Behold New Things

Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord. Amen. Good to see

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

Bibles, go ahead and be turning with me back

to Isaiah, Isaiah 43. And as you're doing that,

I want to welcome today Brother Kenneth and Sister

Bobbie Walker. They are MIP students. They're

in the MIP program, which is the Ministerial

Internship Program. They're doing their internship

at the Ocoee Church of God with Pastor Mike and

Sister Sandy Whitmire. The way the program works,

it's a nine -month program. They'll be assigned

two visits, and we were one of those, and so

I feel very... Fortunate and blessed that Dr.

Lombard would trust us, amen, with their visit.

And so it's good to have you, Brother Ken. This

is Bobby. Good to have you all with us this morning.

Amen. Make them welcome today. Hallelujah. Had

a flashback of about 30 years, and I remembered

our MIP visits. One. happened to be with Sister

Frankie at their church when they was over at

East Soddy, I think, right there at the foot

of the mountain. Sister Kathy and I came, and

I was talking to them that we spent that day

with Brother Lee and Sister Frankie, and he asked

me to preach that night, which was a great honor

for me until I remembered, or actually years

later, Sister Frankie, I figured it out. It was

also Super Bowl Sunday. And Brother Lee just

didn't want to preach that night. And so he had

me do it. Which I was grateful. That was probably

about the sixth or seventh time that I'd actually

even preached. So I was excited. Amen. Super

Bowl Sunday night or not. And we had a great

visit. I always remember that. I'll always remember

that. And we had our first visit. Didn't go as

well as it did with Brother Lee and Sister Frankie.

Pastor didn't have time for us that day. And

that's a wasted day. Look, y 'all know me by

now. Right? But what I was sharing with them

was Sister Kathy and I made a commitment. If

we were ever in that position, Brother Milton,

that if people ever came. The Lord saw fit for

them to sit under that we would always honor

them. Amen? And make it the best day whenever

they leave and they gather with their MIP students

and they do this. They talk about their visits.

Hopefully, Brother Kenneth, y 'all have a good

report at the Hopewell Church. They're getting

barbecued today on us. That'll be worth a trip

anyway. All right, let's take a deep breath together

and get ready to dive in. So, you clock watchers,

it is 11 .23. You can officially start my time

now. Isaiah 43. We'll just read 18 and 19. Isaiah

43, 18, 19. But you'll need to read the entirety

of this chapter. How many of you have read it

since we've been out? Good. Verse 18 reads, Remember

not the former things, neither consider the things

of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it

shall spring forth, shall you not know it. I

will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers

in the desert. I want to refresh our mindset

toward this new year. Today is exactly one month.

since the last time I preached. So prepare yourselves.

If you just get where you can't endure no more,

if you've pre -ordered barbecue, they'll be waiting

and you can get it and go on to the house. But

I am going to take my time this morning and just

preach. I think we need a refresher. Of what

the Lord's emphasis is and what the Spirit wants

to emphasize in our hearts and lives for the

new year. Amen. So we're going back. How many

was here the second Sunday of January? Was that

your shift? Okay. So we're going to be, if the

second Sunday is your Sunday, behold new things.

That's what I have felt in my heart. It's probably

October or November when we were here looking

at getting all this stuff in mind and focusing

and doing some things. And just walking through,

the Lord just laid this on my heart. This is

what I want you to emphasize for 2026. is behold

new things. And it's not what we can bring about

new in our own lives, but what it is that God

desires new for you. I'll pray for you if you

pray for me, and we'll make this as expedient

as possible. Just so you know, I have tried to

get a hold of myself with some of the ramblings

that take place during my preaching. I'm trying

to get a hold of that. And trying to check it

in. It is not my intention to go for an hour

every time. I promise you. So I'm going to try

to stop what I'm doing now. And focus more on

the preaching from here on. Okay? Let's pray.

