1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:03,680 Lord bless you this morning. Let's let's stand for the 2 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:06,840 reading of the word of the Lord. We're going to be turning your 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,840 attention to the book of Second Chronicles chapter 5. 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,360 What a privilege it is to have everyone in the House of God 5 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:15,480 with us this morning. And if you're online joining 6 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:16,960 with us, thank you for being here. 7 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,440 We appreciate that. Give honor to pastor and Bishop. 8 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:22,920 I know they're not here this morning. 9 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,440 I know their mind is attentive to what is happening here. 10 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:29,440 Love and appreciate them for their leadership and their 11 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,160 ministry. Love and appreciate my wife give 12 00:00:33,160 --> 00:00:37,320 her honor today. I I would be lost without her 13 00:00:38,160 --> 00:00:44,000 and appreciate her so so very much and my son and 14 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:48,280 daughter-in-law for all of their ministries and and work and 15 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,920 effort in the Kingdom of God. I love and appreciate and honor 16 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:55,600 them today for the Zach, Sister Berlin, They're not in here, but 17 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,040 they're working and I appreciate them. 18 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:00,360 It's good to look back there this morning to see Brother Pat. 19 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,160 Hey, man, it's good to see you this morning. 20 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,120 Thank you for being in the House of God today. 21 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:10,640 Thank you for coming home today. Second Chronicles chapter 5 and 22 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:14,440 verse #13 the Bible says it came even to pass as the trumpeters 23 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,880 and singers, or as one to make one sound to be heard and 24 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,000 praising and thanking the Lord. And when they lifted up their 25 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,640 voice with the trumpets and symbols and instruments of music 26 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,760 and praise the Lord, saying, for he is good, for his mercy 27 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:31,440 endureth forever, that then the house was filled with the cloud, 28 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:36,840 even the House of the Lord. We'll be teaching for a little 29 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:41,720 bit this morning. Ten years ago, it's hard to 30 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,520 believe that a decade has passed, but ten years ago I 31 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:49,080 taught a three-part series that happened to be in the month of 32 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:54,920 November on music. And I'm, I'm not rehashing that 33 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:57,920 entire three weeks today, but I did feel in my heart today to 34 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,080 bring something. And I know that my son a couple 35 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:05,720 of weekends ago did something on a Sunday night regarding music 36 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,440 that I absolutely loved. It's amazing and outstanding. 37 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,120 I want to actually pick up where he left off and maybe take it 38 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:22,160 just another step on this subject today, more than music, 39 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:31,520 there are there are churches that don't have music and by 40 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,720 extension of the word music this morning. 41 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,600 I'm not just talking about instrumental playing, but music 42 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,680 is a term that we use that is often synonymous with leading us 43 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:43,720 into the idea of worship and praise. 44 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:48,760 So it's it's an important part of our Christian fundamentals 45 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,960 and foundation today. So that's what I want to be 46 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:53,760 talking about this morning. The Lord bless you. 47 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,760 You may be seated today. The Bible tells us in the book 48 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:01,080 of Second Chronicles, chapter 5 that both the singers and the 49 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:07,000 musicians were as one. If you have ever been in a 50 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:14,560 church service where that this was not the case, you will 51 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,080 understand why this is important. 52 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:28,720 There might not be any greater distraction from the presence of 53 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:36,400 God than confusion. The word one in the statement 54 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,400 comes from the Hebrew word ekhad, which we know from 55 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,400 Deuteronomy. 6/4 Here, O Israel, the Lord our God is 1 Lord. 56 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,280 We know this to be the definition of one that is found 57 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:50,960 there united 1 alone all together. 58 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,720 In the same manner that we declare the oneness of God, we 59 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:58,880 must also stand before God in worship, in music, and in 60 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:03,400 singing, as one. One voice, one team, one 61 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,760 purpose, one anointing, one in praise, one in worship, one in 62 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:12,320 obedience to the Spirit of God, so that truly we can declare as 63 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:16,720 the psalmist did in Psalm 133. And one, behold, how good and 64 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:22,440 pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. 65 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:28,280 Unity does not mean necessarily that we agree on everything. 66 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,920 It means that we can exist together in everything. 67 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,200 Unity occurs whenever I disagree with you, but I can still stand 68 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:44,360 beside you in worship. Let me let me peel that back 69 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:45,760 just a little deeper this morning. 70 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,560 And I don't want to go too deep on a Sunday morning because you 71 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:51,480 either got bed on your mind or lunch, I don't know which. 72 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:57,200 But if we can't stand beside each other and praise and 73 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,840 worship in unity, then our praise isn't about Him. 74 00:05:04,840 --> 00:05:08,880 So let's look a little deeper at Second Chronicles 513. 75 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,600 I'll read it one more time. It came even to pass as the 76 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:16,400 trumpeters and singers was one to make one sound, everybody say 77 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:20,320 1 sound to be heard and praising and thanking the Lord. 78 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:22,520 And when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and 79 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:27,080 symbols and instruments of music and praise the Lord saying for 80 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,280 he is good for his mercy endureth forever that then the 81 00:05:30,280 --> 00:05:33,320 house was filled with the cloud, even the House of the Lord. 82 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:37,800 Not only were they together in a spirit and attitude of unity and 83 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,640 oneness, but they made one sound. 84 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:46,840 Now if we were if we were singing Jesus, I love you up 85 00:05:46,840 --> 00:05:50,480 here and you were singing I'll fly away back there. 