MCM Convention Night #4

Praise God, while all the Charles Spurgeons are getting ready out there, wasn't that a wonderful worship service? It's so good to cast our care on the Lord. And you know, there's that one verse that says, cast all your care on him because he cares for you. We can cast it on him because he already cares for us. And I had this thought, you know, if 85 million people at one time cast their care on the Lord, he could take all of it because he did take all of it. And he sees us right now and all our weaknesses, our issues, our problems, our hangups, the things we're still struggling with, and he just says, give it to me. Give it to me. That's the kind of Christ we serve. Isn't that wonderful? That's all I got. It's just, he is so worthy. He is so strong. He has all the strength. We sang that song, you are my strength, strength like no other. There is no strength like Jesus Christ. What's amazing is he is alive. He is interceding right now, this very second for every person in this building. That's an amazing Christ, amen. So I sat still last night when I kind of felt like God wanted me to get up. I was too emotional and Lord helped me right now not to be so emotional. You know I could stand here tonight and tell you a testimony of how God healed me one day after the doctors had told me about a mass this big in my stomach. And I didn't even think I was that big. But anyway, I went through exploratory surgery only to be given news that they found nothing. But during that time, I had three small girls, I still have three girls, but you know I was a young mother and the thought of being diagnosed with cancer or whatever and leaving those

girls behind was just something I could not hardly even imagine. And I'm saying that to say that was a real, you know, kind of wake up call thing. That I experienced something this week that was bigger than that, that really has stopped me in my tracks. And some of this I hadn't even told David. So we left here Thursday night, and I know some of you know it, and I don't mean to dwell on it, but God used it to touch my heart. But we were in the service Thursday night and it was an awesome service. We got in the truck to leave and we had to wait for Karen, she was with us. I made a comment to my husband, and I don't know if he even remembers, I'm not going to repeat the comment I made, but I kind of felt bad after I made it. But anyway, we go and we drive up to the top of the service and I'd heard the brother say, you know, be careful when you leave the church because it's a really, you know, bad place. And so David made the comment, wow, it feels safer at night because you can see the lights coming up. So I looked to the left, I looked to the right, and I proceeded to go. And all of a sudden Karen's storm was just howling, stop, stop. And I looked and I saw this car coming right towards me, into my door. And I almost gunned it, but it was like I just slammed my brakes and the car just shook to a stop. And we were shaking, we were so shaken. And it was like God said to me in that moment, and I didn't tell you this, David, but He was like, stop trying to fix everything and give it to me. Just stop. Because of the comment I had made to David and the Lord just said, stop. So I'm trying to surrender to the Lord to just stop trying to fix all the things that I want to fix that I can't fix. So we praised the Lord all the way home. And I told David, I mean, he was shook at the thought that we all could have been killed because I'm telling you it was that sobering, it was that, the car was right there, but the Lord just let me slam my brakes so hard that it stopped, and we were saved. And so we got home and we were still praising the Lord, and I just thought, oh my God. And I tried to call Lauren, she didn't answer, which, you know, it's kind of late. Didn't want to bother Rebecca because I know she's not feeling well.

But it's like, Lord, I've got unfinished business. Thank you for sparing our lives. I have my three daughters back home, and we have 13 grandkids together. And it's just been a sobering, surreal experience to know just like that, our life could be gone. I saw my friends come in tonight, Betty and Susan, and I thought, I might not have ever seen them again. We just need to be ready. I am ready. If I don't went home that night, I'm ready, but I know that I've got some unfinished business that the Lord wants me to take care of, and I just thank Him for giving me that opportunity. I appreciate all the messages this week to just keep taking one step, one step, and just draw closer to Him that He's not through. It's a process, and He's not through with us yet. I'm thankful that happened, even though it was so scary. And I still am shook up about it, because I think about my children getting that phone call back home that we might have been gone. God help us just to love you and draw closer, and to stop trying to fix the things we can't fix, and just let God live in us and through us to be all we need to be. Thank you, Lord. Praise the Lord. I was reminded of something that the Lord has brought to my heart several times recently, and the very first song we sang tonight that Brother Byron let us out in, reach out and touch the Lord as He goes by. You'll find He's not too busy to hear your heart's cry, and our hearts cry out different ways, different needs, different circumstances, but He wants us to know He hears every cry of our heart. And as that little song that we sang last night, He knows my name. He knows my every thought. He knows my every need.

