount Zion as an embassy 170 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:06,720 for the Kingdom of God. Can I hear an Amen on that? 171 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:10,120 Amen. And I don't just see myself as a 172 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,880 pastor. I see myself as an ambassador 173 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:16,080 for the Kingdom of God. As a matter of fact, if you read 174 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:19,480 Second Corinthians chapter 5, you'll see that we should all 175 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,560 see ourselves as ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. 176 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:26,920 So whatever positions you might take from a natural or secular 177 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:30,560 perspective, you always have to be aware that there's something 178 00:09:30,560 --> 00:09:33,240 over that is called the Kingdom of God. 179 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:37,920 Amen, Church and God answers prayer. 180 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,560 And I really believe that we're moving to time. 181 00:09:40,560 --> 00:09:43,880 We're going to see God tear down some strongholds and I believe 182 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:45,800 that God's going to liberate his people. 183 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:50,280 And the shaking, He said, I will shake everything that can be 184 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:52,160 shaken. That goes back to before I had 185 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:54,120 the first word. And I tell you, we're going to 186 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:55,840 see shakings like we've never seen before. 187 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,520 There's going to be some negative reverberations from 188 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:01,880 those things. That's why we have to be 189 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:05,520 prepared and why I want to share this message with you today. 190 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:08,200 The Lord has laid it upon my heart so that we would 191 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,600 understand. In the time when everything is 192 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,240 going to be shaken, we have to take a perspective that's above 193 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,800 the natural. But we also have to understand 194 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:20,880 that when we operate in the supernatural things that God has 195 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:24,360 for us, sometimes it's some very practical and natural ways that 196 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:26,840 we get in touch with the supernatural. 197 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,440 And that's when we think about what that scripture I just read 198 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:34,960 to you is when it says you need to learn how to behave yourself 199 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:39,320 in the House of God, Timothy, which is the House of the most 200 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:41,640 High God, the Church of the living God. 201 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,480 It is the pillar and the ground of truth. 202 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,720 Now truth is the most important thing that we should know as 203 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,640 Christians because you will know the truth and the truth will 204 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:55,760 make you free in church. We shouldn't just share opinions 205 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:58,600 of men or human philosophies. We should always share the 206 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:00,520 truth. Can I hear to men on that? 207 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:04,760 Truth has power and this scripture tells me that the 208 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:09,560 foundation, which is the ground in which truth is planted and 209 00:11:09,560 --> 00:11:14,640 the pillars that hold it up, it starts in the House of God. 210 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,360 And so when we think about the church, we have to think about 211 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:21,840 what a powerful thing that we're evolved in when we're a part of 212 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:25,000 the church. Now, when I was a kid, I grew up 213 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,000 in church, gave my life to Lord at an early age. 214 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:33,240 And for some reason, because God makes us who we are, I always 215 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,160 was aware of what's happening in church and thinking about how 216 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,280 church could be better than it it was. 217 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:41,520 Our church I grew up in was a small country church because 218 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:43,480 this was the country back in those days. 219 00:11:43,680 --> 00:11:47,880 So a small church was typical, but they always wanted to grow. 220 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:49,600 They always wanted to be evangelistic. 221 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:52,320 And so they would have evangelism campaigns and talk 222 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:54,240 about might people to Sunday school. 223 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:57,160 So the church could grow, but the church really never did 224 00:11:57,160 --> 00:11:59,000 grow. It grow a little bit and then it 225 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,680 would shrink again. And one of the big reasons for 226 00:12:01,680 --> 00:12:04,240 that is because it's one thing to say you want the church to 227 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,000 grow. It's another thing when you come 228 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,760 to church on Sunday morning and somebody is sitting in your 229 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:12,280 seat. You know, we always get our own 230 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:15,800 seat. And it's kind of troubling when 231 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:17,520 there's somebody sitting in our seat. 232 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:19,760 So I'm, you know, if a church is going to grow, they might 233 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:23,880 actually sit in your seat or often times this is also the 234 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,640 case with the church grows. Sometimes you get people in with 235 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:29,480 talent and they might have a better talent than you and that 236 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:33,040 can make you feel threatened. Those are normal carnal 237 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:37,120 responses if you would. So from a small age, I used to 238 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:40,600 say, oh, I don't want to go to a small church. 239 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,080 It just has too many things happening that are going to make 240 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:47,280 it not really grow and whatever. Well, I found out that big 241 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:49,520 churches are no different than small churches. 