86 00:05:50,840 --> 00:06:00,080 That could be a problem. It's, it's important that we as 87 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:05,760 the body of Christ remain and get ourselves positioned in 88 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:10,760 unity in the House of God so that together we're making one 89 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:15,040 sound. I don't want to get ahead of 90 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:17,360 myself this morning, but I'll, I'll say, say this. 91 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,400 We need to make one sound even when you don't like the song 92 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:26,720 we're singing. Because I'm telling you right 93 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:27,840 now. I've told you before, I'll 94 00:06:27,840 --> 00:06:30,000 repeat myself just because it's important. 95 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:32,520 There are songs we sing I don't like. 96 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:37,360 There are songs we sing. I don't like to play, I don't 97 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,200 like to sing. I don't like the words, I don't 98 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:41,720 like the harmony. I don't. 99 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:43,840 There are some songs I don't like anything about it. 100 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,200 I'm not going to tell you which ones they are, but there are a 101 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,320 few of them. Well, why do you sing them? 102 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:55,360 Because it's not about me, it's about him. 103 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,960 And you just might like it and that's OK. 104 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,600 But you know, one thing I've learned in recent years and, and 105 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:08,120 I'm not, I'm not on any soapbox this morning. 106 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,480 I'm, I'm, I'm being sincere with my statement here. 107 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,080 But one thing I've learned in recent years is it really 108 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,040 doesn't matter what song we sing. 109 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:20,040 I'm not talking about following the leading of God and, and 110 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:21,600 singing the right song at the right moment. 111 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,640 I'm not, I'm not talking against that because that has its place. 112 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:32,800 What I'm talking about is I used to have this idea that older, 113 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:40,640 more mature people, I'm, I'm trying to behave, Sister 114 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,400 Margaret. I used to have this idea that 115 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:51,720 people of a certain age group liked hymnals and that young 116 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:56,560 folks only liked new songs. That was my belief that that's 117 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:01,280 what I thought up until recent years when it finally occurred 118 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:08,120 to me, watch me here. I'm going to be careful and I'm 119 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,280 going to be polite and respectful, but I'm being 120 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:14,720 sincere. It finally occurred to me that 121 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:21,040 the older folks that I thought liked hymnals didn't worship 122 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:26,000 anymore when we sang a hymnal than they did when we sang a new 123 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:30,240 song. And the younger folks didn't 124 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:34,960 worship any less when we sang a hymnal than they did when we 125 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,400 sang a new song. Now everybody's going to have 126 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:42,799 their favorites. I understand that you should. 127 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:47,400 That's just life. But when we truly come together 128 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:53,160 in unity, and when we truly come together with Jesus as our focal 129 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:57,640 point, it doesn't matter if we're singing, I'll fly away, 130 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:04,760 Power in the blood. Oh, I want to see him or Jesus. 131 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:09,280 I love you or you deserve it. Those aren't exactly new, but 132 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,480 they're newer compared to my hymnal examples. 133 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:16,320 It doesn't matter because He is the focal point of both. 134 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:21,480 Both will inevitably reach an audience differently, but I no 135 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:25,760 longer believe they reach a different audience because I 136 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,760 have heard young people in the recent couple of years say, man, 137 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:31,800 I've never heard that. I like that. 138 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:37,120 Now we could stop and say, yeah, we've been trying to tell you 139 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:42,480 that for years. But no, because there's nothing 140 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:48,920 wrong with either demographic. So it it cannot and it must not 141 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:54,360 be an internal war of mature folks against young folks. 142 00:09:55,320 --> 00:10:00,040 This has to be a unification of the body of Christ because we're 143 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,640 singing to Him, we're worshipping to him. 144 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:10,400 It's about him. So unity is not optional in what 145 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:15,040 we do. If we don't have unity, talent 146 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:20,280 no longer matters. Now we often say if we don't 147 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:22,920 have anointing, talent doesn't matter, and I agree with that 148 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:27,960 too. But if we don't have unity, if 149 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:30,000 we don't have unity, you're not going to have anointing. 150 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:37,970 That's right. That's right. 151 00:10:37,970 --> 00:10:47,330 They made one sound. It's the same Hebrew word, a hod 152 00:10:48,050 --> 00:10:52,050 1 sound in Second Chronicles that is found in Deuteronomy. 153 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:57,280 When we talk about the oneness of God, that is one of the core 154 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:02,280 foundations of our belief. It's the same word. 155 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:09,960 This lets us know that if we desire to see God lifted up, we 156 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:17,360 will stand together, we will sing together, we will declare 157 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:27,200 His name together because He is good and His mercy endureth 158 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:32,480 forever. If you read Second Chronicles 159 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:36,920 chapter 20, you will find enemy territories that were coming 160 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:40,240 against Jehoshaphat to do battle against Judah. 161 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:45,560 In verse #3 we find that Jehoshaphat prayed and he 162 00:11:45,560 --> 00:11:50,120 proclaimed a fast throughout All Judah and Judah gather 163 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:55,760 themselves together to ask help of the Lord as musicians and 164 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:58,640 singers as well as the congregation in unity. 165 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:01,800 We know that Judah is symbolic of praise. 166 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:07,120 We find in the Word of God that praise prayed and praise fasted, 167 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:13,520 and praise asked God for help. The Word of God is full of 168 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:18,720 examples today of how praise won the battle. 169 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:23,240 If you're going through circumstances today, if you're 170 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:26,840 going through life difficulties today, I I'm going to tell you 171 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:29,800 again, I'm repeating myself. I do apologize for the 172 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:32,000 redundancy, but I believe it's important. 