Hand Me Downs PT 2

Hallelujah. Thank you. Hallelujah. Good to see

you in the house of the Lord. If you have your

Bible, turn back with me to 2 Timothy 2. And

as we pray here in just a moment, remember Brother

Rich, they had to... Lee, just a minute ago,

he was in the emergency room last night with

some blockages in his heart. He was having some

chest pain, so they've made their way back. So

we want to ask the Lord to touch him. We know

God's able, don't we? Amen. So we want to ask

the Lord to be with them and do a work in his

body. Remember Sister Kim, missing her this morning.

She's sick, unable to be in the house of the

Lord today, so let's remember her as well. Amen.

unique atmosphere in it. Huh? Anybody noticed

just kind of the, there's like this, I don't

really know how to describe it, but like a surreal

presence of the Lord. Make sense? I mean, you

could just, it's almost like a tangible, just,

you feel like, Somebody's rubbing up against

you, and you look, and ain't nobody there. But

he's here. 2 Timothy 2, verse 1 reads, Thou,

2 Timothy 2:1

therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that

is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou

hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same

commit thou to faithful men who shall be able

to teach others also. We're going back to where

we visited a couple weeks ago with that message

I started, I titled Hand -Me -Downs. Remember?

Hand -Me -Downs, giving to the next generation.

We're going to pick back up there. I hope you're

not in a hurry today. This is the Lord's time.

If the time and point comes and you need to go,

just ease on out. If your sugar drops. Because

I'm sure 12 is not going to be the stopping point.

I'm just going to tell you right now. That's

not going to happen. So if you need to ease out,

just ease out, and we'll see you next week. Amen?

I promise you it won't hurt my feelings. Father,

I love you. I thank you, Lord, for the power

of your word and your presence that is in this

house today, Lord, because you are here. You

are here. Now, help us, Lord. Help me be expedient

with the time, Lord. I don't want to just go

on and on and on, so you help me. You've got

to help me, Holy Ghost. You've got to help me

today to preach. Lord, Brother Rich needs a touch

in his body, that heart muscle. The blockage

is there. It needs to be open. It needs to be

cleared. Touch him. Touch Sister Kim, Lord, and

her digestion. Lord, touch her today. Do a healing

work in her body, and we'll give you the praise.

And everyone that's out that is sick today that

we may not know of, Brother John, who's still

recovering, Lord, you're doing a work in his

life. We know it. We can see it. But, Lord, we're

trusting for even more and greater things in

his body. Speak to those muscles, Lord, and that

memory pattern. Let it begin to operate and function,

Lord, and give him the strength that he needs

to go forward. In Christ's name, the church said.

Amen and amen. You can be seated for just a little

while. And again, if you need to go, I understand.

Because 12 is not going to, it ain't going to

touch it unless the Holy Ghost really does help

me today. Hand -me -downs, giving to the next

generation. Talking about the post. General Assembly

vibe and camp meetings of the summer. And I actually

picked up another publication from the Church

of God, Home for Children, and a mission project

that they've got going. And it was titled Building

for the Next Generation, Building the Next Generation.

So there's, and there's, the spirit is moving

across the board. It seems to be this is a theme

that the Spirit of God is moving upon the church

cross, that we, again, stir our hearts, we stir

our minds to the faith of our structure and of

our standard of living. It's faith, amen? It's

the power of the Holy Ghost. It's the moving

of the Spirit and the distinctives. Thankfully

and gratefully, we have a lot of young folk around.

And the generations that need to be passed down

too, they need to see the demonstration. They

need to know that it's okay to come and pray.

You're not out of order. Amen. If you feel the

drawing of the Spirit to get to the altar, get

there. Amen. You get down there and you pray

until you feel good and you get up. You're not

going to hinder me from preaching if you want

to pray while I preach. Amen. That's not going

to bother me. If you need to stay in touch with

the Lord, stay down there and get a hold of the

horns and don't let go. I can preach with you

praying, and hopefully while you're down there,

you'll pray for me. Amen. So encountering God

is what we're here for. Amen. And the Spirit

knows what each of us have need of. I'm telling

you there's enough problems and troubles and

aggravations and frustrations and spiritual battles

in this room to get us all enough to pray for

until eternity comes to an end. And that was

just this past week. That ain't what we're going

to face this coming up week. There's enough trouble.