242 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:51,880 I used to think I have to go to a big church. 243 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:55,280 When we started our church, I've being aware of all the 244 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:57,120 complaints people had about church in their life. 245 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:58,920 I thought Mount Zion's going to be different. 246 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:01,440 I'm going to be different. I know that my heart is for the 247 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:04,560 people and I'm going to do what they want, do what they need me 248 00:13:04,560 --> 00:13:06,680 to do. Of course, I almost said what 249 00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:09,840 they want me to do, but I'm supposed to do what you need me 250 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,280 to do. But I also like to do what you 251 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,720 want me to do when I can. But sometimes that doesn't make 252 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:20,400 me popular too. I have found out that doesn't 253 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:22,720 matter what you do, people are going to complain. 254 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:25,840 That's why. Is that true? 255 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:28,400 Because we're all people and we all do it from time to time. 256 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:32,360 But the point is, I have always had a vision that the church 257 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:34,200 should be everything God wants it to be. 258 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,400 And I truly believe that as I look at Mount Zion and as we've 259 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:40,760 built over the years, Mount Zion has all the attributes a local 260 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:43,200 church is supposed to have. And I believe that we're 261 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:49,080 positioned for this next phase of going to the world and going 262 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:52,400 to all the nations as God has called us to do with a 263 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:55,080 prototype, if you would. That's very powerful. 264 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:57,640 And that's why we advertise the things we're doing. 265 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:00,600 We really have what you have need of, to walk in the things 266 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:02,400 that God has. And why is that? 267 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:05,880 Because I believe in the church. My vision is for the church. 268 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:09,480 And I really believe that we need to understand how important 269 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,280 the church is. As a matter of fact, this 270 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:15,120 Scripture says, let us hold fast the confession of our hope 271 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,840 without wavering. For he who promised is what 272 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,600 faithful. Let us consider one another in 273 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,520 order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the 274 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:30,400 assembly of ourselves together as is the manner of some, but 275 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:35,280 exhorting one another and so much more as you see the day 276 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,000 approaching. Now, as the author of this book 277 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:42,920 was writing inspired by the Holy Spirit, of course he's making 278 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:45,040 them understand there's days of trouble coming. 279 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:46,840 So you need to be prepared for them. 280 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:50,480 And I really believe that that's what the Bible's all about is 281 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,600 God says be prepared for whatever comes your way. 282 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:57,000 That's why I said you should take a marriage class before you 283 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:59,760 need a marriage class because how many you know, that helps us 284 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:04,200 get prepared ahead of time. Taking a discipleship class, 285 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:07,440 taking the new beginnings class, we should say, what is it that I 286 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:09,840 have need of? Because we're in a very 287 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:14,280 difficult age right now. And in order for us to truly 288 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:17,360 live for the Lord, we have to understand we have to have a 289 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:21,120 plan of action. That's why he said hold fast to 290 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:22,320 your confession. Why? 291 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,560 Well, there's a lot of influences, people, 292 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:29,880 circumstances, situation, media, social media, all kinds of 293 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:33,080 voices trying to get you off course, trying to get you to 294 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:37,280 lose faith, trying to get you to become anxious or concerned 295 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:40,960 about your world. And the Bible says very clearly 296 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:43,520 here, we got to hold fast to our confession. 297 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:46,160 And that's what I've done over the history of my life. 298 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:49,120 When God has spoken to me, I've shared it with you. 299 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:51,400 I believe that God says it. It's going to happen. 300 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:53,960 So I'll hold on to it with everything within me. 301 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,320 And I have found out that I've seen that God is faithful just 302 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,400 like that Scripture says. And I know that well. 303 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:03,440 As I look forward, He's going to show I'm even more faithful, 304 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:05,600 says the Lord. Because I believe with all my 305 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,960 heart the best is yet to come, that God's going to do that 306 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:12,720 which is exceedingly and abundantly above all that I can 307 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,920 ask or think. That's why the Scripture is so 308 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:19,520 important when it says and forsake not the assembling of 309 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:23,160 yourself together, which is the manner of some all the more is 310 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:26,760 to see the day approaching. And I'll talk about that as a 311 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:30,720 very last verse, but emphasizing first of all, how the Bible says 312 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,800 we need each other. We need to consider each other 313 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:37,560 and we need to understand that we need to be in a setting where 314 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:41,160 other people are considering us and this is where the church 315 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:44,400 comes in as the pillar in the ground of truth and why all of 316 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:48,400 us need to understand churches shouldn't be seen as an option. 