173 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:36,560 The recipe for your victory is not to stay home because you're 174 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:39,880 going through something. The recipe for your victory is 175 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:43,800 not to isolate yourself away from everybody because you're 176 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:46,520 going through something. And I don't know what people are 177 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:49,440 going through here this morning. And by no means am I trying to 178 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,040 be disrespectful, but to some extent we're all going through 179 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:56,080 something. Life happens to every single one 180 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:59,600 of us today and it's important for us to know that if we're 181 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:04,200 going to see victory and if we expect God to deliver for us, 182 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:09,000 it's important for us to show up to God's house and to lift him 183 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:14,760 up in praise. Because can't nobody do me like 184 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:18,360 Jesus can. We still need to fast. 185 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:22,480 We still need to pray, we still need to ask God for help. 186 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:27,200 But sometimes my offering to God, sometimes my request to God 187 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:31,360 is not in bended knee form. Sometimes it's lifted hand for 188 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:34,400 him. Sometimes it's oh God, I need 189 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,200 you. Sometimes it's oh, thank you for 190 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,040 your mercy. Thank you for loving me because 191 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:46,720 I'm unlovable. We are living in what is perhaps 192 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:50,240 the most talented generation of musicians and singers that has 193 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:55,040 ever existed in the Apostolic movement and by extension to 194 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:58,560 that I feel confident in saying that has extended has existed in 195 00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:03,400 any movement because I can give you lists of examples of worldly 196 00:14:03,400 --> 00:14:05,480 musicians that came out of Pentecost. 197 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:11,320 So I I will tell you today with confidence based on the word of 198 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:13,760 God. We had music and singing first, 199 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:22,280 but regardless for the talent, we have to be careful to 200 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:23,920 remember we Can't Sing without him. 201 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:30,240 We can't play without his help. That doesn't mean we don't try 202 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:34,520 to learn. I'm constantly, constantly 203 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:37,760 looking at material, trying to sharpen my skill set. 204 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:48,280 I've been playing piano now for had to do the math. 205 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:52,000 The number keeps getting higher. 38 years. 206 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,600 I sat down at the piano for the first time and started playing. 207 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:58,520 Longer than what? Some of you've been bored. 208 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:05,760 Lord have mercy, but I don't have it figured out yet. 209 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:10,520 I'm constantly you tubing and looking at stuff and material of 210 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:12,160 people that I say, man, they're good. 211 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:14,040 They're better than me. I need to sharpen something. 212 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:15,960 I need to learn that. I need to figure that out. 213 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:20,480 I want to educate myself as much as I can so that when I come 214 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:25,440 before God and worship, I can give Him my best because I 215 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,400 believe anointing flows from us giving Him our best. 216 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:36,560 But it's not about the talent, it's not about the ability, it's 217 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:43,120 about the presence of God. And we cannot have his presence 218 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:47,800 here without unity. I have been in church services 219 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:52,800 before, in this building at times in the past and in other 220 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:54,680 buildings. I have been in church services 221 00:15:54,680 --> 00:16:00,360 where that it seemed like everything up here was was just 222 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:06,000 boom, shaken, and it did not resonate past the first few. 223 00:16:11,390 --> 00:16:15,590 Doesn't mean that whoever was up here was right, but what it does 224 00:16:15,590 --> 00:16:17,670 mean is that the building was not in unity. 225 00:16:22,270 --> 00:16:27,790 We find later in Second Chronicles 20 and verse #22 And 226 00:16:27,790 --> 00:16:32,310 when they began to sing and to praise the Lord, set ambushments 227 00:16:32,310 --> 00:16:37,000 against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Sayre, which 228 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:39,520 will come against Judah. And they were smitten. 229 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:48,280 When they began to sing and to praise the Lord, set 230 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:55,400 ambushments. Word ambush means a surprise 231 00:16:55,400 --> 00:17:01,280 attack to lie in wait, to take by surprise, to trap or to 232 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:06,440 ensnare. Now I want you to recognize here 233 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:12,440 that this verse, this verse is incredibly powerful if we will 234 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:17,400 allow it to minister to us because it represents single 235 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:22,880 handedly the spiritual nature of what singing and praising God 236 00:17:23,119 --> 00:17:31,840 is. I have been in I I, I attended a 237 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:34,440 funeral service several several months ago. 238 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:39,520 It was last year sometime in a a establishment of a different 239 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:45,800 persuasion and they sang songs. They sang songs out of a hymnal 240 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:49,240 book. And it must have been the pages 241 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:52,680 that Apostolic don't select I I don't know, but I did not know 242 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:54,760 the songs. They they was not page two. 243 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:58,080 It wasn't 311 or 312. It was something else. 244 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:03,440 Many of the people that were there knew the song, so the 245 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:05,680 congregation was singing with them. 246 00:18:07,120 --> 00:18:12,240 And I felt so out of place. And I almost felt bad for the 247 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:15,320 Reese because here I am. I've spent a life devoted to 248 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:20,640 singing and music and worship and I'm I'm standing there as 249 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:24,960 the odd man out because the congregation singing and that's 250 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:26,920 one of the things I specialize in. 251 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:31,280 And I Can't Sing because I didn't know the words. 252 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:38,480 But what I noticed by observation was they were in 253 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:44,200 unity of singing but there was no worship. 254 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:06,760 It's not enough to just sing because it's possible. 255 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:13,400 It's possible to come to this church when we sing and when we 256 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:16,120 play music. It is possible for you to stand, 257 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:19,800 and it is possible for you to move your lips and allow air to 258 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,800 pass over them and for you to sing words. 259 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:30,640 It is possible for you to sing with us and not be singing to 260 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:35,640 Him. It's possible. 261 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:39,000 It's all about where your heart's directed. 262 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,720 It's all about a mindset of why am I singing? 263 00:19:45,360 --> 00:19:52,560 We need a unity of worship so that when the congregation joins 264 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,760 in with the praise team and those that are singing, that we 265 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:59,920 are singing collectively as the body of Christ, the family of 266 00:19:59,920 --> 00:20:03,240 God, not just for the sake of social singing. 