Father, we love you. We thank you for your goodness

and your mercy. And the abundance of your grace

and love toward us. God, you know I need your

help. If I'm going to cut that stuff out, it's

got to be you. So you help me today. Lord, that

we be expedient with the timing of your people,

Lord. I take it not for granted, but neither

do I take for granted the atmosphere that we're

in now. I have longed for and I have missed it

so desperately. Lord, to stand in the pulpit,

I'm feeling my heart's leaping. My breath is

short because it's been a while and I don't want

to mess up, Lord. So you use me today as we surrender

our ears, our hearts to your word and your spirit.

In Jesus' mighty name, tell your neighbor it's

time for something new. Often we quote a phrase,

it's what great things he has done. And truly,

the Lord has done great things in our lives.

Amen. Each of us, if we'll stop and examine,

no matter how young or old, we have a testimony

of the goodness and the greatness of God in our

lives. If you're still here, amen. Just the other

Wednesday, a few Wednesday nights, one of the

last ones we had, the hand of the Lord was on

some of our young 'uns as they were leaving and

had an accident right up here to Red Light. The

hand of God, just those things sometimes we take

for granted, but what great things. God has done,

amen, what the Lord does. He does those things

daily for us and in our life every single day.

A wonderful statement, which in itself causes

us to stir up a ready praise. When you think

of that one thing that comes to your mind, that,

man, that was a great thing the Lord does, doesn't

it cause something to well up inside of you and

just, whoo, hallelujah, amen? The Lord was good.

He's great, and he's wonderful toward us, and

it calls up. and overflowing from our heart out

of the believer that flows through their mouth

and giving him great honor and great glory. So

we find ourselves, if we're not careful, we have

to take great care. in focusing on who God is,

not only what God has done for us, but who God

is and what God has in store and what God desires

to do in our lives. And as we remind ourselves,

and it could serve as a reminder for us, that

God is fully aware of everything that is concerning

us. If we go back to the first Sunday of the

year, remember we preached that message. What's

concerning you? What is it? that God is mindful

of that's going on in your life that he's going

to release his great glory, his great grace into

the faith that you release into him. What is

it that is going on? What is concerning us? Because

if we really stop and focus, there are some things

that they may be in the back of our mind, but

they're there. There's this subconscious gnawing

that goes on, and you just can't quite put a

finger on it sometimes. And then when you're

sitting quietly and in a moment, come to the

forefront of your mind. This is what's concerning

me. This is really at the root. Have you ever

heard that hurt people hurt people? Have you

ever heard that statement when people are lashing

out and they're being obstinate sometimes and

you can't hardly be around them? Sometimes it's

good to stop and say, Lord, what's really going

on within them? What is happening to them? Because

hurt people lash out and hurt because many times

we don't know how to respond in any other way.

So what is it that causes you possibly to lash

out. What is concerning you? But know if there's

something concerning you, it also concerns the

God of glory. Amen. And that he is ever mindful

of what is going on in our lives. As we have

begun this year, now we're six weeks in. This

is the sixth Sunday of the new year. And as we

begin it, we do so with an emphasis of behold

new things. And so as we stop and begin to process

and step forward, the first steps towards those

new things is that we have to break the unbeneficial

cycles of 2025. That thing that causes just to

go around and put you back in the same mode of

operation. We would call it status quo. Amen.

It is what it is. It's just what is, what is

going on. It's the moment and the action of the

moment for this alpha generation, gen alpha,

it would be six, seven. There you go. That's

status quo, eh? Six, seven. For you boomers,

that's six of one, half a dozen of another. Just

so you know I can bridge the chasm. It's what's

transpiring at the very moment. But we have to

know that in order to step forward, the goodness

of God and the new things that God has in store

for us, we have to break unbeneficial cycles.

And if you remember, we talked about prayerlessness.