And I think it goes on, reach out, touch the Lord as He goes by. You will find He's not too busy to hear your heart's cry. He's passing by this moment. Your needs to supply, reach out and touch the Lord as He goes by. I just wanted, and this is a, I trust this will be short, but I trust the Lord will be in it, and I just trust Him to have His way. It's something that I ministered to me, and I've questioned even at home a couple of times if it should be shared. So as we were waiting on the Lord, I said, well, Lord, I'm tired of wrestling. I want to surrender. And I appreciated that word, Janet. Lord wants to deliver us from being self-fixers or trying to fix others or trying to fix circumstances or situations. Folks, we ain't able. We aren't. We need Him to do all the fixing, first and foremost, right here, and then in every loved one and every heart and every person the Lord brings across our path. He wants to be able to speak through us, love through us. And I believe more and more God's people are longing for that. We're willing to be His heart and His hand extended to everybody the Lord brings across our path. The passage I'm going to be referring to, and I'm not going to read it all, but it's in Mark 5, and let's see, I'll begin there in verse 25. When a woman was there, yeah, the brother came, or, well, then one of the synagogue leaders, this is in 22, named Jairus came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. He pleaded earnestly with him, my little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live. So Jesus went with him. He heard his heart's cry. A large crowd followed and prayed.

around him and a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years, 12 years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors, had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better, she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, and I'm not sure what all she heard about Jesus, but she believed what she heard. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak because she thought, if I just touch his clothes, I will be healed. Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. You know, a woman in that situation was considered unclean. And as a brother, something I read recently, he was referring to this same situation and he said, folks, we're all bleeders. We're all bleeders. We are born dead in trespasses and sins. We are in need of a savior. And the only one that can save us, cleanse us, and make us whole is our precious Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. And this lady, you think about it, under the law, not only was she unclean, anybody she touched was unclean. So like, almost like a leper, they were to stay separate. She believed what she heard about Jesus. And she said in her heart, if I just touch his cloak, and she had to press her way through the crowd to get to him. And she knew she was not in a good place. She was contaminating, if you will, others. And in ourselves, that's all we can do. We can't help, we can't fix. It's got to be our precious Lord and savior. And so she pressed her way in, she touched the hem of his garment. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, who touched my clothes?

Now he's in a crowd. You see the people crowding against you as disciples answered, and yet you can ask, who touched me? But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it because he knew somebody had truly touched him with that heart that believed and that was crying out. He knew that heart was crying out and virtue had flown from, flowed from him. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, and understand this because she had fought her way through the crowd, okay? She had touched a lot of people getting to him. Came and fell at his feet and trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. And he said to her, and his very first word to her sent the love of God exploding into her heart. And he said, daughter, daughter, my child, daughter, son. Folks, I believe with all my heart, the Lord is here with us, reaching out with his nail pierced hands, longing for every person here to be his child. Daughter, wow, that love, the love of God just exploded into her heart. Your faith has healed you. Now, the word of God says that even that faith, it's not of ourselves. It's the gift of God. She heard the gospel. She heard about Jesus. She believed. She chose to believe. If I can just touch it, I'll be healed. And God ministered to her the faith to do that. Just that. And she reached out and touched him as he passed by. Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering. Another scripture says to the effect,

I mean, in translation, your faith has made you whole. There was a healing that took place in her body, yes. But there was a healing that took place in her soul. Daughter, she was born again. She became a new creation. And I know that this transition period between the law and the grace of the cross of Christ, there were different timings, if you will, and I'm not a theologian and I can't figure it all out, but I know this, when he spoke to her, daughter, your faith has made you whole. She was made whole. She was not just healed physically. She was healed in her heart and her spirit. And I've been praying and I know others have, and I don't know, you know, I'd like to fix it. I'd like to say you've ever sold here every loved one, every person here. I long for the love of God that can find that grace to forgive any and every body that has ever harmed me in any shape, form or fashion. I want to be able to forgive, to come to the cross and to fall at our precious Lord's feet on the cross. He died for us. That's forgiveness. He has shed his blood. He has forgiven those that come to him and say, I don't have anything else to live for.

I need you. I long for you. I give you what I can't keep, as the brother said, my life, I long for your life. And when we give him our heart and he becomes our Lord and our Savior, we're born again, we're a new creation. The process that Brother Phil was speaking of the other night begins. As babes, we begin growing. But folks, we have to come to that place where we surrender all. Come to a place of unconditional surrender to his unconditional love. And I want to be able and willing by God's grace to be his heart and hand extended in this dark world. I long, you know, to come to that cross is to find forgiveness, to take up the cross he's designed for us, as he said, and follow him. That is to forgive. That is to forgive. And we can only do that by God's grace. So when we read the scriptures, that what the Lord says to love your enemy, we can't do that, not in ourselves, but by his spirit, by his grace. What did our precious Lord do? I mean, he was suffering. He was suffering for us in ways we can't even fathom.