267 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:07,960 That's right now, That's important, It really is. 268 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:11,440 It's important scientifically. They've proven it, and I'll try 269 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:14,840 to get to some of that later. That's important, but that's not 270 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:19,280 the main objective. The main objective is not a 271 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:23,200 social singing of congregation. The main objective is a unity of 272 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:30,680 congregation in worship to Him. And when we sing and we add in 273 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:35,320 praise when we have the combination, it's almost like a 274 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:38,680 mathematical formula. When you've got singing plus 275 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:42,560 praise, it equals ambushments against your enemy. 276 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,440 What's that mean? That means if we truly believe 277 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:51,920 God's word and we look at Second Chronicles 20 and 22 for what it 278 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:57,240 is and for what is explaining to us that when we sing and we add 279 00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:04,560 in praise, God shows up. Oh, Hallelujah. 280 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,720 So powerful to think, Brother Fred. 281 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:13,880 I can remember, I remember years ago, it was just back in the 90s 282 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:17,120 when we went to Covenant Church in Cincinnati for men's 283 00:21:17,120 --> 00:21:20,920 conference, I think my first men's conference at Covenant. 284 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:25,120 I remember there was, I don't know, maybe 900 thousand 1100 285 00:21:25,120 --> 00:21:30,800 men in that sanctuary all singing Amazing Grace. 286 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:37,320 Now, I appreciate the song Amazing Grace for its intent and 287 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:42,840 for what it is not necessarily my favorite song, all right? 288 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:45,280 It's the message of it is one of our favorites. 289 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:48,520 But the song itself, it has its place, all right. 290 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:50,640 So please, please don't think bad of me for saying that. 291 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:55,080 I'm just being honest with you. But in that moment there was 292 00:21:55,080 --> 00:22:01,880 such a unity of voice and praise combined together with the voice 293 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:10,760 of those men singing that song. It was overwhelming because God 294 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,720 showed up. The battles we come into this 295 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:16,720 holy house fighting are not ours. 296 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:22,360 They are the Lords. The battles are His. 297 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:27,480 Psalms 40 in verse #1 reads. I waited patiently for the Lord, 298 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,400 and he inclined it to me, and heard my cry. 299 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:33,640 He brought me up also out of in horrible pit, out of the miry 300 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:36,680 clay, and set my feet up on a rock, and established my goings. 301 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:41,720 And He has put a new song in my mouth. 302 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:46,680 Even praise unto our God. Many shall see it in fear, and 303 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:50,840 shall trust the Lord. Waiting in this particular 304 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,040 context does not mean doing nothing. 305 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:57,760 So I want I want to remind someone this morning that when 306 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:03,440 you don't know what to do next, keep doing what you're doing. 307 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:08,760 You don't change anything until you know what to change. 308 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:12,680 One of the biggest fundamental mistakes people make in their 309 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:16,680 walk with God is they just don't feel like doing what they're 310 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:20,560 doing anymore, and they're frustrated for whatever reason. 311 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:24,080 It really doesn't matter the why, but they think that they 312 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:26,880 need to make a change. They think they need to do 313 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,320 something different. They don't know what it is yet, 314 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:32,880 so they go ahead and quit doing what they're doing right now. 315 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:36,520 And I'm telling you today that that is a trick of our enemy 316 00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:38,520 today. Because if He can get you to 317 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:41,840 quit doing what you're doing right now before you make a 318 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:45,600 change, yes, God may be wanting to change your ministry. 319 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:50,080 But before He reveals that to you, you need to stay faithful 320 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:52,360 where you're at. Because if you take a step 321 00:23:52,360 --> 00:23:56,080 backwards, you will be more inclined to continue walking 322 00:23:56,080 --> 00:24:03,840 backwards rather than forwards. We need to understand where to 323 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:08,120 go, how to go, when to go, who to go with and why. 324 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,480 And to do that properly, we have to stay in the presence of God. 325 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:15,440 And that means I need to stay in my present capacity. 326 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,760 I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to quit playing 327 00:24:18,760 --> 00:24:21,040 piano. I can't tell you how many times 328 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,840 I've wanted to quit singing. Having nothing to do with you, 329 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:26,720 just having to do with my own walk in life and my own 330 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:29,040 difficulties and my own struggles. 331 00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:32,720 But but, but I would just keep, keep going. 332 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:34,800 Sometimes obligation is a good thing. 333 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,560 So he continues in verse one by saying that the Lord heard his 334 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:45,040 cry. It was through this measure of 335 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:46,480 perseverance that was brought out. 336 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,080 He was brought out of the situation he was in. 337 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:52,280 Verse 2 tells us he was brought up out of a horrible pit. 338 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:57,480 This verse is very often related to the subject and meaning of 339 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:02,000 sin, with the horrible pit being the sin, and there is a 340 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:06,720 salvation message related to this passage of scripture, but 341 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:10,640 there's a bit more of a depth here than just a single topic of 342 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:13,440 salvation. The horrible pit is referred to 343 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:18,200 as the pit of noise, meaning that it is referred to as being 344 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:21,240 your place of trouble or calamity. 345 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:26,240 The word horrible is also translated as being noise or 346 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:31,800 uproar, as the loud raging noise of waters or if people in a 347 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:36,200 crowd, if you've ever been in a really large crowd, and if 348 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:40,880 they're all chanting the same thing or clapping, the unity in, 349 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:45,000 in, in the residence in the, it, it, it makes a sound of its own. 350 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:47,480 That's actually what heaven's going to be like. 351 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:50,960 It's a different topic for another time. 352 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:56,760 It's a horrible place to be when all the voices of your life and 353 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,280 in your family are speaking against you in your walk with 354 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:02,440 God. It happens. 