If you want God to do something new in your life,

you're going to have to start doing something

new in your life. If you're absent prayer, don't

expect God to move where there is no seed being

sown. You've got to pray. If you want God to

break up new things into your life, then you've

got to learn to get into the Word of the living

God and let the Word of God sprout new hope,

new faith, new life inside of you. If you're

not doing those things, you've got to break some

unbeneficial cycles and allow the grace and the

glory of God. You must remember this one thing,

that cycles thrive on memory. Revelation. Cycles.

Oh, Lord, it's memory without revelation. We

can remember, but there's no insight as to how

to move and past and beyond. But know this, God

does not desire that you stay in a state of status

quo. God wants us moving forward continually.

The only time he wants you in the same position

is when he stops and you stop with him. Don't

you remember we sung about the cloud this morning?

When the cloud moves, you move. Amen. When the

cloud stops, you pitch a tent. That's all I'm

looking for is which way is the cloud moving.

If the cloud's moving, I do not desire to be

left behind because I know this one thing. If

God is leading me forward and I stay in the status

quo, then the cycles of unbeneficial acts in

my life will never be broken. But when the Spirit

of God... begins to move and begins to lead me

forward. Then it tells me that God has something

new for me. What did the psalmist say in 23?

He's going to lead us beside still waters. He's

going to lead us into greener pastures. You've

fed where you are quite long enough, and he's

ready to take you in to some greener pastures.

If you've been in turmoil and torment, he's ready

to take you beside the still water and cause

you to rest. Hallelujah. Always remember Hebrews

11 and 1, now faith is a substance of things.

Now, this behold new things, we have to understand

what are things. What is a thing? By definition,

a thing is an object that one need not, cannot,

or does not wish to give a specific name. I begin

to mull that over in my head. Y 'all know what

mull it over is, right? Okay, I just want to

make sure. I begin to mull that definition over.

It's one thing, and I really didn't dive into

that four weeks ago. So this is fresh for me

as well as I begin to look into the thought behind

the definition itself. Behold new things. Behold

something that I cannot or that I wish not. Put

a specific name or title to. There are some things

I don't want around long enough to name it. Oh,

come on, somebody. There's some things and some

cycles in my life that I don't want to stay around

long enough to name it. That's the reason most

goldfish have one name. And when they float up

the next one, you just call it the same thing

because it don't want to last much longer either.

Amen. There's some things in my life that have

transpired. There's some things that the enemy

brings around to and against me that I don't

want hanging around long enough to give it a

name. Because once you give it a name, it becomes

a pet. I love. what the author of Hebrews says.

Now let us lay aside the weight and every sin

that does set ourself against us. I'm ready to

put some things off, aren't you? I'm ready to

lay aside some stuff. Because when you begin

to name it, it becomes attached to you. And there's

some things that are going on that I definitely

do not wish to be attached to me. But there's

some things that I also cannot label. There's

some things that I cannot name. And that's the

goodness of the Lord. I cannot begin to describe

to you. What it is that he's doing. Such great

grace and the marvel of his trust that is being

released into our lives every day. He never ceases

to amaze. And I don't want to put a name on it.

Simply because I cannot. What's God doing with

you? Well, I just really can't describe it to

you. People say, well, I just don't know how.

I say, well, I can't tell you how either. Oh,

you'd be amazed. People call and text, well,

we're praying for you. Well, thank you, we need

it. I was telling Sister Barbara this morning,

she stopped by the office and sharing some things

and she's getting relieved. I want you to know

that I pray every day for you and Sister Kathy.

And I said, thank you, we need it. And I said,

I used to say this, we need to pray and you need

to practice. Come on, somebody. I need the prayer

and you need the practice. So if you'll practice

praying for me when the time comes for you need

to intercede for yourself, you'll be well orientated

with the manner of prayer. And when you come

boldly to the throne of grace, God won't have

a problem recognizing your need because you've

brought somebody else's need before you. And

he'll have no problem answering you. And he's

going to do some new things in your life that

you cannot, will not, wish not, and no way fathomable

possible. Put a label on it. That's what I'm

talking about. Behold a new thing. I want God

to do some things in your life that you simply

cannot label, that you are at a loss of words

for. Now faith is a substance of things. Hope

for something that I can't label, something that

I cannot mark. It's the evidence of things that

I cannot see. I don't want this junk that I can

see because I definitely don't want this stuff

sticking to me. So I refuse to name it and label

it. You know how it is. How many of you folks

ever had stray dogs or cats come around your

place? Dad's words. Do not feed that animal.