And while they were crucifying him, he said, Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing. God help us who have been forgiven to forgive and help us. God help us. May he enable us to become part of that labor force descending into the harvest field in this hour. I want to be willing to spend and be spent, don't you? And I want to be able to point... Well, I say, I just want to be yielded. I want to be surrendered because he's the one that's got to do it. He's the one. No matter what we say or do, it has to be the Lord high and lifted up that will draw men unto him. That song tonight, when it was sang, this situation where the Lord said, Daughter, my prayer is that every person in here in this building that don't know him will come and surrender and become a son or a daughter. And I want... I long for the burden of his heart to be able to intercede. I want to be a worker together with Jesus in intercessory prayer. Amen. We can be. That's one of the most vital ministries in the body of Christ, is prayer, praying. And not just for our brothers and sisters that the Lord will help each and every one right where they're at, but for the lost who do not know him.

Because there, I believe with all my heart, there's a final harvest, and I believe it's taking place. I don't know how long this will go, but let us pray with all our heart to be his heart extended to others, amen. That they might, in his mercy and by his grace, reach out and touch the Lord as he goes by. That's when we are helped, in the present tense, when he is present and he is speaking and he is sharing his heart. That's when we reach out, touch the hem of his garment, and are made whole. Praise God. Amen. Praise God, I just can't sit still. Have y'all been helped? Yeah. Man, I needed this. Yeah. Pretty sure I've got some carpal tunnel going on, which means half my hand is numb, and some people get upset over it, but it means I can play the guitar and it doesn't hurt. Can't feel it. You know, I had a quick conversation with April earlier, we were talking about playing music in heaven, I'm like, I wonder what kind of guitar God's going to give me. I hope it's an old Martin, because I like them, but I'll take what I can get. But that's what I was made for. You know, 20 years ago I was going to be a rock star and do all this stuff, and it could have happened, but I don't regret a single thing. I mean, I'm just so overwhelmed right now with God's Spirit, it is here, it's thick. I don't know if y'all can feel it, but I can. I just can't wait, I cannot wait to see Jesus face to face and get to do this every day. I love you, I love you guys. My cup is full, it's running over, I need a coaster, a towel, and a sump pump, it's just going everywhere, I don't even know how to express it, but this has been amazing.

And we can have this every day. This is not just a special occasion, it's great to be together with God's people, this has been awesome. We can have this every day, that's what God wants for us. I'm just, I don't even know what to say, I just had to get up and share, I'm happy to be here, God's moving, I don't know if you can tell it, but He's changing hearts, He's changing lives, right here. I got up and shared at the men's meeting earlier, God's forced me to step up for my family. My wife's in a lot of pain, and she can't do everything she's always done, and I'm selfish, so is everyone else. This is not news, but when it gets put in your face, like God's saying, hey bro, step up and do what you need to do for your family, He's moving. He's moving in my home, He's moving here, and I'm excited. Bob, I can't wait to see how God's going to work this one out. But He is. Praise God, the Lord's good, isn't He? I just want to share something, first of all, I just want to thank the Lord for His presence here tonight. I tell you what, we're so blessed, aren't we? You know, Brother Carl, I appreciate what Brother Carl shared there, it's been on my heart this week too, just to give a little testimony, I was one of the blessed ones to be able to grow up in the church, but even at that, you know, the Lord's good. The Lord had to show me that I needed to be saved. I needed the Lord. Growing up in the church, you hear the word and you sing the songs, but there comes a point in your life where Jesus got a hold of my heart in a service. He changed my heart, gave me a new life and a new heart, and I want to thank the Lord for that tonight. I just thank you, Lord, that you have mercy, Lord, that you love me, Lord. I praise your holy name, Lord.

That same God that was here, the same Lord that was there 41 years ago, he's here tonight. I can say this, it is worth everything to be born again. If you don't know Jesus, I pray that Lord is tugging at your heart tonight. It's worth everything to give your life to him. I'm just thankful, you know, whatever your need is, Jesus is here. Brother Tim and him sang, he's here, the Lord is here. I'll tell you what, whatever your need is, I'm just so thankful that we can give it to the Lord. If you give it to him, he's going to meet that need, isn't he? I had a scripture, I'll just share it, it was something that's always been made real to me. It says, come to me, all you who are weary and burdened. And what's he say? He says, I will give you rest. There isn't any rest that you can find or attain that isn't through Jesus Christ. That means anything. You have to have Jesus to find that rest. It says, take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart. And here it is again, and you will find rest for your souls. And listen to this, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for that. It's worth everything to be born again. Janet gave a testimony tonight. I thank you, Janet, for giving that. One thing that stood out to me when the Lord was speaking to me, me and Wendy was talking about this the other day. Where would you go tonight if you left this church and say what happened to Janet happened and you were killed? Where would you go?