355 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:09,680 Giving in and being less than what God wants for you, It's not 356 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:11,280 going to help you and it's not going to help them. 357 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,200 There are too many voices speaking in our life sometimes 358 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:18,480 when we only need to be listening to one. 359 00:26:19,360 --> 00:26:22,400 That miry clay is the symbol of the bottom of the pit. 360 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:25,840 It's the place where there's no solid ground, no rock to walk 361 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:28,480 on. And it's as if the beginning 362 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:32,040 verses of Psalm chapter 40 are written simply as an 363 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,600 introduction for the remainder of the chapter, because in verse 364 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:41,320 12, we find that David's writings change from what God 365 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:46,120 has done to the things that have happened to him. 366 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:48,760 I want to read them to you this morning. 367 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:53,440 Psalm 40 and verse #12 starts and says, For innumerable evils 368 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:58,320 have compassed me about mine. Iniquities have taken hold upon 369 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:02,280 me, so that I am not able to look upon, look up. 370 00:27:02,360 --> 00:27:04,360 They are more than the hairs of my head. 371 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:08,520 Therefore my heart faileth me be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me. 372 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:13,120 O Lord, make haste to help me. Let them be ashamed and 373 00:27:13,120 --> 00:27:17,360 confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it. 374 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:21,840 Let them be driven backward and put the shame that wish me evil. 375 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:25,560 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame. 376 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:31,120 That saying to me, Aha, aha, let all those that seek to rejoice 377 00:27:31,120 --> 00:27:34,760 and be glad in thee, let such as love thy salvation. 378 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:37,840 Say continually the Lord be magnified. 379 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:42,920 This is what David closes with. But I am poor and needy, yet the 380 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:46,600 Lord thinketh upon me. Thou art my help and my 381 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:50,560 deliverer. Make no terroring my God. 382 00:27:51,360 --> 00:27:56,840 Innumerable evils, not even able to look up the problems in the 383 00:27:56,840 --> 00:28:00,880 calamities are more than the hairs of his head, his heart 384 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:03,000 faileth, and he's poor and needy. 385 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:08,360 But in verse 17 he concludes with saying, Yet the Lord 386 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:14,160 thinketh upon me, what is going to make God to think about us? 387 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:18,480 Our relationship. And nothing deepens our 388 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:23,960 relationship than fellowship. And our fellowship with God 389 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:28,040 starts in our worship and in our praise. 390 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:31,480 What we do here is more than music. 391 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:41,200 If all a person is looking for is instrumental music and good 392 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:45,800 singing, well, I hope they can find that here. 393 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:47,720 I don't know if they can or not, but I hope they can. 394 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:53,520 But my heart's desire and I know the heart of those that sing 395 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:58,360 with us and other musicians and singers on this platform is not 396 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:03,440 that people will come with the intent of listening to us, but 397 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:09,880 it's that through the song they have an opportunity to join and 398 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:13,360 deepen their fellowship with God. 399 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:20,760 We must be moved by Him through all of this. 400 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:25,800 David waited patiently on the Lord and the Bible says the Lord 401 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:34,840 heard back to Psalm 40 and verse #3 says, and he hath put a new 402 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:38,520 song in my mouth, even praise to our God. 403 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,240 We often talk about this being an actual song, but the 404 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:46,960 translation has more depth where the literal meaning is a new or 405 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:52,800 fresh occasion for praise. There are times that we need to 406 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:54,600 praise God maybe a little differently. 407 00:30:01,250 --> 00:30:04,770 I'm a, I'm a rut guy. I like routines. 408 00:30:05,770 --> 00:30:08,890 I know there are some of you that don't, and that's fine, but 409 00:30:08,890 --> 00:30:11,250 there are, there are routines that that I, I like. 410 00:30:11,250 --> 00:30:14,130 I I appreciate the routine things. 411 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:20,240 There's an occasion where our praise and our singing can 412 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:24,960 become so routine that it loses the depth of meaning. 413 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:28,800 If you if you do nothing but clap your hands, maybe 414 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:30,520 occasionally you need to lift your hands. 415 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:34,680 If you do nothing but lift your hands, maybe you need to clap 416 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:36,680 your hand. Maybe there's something you need 417 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:40,200 to do differently. If you do everything that you 418 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:42,960 know to do, but there's still some things you don't do, maybe 419 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:47,880 you need to consider those. There are occasions where we 420 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:53,360 need a new or fresh occasion for praise to express to God just 421 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:56,240 how great His deliverance for us is. 422 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:04,520 You say, some people say, well I don't need music to praise God 423 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:09,600 praising without it. You are technically correct. 424 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,720 That is right. You don't need music to praise 425 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:18,320 God and you don't need singing to praise God necessarily. 426 00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:21,600 You could you could praise God without it. 427 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:28,560 However, I believe now this is this is me. 428 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:30,560 So you, you can take this or leave it. 429 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:38,440 But I believe if blending in with others and with the noise 430 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:44,160 of music and singing, if within that where your voice is mostly 431 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:48,000 kind of hidden or blended and you're not standing out to 432 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:52,520 anyone particular person. If within that environment you 433 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:57,800 don't praise God, then I believe it's going to be very difficult 434 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:05,840 for you to praise God when it's quiet, when there is nothing 435 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:11,280 going on that prompts more noise and more blending. 436 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:15,760 Very difficult because then all eyes are on you. 437 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:23,600 It's almost like the first time growing up, the first time I 438 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:27,720 still, I still remember it. I, I vaguely remember exactly 439 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:31,640 where I was sitting and I don't remember what was being said, 440 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:33,280 but I know my father was preaching. 441 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:37,520 I remember the first time as a, as a growing, I wasn't an adult 442 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:40,520 yet, but as a growing young person, I remember the first 443 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:47,120 time I said Amen out loud. I remember it kind of stewing 444 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:50,040 inside and I knew I wanted to, I just had this desire. 445 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:53,040 I just, I just, I wanted to, I wanted to get it out, say hey 446 00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:58,280 man, I remember it first time dad was preaching. 