317 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:53,280 It's a part of the plan of God that He would have a people that 318 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:57,240 will fulfill his purposes in the earth and that would also be a 319 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:01,880 partaker of his promises. And we can only do that when we 320 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:06,280 understand how important it is to assemble together. 321 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,599 Look what this next verse the Scripture says that we should no 322 00:17:09,599 --> 00:17:12,920 longer be children tossed to and fro and cared about with every 323 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:15,440 wind of doctrine. You got also throw in their wind 324 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:18,359 of philosophy because everybody has an opinion. 325 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:20,760 They want to share it in our day and it's very easy to get 326 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:23,920 confused by all that's going on. We shouldn't be like children 327 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,720 are tossed to and fro are the tricky of man cuz there's a lot 328 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,080 of people out there trying to take advantage of us, but also 329 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:35,080 in the cutting craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking 330 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:39,200 the truth in love that we may grow up in all things. 331 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:43,600 In him who is the head Christ, from whom the whole body joined 332 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:47,880 and knit together by whatever joint supplies according to the 333 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:51,760 effect of working by which every part does its share, causes 334 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:55,920 growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. 335 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,840 Notice I put over this some assembly required. 336 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:02,600 Now God's goal, and it's something I've of course been 337 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:06,160 sharing from the beginning, is that we would go on to maturity. 338 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,600 Now that's not just God's goal, it should be ours. 339 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:12,520 Just like in the natural you come to this world as a baby. 340 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:15,600 You have parents that help you by taking care of you, hopefully 341 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:19,280 instructing you how to accept responsibility in life so that 342 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:22,600 you can become mature and again repeat the process. 343 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:26,720 So also our Heavenly Father thinks the same thing concerning 344 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,200 us. His desire is to bring us all to 345 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:32,440 a place of maturity. And all the more as we see this 346 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:36,080 day of confusion as everything that's being shaken that can be 347 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:39,640 shaken, we need to understand you will know the truth and the 348 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:43,040 truth will set you free. And we need to know that the 349 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:45,840 truth will also put us on the solid rock. 350 00:18:46,360 --> 00:18:50,000 Jesus said, if you keep these principles, these things that 351 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:52,880 I'm saying to you, you're going to be like the man who built his 352 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:55,920 house upon the rock. When the winds come and the 353 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:59,800 storms blow, and they will, you will be standing in the midst of 354 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:01,560 the storm. If you don't, you're going to be 355 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:03,720 like the person who built their house upon the sand. 356 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,840 When the wind blows and the waves are coming, the Ocean's 357 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:09,160 rising up, guess what? You're going to be washed away. 358 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:13,320 That's why God wants us to go on to maturity and why it's 359 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:16,240 important that we would have connections. 360 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,480 Now, this is so important because when I was a kid in 361 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,320 school, high school especially, I remember we'd have assemblies 362 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,880 and they were usually some kind of a pep assembly where you get 363 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:30,360 together, especially as you're going to very important games. 364 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:33,080 Everybody, they want you to get the school spirit and get all 365 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,080 excited and shout and jump them down. 366 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:39,800 Whatever it was to give a spirit, they would say, well, 367 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:41,760 some people see church the same way. 368 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:44,680 You need to go and get some spirit, get excited so you can 369 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:46,640 make it through the week. No, that's not what the Bible 370 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:48,760 says. When the Bible talks about us 371 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:53,160 assembling together, we have to understand that it's like 372 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:55,920 assembly. And that's why I put over that 373 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:58,040 verse. Some assembly required because 374 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:01,800 when we were doing Christmas shopping for our kids and they 375 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:05,600 wanted things like bikes and stuff, if it said some assembly 376 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:09,160 required immediately, I'm like, no, I'm not buying that one. 377 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:14,320 God didn't give me an assembly mind in the sense of putting 378 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:17,200 mechanical things together. It's always been something. 