Would you go to heaven or would you go to hell? That's the sobering question, isn't it? A lot of people say, well, you're trying to steal fear, you know, by saying that. That's not stealing fear. That's a legitimate question. We need to know where we're going. If you don't know where you're going, I just ask you to solemnly, as my testimony, to please just give your life to the Lord. It is worth everything to be born again. Praise God. I almost hesitate to tell this little story. The day that we were there for my father-in-law's passing, he was suffering and he was trying to breathe and struggling at it. Jimmy came over and the whole family was there. We were singing some songs and Jim was just worshiping the Lord. He didn't have any breath, but he was worshiping the Lord with every last ounce of breath he had. He was pouring it out. He made a comment. I honestly forgot it, but Peggy mentioned it the other day. It follows right along with what Danny was saying. He said, tell everybody, tell everybody it's worth it all. Everything is worth it all. Tell everybody. It was a cry of his heart and it blessed me. As I was sitting here listening to what the Lord has been speaking to us this evening, He's wanting to draw more children in. He wants you to know that you are a child of the living God. You, right where you're at, with your sin, with your shame, He loves you. With every ounce of His being, He loves you. You can say, well, I've done that, and I've done this, and I can't ever get here, and

I can't ever do that, and I've done so much that He just can't possibly love me. What I will say is that that is It's the Spirit of Satan trying to hinder you from being able to be moved by the Spirit of God, because God does love you. He sent His only Son here to live among us, to suffer and die for your sins and for my sin. For all mankind, He died. All you have to do is give your heart to the Lord. It's not rocket science. Luke 4, verse 18 says, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. You're hearing it today. You're hearing the good news. The good news is that you have a place in the body of Christ as a child of God. That's the good news. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see and the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord's favor has come. The Lord's favor is here tonight, speaking to your heart. He's drawing you to Him. He loves you with an unconditional love. I love my wife with all my heart. I don't love my wife as much as God loves you. He loves you with every ounce of His being. The peace and the rest that Danny was talking about can only come one way. We are supporting a ministry in North Carolina, Mercy Tree, that is trying to support people who have tried to go out through life, trying to find peace and rest through drugs and alcohol and every other addiction there is out there, and have spent everything, and have finally come to the end of themselves, and they have nowhere else to go but to the Lord, and they minister Jesus Christ and Him crucified to them on a daily basis, and that is enough to set them free, and they're able to find a peace and a rest that you can't get through

trying on your own to do and find things that will help. Nothing in this life is going to help you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. So we have everything to shout about. I believe the Lord is moving here tonight in a special way. Was there some unusual music? Yeah. God said make a joyful noise. He didn't say sing like a professional. Did He? Show me that scripture. He didn't. It doesn't happen. He just said make a joyful noise. My mom makes a joyful noise every time she sings. She gives her heart to the Lord, worshiping Him in spirit and in truth, and that's what we're here to do, right? And so then the rest of the service is drawing men and women to the kingdom of God. And it doesn't, I said men and women, but if you're a young person and you're not right there at the women and the men stage, He loves you right where you're at. It's not too early. It's not too late. It's today. What does it say? Today. If you hear His voice, assembly, today. I want to hear it loud and proud. Today. There is a way in not your heart. Don't harden your heart. He loves you.

Give up. You're fighting against God. Give up and trust Him. He's worthy. I don't really get this thing turned right side up here. I don't like to really get up because I'll get emotional. When I think about the Lord and what He's done, it just breaks my heart, knowing I don't deserve what He's given me. But it was no accident. Mary called up and asked for this song tonight. How many people were blessed? I just I would like to read these words. Did y'all get the words? That song says. Well, they were here tonight. This is where we where we can go. There's a higher place. And I have ever. A deeper well. Then I can comprehend. Think about that. There's a greater love. Just like you know, someone just said they're not. If they were had or ever known. And it is here. Where is it? We are at the throne of grace tonight. We are sitting at the feet of Jesus. We are a place.

That we haven't always known until you come to this place that. We just heard brother Danny talk about. Do you come to that place? You won't know what this means. To sit at the throne. Of our Savior. Of the creator of this universe that gave us his son to take our place of sin ever since Adam. And he fell in the garden. Ever sin that's ever committed started right there. And it'll never stop. Because God won't see it. In us. But when he sees the son. He doesn't see that sin. But this song goes on this. There's a greater mercy. A greater faith. A greater place of rest. And it is here. So what do we do? We just bow down. We bow down before him and cry holy. Lord I fall at your feet. I praise your name. I have breathed in the light of your glory. And it's here. These are good words. I don't know who wrote this, but it's precious. There are rivers of forgiveness. You know you go in the river.

I don't care what you got in your hand. If you let it go, it's gone. It's gone. It's washed away the filth, the dirt, the sin. The rivers of forgiveness God has put out for us. All we got to do is just jump in it. It's a simple process like we just said. It's nothing rocket science. If it was rocket science, most of us wouldn't have a chance. But there are rivers. There are healing waters. I was thinking about Rebecca tonight. There are healing waters. And just like the brother told Brother Paul, I'm going to pray that you will have faith to believe. God help our unbelief. But I believe he will. I believe God is here to help us. In every situation we come across, where the waters are flowing, there's light of pure redemption to lead the way to where we are, before the throne of grace. So bow down. We bow down before you and cry holy. We fall at your feet and praise your name. We are bathed in the light of your glory. And it is here. Yes, it's here. You know, I don't know. I think about our young people. You know, all of us old guys, we were young at once.