447 00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:00,720 Don't remember what it was, but whatever it was, I thought it 448 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:02,200 was good. And I said hey man. 449 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:07,840 Pretty sure I was. I was either the only one that 450 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:10,200 said hey man, or I was the loudest. 451 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:18,240 I don't remember which, but there was Lord help me today. 452 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:26,400 There was a a, a, an elder sister in the church sitting in 453 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:31,800 front of me some I was sitting just about where destiny is this 454 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:34,160 morning. And this sister was probably 455 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:35,760 sitting where out where Trevor is. 456 00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:42,760 And I got that Amen out. I was probably around 11 or 12 457 00:33:44,440 --> 00:34:03,440 and she, she. She didn't say Amen. 458 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:04,920 I don't. I don't know why that was my 459 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:09,639 problem. She wasn't expecting to hear it 460 00:34:09,639 --> 00:34:15,719 from me. That made the experience feel a 461 00:34:15,719 --> 00:34:23,560 little awkward because it was suitably quiet and I brought 462 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:28,600 noise. So I'm just trying to prove my 463 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:32,840 point to you that if, if you if you're finding it difficult to 464 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:36,719 worship with music and singing, it's going to be more difficult 465 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:42,239 for you to worship without it. So I extend to you an invitation 466 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:46,040 this morning that when you are in an environment of music and 467 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:49,360 worship and singing, that's your moment. 468 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:55,960 That's your moment. Because if we're all doing our 469 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:59,480 jobs correctly, no one should notice. 470 00:35:02,240 --> 00:35:07,520 Because if your eyes is focused on him and your eyes is focused 471 00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:13,480 on him, and your eyes is focused on him, and you decide to focus 472 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:16,360 on him, we're all focusing together. 473 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:28,040 That's unity. Music is the vehicle by which 474 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:33,800 people are moved from one emotion to another, which is why 475 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:35,920 I'm suggesting this morning it's very powerful. 476 00:35:35,920 --> 00:35:38,400 But that's also why I'm suggesting that we have to 477 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:41,880 couple it with praise, because you can have music without 478 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:43,560 praise and it still be very emotional. 479 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:49,280 If you don't believe me, try watching a movie or a television 480 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:55,280 show without music. Without their music, try 481 00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:57,240 watching Star Wars without the March. 482 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:08,680 Try watching Jaws without. Try watching a sports game 483 00:36:08,720 --> 00:36:12,360 without the aid of music. Why do they have bands at sports 484 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:14,800 sports games? Why do you go to a Major League 485 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:18,600 Baseball game and they've got a Hammond B3 organ up in a room 486 00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:23,400 somewhere where they're done charge? 487 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:27,560 Because they're trying to stir up your emotion. 488 00:36:28,720 --> 00:36:31,600 It's very powerful. It sets the tone for whatever 489 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:33,160 activity you're participating in. 490 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:38,600 It's no different in church. The only difference is we couple 491 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:47,050 it with praise. There are educational benefits 492 00:36:47,050 --> 00:36:52,090 of singing, according to the Rice University Shepherd School 493 00:36:52,090 --> 00:36:55,810 of Music it is through singing that children learn that music 494 00:36:56,520 --> 00:36:58,960 through music, how to express their feelings and ideas. 495 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:03,760 How many of the children's shows do you see that don't have any 496 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:10,040 type of singing or music? Very few, if any. 497 00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:12,840 Singing cheers the spirit lightens the heart. 498 00:37:12,840 --> 00:37:15,680 Singing causes the mind to focus and the body to relax. 499 00:37:16,080 --> 00:37:18,960 Singing among children fosters growth of the imagination. 500 00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:20,880 Children learn more easily through singing. 501 00:37:21,480 --> 00:37:30,560 My wife used to teach Alex his memory verses by making the 502 00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:36,120 memory verse a song, and that's how he started learning his 503 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:40,720 memory verses with singing. Songs carry history and 504 00:37:40,720 --> 00:37:43,040 traditions and families and nations. 505 00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:45,800 Nations. Singing helps children and 506 00:37:45,800 --> 00:37:48,520 adults feel as though they're a part of something bigger than 507 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:52,520 themselves, something they can join in and contribute to by 508 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:58,200 singing. On August 16th, 2013, an article 509 00:37:58,200 --> 00:38:01,880 was published in Time magazine called Singing Changes Your 510 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:04,720 Brain. The writer of the article, Stacy 511 00:38:04,720 --> 00:38:08,680 Horne, declares that group singing has been scientifically 512 00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:13,120 proven to lower stress, relieve anxiety, and elevate endorphins, 513 00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:14,560 which is a chemical that makes you happy. 514 00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:22,200 Now you could come to church and you could sing together as a 515 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:29,760 congregation without worship and lower your stress, relieve 516 00:38:29,760 --> 00:38:35,520 anxiety, and elevate your mood. That's the science behind it. 517 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:38,560 Imagine how good it is when we add worship to it. 518 00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:44,840 It's life changing. It's why people are stirred to 519 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:48,200 an altar, it's why people weep in the presence of God. 520 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:52,200 It's not the song by itself, It's the song plus God. 521 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:57,320 It's the song plus praise. It's the God factor of the song. 522 00:38:57,480 --> 00:39:01,520 It's the God factor of the music that makes the difference. 523 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:06,960 She continues to say that when you sing, musical vibrations 524 00:39:07,240 --> 00:39:10,280 move through you, altering your physical and emotional 525 00:39:10,280 --> 00:39:11,880 landscape. That's pretty powerful. 526 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:16,920 Science is just now figuring out what God and His Word have 527 00:39:16,920 --> 00:39:17,640 known. All of all. 528 00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:23,240 There's a reason why we sing. There's a reason why we have 529 00:39:23,240 --> 00:39:26,560 musicians to play instruments in church. 530 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:35,240 I'm hastening to a close this morning and I want to focus. 531 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:41,920 I want to focus in closing on what she said a bit deeper. 532 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:44,840 I want to share something with you this morning, she said. 533 00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:48,200 And I, I quote again, when you sing, musical vibrations move 534 00:39:48,200 --> 00:39:50,080 through you, altering your physical and emotional 535 00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:52,520 landscape. So I want to talk for just a 536 00:39:52,520 --> 00:39:56,200 moment about the importance of the physical and emotional 537 00:39:56,200 --> 00:39:59,520 alterations caused by musical vibrations moving through you as 538 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:01,280 a person. There's a couple of things I 539 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:04,920 want to focus on. The first one is something 540 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:07,560 called gematria, and this is something Bishop has referred to 541 00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:10,640 over the years. Dimitri is an ancient system of 542 00:40:10,640 --> 00:40:14,280 assigning numerical values to letters and words or phrases 543 00:40:14,640 --> 00:40:17,240 primarily used in Hebrew and Greek text. 544 00:40:17,800 --> 00:40:21,440 The method is often used to employ to find deeper meanings 545 00:40:21,440 --> 00:40:25,240 and translations or interpretations by analyzing the 546 00:40:25,240 --> 00:40:28,360 numerical equivalent of words and comparing them to other 547 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:30,640 words with the same numerical equivalent. 