There's enough problems. There's enough trials,

amen, in this room, amen, to keep us all busy

praying and trusting God for a long, long time.

We don't need another problem. We don't need

another trouble to have something to pray for.

It's here. It's now. It's all around us. But

this generation that's coming up behind us, I

love what Pastor Brian said last week about the

baton. And the greatest moment in a passing of

the baton is when the two are in unity. with

it. That is the most crucial moment of the success

of the race that is set out there. It's why they

both have a hold of it. You can't turn loose

too early and they can't pull it out of the hand

that's trying to pass it on down. There is a

combination. There is a release and it's in stride

and it's right on the moment. And that's what

it's all about. It's passing it down at the right

time and the right moment. It's the reason that

I had that baby brought down here this morning.

People need to know that when God answers prayer,

We are grateful and we are thankful and that

God is still able. You can put it in the hands

of physicians if you want to. You say, well,

they've done a great job. Well, when they come

in and tell you the advance is more than we even

hope or expected for, you put it wherever you

want to, but I put it in the hands of the Lord.

And this generation needs to know that's coming

up behind us and are going to be taking over

the church in the future. They need to know that

there is time to testify and tell of the good

news. and the miraculous things and the wonder

-working power of God. And God is still moving

where people pray and have faith. And they need

to know that it's okay to pray. It's okay to

encounter God. Matter of fact, they need to know

that's the first place they need to go. We need

to go to God in prayer. And so that is why I

think the Lord is stirring across the board for

the church to know because there is a push in

our denomination to get younger, to get younger,

to get younger, to develop younger leadership.

Well, the younger needs wisdom in order to apply

the instruction that they received. Amen? I'm

not talking about this. I told them I'm not ready

to just quite let it go just yet. The time's

coming. But I'm just not hardly there yet, so

don't pull it out of my hand. Hello? Because

I ain't going to let it go. And we're both going

to trip and fall. But there is a time coming,

and we need to discern when that time is. Because

I still think I've got some things that I need

to pour out. And a generation needs to hear and

know that there is still fire in the Pentecostal

movement. There's still an anointing, amen, that

God is ready and willing, that God hadn't withdrawn

his presence. He's not withdrawn his power. He's

still high. He's still lifted up. And this generation

that are growing up around us need to know that.

It is God in whom we serve. Amen. And he's still

high. That's the reason Paul was writing to Timothy

and said, you got to get some instruction to

people and they need to see how we've lived this

thing out. My Lord, it is important how we live

it out. Amen. They need to know if nothing else,

they're going to tell their kids one day, you

should have heard my pastor preach when I was

growing up. Amen. Because there's a generation

coming up. I'm going to just bypass and go on.

We need to fan the fire. Let's just put it that

way. So we have to pass down to the next generation.

Each generation is responsible for the relevance

of the power of God that is handed down to them.

Amen. We cannot get so programmed. We cannot

get so abstract about having church that we fail

to be the church. Amen. That we fail to allow

God to have his way in the church. Look, y 'all

don't get no more panicky about the time than

I do because I know when you check out. I know

when you're over. I know when you're done. I

know I've got just a small amount of time. time

to get it said before you mentally and physically

check out and it's over and done with. And I

know when it happens. There's a change in the

spirit. So I know that happens and it's going

to happen here shortly. So let me move on. Amen.

We have to learn to pass down to the next generation

the power that exists in prayer. We talked about

that the first week. Men ought always to pray.

Amen. And that's the instruction that we have.

We have to learn to pray. Now Pastor Brian didn't

realize it last week. but when he came in to

preach for our back -to -school Sunday with that

don't send them alone message, how many remember

that? And he was talking about faith and the

baton, and he mentioned that faith, the faith

that Timothy was instructed to be reminded of,

of his grandmother and of his mother. There had

to be an evidence there in order to be reminded

of it. Your granny's son was a prayer warrior.

