Don't miss the point- Bro Jeremy Howell 1-31-2024

Noticed that brother Philip is not here. He had his fourth chemo treatment yesterday

and he's not here. For Philip Howell not to be here, that means

he is extremely sick, so y'all continue to pray for him. He has

been here after having a surgery where they ripped him in his torso from the

top to the bottom. He's been here sore, We've had to put him

in recliners. He's been here after three other chemotherapy treatments. But him not

being here tonight is indicative of he is in need of prayer. Brother Gabriel's

sister Candace are unable to be here tonight due to something that has come up

with a contractor at their house. And so we missed them tonight, don't

we. As far as I know, no one else is missing tonight.

But we're glad you're in the house of the Lord. It's good to have

our newest church member, Brother Ezra Wayne Howell. He delivered by his daddy.

His daddy and Mama brought forth that life in the Alva Handy Store parking

lot. I can't wait to hear that conversation. Where was I born?

Daddy well Son? Let me tell you but if you look at his birth

certificate, the attending physician is none other than Jeremiah and Zee Jorhowell, a

first responder. He was first one there. He witnessed. It isn't that

great. I don't believe he wants to start a labor delivery service letter after

talking to him. He doesn't have any desire to be a mid husband and

any life. And I don't think sister Leah wants to repeat that. But

the traffic here in this part of the country of late has been horrific.

God just knew what they needed. I'm glad that Ezra survived the ordeal.

I'm glad that brother Jeremiah's sister Leah survived the ordeal. His sister Gerald said

he looked mighty good all things considered. Knowing these two and the way they

are natured, they held up very well, very well, and I appreciate

that. Again, the cord was wrapped around the neck three times, but

the Lord was mindful. Perhaps the Lord knew the baby couldn't wait. I

believe the Lord knew that the baby going through the birth can now just couldn't

take too long. And so God is in control. We've been turning in

those prayer requests for Sister Cheryl, Brother Philip, sister daughter, and the

list goes on and on and on. But we never turned one in for

brother Ezra. We've turned one in for brother Simon. But God knew that

Brother Ezra was in a pinch literally, and God brought him forth. And

I thank God for what He's done for every one of us this week?

Aren't you glad to be Pentecostal? Does it make you nervous? Sometimes?

I want everybody to take a deep breath. Okay, breathe out in Hell

again. Ex Hell, we're all feeling better. You have nothing to be

nervous about tonight. I hope the message doesn't make you nervous at all.

But the Holy Goost we'll make Saint and center alife nervous sometimes, because that's

his office, is to refine us. Praise the Lord. If you have

your Bibles, will you turn with me to Saint Mark's Gospel. May I

direct your attention to the eighth chapter. We will be reading Versus number fourteen

through twenty one. Our golden text will be the twenty first verse of Saint

Mark's Gospel. In the eighth chapter, Brother Nathaniel you will be reading Acts,

chapter number fifteen and verse number thirty nine. Brother Jesse, you will

be reading Philippians, chapter number three, versus number seven to eleven. And

that's sister Pambtulia right there. Good to see, says to dam. The

congregation is growing so much now I can't see everybody that's out there because all

of the head that I've got good news concerning our building program, the architect

skills working on the drawings, and things are looking really good. Phraise the

Lord. Something to be excited about, amen, Brother Nathaniel, Acts,

chapter number fifteen and verse number thirty nine. And the contention was so sharp

between them that they departed asunder one from another. And so Barnabas took Mark

and selled under Cyprus. Wow, is it that sad so Barnabas took Mark

and sailed unto Cyprus, Brother Jesse, Philippians, chapter number three, versus

number seven to eleven. But what things were gained to me? Those?

I counted loss? For Christ yet doubtless, And I count all things but

loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, Jesus my Lord, for

whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them,

but done that I may win Christ and be found in Him, not having

mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the

faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God. By faith, that

I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of

his sufferings, being made comfortable unto his death, if by any means I

might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. So for those of you that

are in this building, that are familiar with the Bible and the Bible character

of the Apostle Paul, you will know that he had extreme potential within the

religion of Judahizem, and they had promoted him. He had schooled at the

feet of Gamelia. He's one of the most powerful preachers this world has ever

known. I did not say that he is the only preacher of this world

has ever known. I appreciate all of these preacher brethren. Every one of

them have been preaching wonderfully their great Preacher. Every one of them are anointed

the Apostle Paul, though him like John the Baptist and those Apostolic brethren.

Not talking about oneness brethren, but Apostolic brethren of the early church, namely

Peter Paul Old John James. All of those fellas were Pentecostal powerhouses and great

preachers. Apostle Paul could have stumbled a long life's way and missed out on

whom God intended for him to be because of his situation and his circumstances and

his position within Judaism, within that religion. The way he had climbed that

religious ladder and became who he became and who he would have become later on,

he could have missed being the great Apostle Paul. I want to preach

to you a message titled don't miss the point. Don't miss the point.

Apostle Paul realized that there are some things that he had put great value in

that he should no longer value, and that there were things that he used

to not value that he now valued. Things that he once loved he now

hated, things that he once hated he now loved. And I feel like

the Holy Ghost spoken to my heart yesterday that there's some young people in this

building that are missing the point. Don't miss the point. Now, all

of you elders, those of you from the age of thirty five and up,

you get my back. Now, I'll just take the reins and get

that whip and just whip me with the name man, preach it pastor don't

back up, just flat don't miss the point. Brother Nathaniel's life was forever

changed after a message I preached titled don't miss the Glory. I will be

following a mental outline as I've preached tonight, and I hope not to mention

this outline anymore, but I feel it important tonight to do this because of

what I'm preaching on. They miss the point, and so I'm putting a

special emphasis before we get started. Oh, don't miss the point. Our

point number one would be don't miss the point. Our point number two would

be don't miss the power. May we stand for the reading of the Word

of God. Saint Matthew's Gospel, chapter number eight Versus number fourteen through twenty

one. The Bible says, now the disciples had forgotten to take bread,

neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. And he

charged them, saying, take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees

and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying it

is because we have no bread. And when Jesus knew it, he said

up to them, why reason ye, because ye have no bread? Perceive

he not yet neither understand? Have ye your heart yet heartened? Having I

see ye not having years? Hear ye not? And do ye not remember

when I break the five loaves among five thousand, how many basket full of

fragments took ye up? They said into him twelve? And when the seven

among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And

they said seven? And he said, unto them, how is it that

ye do not understand? Our golden text will be that verse number twenty one.