548 00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:38,080 So if you'll bring up picture #1 I hope. 549 00:40:39,560 --> 00:40:41,440 All right, I'm not going to spend a lot of time on these. 550 00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:44,360 I've got a few photos with some some things to illustrate. 551 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:48,280 So this is, and I apologize to our viewing audience that you 552 00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:52,320 can't see this, but this is the Hebrew alphabet, just for 553 00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:55,200 example. So Hebrew goes from right to 554 00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:58,200 left. So starting from the right side 555 00:40:58,200 --> 00:41:02,000 top #1 down. Well, that's not actually a 556 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:04,240 number 10. Lord help our projector. 557 00:41:04,920 --> 00:41:09,080 So this is the alphabet and beside it is the numerical 558 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:13,640 assignment in gematria of the the number value of that 559 00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:19,400 alphabet letter. Now if you could go to #2 This 560 00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:24,240 is a list of musical notes found on a guitar or on a piano. 561 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:35,720 AB flat, BCD flat, DE flat, EF G flat, GA flat. 562 00:41:35,720 --> 00:41:37,360 Really tested my memory this morning. 563 00:41:37,920 --> 00:41:41,840 All right, so just giving you this snapshot for an example. 564 00:41:41,840 --> 00:41:49,360 There will not be a pop quiz, I promise you #3 so this is the 565 00:41:49,360 --> 00:41:53,440 letters or the, the, the letter of the note, CD flat D, 566 00:41:53,440 --> 00:41:59,800 etcetera. And beside it is a number. 567 00:42:02,120 --> 00:42:05,280 God help the projector. I need 5 more minutes. 568 00:42:06,480 --> 00:42:09,800 Beside it is a number that is assigned. 569 00:42:09,800 --> 00:42:13,480 That number represents the measurement of frequency of 570 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:18,960 Hertz of the musical sound. Something I stumbled across a 571 00:42:18,960 --> 00:42:23,680 few days ago and study was that there is a direct correlation 572 00:42:24,120 --> 00:42:28,000 between the gematria, the number of sign that coming from the 573 00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:31,080 Hebrew alphabet. There is a direct correlation 574 00:42:31,080 --> 00:42:34,840 between that number and the musical frequency in Hertz to 575 00:42:34,840 --> 00:42:38,720 the letters on a musical instrument. 576 00:42:39,720 --> 00:42:43,760 So an olive in Hebrew has a number assignment of one. 577 00:42:44,040 --> 00:42:47,160 That one also has an assignment in musical Hertz measurement. 578 00:42:48,880 --> 00:42:55,640 Next slide #4 So these are chords, not just notes, but C 579 00:42:55,640 --> 00:42:59,120 chord, C minor chord, D flat chord, etcetera. 580 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:03,480 In Hertz measurement. That is also that also 581 00:43:03,480 --> 00:43:06,920 correlates to the number assignment of the words in 582 00:43:06,920 --> 00:43:08,840 Hebrew. And I'm stressing Hebrew because 583 00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:12,160 our Bible is translated Old Testament specifically is 584 00:43:12,160 --> 00:43:14,960 translated from the Hebrew language. 585 00:43:15,280 --> 00:43:18,240 Here we have each chord represents 3 notes. 586 00:43:18,240 --> 00:43:21,800 So this is the sum total of Hertz of those notes. 587 00:43:22,080 --> 00:43:26,360 Let's go to #5 for the Malone. So the ones in yellow, I'm going 588 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:32,480 to give you an example of the correlation between those Hertz 589 00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:35,720 and its corresponding Demetria allocation. 590 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:42,720 Let's go to #6. All right, C chord hit me. 591 00:43:42,720 --> 00:43:48,600 C chord louder. C chord has a Hertz measurement 592 00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:53,560 of 983. A 983 measurement in gematria 593 00:43:53,560 --> 00:44:01,840 translated into the Hebrew is daat which means knowledge 3 594 00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:10,760 minutes D minor 10183. Hertz 10183 as a number in 595 00:44:10,800 --> 00:44:15,880 gematria is Rafu Ashlema, which means healing. 596 00:44:18,480 --> 00:44:23,440 Now coincidentally, buy this, don't buy it, that's fine. 597 00:44:24,160 --> 00:44:29,240 But I have played keyboard for a lot of people in church services 598 00:44:29,600 --> 00:44:32,920 and there are two very particular people that I could 599 00:44:32,920 --> 00:44:36,280 give you their names today that whenever they got to the pulpit, 600 00:44:36,520 --> 00:44:38,840 they looked at me and said give me a minor chord. 601 00:44:39,800 --> 00:44:42,440 I didn't have a clue what was going on and I really didn't 602 00:44:42,440 --> 00:44:45,080 know what I thought about it at the time till I came across this 603 00:44:45,080 --> 00:44:47,840 this week. But they I gave them, I went 604 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:51,320 into a minor chord and as soon as I switched into a minor 605 00:44:51,320 --> 00:44:54,960 chord, the spirit of the prophetic fell on those men and 606 00:44:54,960 --> 00:44:58,920 they began to prophecy to people and lay hands on people for 607 00:44:58,920 --> 00:45:10,680 their healing. E chord 12139 or hyen which 608 00:45:10,680 --> 00:45:17,920 means the light of life. F court 13112 I believe it was. 609 00:45:18,360 --> 00:45:22,240 And the word in gematria with the same corresponding number 610 00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:26,200 was Elohim. Elohim means God. 611 00:45:33,320 --> 00:45:35,440 My point this morning, I don't want to be distracted by the 612 00:45:35,440 --> 00:45:38,240 projector not working. But my point this morning and, 613 00:45:38,240 --> 00:45:40,840 and you can subscribe to this, you can, you can say, well, 614 00:45:40,840 --> 00:45:43,120 that's all kooky and I don't know how I feel about that. 615 00:45:43,280 --> 00:45:45,160 That's fine. But my point today is just 616 00:45:45,160 --> 00:45:48,400 simply this. What if when we are in the 617 00:45:48,400 --> 00:45:53,080 presence of the Almighty and the the the musician strikes the 618 00:45:53,080 --> 00:45:56,720 chord? What if the correlation between 619 00:45:56,720 --> 00:46:01,960 the the hurts, that frequency that we hear in that chord is so 620 00:46:01,960 --> 00:46:06,760 deeply correlated to the Word of God that hearing music in church 621 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:09,320 is the same as hearing the word of God? 622 00:46:12,000 --> 00:46:16,280 What if music in an Apostolic Church is so powerful because 623 00:46:16,280 --> 00:46:26,680 God designed it to be exactly in tune, literally with His word G 624 00:46:26,680 --> 00:46:35,680 minor, the Hebrew word or which means light A minor 16123 Hertz 625 00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:40,760 16123 grimetria. The the, the word is malach. 626 00:46:41,960 --> 00:46:48,640 I don't know, Angel of the Lord. Now these are just a few 627 00:46:48,640 --> 00:46:50,200 examples. It's a good thing I didn't have 628 00:46:50,200 --> 00:46:53,040 a longer list, but these are just a few examples this 629 00:46:53,040 --> 00:46:57,080 morning. Instrumental music, generally 630 00:46:57,080 --> 00:46:59,560 speaking, is neither good nor evil. 631 00:47:02,800 --> 00:47:05,880 We assign it that way based on our preferences. 632 00:47:09,120 --> 00:47:15,320 Let me tell you, music, instrumental music is neutral in 633 00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:20,160 nature. Let me be a bit more clear. 634 00:47:21,240 --> 00:47:23,760 It's the lyrics that give the meaning. 635 00:47:26,160 --> 00:47:30,720 Let me be a bit more clear. Having been a musician for a few 636 00:47:30,720 --> 00:47:35,880 decades now, I can tell you from personal knowledge. 637 00:47:37,160 --> 00:47:43,400 Chord patterns, notes, chord structures because there are 638 00:47:43,400 --> 00:47:48,920 many playing them for a church song. 639 00:47:49,200 --> 00:47:54,640 Musically, just the instrument, the chord patterns are the same 640 00:47:55,880 --> 00:48:07,040 as if it was a rock'n'roll song. Chord pattern is the same if 641 00:48:07,040 --> 00:48:09,800 it's Jerry Mason or if it's Axl Rose. 642 00:48:12,080 --> 00:48:17,120 So the music pattern, the instrument is neutral in 643 00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:24,320 spiritual nature. But what if when we add the 644 00:48:24,320 --> 00:48:30,760 words that give praise to Almighty God, something shifts 645 00:48:30,760 --> 00:48:34,920 in the spirit and God recognizes the frequency. 646 00:48:36,640 --> 00:48:40,680 God recognizes the frequency of what he hears, and he says, oh, 647 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:47,840 I hear my word. What if music that is anointed 648 00:48:47,840 --> 00:48:52,040 by God is so anointed that it actually speaks? 