How many's heard that? My God, your mama was

a prayer warrior. Your granddaddy's son was a

preacher of the gospel. daddy was an anointed

Holy Spirit filled preacher of the gospel. I've

seen your granddaddy lay hands on the sick and

they recover. I've seen them, amen, cancers fall

and eyes open. I've witnessed it. And this generation

needs to know that the same God of yesteryear

is the same God of the day. He's the God who

was, is, and always will be. And this generation

needs to know that they can call upon him and

he will answer them when the Pray. Pastor Brian

talked about passing down the faith. Don't send

these kids into this school year alone. Not even

realizing it's point two on the hand -me -down

sermon given to the next generation. The next

generation needs to know about the faith that

you and I are living out. Amen. And if you're

not living out your faith, I question your relationship

with Jesus Christ. I don't care to just go online

saying, if you're not in faith today, then you're

outside the blood covenant and you don't know

Christ is your Savior. Honey, if you ain't living

it, you ain't got it. I'm sorry. Because if you

have him in free pardon of sin, and I'm not talking

about the baptism of the Holy Ghost right now,

I'm talking about the presence of the Holy Spirit

that moves in upon the day you accept Christ

and repent of your, he is in you, then my God,

if he's not evident in your life, if you still

talk like, act like, look like, go where, listen

to all the junk you did before you claim to receive

him, you do not have the presence of the Spirit

and the washed blood of Jesus. This generation

needs to know you've got to live it. There's

more to this than profession. So many people

profess one thing, but they're totally something

else. Your profession and your confession and

your living must align together. Well, my God,

that's good preaching. I stayed a quarter after

12 to hear some of that. 1220 might be a stretch,

but hand me down faith. We got to let these young

people know. You do realize that's why we have

families sit in from kids' church. Them little

children, I know you get aggravated making them

sit still, but make them sit still. I promise

you won't hurt my feelings for one to squall

out because you smacked that leg. You won't hurt

my feelings if you have to get them up, take

them outside and me hear you wear it high and

in out the foyer and bring them back in and them

going, you're good with me and right now I'm

the only one that really counts. Had a youth

pastor one time, we went to a restaurant to eat

and his little... Heathens wouldn't behave. And

they always like to threaten their young 'uns

with the pastor. Don't do that. I love your children.

They run up to me. I meet them in the hallway.

They'll grab me and they hug me. And that really

makes a pastor. But if you need somebody to get

them, I can. But I don't want to. So they begin

to threaten the children. With pastor sitting

at the head of the table, and this is one of

them Sundays it took forever to get our food.

He's running laps around the table, and it's

about second lap, about all I could do. So he

kept parenting his style, and I said, if you

don't quit lying to that boy, I'm going to take

you out. Well, what do you mean? I said, quit

threatening him. Take him out there and whoop

his hind end. Don't lie to them. My Lord, I'm

feeling it this morning. So, directly, he got

tired of it. Out they went. Wasn't gone long

enough to do what I'd have done. Come back in,

the boy was laughing. I said, you didn't do something

right. What do you mean, pastor? I said, he's

laughing. He's laughing. If I've got to get up

from the dinner table, to take you outside, you

are not laughing when we come back in this place.

You won't even look up when we come in here.

How we got, there goes one. I didn't mean that,

y 'all. I didn't mean that. That's my buddy.

Don't be rough on him. My Lord, that boy, he's

my buddy. That's a little briar. Take him on

outside where I don't have to hear him. It never

fails. And you know you're always that parent.

Yours does it right when pastor's dropping the

hammer. And you're the one that's got to get

up. My Lord. We've got to pass it down. We have

to pass it down to faith. Faith is the substance

of things hoped for and evidence of things not

seen. It's got to go on. It's impossible to please

God without faith. And I'm trying to get to where

I'm trying to get. And just to touch back up

on this. And that's what he preached to us last

week. You send them to school with faith. You

send them believing. You don't send them alone.

You send God with them. Amen. We've led them

to the Lord. You've led them to the Lord. And

they lead them to the Lord in kids' church. And

they lead them to the Lord on Wednesday nights.

And they preach to them the gospel. And so they're

not going alone. But I'm telling you, we're in

a generation in the world who do not know Christ.