379 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,680 I'm sure I could have learned it better than I did, but it was 380 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:22,800 just like kind of one of those things that, well, it's more 381 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:24,320 comfortable to stay away from it. 382 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:27,920 So when I was young, first married, I'd depend a lot of 383 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:31,000 mom, my dad, we call Papa Bill around here at Mount Zion. 384 00:20:31,360 --> 00:20:35,200 Now that wasn't also easy because as the father, he didn't 385 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:37,840 just help me, He wanted to show me how to do it. 386 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:41,560 And then if I was something about my car, he'd yell at me 387 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:45,680 for not doing it right. He remember I was told the story 388 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:48,680 how he checked one day, said have you checked your oil 389 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:50,560 lately? No, I haven't. 390 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:53,800 So he opened it up and he said, I said, do I need an oil change? 391 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:55,360 No, you don't need an oil change. 392 00:20:55,360 --> 00:20:57,520 You don't even have any oil in this bar. 393 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:01,240 Another time I got in trouble because I didn't have water in 394 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:03,520 the battery. I don't know if you still need 395 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,360 the water and batteries or what. And I just figured if you put 396 00:21:06,360 --> 00:21:08,520 the water where it goes, it'll go wherever it needs to go. 397 00:21:08,520 --> 00:21:11,720 Hey, man, that's what we do when we drink water, people. 398 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,160 Anyway, I was always getting in trouble for that. 399 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,000 And so I was glad when I could graduate to my brother Bill 400 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,040 because he'd take care of things for me too. 401 00:21:20,360 --> 00:21:24,160 So often times Christmas Eve is going over and if it assembly 402 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:27,040 needed, I would take it over there and hit assemble it for 403 00:21:27,040 --> 00:21:28,920 me. And unfortunately, they're both 404 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:31,520 the gone. So Bill Foster was reminding me 405 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:33,960 I call him when I need something assemble now. 406 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:38,720 But anyway, I'm always going to have body connections, Amen. 407 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,480 How you know that we need to be connected, Amen. 408 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:45,400 Because there's always something that we need from somebody else. 409 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,960 And really there's something that we all have that we can 410 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,280 give to others. But this is talking in a more 411 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:55,480 mystical sense in a way, even though it's a practical sense, 412 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:59,520 because it says like we're like the body and the human body has 413 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,440 many different parts. Now there's some parts of your 414 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:06,240 body you can live without, but how we know we want it all there 415 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,200 and for nothing else the looks right. 416 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,840 And so we might be able to get along without certain parts of 417 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:15,200 our body. Like they might say, Oh, you 418 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,120 don't need tonsils. They don't want you don't need 419 00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:18,000 this. Take it out. 420 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:19,600 And I'm like, no, I want to keep it. 421 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:21,000 God put it there, I'm keeping it. 422 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:23,400 Amen. Well, that's the way the body of 423 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:25,080 Christ is. We might look at things that 424 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:28,280 give it value, but God says, I'll put it in the body. 425 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:31,880 You have need of that and so it's so important that we would 426 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:36,880 understand it's connecting that actually is what gives us the 427 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:39,320 full opportunity to receive life. 428 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:44,480 And connecting is not always easy, but you have to make a 429 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:47,640 choice. I'm going to get connected. 430 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:51,160 What does it take? Well, it takes effort when you 431 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:54,560 see all the things that we have in our community centers and our 432 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:57,240 activities and all the different things going on. 433 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,160 There's some way you can get connected and get to meet 434 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:02,000 people. You just have to look on the 435 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,000 website and get connected. Amen. 436 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:08,560 But some assembly is required and that means putting it 437 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:11,280 together so that it can operate properly. 438 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:14,360 That's why it says, Therefore, let him who thinks he stands 439 00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:17,440 take heed lest he fall. Why? 440 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:20,600 Well, we not understand how important communion is. 441 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:24,320 So the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion 442 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:27,800 of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it 443 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,600 not the communion of the body of Christ? 444 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:34,840 For we, though many are one bread and one body for we are 445 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:39,200 all partake of that one bread. Notice this is from chapter 10. 446 00:23:39,200 --> 00:23:42,280 I was reading out of Chapter 11, but it's so important when we 447 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:46,280 think about communion, we call it typically the Lord's Supper 448 00:23:46,440 --> 00:23:49,800 or can be called communion. But he's using that as an 449 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,280 illustration to the church at Corinth and he says, well, it's 450 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:54,080 just like communion. Don't you understand? 451 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:57,520 When you come together, we have to understand that we all are 452 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:00,960 partakers of Christ. So we all partake of one bread. 453 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:03,760 But when we first started the church and we had a small number 454 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:06,600 of people, we used to do that. We'd have somebody, Molly Da 455 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:10,000 used to actually go and buy us some fresh bread and we'd have 456 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,080 communion with a fresh bread and pass it around. 