And he said, unto them, how is it that ye do not

understand? I need a prayer in church? Will you pray with us right

now? Heavenly Father, we love and we praise you. We thank you

for the opportunity to be in the house of the Lord. I pray that

you wouldnot this, thy servant, said a guard at my mouth. Help

me to say those things that you would happy to say, nothing more or

less, and not to years of just other people, that they might hear

what it is the spirits say if unto the churches this night, Lord,

this precious church family, this local assembly, this congregation, this gathering of

believers. Lord, nearly sixty five in the building. We miss those that

are not here, afraid that you will make an opportunity for them to be

able to hear what to steer to saying and to this church Lord here tonight

in that age bracketly age thirty and beloved Frank God, that you would help

us to get these sayings below the shoulders that'll be in our hearts and our

spirits, and maybe me to part this place joyfully and not sorrowfully. In

Jesus name. In the church says Amen, as you're being seated, look

at your neighbor and say, hey, neighbor, don't miss the point reading

our text again, our golden text Mark chapter number eight, verse number twenty

one. And he's said, unto them, how is it that you do

not understand people? How is it that after all of these years of your

parents bringing you to the House of God, how is it that you yet

do not understand our Textas found in a New Testament book of the Holy Bible,

the Book of Mark. The title bears the name of its author.

Most of the Bible readers and students among us tonight are quite familiar with the

author of this gospel. If you are familiar at all with the author of

this gospel, would you raise your hand and show us that you are familiar

with the author of this gospel. What is his name? Mark? Also

known as John Mark. John Mark is not a stranger to those in this

building who study sacred scripture. John Mark's mother was a great friend to the

leaders and the members of the Early New Testament Church. His mother's credibility and

influence within the upstart religion of Christianity enabled little John to run with the locks

of Peter and Paul. I am most appreciated tonight for the influence of our

pastor, our preachers, our teachers, and our elders in this congregation.

You do not realize how blessed you are to have people of this capacity and

caliper in your midst in such a time as this. Do not take it

for granted, and do not take advantage of it. And so his mother's

credibility and influence within the upstart religion of Christianity enabled John mart to run with

some powerhouse men, some men that were full of the spirit of God,

men that were endued with the Holy Ghost, and I believe it was last

Wednesday night. I preached on the great power that the early Church had,

and also with that great power, they had great grace. And so John

Mark was no stranger to running with people that had great power and great grace

in their life. And I feel like here tonight we have some wonder saints

of God, and we're privileged to be sitting on the pew with some Pentecostal

power of houses. I am not penny roses on myself, and I do

not speak of myself, but I am privileged tonight to be in the company

of some great prayer warriors and praise worshipers. And I know that I'm going

to miss them or when they are gone. Young people, there is no

doubt that John Mark missed his mother after that she had went on to be

with the Lord, because the Bible said to be absent in body is to

be present with the Lord. And we know that John Mark's mother had no

greater joy than to be in the presence of the Lord. And that's why

she would host these prayer meetings that she would have in her home. One

particular prayer meeting involved the recovery of Peter, and as his mother hosted that

prayer meeting, you will know a miracle took place in the local jail and

Peter was set free and liberated because of that prayer meeting. Now, I

want you to know that, young person, you have an opportunity like so

many others do not have, in the fact that you are in the company

of people that realize when you are in jeopardy. They have an awareness that

the devil is after you, and they will get off of their couches,

they'll get out of their desk chairs and roll out of bed, and they

will get down and pray on your behalf. And so we know that John

Mark was certainly someone that had everything that he needed in order to become quite

the disciple of the Lord. That's some president in this building will remember,

though there is a blight in the life of John Mark because of his blunder.

There was a blife. How many of you have ever made mistakes?

Is there anybody in this building going through life without making a blunder, without

making a mistake? Is there anybody in this building tonight without a blo life

of some kind? On? Your life is there anybody in this building with

a black cloud from your past hovering overhead. I'm looking at some imperfect people

that have made some mistakes, including this week, but I'm looking at people

that do not want to send habitually. I'm looking at people that treasure the

words of Jesus when he mandated and commanded that his followers be perfect, even

as his father in heaven is perfect. I'm looking at people the treasure the

scripture has said he'd be holy, even as your father in heaven is holy.

And so there's no doubt that John Mark had the upbringing that he needed

in order to avoid a lot of the spiritual hardships that so many peers of

his would have been experiencing. Brother Richard Jacob, I don't understand why there

would be anybody in this building tonight that the Holy Goes would have to target

and say, hey, preacher, preach to them a sermon titled don't miss

the point. So who isn't among us tonight under that age of thirty five

that is missing the point? Perhaps as the preacher is preaching, you will

soon realize that you too are missing the point in some way or another.

But we know that at some point in John Mark's life, again, the

author of this gospel, while he has owned a missionary journey with the Great

Apostle Paul and his companion Barnabas, we find that this young man decides to

abort mission, and he abandoned the Great Apostle Paul. For me, it

seems that Mark was missing the point of the missionary trill that he went on

with Paul and Barnabas. I have to say that when I take Brother Nathaniel

oversees with me and we minister in third world countries, there has not been

a time that I have felt like Brother Nathaniel exhibited parasitic behavior. There's not

been a time that I felt like Brother Nathaniel had done on the vacation mentality.

There's not been a time that I noticed that Brother Nathaniel was gazing upon

a waterfaul or upon the ocean blue, and I realized that his heart was

drifted away from our purpose of being there. Every time that we have been

overseas, I have noticed that Brother Nathaniel holds to the purpose of the mission,

and that is to reach the least and the lost and the lonely for

Jesus and I can see there is a desire in his heart to teach and

preach the word of God. But for some reason, John Martin left Paul

and Barnabas steering their first missionary trip together. In the fifteenth chapter the Book

of Acts, the beloved position Loot records, and he offers some insight into

this abandonment and Acts chapter number fifteen and verse number thirty eight said, but

Paul thought not good to take with him, who departed from them from Pamphilia

and went not with them to the work. This young man was not willing

to go with them to work, because ministry is work, fatherhood is work.

Pastoral ministry is work. Missionary ministry is work, motherhood is work.