That's what happened in Judges 2. There was a

generation after Joshua who rose up and did not

know the Lord. But I'm going to tell you, if

you bring them here, they're going to know who

the Lord is. Amen. We're going to teach them

and we're going to preach them. And I'm trying

to pass down the distinctives. You can trust

God. You can believe God for anything you need

in your life. Amen. I told you the other week

that little quote that we read, any burden that's

too small to pray about. is too small to worry

about. Amen? So if you're worrying over it, take

it to the Lord in prayer. Pass down faith. Faith

believes before it sees, and whether it sees

or not, that's faith. Faith prays when nothing

changes. Hello? Because prayer isn't about what

changes. It's about my trust and confidence in

God. The more you pray, the more you're in communion

with God, the less you worry about whether the

thing changes or not. You're just concerned about

being in his presence. Faith praises before the

breakthrough ever comes. Matter of fact, that's

one of the purest forms of faith that you can

exhibit toward God is that you praise God in

the middle of the storm. Whether the storm's

breaking, whether the clouds are parting, whether

peace is on its way or not, the purest form is

faith. It's when you praise God because you know

he can. Whether he does or not is not the issue,

but he can at any moment break into your situation

and breakthrough be evident in the power of your

life. Because of the power of the grace of God.

Because by faith. Faith comes by hearing. Hearing

by the word of God. And we move from faith to

faith. We have to pass these distinctives on.

Generations that are following must hear the

testimonies of God's miraculous power. We keep

in prayer. Moving forward, we've got the distinctive

of prayer. We have the distinctive of faith.

We don't send them alone. We send God with them.

We ask the Holy Ghost to accompany them when

they go through school and when they've got to

make hard decisions to be right and remain right

and remain true. Holy Ghost, give them the boldness

to walk away. Amen. And he goes with them. Jesus

made that declaration. I'll go with you all the

way even to the end of the age. I'm going with

you. I'll never leave you and I'll never forsake

you. And so we instill in them the hope and the

trust and the faith that they can have in God.

That God goes with them. They don't go alone.

The distinctive of a Pentecostal church. I don't

know what it's like in many others. I've never

been to many. I don't know what they do. I don't

know how they worship. I know we don't wave an

incense canter as we come down. I don't have

a nice gold pole that I walk with. I'd use it

to duck hunt with probably. Keep me from falling

in the mud. Probably more practical use. Lord,

I said that, didn't I? All I know is what I've

cut my teeth on. All I know is what they teach

and preach and practice in the church of God.

Amen. And what has been lived out in front of

me as testimony as to the power and the wonder

-working power of God. The saving power of Jesus

Christ. The cleansing power of the blood of that

sacrificial lamb. Amen. Jesus washed me. That's

all I know. And all I know is there is an ability

that's gifted to me from the Spirit to live a

sanctified life. I'm about to say a strange word

anymore today. Living a sanctified life. A life

separated, untainted, untouched, unmarked by

the world and the practices and the acts of the

world. Can I tell you the Holy Spirit is able

to sanctify you and set you apart. You do not

have to be dominated by the power and the effects

of sin in your life. The devil don't have to

have his way with you. There is a power of grace

and we need to pass down to this next generation.

You need to be sanctified by the Holy Ghost and

the washing of the regeneration of the Word of

God. Because when he sanctifies you, it prepares

you for a habitation of his indwelling. and you

need the power of the Holy Ghost in your life.

Woo! They need to know that God still baptizes

according to His Word. The parameters and the

instruction and the infallibility of His Word.