457 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:15,160 After a while, people started wondering if we were passing 458 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:18,120 germs as well as bread, but so we switched. 459 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:21,360 But also we had a lot more people than one loaf of bread 460 00:24:21,360 --> 00:24:23,440 would supply. I mean, you know, we'd need a 461 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:25,680 real big loaf to feed all of us here today. 462 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:29,120 But anyway, it's important to understand that we are all 463 00:24:29,120 --> 00:24:33,400 partakers of one bread and that bread is Christ. 464 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:36,560 And so when we But when we think about communion, we have to 465 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:40,280 understand that also means that we are one bread to the world. 466 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:44,200 And the word communion is used in the New Testament, often 467 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:46,920 times as the word fellowship. It's a Greek word, Koinonia, 468 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,280 which means that we are in partnership with each other. 469 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:55,120 It means that we need to all be participating in order for us to 470 00:24:55,120 --> 00:24:58,160 experience the fullness. And there's actually another 471 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:02,080 word that is used here, which is social exchange, because 472 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:05,720 sometimes just being involved with activities and getting to 473 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:07,840 meet people, it could be life changing. 474 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:11,040 How do you know we need people? Psychologists call it 475 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:14,280 affiliation needs the Bible calls a fellowship, but you need 476 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:18,440 to have an affiliation with the people that are going to share 477 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:22,800 your values in order that you can be reinforced in those 478 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:26,720 values and also that you can help other people as a part of 479 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:27,920 this. And so it's important to 480 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:30,840 understand we are one bread and one body. 481 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:34,640 Now going to the literal Lord's Supper communion service 482 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:37,920 Scriptures. It says, Therefore, whoever eats 483 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:41,520 this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, 484 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:44,360 shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 485 00:25:45,120 --> 00:25:48,720 But what let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of 486 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:53,120 the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in a 487 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:58,240 unworthy manner, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not 488 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:02,920 discerning the Lord's body. Now this is quite amazing 489 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:05,720 because he goes on to say for this reason, many are weak and 490 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:09,720 sickly among you. Many sleep, which means dead 491 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:14,720 doesn't mean falling asleep. It's using the word they're 492 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:16,360 asleep because it sounds a little better. 493 00:26:16,360 --> 00:26:18,480 Just like when somebody says, well, if something happens to 494 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:21,160 me, you're actually saying if I fall over dead, right? 495 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:23,880 We like to use different words to talk about it. 496 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:25,160 And that's what he's doing there. 497 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:28,200 But he said, you know, if you don't understand the power of 498 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:31,240 communion, you're going to suffer for it. 499 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:34,080 You might even be sick. You might even die prematurely. 500 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:35,920 That's what the Bible says. How do you know if it's in the 501 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:36,800 Bible? It's true. 502 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:41,880 Since the early stage of the Christian Church, communion has 503 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,480 always been the focus of what was done. 504 00:26:45,120 --> 00:26:48,160 Around 1600, as a part of the Reformation, there were a lot of 505 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:50,600 people, because of the Age of Enlightenment and scientific 506 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:55,720 theory coming in, people even in the Christian Church influenced 507 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:59,360 by those things, got rid of the concept that something's there 508 00:26:59,360 --> 00:27:01,360 in communion. And they'd say, well, that's 509 00:27:01,360 --> 00:27:03,360 just something that we do to show something. 510 00:27:03,360 --> 00:27:06,240 So it's an outward form. And they said the same thing 511 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:08,920 about baptism because they thought that was just 512 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:12,600 superstitious or just too mystical if you believe there 513 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,480 was something that was going to happen as a part of your 514 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:18,520 spiritual experience. So God in these days is bringing 515 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:20,560 the church back to a full understanding. 516 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,040 So I hope you're allowing to give you that full 517 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:24,200 understanding. Amen. 518 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:28,200 Because he said that when you come to the table of the Lord, 519 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:33,320 there's power, but you have to know how to get a hold of it #1 520 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:36,200 He talks about an unworthy manner. 521 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:39,760 Now some people think that means well, when you take community, 522 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:42,120 you better be careful because if you're not worthy, this is going 523 00:27:42,120 --> 00:27:44,000 to happen to you. No, that's not what he's saying 524 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:48,160 When he says an unworthy manner. He's talking about your attitude 525 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:51,320 in your approach, not your condition. 