John Mark came with him, but at some point he forsuk them. He

liked demons, forsuk them for something. I know that the Bible said that

demons pursuit them loving the present world. I cannot find this sort of mark

against John Mark. I cannot find that he left the company of the Apostle

Paul in order to hang out with the wrong crowd in Jerusalem. But for

whatever reason, according to the Apostle Paul, john Mark was seeing the point

of ministry altogether, this young man was nothing more than Barnabas's barnacle. As

I was praying today and seeking the mind of the Lord, concerning, discerning

and taking it a little bit further. As the spirit of God began to

lead me, I thought about the parasitic behavior of this man, John Mark,

and how he was content to be nothing more than Barnabas's barnacle. The

Bible said that Barnabas took him and they sailed away, and he was okay

with that, Brother Jesse. Apparently he was excited about embarking on the journey.

Initially he was excited about being in the company of the great Apostle Paul

and their son of Consolation, namely Barnabas, but he was only there for

the ride. Does that sound familiar, Sister Rudin, How about a Sister

Howard? Does that sound of the young people in this building tonight? Coming

to mind? As I begin to unfroone with the Holy Ghost rolled up and

handed to me. I'm not preaching a blueprint tonight that I attracted with my

own hands. I do that for a living, But tonight I'm unrolling a

blueprint that the Holy Ghost drew up and handed to me, and I pray

that when all her to sit and downe there's somebody in this building able to

say, I'll see it. Now I understand better than I ever did before.

You see Barnabas's barnacle. John Mark was only there for the ride.

He was there for all of the wrong reasons. I feel like when he

got hold he probably talked about seeing the world. He was looking at things

from a different n He was looking at things from a different perspective. And

you and I both to know that the Holy Ghost would not have allowed part

of us is Barnica, John marka to travel with the apostle Paul had and

part of us for very long with the wrong motives. It is heart There's

no way the Holy Ghost would have allowed him to travel another mile. Help.

Many of you know you've got to put it your heart in it.

I've been said that there's been a lot of people listening to this my Sunday's

messages, and a lot of them have been listening to the Joy of Joseph,

and a lot of the other have been listening to Sunny Match message it

in Sunday Nights of Message the points you better not lose heart and you better

continue Fred. I have known that this person in rites a message was not

less popular with the young people of good the Holiness Church. Why would that

be because they do not value prayer. They do not understand the importance of

prayer days through. They don't understand that life has a bigger meaning than you

being on the saidhedrid. Are you being an all star or two they years

of apostle, Paul realized it may be good. It can be said that

I know the tum, I know the law of Come, the law of

Moses, stuff in the took better than anybody else. But I'm missing something

we hurt for the Charonathan say tonight it's old. Must be fire a year

five days certain for a year since I tell the Holy Ghost, he said,

I've been missing something that ever since I got the Holy Ghost, I

can say when I wake up in the morning that my life is better.

I can say when I get a better night, I'm not concerned about my

life. To my God, I'm betta be with the Lord. He's a

person who get drussed on Sunday morn. He put on your best, this

Sunday best. It's not good enough during the week you put on your best

behavior. Your best behavior is not good enough. You're not said good manners,

and let I'm gonna tell you. You'll told me today. Now he's

teaching her his little girl, he's learned how to say yes. Now he's

teaching her how to be mattering. He's teaching her to add sorrow behind that

which he acts as popper. Yes, it's good that John Mark is fired

in us manners. It's good that he's been manneredly and orderly. But it's

not enough. You're sitting there experienceally lifeless right now. It's not good enough.

You testifying with a Monday told, testifying without any passion, without any

fiver, without any fervor, without any ill It is not enough. I

don't know about you all, but when I was seventeen and a half years

of age, I got tired of just a mundane church life. I got

tired of being this kid on a few that was not on fire. I

got tired of sitting in service after service and missing the point of being there.

You're perfect here in a Sunday morning. It's great, But I want

you to know what is turinger than that is having a real purpose here for

getting the church. The reason I got a turch try some Sunday and during

the men we come, it's because I don't want to be lost when j

Jesus cough his because her he's saved myself and is a true tra and a

pleasure her mind together with a believer. So you might be with Paul trum

Market, you might be with part of us, hey, John Marker,

but you being part of us is tarnacal. It's not enough that you need

a real life. Who you're with, what company your keeping? If you

want to benefit by it. We should be able to close out right now.

There should be enough right now in this sermon for you to get the

point of this message. But Paul thought not good to take him with him

who departed from them from Pamphilia, and went not with him to the work.

Prayer is work. Praying for our brother's healing is work. Having thanks

for our sister's healing is work. Standing for holiness, righteousness and truth in

this secular society, in the midst of this evil and wicked and promoted generation

is work. Why are we doing it? We are not promoting holiness and

righteousness simply because we want to be weird or strange or different. We are

promoting it and pushing it too, and preaching it because we feel like Jesus

has commanded us to do so, and it's a joy of Isaac in order

to do so. There's so many evil today pastor intentions and preaching to people

for all for the long reason to one person. I'm not missing the point.

I'm not in this for a pitch a person to her picture their position.

I'm immissive to have tease. I'm imnces brother to the gospel. I'm

because I understand the coming of the Lord in the picture that the world has

been reached. Who doctor reached them for the Lord to come back. The

Gospel's gonna go off for the return for the Lord to happen. And it

is going forth and it has going forth. What about a young person?

When we start praying and we start weeping in the spirit, then we start

crying, then we realize that we're praying, that we're praying and prayers of

intercession and supplication. It's one thing to pray, and it's another thing to

intercede and to supplicate. Some of y'all want to look at those verses of

scripture in the New Testament and look at the different types of prayer. I

know as a pastor that the Lord uses me sometimes to pray for myself,

to pray for my wife, and to pray for my children. I know

that he uses me at times because of my officer, to intercede of my

house for others. And then I know there are those times when he says

to my son, supplicate. You see, these men that are in ministrying

for all of the wrong reasons. They never feel interested at all in meddling

in their members' lives. I know that the Bible said concerning that busy body

or that unfaithful, unwise person, not to meddle the items or the affairs

of others. A parent will meddle in the affairs of their children, and

so will a spiritual parent, either a pastor or a soul winner. They

will check up on things, and they will check up on people before those

people check out, whether it's out of the parents house, or brother's out

of the House of God to your death or not sliding somebody, and they'll

follow up. I'm telling you preachers that are missing into this message, you

better be in this for the right reason. Don't you miss the point of

ministry. And while you're not missing the point of ministry, whatever you do,

do not miss up the power. So j'all Mark said, I'm just

gonna tag along. Will it be all right if but just tag along?