I don't know how many times we went forward. I found out a long time ago I get saved every day because I need it every day. I can't live one day without needing saving grace. It's God's business to when he saved me. I don't know. But I just put myself in like that song we sang. My life is in his hands. I was thinking about Janet and Dave there. I know we had that head-on collision a couple of years ago. I sat there and watched my whole life could have disappeared. But I know our life was in God's hands. He had a reason to let that happen. Maybe to help me check up on my driving a little bit. But there was a greater reason than that. He wants us to be totally consumed with his love and grace. And that's why our fellowship is so necessary. But I thank God for this meeting. I'm looking forward to the next one if I'm living. And I'm looking forward every time we have fellowship together. It's needed, folks. We need fellowship. We need the love of God in one another to help us get from day to day. I think I'll just sit down. Praise the Lord. Man, I've had a lot of... Thoughts on this particular topic on my heart, I believe it flows, but I only want to share what I believe ties in the night. But it really came back to me. I've had this thought of the fear of the Lord on my heart for weeks now.

And really what it means. And this scripture we hear, we've heard a lot growing up. And even as believers, you read it and you're aware of it and we honor it to a point. But, you know, it's in Proverbs 9, 10, it says, You know, there's so many verses in the Bible about the fear of the Lord. And, you know, when you look at the word fear, the biblical context of fear is not like the fear that God tells us not to fear. You know, there's two tenses of fear. There's an ungodly fear and then there's a reverential fear. And I believe that the Lord is doing all the hearts. And it brought back to my heart when Janet was sharing. You know, what she was expressing tonight was a thankfulness, a wholesome saying, thank you, God. I know who you are. I reverence you. I know you're in control of my life. And I can trust you. And she saw that. Now, different ones, everybody has got up and spoke and said something on behalf of the Lord. These brothers and sisters have experienced a reverential fear of the Lord that's right. And it's not this relationship we have is not based on, again, the fear that this world has. It is a wonderful blessing of fears of goodness. It's an umbrella of God's love over us. And I'm thankful for that. And I just want to read a couple of verses that just shed light on this. These are very familiar. And the thought I had, you know, this scripture I read about the beginning of knowledge, you know, it's not just the beginning. We're to live our lives. And we get, even as believers, we get okay with our walk.

And we think we've arrived a little bit and God's helped us. And, man, we need the Lord all the time, every day. And I just, I'm aware of that in my own life. But I just want to read a couple of these verses. It says, the fear of the Lord leads to life. The one rests content, untouched by trouble. Come, my children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Respect. Think of, again, that word fear is just honor, respect. A reverent God who loves us has given himself for us. Psalm 33, but the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him and those who hope. And in the end, we're hoping in his unfailing love. I thought of this when Janet spoke. She says, the fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of wickedness are cut short. Praise God. This is awesome here. This verse, again, I thought when different ones were sharing, whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress. And for their children, it will be a refuge. I mean, there's so much in here about God's wings around his people and us honoring him and giving him that day-to-day respect in our daily lives. And Lord, help me. I'm preaching to myself because I've been looking at this my own life and just saying, Lord, help. Do I reverence you? Do I see you as a holy day-to-day God that you want to, as has been said, as Robert said, to save me every day, to lead me, to direct me? Do I have that spirit every day? He's faithful.

He's faithful to bring every one of us to a place of that surrender. And I'm just thankful for that. I hope this can help somebody. But I just wanted everyone to see just a different light of his love. Tell you what, I don't fear him in a way that the world fears him. I fear him because he's God and he loves us. And he loves me. And I thank him. And I want to learn more about that. I just praise God. Praise the Lord. I'm going to leave my Bible down there because I'm not here to preach. But I've had some simple thoughts. You know, people in this world are looking for something. There's something they think will satisfy and meet their earthly needs. They value this. They value that. And it's one of the challenges that the enemy uses, particularly with people growing up. And the devil will get you chasing this and chasing that, thinking, this is where it is. And, you know, we're also looking to be valued and something that gives meaning to life. I've seen so many people grow up in the church. And I've seen, heard many testimonies. We heard one tonight about people who've grown up here. And they come to a place where they realize, hey, I'm just going through the motions of my life. not really about the Lord, it's just about me. And the Lord is looking for people