526 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:54,800 You know that through the blood of Jesus Christ we can all be 527 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:58,960 forgiven, Amen. If we confess our faults, if we 528 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:01,800 confess our sin, He's faithful and just to forgive us of our 529 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:04,200 sin and to cleanse us from melon and righteousness. 530 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:07,360 It's through Jesus Christ that we have been made worthy. 531 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:11,040 But whenever we partake of something in the House of God, 532 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:14,880 we have to understand there's a manner by which we should be a 533 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:17,560 participant. And that manner is we do it of 534 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:19,240 faith. And he's writing in the 535 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:22,520 Corinthian church, they had what they also called an agape meal 536 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,440 because when they got together, they would have dinner as well 537 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:28,880 as the Lord's Supper. And it turned into a party, as 538 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:30,840 you see from the scriptures that are being read. 539 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:32,600 And he's like, what are you guys doing? 540 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:35,480 Don't you know? This is something that Jesus 541 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:38,640 himself started. He even said the Lord gave it 542 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:40,640 directly to me. So he wasn't even saying he's 543 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:44,240 quoting what other people had. He had received personal 544 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:46,840 revelation from Jesus Christ. And this is one of the things 545 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:51,080 Jesus told him in the manner that he should approach the 546 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:54,440 Lord's Supper, because on the night in which he was betrayed, 547 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:58,400 Jesus took that bread and he broke it and said, this is my 548 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:00,680 body. And he took the cup. 549 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:04,160 And he said, this is my blood. And I know there's a lot of 550 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:07,680 different ways people discuss it and get upset about it. 551 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,920 But when you have a faith experience, you come to church 552 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:13,440 and you say, you know what? I want everything to have a real 553 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:16,440 experience for me. I don't just come and sing. 554 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:21,000 I come with the right attitude and I know that the Bible says 555 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:23,800 that Jesus says he's singing in the worshipping congregation. 556 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:27,400 That's amazing. Whether I'm taking communion, 557 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:29,000 whether we're watching a baptism. 558 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:31,560 That's why I like to have on Sunday mornings we have anointed 559 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:33,280 with oil at the close of the service. 560 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:36,240 If you're sick, the Bible says get anointed with oil. 561 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:39,160 Don't miss out on the opportunities God has to. 562 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,280 The church is the pillar in the ground of truth, a man church. 563 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:45,720 But it's so important that we also have discernment because 564 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:48,600 discernment says I'm not just looking at things from the 565 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:51,520 outside perspective. So when I come to church, this 566 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:55,160 is a good way to start practicing spiritual discernment 567 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,800 or spiritual perception as I call into my YouTube program. 568 00:29:59,160 --> 00:30:01,320 Because when you come, you got to say, OK, wait a minute, I'm 569 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:03,840 in church. I got to make sure that I have 570 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:07,640 the right manner of approaching when I'm singing, when I'm 571 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:10,720 hearing the word, when I'm going to the altar, because there's 572 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:16,680 something that's super that's available to me if I'm willing 573 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:20,440 to let myself be a partaker of those things. 574 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:25,000 That's why in speaking about the church, Jesus said this. 575 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:29,640 If somebody's in a dispute, he says, well, if you can't settle 576 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:31,640 among yourselves to bring it to the church. 577 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:35,480 But if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. 578 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:38,920 But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him beat you 579 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:41,240 like a heathen and a tax collector. 580 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:44,960 Cheryl, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound 581 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:46,680 in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth, it 582 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:49,840 will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two 583 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:52,440 agree, you agree on earth is concerning. 584 00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:55,400 Anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in 585 00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,880 heaven. For where two or three are 586 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:01,800 gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them. 587 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:05,520 That's why I really believe it wouldn't been just my prayer 588 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:09,280 that brought the deliverance for the people of Venezuela and 589 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:11,760 hopefully the deliverance for the people accused us. 590 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:15,520 But it was partly my prayer because I believe when I pray, 591 00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:16,720 God hears. Amen. 592 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:19,440 And I'm sure something as serious as that, there's 593 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:21,600 probably millions praying, I don't know. 594 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:25,040 But I do know this. When we pray, God hears. 