You see, that's the mentality of Judas. There's no doubt he was chosen

of the Lord as one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He traveled as

one that had power for a little while, Yes he did. But Brother

Nathaniel, he missed the point. I believe that Judas thought that he could

hasten the takeover of Rome. You see, Judas understood the Bible. He

understood the words of Isaiah and Jeremiah and the prophets of old. He knew

that Massiah was coming. He knew that the Jews would take over the world.

He knew that Massiah would rule the world. That Judas is traveling with

Jesus, and somehow he's missing the point. I like what Brother Samuel said

when he was preaching this pastor Friday night. He said that Judas word to

force Jesus to take action. Maybe it was so, brother Samuel, that

Judas was trying to did Jesus to go ahead and massine Troma and take over

Rome. But that is not what Jesus intended to do at that time.

Jesus would not have her an earthly kingdom at that time, for Jesus wanted

a spiritual kingdom. He wanted tell Heaven the kingdom. He did not want

to sit on David troll dean. He will one day, but he wrote

it to sit and the troll runs a human. He wanted to allow him

person to say in our heart. Tenuia said, you want missed the part,

but the other eleven did not. I pleaded, we want a lot,

we better not miss the boy. It's God that Judas wasn't given every

chance that the others were given. He held the back. He paid Jesus'

bills. Jesus and other brothers pen to the offertory into the offering banks,

and Judas paid the bills, and he also took out of the treasury for

himself. Judas, Judas, it has been thought for years that you wanted

to overtake Rome, and that you wanted to sit down besides your lord as

a governor, and that you wanted to rule, and you wanted to take

over, and you wanted to bully the Romans the same ways they had bullied

you. Judas. It's not enough to bear religious as in it. It's

not enough to pull the sword out of the scabbard, signed Peter, and

take the here off a malcus. That's what Jesus was telling Peter. Whenever

Judas had betrayed him and those men had come to take Jesus. Jesus was

letting Peter know put up the soldier, missing the point. It's not time

to fight. If I wanted to fight, I would summon the heavens and

leesus of angels would come down and do our dirty work. They'd roll off

the sweee and get their hands bloody and dirty with the blood of these Romans.

Jesus could have done it, but Jesus was not missing the point.

Jesus knew why who was set here. He was set to old commission.

Paul would not have a part to an abandoned the mission. John Marcato,

Judas R. What Jesus were not come and since they ve in this building

the night where you miss the point? Will you miss the point of the

Holy Ghost need to have his way right now? Of the Holy Ghost needing

permission to create old passioned conviction into this church, the point of you get

truly saved and safe, divided and holy ghost feel. It's not that we

can add another preacher to the preacher of Caloga and the website. It's not

so that we can say we've got now body pacient and the church spirit feeld,

and we do. But the reason there it is that you can have

a great power and great grace and have what you need to keep your box,

hide to happen what you need, keep from the line her Lord,

to keep coming traying hell you're missing. I'm contempt to be Barnabas's barnacle.

As long as Pastor tells me to take the trash out, I'm good.

As long as Pastor says I'm his little or big helper, I'm good.

As long as the Sunday school teacher's hearing me the wrong attend this book and

I'm checking off present or absent, I'm good. Come on you this.

Are you really good? That's either transfer or the secretary. Are you're really

good? I know we've been blessed. Looking at me in here, I'm

not preaching a brother Nathangel, I'm not preaching her brother Jesse. But I

do feel like that I'm preaching to some of your men that they're not taking

many things seriously. They're not praying, they're my seeking God. They're not

coming out here, nor man come back. We asked him to do it?

Why would he ask us to be sucker? There must be a point

in There must be a reason. Why is the reason? Again? This

past Sunday, Night's message was popular among outsiders, but it's not popular amongst

people here. Why because we don't want to continue to play going over there

a Firefols don't schedule. It's not enough. You can bury your head in

the elbow or even in your armpit, and the only thing that every benefit

you is you realize you need to go home and take a bath after a

hard dale work. If you missed the point of being there, what is

the purpose of being there? The Bible said that there would be religious leaders

that would stand up in the marketplace, would stand up in a public place,

and they wouldn't make the long prayers to be heard. They missed their

tent. I'm telling somebody, I'm not beating the air tonight. I might

be sick in body, but I'm talking to spiritating. I'm trying on me,

and I'm telling you that you my own way up when I see this,

good boy, Oh Jesus, Now, how long have we been preaching?

I went to twenty seven and a half minute mark. I don't know.

I don't have a timepiece in the full tent. Were on the back

wall. And somebody might say, with that's the reason why y'all have long

services. No, and the reason why we have long services is because with

the Holy Church they love to get in the spirit and not hold the Holy

girls to a time clock. I got in the upper room, anybody was

saying what time it was. They were not missing the point. I'm not

trying to go to churchill on Sunday from till that year until noon and beat

other people to the chicken house. The point of me coming to church is

to see my wife get help, and I see my children get established,

and I see my grandchildren get reading and coming. And it pres heard of

myself from this untoward generation. Don't come on now when you're come at church.

We're missing apart. Wow, are we here? Oh? You're nothing

over than Barnabas's barnacle. Like a war on the finger, like a tick

on the dog. He had been excited about embarking on this journey with Paul

and Barnabas, but it was only there for the wrong reasons. The contention,

his half heartedness felt between two wonderful people, namely Paul and Barnabas.

Oh it was great. Do you hear me? The contention that this half

hearted worship or rut between to you great men of God is terrible hust and

life. If you've been have a contention in your house because somebody has not

been listening to the pastor whoever the wrong doing us. That is where the

boring is to be past. Thankless, the high walk, the hold God.

The person is trying to be right. That's getting your point. Ho,

come on, now you have not help, But I appreciate somebody has

not been saying. Look, don't see this the part not to really elaborate

right here me telling somebody to get a job and work forty hours a week.

One of the reasons for that is you've got bills to pay and you

got to provide for your house. But there's so much more to that that

we can't missed the point of we've got children coming behind us that need to

develop a good work ethic. They need to realize that this is a dog

eat dog world and you'll take their work of virus finances and the pible of

IRUs pendents and the devil the vialus re rations. How are you killing your

pro or? Come on the contract and a contention between Paul and barned us.