who actually see that he is worth it. That thought has been expressed a number of times tonight. Is he worthy? What value do you assign to him? Because, you know, the rich young ruler thought more about his riches than he did about the Lord. And every time someone basically is confronted by the Lord and the call of God to surrender and to give him your heart and your life. My God, is he worthy of that? What value do you assign to him? But here's a simple thought that I've had several times recently. What kind of a value did the Lord assign to you? What are you worth to him? He was willing to go to that cross and have them pound nails in his hands and do all the terrible things that were done to him. Because he looked down and saw you and knew what your need was and knew that you were on a path that led to destruction. And he was willing to lay down his life. And that's not just this vague, general theological thing. This is people. Because he knew you before the foundation of the world. That's how much he values you. How much do you value him? Wow, that's a thought, isn't it? My God. But when you think about all this,

what is he really looking for? We talk about that, the need to come to a point in life. And I know a lot of tradition is you have an altar service and you come down here. I'll tell you what he's looking for is a choice in the heart to recognize who he is. Because every heart has a throne. We're the ones who sit on it. Normally, we're the ones who sit on it. It's my life, I'm gonna do as I please. But I'll tell you to come to him means handing him the throne, saying, Lord, I am no longer my own, I am yours. I'm willing to confess that Jesus Christ, confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, not just Lord out there, he's become my Lord. I'm changing sides. I've been serving myself and the world. I'm stepping, I'm turning around and I'm giving, I'm handing my life to him and I confess him. And I am putting my confidence in him as the one who is able and willing to rescue me from the destiny that I was headed for. Now, if you confess with your mouth, I didn't bring my Bible, but if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, what does the scripture say? There has got to be the divine encounter

where someone doesn't just come up to the door and look at it, doesn't just practice the religion, but they actually walk through the door and it shuts behind them and they're in, and they're all in. And you don't have to go have some particular experience to have that happen. It happens in the heart. And it happens when God convicts you and reminds you that I don't care whether you have lived a desolate life like some of these people, or you've been in church all your life and you've been one of the good ones. There are no good ones. We every one have the same need. But I'll tell you, this is a kingdom that is by invitation only. And when that invitation comes, that's the invitation we need to respond to. It's one where the son of God comes and talks to your heart and says, this is your time. What are you gonna do? You have a choice to make. I demonstrated that I love you. I've told you that, but I demonstrated it when I went to the cross. He who knew no sin was made sin for, that's not the scripture I was thinking of, but the one that he laid down his life. That's how he demonstrated.

God demonstrated his life, his love for you, that his son went to the cross, laid down his life. That's real love. That's giving up everything that this world could possibly have offered him. He said, I gladly lay it all down because I care about you. And this is your only hope. And that's what I'm willing to do. Is that worth something? That's worth everything. It's worth everything to know him. And I'll tell you, if the Lord's talking to you. talking to you, then you just humble your heart right where you're at and you say yes. And there will come a time when you will confess that and you will be baptized and all of you, the outward will come. It could happen tonight, I don't know. But I know that God is absolutely reaching out to somebody tonight. You don't need a sermon, you need Jesus to talk to your heart. If he's talking, this is the time. Because I'll tell you, we can only come when he calls. That's pretty important, isn't it? There is nothing more important in any human being's life than when God talks to your heart and he calls you by name and says, just come to me. Come to me. Come to me right now. And just hand your heart and your life over to me. I have the power to save you. I've got a different plan for your life. It's going to affect choices that you may get real attached to in this life. I want his path. And I'm one of the old guys here now and I can tell you it's worth everything to serve him. He has been with me a long time and I'm just looking forward to forever. And I didn't deserve any of it. The farther I go, the more I know I don't deserve it. The more I see what's lacking in me and my needs. But I see a Savior who's able to take me all the way. He's worthy. Praise God. Thank God for the Lamb of God slain for not just for the sins of the world, but for your sins and mine. To him alone be the glory. Oh my God. If he's calling you tonight, say yes. You'll never regret it if you really mean it from your heart. And it's a one-and-done deal and you're coming over to the other side. Praise God. Praise God. You know, God's Spirit will not always strive with man. There's an acceptable day of salvation.