Don't give it any scraps. Run that thing out

of the yard. Why? Because the moment you feed

it, it begins to take up residence. Oh, come

on now. I'm about to preach right here. And the

moment it takes up residence, well, I guess we

got to name it. So when the old devil starts

showing up on your doorstep, don't feed it. When

he starts creeping into your mind with the evil

of the age and the evil of the day, and he begins

to sow seeds of doubt, honey, don't you dare

feed it. Because once you feed it, you've got

to name it, and when you name it, you own it.

The very moment you begin to confess things over

your own life, honey, you've named it and you're

starting to own it. Well, I'm depressed, are

you? Well, you've named it. Since you've named

it, you might as well pet it. Because you own

it now. What have you been petting? What have

you been feeding? Let's try some things according

to the word of God. Speak to things that are

not as though they were and the things that are

as though they won't be. That's the water's parallel

at the end. That's like Brother Swaggart's old,

his version of his Bible, his own little. Commentary

on it. That's my commentary on that. I have no

desire to feed some of the things the enemy tries

to bring to my doorstep. Reality is enough. I've

told you before. I'm not an optimist. I'm not

a pessimist. I am a realist. One of the statements

that kindly, it's like that 6 -7 thing. It can

make your skin kindly crawl every time you hear,

well, it is what it is. Well, it is as long as

you let it be what it is. Well, there's some

things I cannot change. Agreed. Agreed. But nothing

is impossible with him. Nothing is impossible

with God, and nothing is impossible with those

who believe. When you begin to declare by faith,

yeah, you may have to walk through some of it,

but I'm here to tell you, a stray dog of the

enemy gets close enough to me, it's going to

get rocked and sent down the road. Now, he may

show back up, but he won't show back up because

I put out a pile of feed. I'm resisting him with

every ounce and fiber of faith and grace that

exists within me. I'm putting him to flight.

Why? Because I draw not. Because when I draw

nigh unto God, he draws nigh unto me. And when

I resist the devil, he must flee from me. Why?

Because I invoke the authority that's in the

name of Jesus Christ. See, this is brand new.

Behold, a new sermon from the old. New things

never come from maintaining the status quo. Status

quo is simply what it is at the moment. That

is not God's desire for my and your life to remain

in status quo. Well, how can you say that? Because

He is not a status quo God. If his mercies, according

to lamentation, are new every morning, that's

not status quo. It's different. I cannot put

a defining statement on his mercy for today.

Already I've encountered, and this very moment,

I am experiencing his marvelous mercy. New, it's

fresh, it's for today. It's like the manna that

falls from heaven. Why do you think the Lord

said, you can't eat that stuff, but one time

it'll only last for one extra day, and that's

when you gather for the Sabbath? Every other

day, it's going to have worms in it when you

get up in the morning. I want you to have new.

I want you to have fresh every day. So we have

faith to faith. We have grace to grace. We have

glory to glory. Glory. Faith on top of faith.

Grace up on top of grace. Glory on behalf of

glory. The infinite waves of his glory. They

are new every day. His faith in us is bound by

his grace to you. My Lord, and as long as you

trust his grace, it's to you. His faith for you

will lift you up and carry you beyond because

your faith truly is in him and his abundance

of grace. New things. Woo! Hey, neighbor, let's

have something new. Well, three of us are going

to have it. The rest of you, got to help get

your mind made up. Now, see, right here is one

of those moments I was talking about earlier.

I mean, we could go down a little road right

there, but I'm not going to do that. We get through

this introduction, we'll preach this message.