That's because of one silly person, not John Mark. Are you're not

city person? Are you not siy person? That visitor king the spirit of

God want to deal with them, but your pastor had to deal with you

and that person not confused because of the contention that was in the building because

of you drum luck you knew got a trump luckment. He was missing the

point of ministry. Somehow this man overlooked the most important things involved in ministry.

Take by the Phillips situation for example, it is true that I did

not want to lose a son, but also to go on, we don't

want to lose our Germany. Sister Elizabeth doesn't want to lose her husband,

and I thought, you don't want to lose a brother a sister Sheryl.

You can call it stinsy me praying for her to stay here if you want

to. There was another reason for why Sister Sheeryl needs to tear him.

She's got a husband sitting there next to her on the CD. And on's

what Apostle Paul said to the Earthy Christian Church. And he said, I

could depart it be better for me, but it's needful for me to stay

here. And that's why I didn't tell God. God, who wants Sister

Howard is me? John? You won't Pastor Howell, that is needed.

I'm told him. Don't take Sister Root yet, don't take come sister Jocking

yet. Don't take care you just don't get one yet. That's how I

prayed that last not that that to you in the morning. I said,

Tom, it's needful for them to be here. Are y'all getting this?

This thing is so much bigger than us, John Mark? Then you say

you spotted a well out there. This is not a well sighting expedition.

This is not Tom Soier and Huckleberry's fins and Fitcher. This is not Damn

and his fighting men. Don't cheer me and his fighting men. This is

the Kingdom of Father and it's something follows up and we need to to take

the bock doors. Whether I'm not coming here because it's an opportunity to have

a social life. I'm not trying to be a social person. I am

friendly. I have friends here, we have wonderful fellowships here. But listen,

part of us, you're nothing but a teacher to somebody. Just not

listening. Listen here, Paul, you're nothing but an example to somebody.

It's not learning. Now. I know the rest of the story, dal

so that when part of us got done, charn Mark was considered to be

properar by the apostle. Paul. And when I get done tonight, and

when we finish allowing the Holy Ghost to write, you must chapter I pray,

and it won't be said they got it. They're got to their hold.

He was missing the poor said, I keep reaching their stuff. The

most important things about this ministry was that they be steadfast and unmovable, always

of bounty than the work of the Lord. You know, you come up

here to the choir. We don't need you in the choir, and out

of the choir. You come up here to preach. We don't need you

in the pool pit. And then out of the pool pit because you've done

something that demanded disciplinary action. Oh come on, John, you're being dismissed.

You're being dismissed. The Bible said in the New Testament that they're won't

put preachers into the ministry because he counted them frankful, surely you noticed that

the people are caught in scripts of health, and those outside unscripts of health

been unwavery. Why did chock mark dot take no? Who say and copy

are parented the faithfulness and the unwavery spirits of Paul and bar of Us?

Why not? Why not? Why I'm preaching to you, and the Holy

Gess is having a hard time moving because all of the Saints of God in

the building know you are missing the point. I want somebody to look at

your neighbor and say, hey, neighbor, there you go, missen again

Matthew, chapter number eleven and verse number seven said. And as they departed,

Jesus begin to saying to them concerning John, what would he out into

the wilderness to see a reed shaken in the wind? Again? Why did

chaun Martin notice? Did not? Why did he not notice the stamped fastness

and the unwavered spirits of Paul and Barnabas Jesus said concerning John, the badness

did you go out in the wilderness to see a reed shaken with the wind.

He referenced these reads because everybody knew Charn was the tizer. Hey,

they had seen him breeds and the poor us is down there, brother chowing,

and there they were shaken. But Jesus said, your false teacher,

so that not mooved with every widow doctrine. Hey, but Chob was prinching

back. And I told somebody, I believe it. This is God saying,

not prags. Fall said, I start preaching. We keep preaching.

The crickets are preaching, are better than I'm preaching. The night and they're

preaching louder than I'm preaching, and louder and you're saying, Amen. The

spirit of the Apostle Paul was stepfast, unmovable, unshakable, unbreakable. I'm

waving, and so was the spirit of Child the Baptist. Jesus was saying

that you spect to see Chard the Baptist waver and his faith. No,

he knew he wasn't wavering their falter that TV at from a step down,

sir, miss the dollar, it's a true printed to a mama. Come

in a church. Let's see those people that are not up and down a

step cross, say to it, knocker, part of us, says particle.

These men, include John, had been on a mission, and they

would complete it, not abandon it or abort it. They would not abandon

their assignment. If the church was summons to prayer, they would pray at

the holygo said seat me. They would not roll out of bed at eleven

o'clock or two pm and say a ten second prayer. Ah, come on,

now there's any crickets prenching a garden. Oh, come on now,

I'm hearing in church pretty loud. Why are we here tonight? I'm not

here to not to be a parasite. I have not cannibalized anybody's sermons.

I have not printed anything off the internet. I have not taught to tell

him anybody and hear enough to be servants moscifican. But that that's all who

in his turn, and I said, a pastor to preach to you what

God told me to preach to you. Again, I'm not here to night

as a parasite. I'm not here within one of the sense of placa,

and I'm not interested in missing the point. I'm this service, but I'm

not interested and missing the powerble within this service. The passages that we read

as our golden text, they spoke of a time with the very followers of

Jesus Christ, those that were close enough to him to see the beads of

perspiration upon his brow, those that were close enough to him when he overturned

the table of the money change or somebody said that, preachers count that it's

changed in a moment. I don't like that. These people could have said.

I didn't like the way jesus countenance was when he overturned them tables.

I didn't like the way his appearance was, and his countenance was whenever he

fashioned that scourage and begin to drive people out. And there were people missing

the point. They were missing the point of why Jesus was running them out,

And so Jesus offered him summary and explanation of why he ran them out.

He said, this should be a house of prayer. This should not

be a place where you're cleaning up manure behind the goats and the sheep,

and it does. This should not be a place of merchandise. Well,

come on, they can say, well, we're here for the sacrifice.