If God is pricking your heart tonight and calling you, surrender to him because he will not always knock on the door of your heart. It says, harden not your heart. Did we not say that tonight? May you have a tender heart, whoever it is that God's calling, and lay it down. It says here that for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have an everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. He is willing that none should perish, but all come to everlasting life. You know, it's not always that his Spirit does this when we're together. This is a special time. I want to read this to you. Light has come tonight. Light has been here. In everybody's ear that the Lord is working in, you are now responsible. You are responsible for what you have heard tonight. You know, we look, we always have our ideas of how things are going to go, right? Well, every one of us here has a different testimony where God encountered us. It was faith came by hearing the Word. You know, it comes by hearing because it starts ticking away at that stone heart that is so hard, little by little. So I'm thankful tonight that God is reaching out in love and mercy. We need to pray, folks. You know, it's very dangerous to grow up in the church. There is no secondhand faith. You won't get into the kingdom on secondhand faith. It will not happen. Many people will go by, but you know what? God's going to say this, depart from me. I never knew you. Well, my dad knew you. My mom knew you. If he didn't know you, that's the words we don't want to hear. We want to hear, come in. Well done, my good and faithful servant, the one that surrendered to me and let me go and live my life through him. Surrendered. Says this, this is the verdict. Light has come into the world. Light has come into this building this evening. But what are you? Have you loved darkness rather than light? Do you want to hold on to something that you cannot keep? The game which you cannot lose? But men love darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. I'll tell you what, one of the most freeing things that you will ever do is surrender to Jesus Christ. He takes all the shame, all the guilt, everything you've ever done. It is cast as far as east is from the west your sins and all that shame gone forever he never remembers it anymore but I tell you what there is a day of remembrance coming there is a day of wrath coming on this earth for every person that has not bowed the knee to Jesus Christ I mean that's just the facts folks I didn't write the Bible God you know he's telling his truth tonight everyone who does evil hates the light and I'll tell you what it ain't gotta be Robin Banks

or anything else it is a disobedience to the call of God to surrender that's all it is it says everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed it is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance that shines the light to see that all Lord I am in need of a Savior I need to be redeemed if I die tonight I need you to save me right now but whoever lives by the truth is this you tonight comes into the light so that it may be seen plainly what he has done has been done through God that's the work of salvation when that happens praise God there is a peace and rest are you safe tonight are you secure 1,000% praise God praise the Lord people JP I appreciate that I appreciate the Lord this scripture been on my heart I know most of us know it but I need to give it out and maybe comment on it but it's in 2 Corinthians chapter 6 the Lord said for this he said I have heard thee in a time accepted and a day of salvation have I suckered thee that word sucker means rescued he's rescued us from everything that we'd go through in this life and suckered thee behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation you know we put salvation off into the future it's the day days it's the present tense expression of God not tomorrow the devil will tell you some other time some other way but he's a liar today is the day of salvation he's got I get up here fearfully to I I tell you the Lord has been here in such a simple way he's saying I'm here come to me I had this one thought because a lot of times you know we've been off and on on altar calls and such but you remember when he called the disciples he said come and follow me it's real simple just come and follow me and I thought is I thought I sure wish somebody would sing and just give someone an opportunity just to physically just walk forward we can pray with you we'll be praying with you now and when Jesus chose the disciples they left their boat they left whatever and they simply followed him it was that simple this is a simple service and a simple Christ and a simple gospel with a very profound invitation come to me I will give you eternal life it's just precious I mean this is this has been said you don't see

this every day even in churches where the Lord is there this is a special there's a fragrance of salvation here it's because Jesus is saying come to me and because he's saying that it's an offer it's an invitation so as these brothers sing let's just let's be praying okay why don't you stay there and pray with them as they come okay you Tell everyone that I love them Tell everyone that I care Tell everyone I want to see them Tell everyone they can share In the things I've prepared No one would believe All I have, they can share, if only they'll receive me. Tell everyone that I'm coming. Tell everyone that it's soon. Tell all who listen, get ready. I've still got plenty of room. We will meet in the end. Then we'll go away to a place I've prepared. Then you'll always stay with me. Cause I want you all to come. I want you all to see. Oh, how I've waited for you to come to me. I want you all to be happy. I want you all to be free. I want you all to spend all of your time with me.

Tell everyone that I love them. Tell everyone that I care. Tell everyone I want to see them. Tell everyone they can share. Cause I want you all to come. I want you all to see. Oh, how I've waited for you to come to me. I want you all to come. I want you all to see. I want you all to come. I want you all to see. I want you all to come. I want you all to see. I want you all to come. I want you all to see. I want you all to come. I want you all to see. I want you all to see. I want you all to come. Yes, you have every right to come. Yes, I mean, yeah, yeah Come on to Jesus Give him your life today Come on to Jesus And let him have his way Well, I know there are things in your life You think he can forgive But he'll forgive and forget my friend And he'll show you how to live Come on to Jesus Give him your life today

Come on to Jesus So don't you put it on my friend You can't afford to wait Today's the day for you Soon it could be too late So come on to Jesus Give him your life today Come on to Jesus Let him have his way Sing with us one more time Just come on to Jesus Give him your life today Come on to Jesus Let him have his way Praise God I didn't want to get up here, but I'm fighting with God back there and you never win that fight. So I just wanted to get up and I wanted to just Share something, you know, Jesus never forced anybody to come to him There are scriptures where he said God sent forth his word and they were healed God's Word has been here this morning. It's been sent forth But you know that seed which the Bible calls the incorruptible seed of God. That's the Word of God It has to find a lodging place in soil. That's been prepared and No man can come unto the Son unless the Father draw him Our Prayer is that God will work in hearts break up that fallow ground that that word can find a place in the heart and That you'll want to come And I'll just share this just briefly. I know when the Lord called me and I thought it at first but