Peter said, And to as many as the Lord our God

shall call, this that is that which was prophesied

by Joel is available. the Holy Ghost. Matter

of fact, you need the Holy Ghost. Well, I don't

know about that talking in tongues part. Well,

get over that part. You use your tongue every

day. The problem is we have to yield it for just

a brief moment to the Holy Ghost. That's your

problem. You don't want to yield it. Well, I'm

afraid. Of what? Of who? You're afraid. Well,

I'm afraid. Scared. Scared of what? I told a

young lady yesterday down at the cams, new minister's

training coming in, getting started. We have

entrance interviews. One of the questions is

you have to start making sure they understand

the doctrine and the teaching of the church of

God. Right? Do you believe in the baptism of

the Holy Ghost with the initial, the initial,

somebody say that with me, initial evidence of

speaking in other tongues as, somebody say as,

the Spirit gives the utterance. Yes, we believe

that. So my next question is, have you received

since you believe? The young man who's coming

for his credential said, well, I have. Then he

kind of just leaned, it was funny, he just kind

of leaned to the left a little bit and said,

but she hasn't. And that kind of put the whole

weight right on her shoulders. You know what

I'm saying? And man, the Holy Ghost said to me

real quick, ease her, comfort her. And I looked,

I said, sis, I said, I don't know why, but the

Lord just want me to tell you this. The Holy

Ghost is a perfect gentleman. He will never embarrass

you. He's not going to embarrass you. He's not

going to make you do something that's just really

going to make you look like a fool. No, he does

that to me. Because he knows I could care less

what others think. Woo! I really don't. And son,

the Spirit of the Lord moved in there. The Holy

Ghost moved right there. She began to weep. And

I missed God. And I've repented since about 2

.30 yesterday. I've been repentant. I missed

him. Holy Ghost is all over me, brother Don.

Crying, sobbing right there at the table. And

for the life of me, why I did not get up, walk

around that table and say, sis, if you'll just

raise your hands. It don't have to be in a crowd.

It doesn't have to be out in public. He'll feel

you right here if you'll let him. But not head

me. Sobbed and sucked and blew my snot and we

went on with the interview. And I've repented

ever since. I said, oh God, give me another chance.

I said, I'm not getting by here today without

giving somebody a chance to receive the baptism

of the Holy Ghost. We are a spirit -filled church.

We believe it. The Holy Ghost is still available.

Still pouring out from heaven. That this is still

that that was prophesied by the prophet Joel.

In the last days, saith God, I'll pour out my

Spirit upon all flesh. Young men, old men, dreaming

dreams and having visions. And your maids and

your handmaidens are going to prophesy. Because

this is that. In Acts chapter 2, and when the

Acts 2 · chapter mention

day of Pentecost had fully come. They were gathered

together in an upper room. Why were they in an

upper room? Luke 24. Before Jesus' ascension,

after the resurrection. Are you with me? He leads

his disciples outside the city to the place called

Bethany. And they stop. And he lifts his hands.

And he blesses them. My God, I feel this thing

right now. And this is not even in my notes today.

He blessed them. And then he instructed them.

And he said, go tarry ye in Jerusalem until you

be endued with power from on high. Told them

where to go. This is day 40 after the crucifixion

and resurrection. 40 days Jesus had showed himself

openly. The scripture says to as many as 500.

At one visit. Because I'm going away. If I don't

go. The promise of the father cannot come. But

I'm going. We pick up in Acts 1. Luke is continuing

to write. And while they were standing. He gives

them. Verse 8 of chapter 1. You'll be witnesses

of me after. Somebody say after. And you'll be

witnesses unto me after that the Holy Ghost has

come upon you. And you're going to be witnesses.

Jerusalem. Judea. Samaria. to the uttermost parts

of the world. And as he was speaking, he began

to ascend. Oh, I could just close my eyes and

picture this. Jesus is standing dirt level talking

with them. And then as he's talking, maybe about

the time he gets to Judea, they're kind of tilting

their head up. By the time he gets to, you'll

be into the uttermost parts after the Holy Ghost.

They're looking up at him like this. The mouths,

the higher he goes. We're talking Bible here.

Are you with me? I'm not making this up. This

isn't make -believe. This isn't fairy tale. This

is the real deal. And he begins to ascend right

in front of their very eyes. And you know how

it is. The further your head goes up, the wider

your mouth gets. It's just a thing. We just do

it. I can see them about the time he's about

to get outside. Amazement. What just happened?