We're here to provide the sacrifice, and Jesus is saying, you're missing the

point of gathering. The point of coming to this place was it's a house

of prayer. I Herchister wouldn't say it for years. If you come to

the altar, come to church, you ought to mean be business. You

ought to realize there is a reason why I propa take to warranted to prop

there the altar, some of myself. He pause, up what an altered

means? What that signifies? Talk? Come on, look, you're missing

the point. The disciples were very familiar, which Jesus as John Mark would

have been, Paul and Barnabas. I know what my pastor looks like when

he gets anointed. I know what my pastor looks like when he's about to

go get something to eat. I can see the various expressional changes on his

face. Brother Nathaniel came over to the house today and we visited for about

forty minutes, and after while I said, let's go get something to eat.

And that may have been the very reason why he came. That might

have been the point. It might not have been to come get papash utility

trailer and to take Papa's bover to wherever Papa wanted him to take it.

He came just by surprise, walked in the front door unannounced it. But

I don't know what his point of his visit was, but I was glad

he came. But when I come to church, I come to eat.

When I come to church, I come to praise the Lord. I don't

come just to plock down napu and go dead on. Weren't do enough to

get by or come on? Now, if I was a barroom attended,

I would not act avay some church people act. In the House of God,

I would be nearly as boring as some of you are. In the

house of God. God has been so good to us this week every week

up until this week, that He's gonna be put to us in the upcoming

rooks have brother. Just see, I don't just put on a suit to

come hearing the preacher, cause it's my position and this is my post.

I come in here because I love the Lord, that I want to return

thanks that I want to serve the Lord. And if I'm building the preaching

one of these other a knowing their brothers as preaching, I'm just glad to

be in the house of God. If you can't get the reason for why

we're here, and realize there's a point where these authors and that is a

point of contact. There is a point to this sermon. There's a point

they ever sung, There's a message to ever testimony. There is a theme

that ever service the Holy Gossa has a point to what's swing up? What

is no point to im? I speaking here? That there is no part

at all? You're missing the part these disciples. Jesus begin to tell them

something. Began to speak of the living of the Pharisees, and the crimes

and the Sadducees. He was talking about false teachers and false doctrine, and

those carnally minded men that should have been with him and should have learned by

now what Jesus meant when he said it. They act confused. But A

Chris Burnett was with me this past Friday night, this past Friday, I

mean while we were on the boat. He spoke concerning one young man over

here in this corner. He said, as he foke, is he missing

something? Is he missed firing somewhere? He said, But I don't think

he's as swore as he tries to make out. My brother Christian is the

one to talk about people at all, and I wouldn't allow him to do

that at all. But he's visited enough to notice that I'm nudged in certain

areas and bunch of people in a certain areas. Is that he said,

I don't really understand why some people don't get ahold of what it is they're

supposed to do. And that was probably the first time God started dealing with

me along these lines to preach this message. But it was like gasoline to

the fire at three o'clock this morning, and some yesterday and again today that

they are acting oblivious to the car of the Holy Girls. They're acting oblivious

to the reason why we go to work. That's for the Bible, said

Trump went left him for the work he didn't want to work. There's a

reason why we're getting the Holy Ghost. There's a reason why we're a praying

the way we're praying, the way we're worshiping, the way we're worshiping.

How come on now, I'm asking God to help you right now? Who

realizes air Previody sings it, but you air Previdy knows her rucient understanding her,

but you cheers not. You just don't get it, do you.

You just don't get it, do you. I feel like Sister Fabertullia is

hear it out because he loves Jesus. I feel like Sister Howell is hearing

it out because he loves Jesus. And chereman. But if wether Jeremy was

to die tonight, you'd see her right here Sunday morning. If your circumstances

were to change, where would you be come Sunday morning, going away?

And if she dies tomorrow, where would you be come Sunday morning? Right

here in the house of God. He ain't gonna miss the points. He's

sister Cheryl would tell him on Judgments day. And the way the point was

we all got to make it. Daddy and Mama. I had to make

her. I had to make it the way you were supposed to catch the

point, understand what was going on it too. Are some of you in

this building and I were only here because of the aspism You to be here

in this court only recalls her your mother, and God is in this he

Come O now, I don't care who your mama is her. So Mama,

you pallot miss U mess it got about miss the point? Come and

you Gontallop this the power. Jesus was weird them, Sister Megan, the

Son of God was weird them, and they're taken what he's saying and looking

at it from a different view. Are you taking in everything the Lord is

telling you through these preachers and looking at it all from your point of view?

But from my point of view, I'm doing this. I am working

at job ten hours a week. Well, from my point of view,

I see what I'm doing well. From my point of view, I'm not

where I used to be that good. I'm glad you're better off today and

you weren't last year. But my point is we need to be progressing.

My point is there's a mission, my partner is there, soul is to

be won. My point as we need to be good example, that's my

point for Jesus has been good to us, and I want to be good

to Hell. I'm appeal of the literal and my soul. And I somebody's

been playing during the day, and you'd not coming to church praying up a

j walla sudding. I don't prequent fire Thoust as much as he's been frequently

to me. He said, I have learned one lesson for sure, when

you print it through out there and you don't play out there. When you

come to church, you walk in the door speaking in tonson you walk in

the door on fire. Oh, come on now. And that's what I'm

telling you. That is a reason why we should be listening to preaching as

much as we can, rather good pray of the xbox. There's a reason

of wile where I can be praying mossip of the Daughter as much as we

can, rather than telling the pleasures for that's life. We might miss the

point I need to clothes. You just don't get it, do you again?

Are you taking in everything the Lord is telling you through these preachers and

looking at it from your point of view? That's good, preacher, that's

great. But I got my spin on it. I've got my own glasses

that I want to look at it through. I've got my own view.

Preacher, you may have the bird's eye view of it, but I'm gonna

look at it from a different eagle, and I'm gonna have the worm's eye

view of it. It's not that these followers of Jesus lacked instruction. Neither

do we. We've got some great preachers in this building. We've got some

excellent teachers got there annoying and of God, we got highly annoyingous singers and

musicians. How many of you believe that? And most importantly, we got

the word of God. You do not like construction, you do not lack

example, you do not like understanding. You just choose the myth. The

boy and I was praying this afternoon, and the Holy Ghost brought just to

my understanding. Even the Ethiopian Munich, when he was standing out lakeside him,

he was holding in his hands the Sacred Scripture, and he was reading

the words of the prophet Isaiah, and he was reading wonderful words. And

even then brother Caleb, he was wondering and questioning, what is the meaning

of this? And because he was sincerely questioning, and he did not want

to miss the point, he wouldn't miss the point. If you are missing

the point, it is because you are not wanting the truth. Because the

Bible said they fold on a wayfaring man, He will not air. You

will not miss the point. If you're following the leading of the Holy Ghost,

you will not miss the point. If your receiving spiritual guidance from Jesus,

this is the biblical example. The Holy ghost drop to my mind,

and there is that Ethiopian unit standing there, and the Holy Gosa translates fill

up from one point to another, and he begets to ask the unit,

do you understand? Are you getting the Holy this? Are you looking at

this writer? And he was because the Holy Goosa pointed this out to me.