Eventually, I couldn't fight it anymore and the pastor wanted to come up and pray for me in my room and I was shaking When God reveals himself to you you know it and you got to make a choice and it's a choice and I was shaking in that room and I I didn't want to give up my life my drugs my whatever I didn't want to give it up but at the same time I saw God and when you see God and that word gets into your heart I'm gonna tell you something you you're not gonna turn away you're gonna come you're gonna bow your knee before him and I'll tell you I haven't regretted one day since that time that I've come to the Lord I've still got a lot of battles a lot of struggles you know the song we said the battles been won well positionally that's true Jesus Christ has paid it all he has won the battle he sees the end for every one of us he is going to complete the work in every heart but we still have to fight the good fight of faith and the devil is constantly working and will constantly working he wants everyone who would come to him to count the cost you need to count the cost when you come you need to realize I'm giving my life up I'm giving it up totally and I did I didn't know too much about God when I got saved but they gave me a little New Testament and all I did was read everywhere I went I was reading and I was learning about the Lord I was seeing what he did and who he was and it was filling my heart and that's what everybody needs this word of God can save you this word of God will save you if God is drawing you I have that full assurance and that God is going to do it I don't know if you're resisting and fighting tonight if there's somebody here that's doing that but I'm gonna tell you if you'll surrender your life will never be the same it'll be such a blessing God can bless you and fill you with something that will carry you through the rest of your life through all the failures the struggles you know the blood of Christ forgives all sin the blood of Christ is for God because God will look down but all he sees is the blood and he doesn't see our failures and our things because of what Christ did but the cross is where God deals with things in our life we got to take up that cross every day and follow him

but I'm gonna tell you something I pray for the young people I know we're we were gray and wrinkled but I'll tell you I was your age I didn't know God I didn't know anything about God when I grew up and then one day I started listening to Billy Graham and I started getting convicted and my my sister and I we would go to churches but they were dead as a doornail and they didn't have any life and they there was nothing there so we didn't really we just you know rid of wrote it off I just wrote it off but I'll tell you you're fortunate you're in a place where God himself is here speaking every time God's people get together it's his voice not ours he wants to share with you and I and you will be drawn into things I was everything you can imagine and even some things you can't imagine but but God's good and he'll he'll find you I'll tell you the hounds a dog were on my tail and they caught up with me and I'm glad they did please don't if God is working in your heart just just cry out to him you know if you leave here today I'm not gonna say that God's not gonna keep dealing with you I can't say that that's up to God but there is an acceptable time for you to come to the Lord and you'll know it when he speaks to you and I just want us to be encouraged because God is with us and he's not going to lose a single one I'm not a single child I love our young people I really do my heart goes out to him Linda and I pray for him every morning because we want to see we want to see you guys get a complete picture of who Jesus Christ is and because that'll hold you that'll keep you from all kinds of things but I just wanted to share that because we don't need to be we don't need to feel like we're failing or we failed somehow God's not going to fail he's gonna he's gonna draw everyone I really truly believe that I love you guys I mean I love this this church and this people and the people God's brought me too. That's how we know we've passed from death into life because we love the brethren. God puts that in your heart. And that's part of it too. But I just wanted to share that because if God's working in your heart, I'll tell you it's worth it all to surrender. It really is. It really is beloved. Have you been trying to move a mountain and the mountain will not move? Have you been

struggling to remember somebody is looking out for you? Come and rest. Come and rest. Come and rest in the love of God. Come and rest. Come and rest. Come and rest in the love of God. Do you need a mother? Do you need a father? Oh, everybody needs a friend. And are you looking for the way home? Do you want to feel that peace again? Come and rest. Come and rest. Come and rest in the love of God. Come and rest. Come and rest. Come and rest in the love of God. Come and rest. Come and rest. Come and rest in the love of God. There's a time for all your working. There's a time to put your hand to the plow. Can you hear him? Jesus is singing. Oh, come and lay your burdens down. Oh, come and lay your burdens down. Come and rest. Come and rest. Come and rest in the love of God. Come and rest. Come and rest. Come and rest in the love of God. Come and rest. Come and rest. Just come and rest in the love of God. Come and rest. Come and rest. Come and rest, come and rest in the love of God. Come and rest, come and rest, come and rest in the love of God. Hallelujah. Amen. Amen. We appreciate the Lord going to the preaching team and he's gotten them into the knowledge training. Amen! The Lord He meets whoever comes to the preaching, to every boys shout whoever they're preaching and wherever they're at. God sees it and He's problemed. Amen. All right what I first hope with David coming up tonight Praise God you need somebody to come. Amen. That's right. And then we got These are big boys. Praise God. Let's pray for them and God is good.

Amen. Amen. Amen. Okay. Praise God. We can be dismissed. Amen. Amen. Praise God.