And while they stand there, there's these angels

that appeared, and they're looking up and looking

at them. You ever done that? You see somebody

staring up, you'll start going. Right? And then

if you don't really quickly see what they're

looking at, you say, what you looking at? Now

that's the water's paraphrase of what the angel

said. What you looking at? Looking up, looking

down. You know, it wasn't new to them. Why stand

you gazing? What are you staring at? What do

y 'all keep staring up into heaven for? He told

you this was going to happen. Fellas, this same

Jesus, my God, I feel it this morning. They said,

boys, this is how I would have said it if I was

that angel. Boys, what y 'all looking at? What

are you so amazed for? He told you this was going

to happen. It's exactly what he said was going

to happen. What are you looking at? Why are you

standing here staring at the sky? You've got

a job to do. Let's get busy. This generation

needs to know they don't have to wait until they're

my age or your age to get busy. Because they've

got friends dying and going to hell all around

them. So why are we standing around gazing with

our mouths gapped open? This same Jesus. This

same Jesus in like manner. Oh Lord. He shall

come again. Just like you've seen him go is the

way he's coming back. That's where I want to

go into that. I see Jesus coming in the clouds.

Oh I I hear trumpets sounding so loud. I'd sing

the rest of it if I knew the words. This generation,

don't you, let me talk to us right now. Let me

talk to our generation. Don't start giving up

on Jesus' coming. Don't get in this crowd. Well,

I've heard that all my life. Well, your life

ain't but a drop in the bucket anyhow. It ain't

been a millisecond toward eternity, our little

short life. I'm just saying. But we begin to

equate the promise of God in accordance to our

fallibility, not his infallibility. Well, I've

heard that all my life. I think I'm just going

to quit. Well, you just go right on ahead and

go on to hell if you want to. He's on down there.

But I'm not. Because I realize that my life is

just a flash in the pan. And when I begin to

see what's going on around us today, I'll get

back and preach again next week probably on the

two that I'm missing this morning. On the distinctive

of praise and worship. We're going to get there.

But we got hung up right here this morning because

somebody in here needs to know you don't need

to quit right now. I don't care what has transpired,

what you looking at, what you hung up on. This

same Jesus who made the promise and before you

is living it out. This same Jesus is coming again.

I know you're going through hell. That's all

right. Old Ron Canole said, when you're going

through hell, Don't stop. Amen? Don't stop. If

you catch in hell, my Lord, don't hold it. Let

it go. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Well, I can't

see him, but you've got his promise. And that

same Jesus that promised. He got out of their

vision. He got out of their peripheral. He got

out of their sight. But they're still looking.

They're still hung up. But the mandate is you

go. We got to be going. There's a generation

that needs to know what you know about God. They

need to know what God has done in your life.

That's how we overcome the blood of the Lamb.

And the word of our testimony. I shared with

them this morning. My faith is built when I hear

what God has done in your life. My faith is built

when I see what he has done in the life of a

little bitty innocent baby. My faith is built

when I see where our brother John was at and

where he is, but yet where he's to be. Because

a hand of God has intervened. Many of you are

here today because a hand of God has intervened.

And these young people need to know that that

intervention matters. It matters. And we're here.

And he's here to do great and mighty and wonderful

things. So these distinctives that we're endeavoring

to pass on are spirit -filled, spirit -mandated.

We believe that Jesus is alive. I believe he's

alive. I believe the Holy Ghost is still available.

You know why I cannot be convinced that spirit

baptism with the evidence and speaking in tongues

has stopped, ceased, that God doesn't do that

anymore? Can I be honest with you this morning?

Let me tell you why that no one can convince

me. I don't care how they parse verbs of the

Greek. I don't care what you do. You can't convince

me that God still doesn't baptize in the Holy

Ghost. Well, pastor, why not? Because he baptized

me. You showed up late. You showed up late. Because

I know I didn't know what to say. And when from

the crown of my head to the sole of my feet he

came in, it just come out. And I had no better

sense than just surrender the will of my tongue.

Well, what do I say? It doesn't matter what you

say. It's an angelic language. It's a heavenly

language. You ain't going to know it anyhow unless

he gives someone else the interpretation thereof.

Honduras. Working in an altar. About a thousand

people in this church. San Pedro Sula. Altar

full. I'm talking about folks in the other parts

of the world. They know how to respond to God

better than we do. Matter of fact, they respond

like we used to. They come a running. It's full.

You just got your hands holed up. You're just

laying hands on folks and working through and

trying to drag a translator with you to tell

it when the Lord gives you something to give

them. Well, after this service over, they're

carrying people out. It was one of them, boy.

There's a young man set about right here where

Ken's at. He sat there until everybody was gone.