He said. The man said, here is water. What doth hinder

me on being baptized? For sister? How he just need a little shovel

into the water. And if you knew the poorte, I'm coming to turn

tail. And you have the right ideology and a right alitan, a polity

only would take care if a little shove took you in to a plan to

take for the Lord. I said, oh there, what take up?

What we a little sub what don't be a touch? Just tele pres and

say other Lord, oh my God, somebody better or not? Yes your

pod. The point of last Sunday Nights Bests was that we like that widow

woman who continue to pray, and we had church and interpretation. Your prayer

preacher that literally prophesied, well, I would preach on Yes, I know

about it, Yes I'm involved. Yes, there's divide intervention, but about

pride, because the point of the Church has always been you pray, you

praise the Lord. Whether you're in the palace, you pray and you praise

the Lord. Whether you're in the prison house palt side of you pray and

you praise the Lord. The Baptist people, I know understand our point that

I'm not putting an emphasis of outward to tie over. That is not my

point. My point is inward holiness, sanctification of righteousness, and when you

get something working on the inside, you don't miss the point of why we

believe in be admodest. There's so many things have missed the part and while

we're doing and what we're doing, why we go to church. It's not

the church is the punch. It's not, as my primds come, I

honor to go on a time. That's why I was here an hour and

ten minutes early tonight. That's why there's hardly ever a time but I will

be less than thirty minutes early to church when I was not preaching. Most

of the time, the Howl children will remember we were early to church between

thirty minutes, but most of the time an hour before church I got down

and prayed a Saturday sample before these hour bresident Bena road cap me the same

thing for Caleb. He wasn't a preacher, but he talked. Brother came

up at being thirty minutes early. It's being late. Sister Simmons got here

the other night here twenty eight minutes early, and somebody said her sister Simmons

is too late? What is the point here? Coming to Churchill? They

come on old time? What is the point of how coming in tensteerio,

Let's stop telling you? He turn holding. Let's not to just be there.

It's sucking that they've seen. It's not to be tied and I can

own it. It is to be in the present. Oh God, why

should I drive an hour? Why should I try two hours? The polling

is because you know we're paying down. We feel sucking there. Have you

known? You get it there? You're not lacking instruction. The open Union

heth the open Unich. He knew, he knew, he knew, you

know with our going and text in mind mark A twenty one, and he

said it to them, how is it that you do not understand? Brother

Jesse, would you come to the piano these disciples were completely overlooking the spiritual

aspect of this situation, and we're choosing to focus on the natural side of

things. And even if you know the Bible said the carnal mind is enmity

against the spirit, Jesus was telling them about beware of the bread of the

Pharisees. And immediately than are thinking of loaves of bread, they're thinking of

natural things. They're looking at the natural side of things. And that's what

people's doing. Oh, we're gonna build a new church. Haul somebody sitting

in my pew halts a little bit. Holler in here. All. If

that's why you come to church, you're missing the point. Jesus was not

telling them you should have brought a sandwich. Jesus was warning them of false

doctrine and false teachers. Jesus was warning them about them ungod and influences of

false teachers and false doctrine. And they thought that they were in trouble for

bringing not bringing a sandwich. That's a far crime from what was really going

on. A lot bolts are coming on out there. Jesus was warning them

of spiritual things, sounding the alarm. False teachers are coming to destroy your

congregation, false doctrine's gonna get in, and me are gonna be carried without

a wind every slot of doctrine. Jesus was being so spiritual, said you

better be careful of the loved of describes in the Pharisees. And they were

looking in little men's lunchbox. They're looking in their lunch baskets, Mark chapter

number eight, verse number nineteen. The Bible said the more reminded them of

what he did and feeding of five thousand besides women and children with five blows

two fishes. There were plenty of fragments left over. Whether or not Jesus

is saying how many baskets were left over? He said, how many remnants,

how many fragments, how many leftovers? Brother Johnny Platt believed it was

the bones of the fish, believed it was the heels of the bread.

Some people believe it was just an overabundance. I don't care how you're standing

on that. If it was just the remnants and the fragments of what was

left over, if you would scraps, or if you believe it was just

an abundance. But they had taken twelve baskets, supposedly, but somebody had

laid them baskets down, and brother stare at He's talking serious spiritual doctrine here,

and they're wondering, we should have brought some bread. Jesus getting on

to us, because nobody's got any bread or lunch baskets. Do y'all realize

that, Sister, woot to realize that there's somebody in this building. No

matter how much the Holy Ghost speaks, how much he talks, how much

the preacher preaches, how confused visitors get when pastors laying on the line,

you continue to look at things from your perspective. Well, from my perspective,

I am working a job. From my perspective, I am busy.

From my perspective, you need to quit thinking about yourself and think about the

real picture here. I'm hoping that somebody will fall on their knees and I

pray and really pray this through and say, open the eyes of my heart,

Lord, I really want to see Jesus. I really want to see

Jesus. I don't want to miss the glory. I don't want to miss

the point of the power. His disciples should have known them going hungry had

been an issue today, Sister, Why would they ask that Jesus needed to

pay the taxes. He said, cast the baron hook out there, bring

in a fish. They knew what the scripture said. I've never seen the

Rochester forsaken, nor seat begging bread. Why are they thinking Jesus is thinking

there's nothing in the backpack for us that he He doesn't need little man's lunchbox

to bless his people. He can raise man up upon his children from the

sky. His disciples should have known that he could have called down fresh bread

from the portals of glory. It's never been an issue of the child of

God for them to fay their bills and go home. Jesus takes care of

them. Brothers and sisters, We like the disciples, are seeing the Master

at work, and there is no need for anyone to think much on how

he's going to take care of us. He's taking care of us in ways

that we know, and ways that we see, the ways that we don't

know, in the ways that we don't see. We've been praying for brother

Phillips, Sister Serl, Sister don or brother Simon, who's facing a major

surgery. But little did we know that little baby Ezrad would be born yesterday

with the chol graph around his that three times. His daddy said, I

unwrapped it one time said whoa, there's another loop. Unwrapped it again.