595 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:29,200 But there's a special authority that Jesus said the church has 596 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:33,320 because there's a power that we have when we come together that 597 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:38,480 God puts upon us as a church. And when we begin to understand 598 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:41,880 that, we'll begin to realize there's something available for 599 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:46,360 us in the House of God that we need to take full advantage of. 600 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:51,040 He said the church has power in heaven, and he says where two or 601 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:54,240 three are gathered together in my name, heaven and earth 602 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:57,640 connects. And I shared this a few months 603 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:00,240 back when I was talking about the descending New Jerusalem as 604 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:03,280 the church because the Bible tells us that when we're in the 605 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:06,800 House of God that literally the heavens are opened over us. 606 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:11,160 Isn't that amazing church? That's why we're an embassy for 607 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:13,600 the Kingdom of heaven. That's why we're ambassadors for 608 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:14,640 Christ. Because guess what? 609 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:17,040 We have the opportunity to touch heaven. 610 00:32:17,240 --> 00:32:19,240 Heaven isn't just a distant place. 611 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:23,480 Heaven is a source of authority. It's a source of blessing that 612 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:28,400 we can access when we understand the power and authority that God 613 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:32,400 wants to give to us as a church. Now I want to emphasize this 614 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:35,960 Scripture from the Old Testament because God has revealed himself 615 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:38,760 from the Old Testament to the New Testament in a progressive 616 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:41,760 fashion. So the church, as we read, is 617 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:44,000 the House of God, the pillar and ground of truth. 618 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:47,360 But we also have to understand that there was a type in that in 619 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:49,640 the temples that were built in the Old Testament. 620 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:54,040 So when they built the temple of Solomon, the Bible says that God 621 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:57,320 spoke to Solomon, said when I shut up heaven, and there is no 622 00:32:57,320 --> 00:33:00,880 rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send 623 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:05,400 pestilence among my people. If my people who are called by 624 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:08,800 my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and 625 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:12,720 turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, 626 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:15,040 and I will forgive their sin. And what? 627 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:20,000 What will he do? How many know we need that in 628 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:20,760 our land? Amen. 629 00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:28,720 Give him a praise now, God said. Now my eyes will be open and my 630 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:31,760 ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 631 00:33:31,760 --> 00:33:34,720 Speaking about the temple, which was a pattern for the New 632 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:39,200 Testament church, for now I have chosen and sanctified this house 633 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:43,880 that my name may be there forever and my eyes and my heart 634 00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:47,960 will be there perpetually. And of course, we know now that 635 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:51,520 we are the temple of the Holy Ghost, we the body of Christ. 636 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,920 And we have to understand that means we have power in prayer. 637 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:59,120 There's power in our individual prayers, but there's more power. 638 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:01,000 And some people feel uncomfortable about this, but 639 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:04,920 there's more power in our corporate prayer when we come 640 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:07,560 together and we pray. That's why our Tuesday morning 641 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:10,520 prayer service is so powerful, because people could come and 642 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:13,600 turn in the request because when the church is praying, it makes 643 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,760 a difference. That's not my opinion. 644 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:21,280 That's the word of God, Amen. And so prayer power works and we 645 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,480 have to be aware of all these things and understand there's 646 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:27,159 something that happens when we bring our prayers to the House 647 00:34:27,159 --> 00:34:31,239 of God and to understand it is the place where he has placed 648 00:34:31,239 --> 00:34:33,760 his name. So when you read that scripture 649 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:36,120 of two or three gathered together, my name, he's not just 650 00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:38,080 saying, okay, you guys get together. 651 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:41,880 He's talking about the church, He's talking about an authority 652 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:45,239 he gives to his house. And that's why when we bring it 653 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:48,239 to the house, there's a difference. 654 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:51,440 And so we have to be mindful of these things because there's 655 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:54,760 supernatural power when we approach things with the right 656 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:55,679 manner. Amen. 657 00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:59,480 Now in First Corinthians 3, it says this. 658 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:02,440 Now, if anyone builds on this foundation with the gold, 659 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:06,960 silver, precious stones, with hay and straw, each one's work 660 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:11,320 will become clear. Here's that word day again. 661 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:16,040 The day will declare it because it will be revealed by fire. 662 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:19,520 The fire will test each one's work of what sort it is. 663 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:22,920 If anyone's work, which he has built on it, endures, he will 664 00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:26,400 receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he 665 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:31,840 will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved yet so as through 666 00:35:31,960 --> 00:35:34,560 fire. And so this is important because 667 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:38,800 when we think about the day and the day, we often think about as 668 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:41,760 the day of judgement. Most people know when you die, 669 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:44,040 you're going to stand before the judgement seat of Christ. 