And he come up to me. Never seen this boy in

my life. He said, do you know Spanish? I said,

taco burrito. Hola. Buenos dias. That's what

this southern redneck thing I got. I said, brother,

that's about it. He said, well, I was just wondering.

Translator couldn't catch up. He said, you prayed

in perfect Spanish. And he's weeping. He's weeping.

He didn't tell me what God told him. I didn't

need to know. That's between him and the Lord.

I said, well, receive it. And that young man

left there, I don't know what's happened to him,

I don't know what transpired to him, but I know

that you've come too late. Now look, you don't

have to receive him if you don't want to. I know

there are those out there that say that if you

don't, you can't get into heaven, but that's

not the criteria for heaven. I told you earlier,

the criteria for heaven is repentance and living

a godly life. That's it. That's how you get in.

But there is an enabling power of God to help

you live it while you're here. There are days

that I'd wondered what I'd have done if I had

not the power of the Holy Ghost. To be frank

with you, I'd have been in a lot of trouble because

I'd have slapped a lot of people. Chuckle, laugh,

do it. It's just the truth. I'd have been whooped

more times than not. That's okay too. But with

the Holy Ghost, I've been able so far by the

work of sanctification in my life. The power

of the Holy Ghost so far I've been able to maintain.

The upright walk. Not perfect because I have

to repent regularly. But this generation needs

to know that there is a power present to help

them live in the difficulties of this life. We've

got some of you that were teenagers in the 30s

in here. No, I'm just kidding. 40s. And you know

how, you know what Elvis and all them done in

the 50s for y 'all and the struggle that all

that was. It was a struggle, wasn't it? Look

at what this bunch has got to live through now.

There was at least common sense seemed to be

readily available. That's at a bare minimum these

days for this generation. Common sense in our

government, people lost their ever -loving mind.

Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil.

What the book says. We discussed it this morning.

It sickened my heart to watch that governor.

Sign into law. Abortion up to birth. Up to birth.

And you know how they get around that, don't

you? They turn them around backwards and pull

them out feet first and before they get all the

way out, then they do their deed. They're not

born till the heads clear the wound. Evil. I

don't care. I'd look them, governor, president.

I don't really care. You sign that, evil. You

stand behind them in a circle and cheer, you

need Jesus. And I hope, I don't know what they

ain't already turned over to be that kind of

evil. This generation needs to know that God

is available. And you can still stand separated.

Lord, what a presence this morning. But the only

way they're going to know that is this present

generation, me, you, us, older than them, living

in front of them. That me, you, us, they see

you pray, actually pray. Why do we have prayerless

churches and generations come? Because they see

a generation that don't pray. They need to hear

of our belief. Of what God has done. And answers

that he has provided. Or grace that he has gifted.

Sometimes it's not always about answers. It's

about that grace that he gives to endure. They

need to know. That's why we teach our children.

You don't always get what you want. You get what

you need. Stand with me. I quit. I quit. There

is a grace available. For those of you in here

this morning that do not have the baptism in

the Holy Ghost, if you want to come and seek

the baptism of the Holy Ghost, I invite you to

come. If you don't know what that is, I invite

you to start reading and studying. And begin

to develop a hunger to receive the baptism of

the Holy Spirit in your life. If you're in this

house this morning and you need God to do something

miraculous in your life, I want to pray with

you before you leave here today. Because He is

the miracle worker. If you're in this generation

that is longing and confused about everything

that's going on around you, I want you to come.

I want to pray with you that the Lord show you

things and instruct you ways in your life through

the power of His Word. I want to be a church

noted for the distinctives of the Word of God.

It's not just opinion of man. If it ain't rooted

in the book, I don't want it. If it's not in

here, I'm not going to share it with you. But

if it's in here, I'm going to share it with you

and tell you it's available for you. Father,

in the name of Jesus. Anybody need prayer in

the house, I want you to come on. I want you

to come on. If you're sick, need healing, come

on. On these Sunday morning ending altar times.

I know I may get specific at times with what

I'm inviting you for, but if you need prayer

for anything, this is where you need to come.

You need a prayer cloth. Don't wait until church

is over. Come get one. Come on down here now

and let's get one. And I want you to take it

with you. Anybody else need prayer?