Oh there's another loop, and I unterrupted again. What are you talking about,

young person? You need to stop well watching. This ain't no cruise.

This ain't part of a cruise. This is the old ship desire.

And I just felt the Holy go cent them ow way, Brodie, I

can tell you feel it. When that new sanctuary goes up out there,

It's not gonna be an old trades car. Look at what we got.

I'm just gonna see it as a bigger hospital for sinners. Say God,

I feel this in my soul right now when you start realizing the need to

your brother's keeper, to marry your brother's burdens, and realize the reason why

we're doing we're doing this is there's a meeting devil out there that wants to

destroy people's lives. He wants to drag baby Ezra out into a world of

sin. That's why I'm here. I'm not here right now because I just

enjoyed preaching the people. I'm here right now because I know there's a well

owned path around every church and every person. It's a path that the devil

has worn. The adversary walketh about seeking whom he made a hour. I'm

here tonight because I understand the point of be being here. The night I

got the older preacher, if you would actually answer the call the ho negos.

That convicted me very strongly that I must answer the call this night.

That very night, I knew that God was dealing with me in my heart

in a different way, the same way he's been dealing with me again late

about something. And I told Sis the house that I'm walking the church tonight.

It was probably only three quarter a mile walk to church. And as

I walked, I walked out of my house and I felt a strong spirit

of God, the good Holy Ghost. And then I felt a very wicked

spirit come by. And when I felt that wicked spirit come by, I

heard a rustling in the leaves around the bay tree. And in that leaf

pile there was a squirrel laying there that had been cutted, and there it

was with its entrance hanging out. It looked like a light steam coming out

of its body. And I heard the Holy Ghost say, if you had

a been here, the little squirrel wouldn't have died. If you'd got here

just a little bit sooner, he wouldn't have done And then I felt that

evil spirit again. There's no joke when they say Jesus on one should and

the devil on another. That evil spirit said, look to your left.

I looked to my left. There was a cat sitting on the top of

the fields. I'm not one of these crazy preachers. Hang with me and

you'll find out. I'm not a crazy preacher. I'm not talking about anything

off the wall right now. I'm talking about something really happened. And it

sings like dead spirit said through that cat. Yeah, you came too late.

I killed him and there was nothing you could do about. And what

resonated and echoed in my soul was you came too late. You came too

late to cut the time of this message short. There was a man named

Robert Hammond down here and his bride Francis Gale, their daughter Jennifer. A

man named Johnny Flatt his wife Barbara Platt. There was a man named Jean

Wood and his wife Iris. There was a single woman named Jackie Ward,

sister Wooton, as great of a woman and God as she is she tells

me often, I don't even know if I'd still be saved if you had

to come. Brother Clapp told me even on his deathbed. Yet again he

said, Pastor, we were falling away, which you came looking for us.

It scares me, sister, how to think how close I was to

missing the point the souls. When I look at Grace start, there was

a point in us being here when we feel like we could be unfaithful to

church and church attendance doesn't mean anything, and we could have a nonchalant attitude.

I'm telling you, I feel the sweet spear of God in his place

for them. Brothers and sisters. We like the disciples. We've seen the

Master at work. I saw that night he touched Brother Jacob in a great

way. What he's done for Brother Jacob, he'll do for you. He'll

take care of us. Let's stand tonight. He was teaching them of the

dangers of false teachings and teachers, and they are looking to see what they're

gonna do about lunch. Don't miss the point, don't miss the power.

Now you're gonna miss the point if you come over here and you pray for

five minutes and you're done. You will literally stand for your own letter that

will be addressed to God, will be melt to heaven tonight, God,

I missed the point, John Mark. What did you see when you set

soul? What did you see? It's true you took Barnabas with you,

but you hurt Barnabus and you hurt Paul. There's some falling in these altars

right now. I know God dealt with me concerning this message, Sister Wooten.

There's been young men married for the wrong reasons. There's been young women

marry for the wrong reasons. They didn't understand the real point behind it.

So you're gonna be a grandma home, You're gonna be a grandfather home.

Don't miss the point, don't miss the power. I don't want to get

to the end of my life and find that I have missed the point of

my life. That's what Apostle Paul realized. One of our cotexs was Philippius

three seven to eleven. Apostle Paul didn't get to the end of his life

and miss this point. Judas, you missed the point. The good news

is, John Mark. At some point he understood. He realized that Paul

wrote these words bring John Bart to me. I believe he'll be good.

He'll be profitable. Young person, I want you to pray right now and

say, God, take me from my unprofitability, give me a profitability for

the service. Opened my eyes well, singing, Church, sing, be

your eyes will opened, can't you singing. We don't put an emphasis on

out because we want to be different. We're trying to please shouts. I'm

not talking about bread. We're talking about false doctrin. We're trying to protect

you from false teachers in the earth. Battle fence of spiritual in the US

hot my past. Jesus, I just hope my understand. Jesus, look

at the eyes of my heart. Open the eyes of my heart. I

want to see. I want to see see high live shine in the light

of your go for ultrapower and love as we see, Holy, Holy,

Holy, I want to see open the eyes of my heart. Are open

the yars and Mama, I want to see. I want to see open

the yares my heart, Open the yares. I want to see a loon't

see open the eyes of my hoar. Open the yards, see along to

see you teaching my howe the yards, Mama, to see why I want

to see shine in the light of your Lord for unt of power in love

we sting holy holy ho se open the yard, barbarle open the eyes,

Baba, I want to see. I want to sleep. Open the eyes,

Ba hole, open the eyes, Bama, I wanna see. I

want to see. Open the eyes, open the eyes and bower have all

to see. I want to sleep in the tree. Only even climb.

I'll leave de proo five mostignating. They're not getting down our money and the

food a cavalry. Any tests allowed me this time, Lord, our serv

sep there's no use, and trying to hide it from your there's no need.

We're in a disguis for you see me a lot off fairs, and

they're trying to be all the stars of a who all going out seven times

in a tree, out even find my even test in the bar, but

get they all get the money at the party, and that the silaserve honest.

We all go down seven plow and a tree in the bark