649 00:49:03,120 --> 00:49:07,360 There is something innately powerful that happens when we 650 00:49:07,360 --> 00:49:13,640 get into an environment that we are free to worship God, would 651 00:49:13,640 --> 00:49:17,160 you stand with me this morning? Our first order of business 652 00:49:17,160 --> 00:49:21,360 right now is to lift our hands and magnify Him because there's 653 00:49:21,360 --> 00:49:25,520 no one worthy like Him. When we strike the tone of a 654 00:49:25,520 --> 00:49:30,120 guitar or an organ or a keyboard in church, there is something 655 00:49:30,120 --> 00:49:34,040 spiritual that happens. It's not the talent, it's not 656 00:49:34,040 --> 00:49:38,400 the chord pattern, it's not the frequency in and of itself, but 657 00:49:38,400 --> 00:49:42,960 it is the word of Almighty God that is being elevated in our 658 00:49:42,960 --> 00:49:48,360 presence and God begins to speak to us before a word is ever 659 00:49:48,360 --> 00:49:56,640 spoken. Regardless of where you stand on 660 00:49:56,640 --> 00:49:59,720 my theory that I presented you this morning, there's one thing 661 00:49:59,720 --> 00:50:02,680 we know for sure today. There is nothing like being in 662 00:50:02,680 --> 00:50:05,680 His presence. And in the majority of cases, we 663 00:50:05,680 --> 00:50:09,320 are introduced to His presence through the vehicle of music and 664 00:50:09,320 --> 00:50:11,600 singing. But I've come to tell you today 665 00:50:11,800 --> 00:50:15,440 that it's more than just music. It's more than just songs. 666 00:50:15,800 --> 00:50:19,920 It's an atmosphere and an occasion to praise the name of 667 00:50:19,920 --> 00:50:23,160 the Lord. Well, could you come this 668 00:50:23,160 --> 00:50:26,120 morning and just stand around this altar and give him praise. 669 00:50:26,720 --> 00:50:30,400 If you want to pray, you can pray, pray through praise this 670 00:50:30,400 --> 00:50:32,720 morning. Pray through worship this 671 00:50:32,720 --> 00:50:35,520 morning. If you if you're not comfortable 672 00:50:35,520 --> 00:50:37,880 coming forward just where you're standing today. 673 00:50:39,040 --> 00:50:40,920 Let's just take some time this morning. 674 00:50:41,840 --> 00:50:43,280 Let's take some time this morning. 675 00:50:43,280 --> 00:50:46,520 We're we're hearing music right now in the presence of God is 676 00:50:46,520 --> 00:50:50,120 for the Alex plays right now. It doesn't matter what he's 677 00:50:50,120 --> 00:50:53,600 playing because the frequency of it is speaking the word of God. 678 00:50:53,600 --> 00:50:56,160 It's resonating the word of God into my life. 679 00:50:56,480 --> 00:50:59,440 It's lifting me up by the word of God in my life. 680 00:51:01,200 --> 00:51:03,200 It's helping me by the word of God. 681 00:51:03,320 --> 00:51:07,640 It's strengthening me by the Word of God, His healing, His 682 00:51:07,640 --> 00:51:14,680 light, His miraculous power. There is nothing like being in 683 00:51:14,680 --> 00:51:19,600 His presence, and to get in His presence today requires more 684 00:51:19,720 --> 00:52:01,320 than music. If you need healing for your 685 00:52:01,320 --> 00:52:05,120 body this morning, praise Him. If you need healing for your 686 00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:08,680 mind this morning, praise Him. If you need strength and 687 00:52:08,680 --> 00:52:11,080 encouragement this morning, praise Him. 688 00:52:12,800 --> 00:52:16,800 The combination of music, singing and praise today puts us 689 00:52:16,800 --> 00:52:20,320 into the atmosphere of the Almighty, and when we're in the 690 00:52:20,320 --> 00:52:24,280 presence of God, anything can happen. 691 00:52:31,580 --> 00:52:39,260 Worship you Jesus. I worship you, Jesus. 692 00:53:04,840 --> 00:53:07,480 If you're going through trials and tribulations this morning 693 00:53:07,840 --> 00:53:10,720 and you need victory in your life, I just want to ask you to 694 00:53:10,720 --> 00:53:13,160 lift your hands and continue to give Him praise today. 695 00:53:14,680 --> 00:53:17,320 Allow Him to minister to you through music. 696 00:53:17,600 --> 00:53:21,080 Allow Him to minister to you through the the the vibration 697 00:53:21,080 --> 00:53:25,680 and the frequency of His word into your heart, into your mind, 698 00:53:25,840 --> 00:53:30,080 into your life today so that you can leave in courage. 699 00:53:30,080 --> 00:53:33,320 You can leave stronger. You can leave different than you 700 00:53:33,320 --> 00:53:36,440 were when you came. Our objective is never to come 701 00:53:36,440 --> 00:53:40,120 into this church and leave the same way we were when we got 702 00:53:40,120 --> 00:53:45,520 here. I must be different. 703 00:53:47,960 --> 00:53:49,920 I can't achieve that difference on my own. 704 00:53:50,120 --> 00:53:53,280 That difference comes through an intimate relationship with Jesus 705 00:53:53,280 --> 00:53:56,840 Christ, and that happens through fellowship that is often 706 00:53:56,840 --> 00:54:01,120 prompted through our worship and our occasions to give Him 707 00:54:01,120 --> 00:54:11,120 praise. Today, could you lift your hands 708 00:54:11,120 --> 00:54:16,760 one more time? Somebody just whisper it to him, 709 00:54:18,920 --> 00:54:24,960 I love you Jesus, I need you Jesus. 710 00:54:25,840 --> 00:54:28,200 Before you'll ever shout to the mountains, you've got to 1st 711 00:54:28,200 --> 00:54:32,400 whisper it. I need you Jesus. 712 00:54:35,000 --> 00:54:41,760 I need you Jesus. I worship you Jesus. 713 00:54:42,800 --> 00:54:51,880 There's none like you, Jesus. I need you, Jesus. 714 00:55:14,250 --> 00:55:17,930 When we get in His presence like we are right now, folks, life 715 00:55:17,930 --> 00:55:23,720 changes. All of our fears can subside. 716 00:55:23,960 --> 00:55:29,400 Discouragement can subside. I may not walk out of here this 717 00:55:29,400 --> 00:55:32,560 morning with every need met and every problem solved, but I can 718 00:55:32,560 --> 00:55:35,640 walk out with a greater resolve. I can walk out with more 719 00:55:35,640 --> 00:55:37,800 strength. I can walk out with more 720 00:55:37,800 --> 00:55:40,520 firmness in my step. I feel the Holy Ghost right now. 721 00:55:40,840 --> 00:55:46,200 I can walk out of here with a desire to make it one more day. 722 00:55:47,960 --> 00:55:51,160 I could come into this house on any given service and I could 723 00:55:51,160 --> 00:55:52,880 feel like I'm on the edge of quitting. 724 00:55:53,200 --> 00:55:56,600 I can feel like I'm not going to do it anymore because I just 725 00:55:56,600 --> 00:55:59,760 can't make it. I mess up too many times. 726 00:56:00,120 --> 00:56:03,920 But I'm telling somebody under the ocean of God's Spirit this 727 00:56:03,920 --> 00:56:07,600 morning, Yes, you can make it. Get into fellowship with His 728 00:56:07,600 --> 00:56:11,880 worship so that when you leave here one more day, one more 729 00:56:11,880 --> 00:56:16,640 hour, one more step, step at a time, I can make it. 730 00:56:25,840 --> 00:56:28,560 I feel an echo this morning of the words of the Apostle Paul. 731 00:56:28,560 --> 00:56:36,040 I can do all things through Christ, who's strength, not 732 00:56:36,040 --> 00:56:40,680 because I'm good, not because I've got it all figured out, but 733 00:56:40,680 --> 00:56:43,960 because he's worthy. And when I can get in his 734 00:56:43,960 --> 00:56:46,920 presence, Brother Mike, I know anything can happen. 735 00:56:55,200 --> 00:57:01,680 When I can get in His presence, I get forgiveness for my 736 00:57:01,680 --> 00:57:06,840 failures. When I get in His presence, I 737 00:57:06,840 --> 00:57:10,560 have somebody willing to help pick me up because I may have 738 00:57:10,560 --> 00:57:13,040 tripped yesterday, but I refuse to quit. 739 00:57:14,120 --> 00:57:17,120 I may trip again tomorrow, but I refuse to quit. 740 00:57:20,400 --> 00:57:26,800 We need to resolve in our spirit today that I'm not going to 741 00:57:26,800 --> 00:57:30,720 quit. Enemy, you could say what you 742 00:57:30,720 --> 00:57:38,480 want to, but I refuse to quit. Could you lift your hands one 743 00:57:38,480 --> 00:57:41,440 more time? Oh, I feel a sweet presence of 744 00:57:41,440 --> 00:57:42,720 the Lord in this house this morning. 745 00:57:44,600 --> 00:57:54,680 God is here. I'll leave you with this final 746 00:57:54,680 --> 00:57:59,120 thought. I want to leave you with this 747 00:57:59,120 --> 00:58:09,640 final thought when you come into a worship service as the people 748 00:58:09,640 --> 00:58:17,960 of God, we need to wait. We need to stop waiting on other 749 00:58:17,960 --> 00:58:21,280 people's shout to validate the song. 750 00:58:25,120 --> 00:58:28,360 I I am concerned today that sometimes we don't get involved 751 00:58:28,360 --> 00:58:31,480 in a song because we're waiting on seeing if somebody else is 752 00:58:31,480 --> 00:58:37,680 going to respond to it or not. But that's not the reason why we 753 00:58:37,680 --> 00:58:42,840 sing. That is not the reason why we 754 00:58:42,840 --> 00:58:47,360 worship. My worship should not be waiting 755 00:58:47,360 --> 00:58:53,200 on somebody else's response. God's just simply waiting on my 756 00:58:53,200 --> 00:58:58,600 response. He wants your response for you. 757 00:59:02,080 --> 00:59:09,520 When you will do that, things in your life will change. 758 00:59:14,160 --> 00:59:15,720 God bless you, this boy. Thank you. 759 00:59:17,480 --> 00:59:20,120 Oh, what a sweet presence of the Holy Ghost is in this house 760 00:59:20,120 --> 00:59:23,240 today. Thank you for being in the House 761 00:59:23,240 --> 00:59:28,720 of the Lord, for responding, for leaning in. 762 00:59:30,400 --> 00:59:32,240 Thank you for joining us online today. 763 00:59:33,080 --> 00:59:37,000 We appreciate you and we ask God's blessings on you wherever 764 00:59:37,000 --> 00:59:41,360 you are. We walk by faith, not by sight. 765 00:59:44,400 --> 00:59:48,120 Let the church say Amen. Don't forget our announcements 766 00:59:48,120 --> 00:59:50,640 and our prayer request today. We will be having church this 767 00:59:50,640 --> 00:59:53,520 evening at 6:00. Prayer room open at 5:30. 768 00:59:53,520 --> 00:59:56,320 God bless you today. You're dismissed in Jesus name.