670 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:46,600 At least you should. That's a day of judgement. 671 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:50,760 When Jesus Christ comes in his return, it says it will be a day 672 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:53,080 of judgement. But this Scripture makes us 673 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:55,960 understand that there are days of judgement. 674 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:58,440 The day of judgement is basically when there's a 675 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:02,520 combination of certain behaviors that lend itself to a certain 676 00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:04,720 outcome. That's why the Bible says 677 00:36:04,720 --> 00:36:07,920 whatsoever man sows that shall he also reap. 678 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:10,600 Why? Well, just like in the parable I 679 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:13,360 was sharing when Jesus talked about the man who built this 680 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:16,960 house upon the rock, if you don't do the right thing, sooner 681 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:19,240 or later the things began to pile up. 682 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:22,240 And sometimes that means there's going to be a judgement that's 683 00:36:22,240 --> 00:36:24,400 necessary. And that's the judgement of 684 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:27,800 fire, where God burns away the fleshly works in order that the 685 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:30,080 cold and the purity might come forward. 686 00:36:30,720 --> 00:36:34,080 So in this day that we live in, there's some things that well 687 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:36,000 are going to have to be given accounting of. 688 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:41,160 I really believe that I see in the financial world, when we 689 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:45,160 went through the Great Recession and the COVID crisis came and 690 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:47,040 all the things that happened there, there were a lot of 691 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:50,160 monetary things that were done that well. 692 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:52,400 They weren't wise in the long run. 693 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:54,040 They were good for the short term. 694 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:56,720 And because of that, we've had great inflation. 695 00:36:56,720 --> 00:36:59,200 How many know we have inflation? And if you watch what's 696 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:01,440 happening, if you go to the restaurant or you try to buy a 697 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:04,560 house, which nobody can now, you realize, hey, there's something 698 00:37:04,560 --> 00:37:07,360 about these inflation figures that aren't exactly right. 699 00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:11,560 Because I can't anymore do this. And people are in a nervous 700 00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:15,280 thought concerning life because how is this all going to work? 701 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:17,400 Well, there's going to be some consequences. 702 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:21,640 But Jesus said, just put your house in order, because if you 703 00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:25,200 put your house in order, you open yourself up when the 704 00:37:25,200 --> 00:37:28,600 purging of fire comes to the blessing of God for his 705 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:31,560 preservation, Amen. Church, I'm glad we serve the 706 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:35,240 living God, Amen. And sometimes we will suffer 707 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:38,640 because there are times where Christians certainly have times 708 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:40,880 of loss. But the thing we understand is 709 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:45,160 as we put ourselves back into the business of following God's 710 00:37:45,160 --> 00:37:48,880 Word, what happens is we began to sow the right seeds that are 711 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:53,720 going to produce the right and proper fruit in the day of 712 00:37:53,720 --> 00:37:56,080 fruitfulness. That's why in closing, the 713 00:37:56,080 --> 00:38:00,240 Scripture is so important. It says for if we will judge 714 00:38:00,240 --> 00:38:03,400 ourselves, we would not be judged. 715 00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:05,920 Now when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord. 716 00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:07,840 So that does happen. So I don't want to eliminate 717 00:38:07,840 --> 00:38:11,480 that verse that we may not be condemned with the world because 718 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:13,600 sometimes God allows judgments to come. 719 00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:16,680 So we'll shape up whatever. But the important thing that we 720 00:38:16,680 --> 00:38:20,400 should understand as we every Sunday come before the table of 721 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:24,280 the Lord has realized, God says if you judge yourself, you won't 722 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:27,560 come under judgement. If you set everything in 723 00:38:27,560 --> 00:38:31,960 alignment now, you'll be prepared for the day, whatever 724 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:35,520 that day is. Whenever that day comes, we are 725 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:38,600 called to be prepared, says the mighty God. 726 00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:41,320 I'm going to ask everyone to bow your heads and close your eyes 727 00:38:41,320 --> 00:38:45,560 for just a moment and let's approach the table of the Lord 728 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:49,720 in the worthy manner. That means, Lord, give me 729 00:38:49,720 --> 00:38:53,680 discernment. I want to see this is just more 730 00:38:53,680 --> 00:38:58,720 than a ritual. I want to partake of the life, 731 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:09,720 the healing, the blessing that you have with your word in 732 00:39:09,720 --> 00:39:17,080 action in my life, in this day. We are in a new day. 733 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:24,440 There will be winds blowing, fires burning, Get ready, get 734 00:39:24,440 --> 00:39:31,160 ready, get ready, prepare yourself, prepare yourself by 735 00:39:31,160 --> 00:39:34,480 being taking heed according to His word. 736 00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:40,280 Father, in Jesus name, just let us be a people of maturity in 737 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:43,320 this day. Give us the ability to hear your 738 00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:49,440 voice, to walk in your way, to hear what you're speaking to us 739 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:55,520 in Jesus name, Amen. This is Pastor Lauren Coverbius 740 00:39:55,520 --> 00:39:58,080 from Mount Zion Church. We thank you for joining us 741 00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:01,080 today and invite you to connect with our church family by 742 00:40:01,080 --> 00:40:04,840 visiting mountzion.org and following us on social media. 743 00:40:05,080 --> 00:40:05,840 God bless you.