Matter of fact, let's go ahead with point number

one. refuse to step in the trap of what used

to be. Refuse to step in the trap of what used

to be. Verse 18, remember not the former things.

Israel's problem wasn't that they forgot God,

it's that they just couldn't forget what God

had done. They couldn't trust him enough to do

new things. And the whole time he's trying to

do something new, they're still hung up at a

Red Sea crossing, which, by the way, That's a

place to get hung up. Man, I can't get over that.

Did you see that? Man, the ground was dry. Boy,

it was, wasn't it? He's trying to get you into

a promised land, and you're still amazed at the

dry ground. He's trying to get you to feast on

milk and honey, and you're looking up, where

are the manna for today? I sure would have looked

out for some quail eggs. Smoke us some quail

wings. Boy, I miss the quail. What about those

grapes? What about the cluster of promise? And

the two that were left were thinking, if y 'all

would come on. Joshua and Caleb, if y 'all would

come on, I'll show you something. We've seen

it. We've seen what God wants to do. Oh, come

on now. We have lived and encountered and experienced

what God has done. Pharaoh dying in the Red Sea

was marvelous. But there's giants over there

that he wants to have to fall at your feet. I

don't know about that. Giants, you say? Them

other ten cowards, oh, we were like grasshoppers

in our own eyes. Well, there you go. Keep speaking

it over yourself. Huh? There it is. They named

it. Fear showed up and they gave it a name. They

labeled it and began to feed it and fed it to

everyone around them. Joshua and Caleb jumps

up and says, no. We are more than able. Why?

Because you missed the concept of getting out

of Egypt. You missed the concept of the Red Sea.

You missed the concept of the manna. You missed

the concept of the quail. You missed the concept

of water flowing out of the rock. God was demonstrating

to you that when he got us over here, he's more

than enough and more than able if we'll allow

him by faith. Remember not the former things.

Why? Because in our personal lives, we're new

creatures. I hope you are. I hope you're a new

creature. If you're not, you need to have a new

encounter. Behold, old things pass away. Behold,

all things become new. We become new creatures.

New creations in Christ. Pastor Brown and I have

been discussing a lot, and I've been discussing

with others the influence of social media on

the church and the effects in the church and

how it affects it. I don't know how it affects

you, but I've allowed it to kind of suck me in.

It's a vortex. It'll suck you in. But at the

same time, I try to... Wanted to try to keep

my thumb on the pulse, or at least that's an

excuse, I guess. I guess you could get down to

the concept, the world's evil, it's always going

to be evil, and the evil's always going to try

to creep itself into the church. But I guess

it helps to kind of know how it's slipping in.

There seems to be a dilution of faith. There

appears to me to be a desire to dilute the purity

of the blood of Jesus Christ and the requirement

of those who claim its application to their life

because of platform. Let me tell you something.

Bitter and sweet water, according to the word

of God, cannot come from the same fountain. We

are in this world, but we've been called out

of darkness into his marvelous light so that

we no longer are of this world. The actions and

behaviors of our life should be in alignment

in accordance to the word of God. And the celebrity

Christendom, the devil would like nothing more

than that to sweep across from border to border

of every nation around this world. Why? Because

there's no separation required. There's no holiness

demanded. Then it gets applauded. Nope, not by

me. Makes my skin crawl, matter of fact. That

the sacrifice of the Son of God is tread upon

that lightly. That's the way I see it. Used to

be the old adage, I don't smoke, I don't drink,

I don't dip, and don't go with girls that do.

That's what I'm talking about. When you live

in a place called Snuff Holler, come on. Now

y 'all are about to pull me in. I'm not going

to do it. You try. Lord, touch somebody. Be with

someone this very moment. If it's an accident

or a sickness, touch and heal. Let your divine

glory be present where they are now. Watch over

those who are in response, those who are going

to the situation. Touch and proclaim peace. I

pray that every time I hear one, no matter where

it's going or what direction it's headed. Prayed

it the other Wednesday night when we heard it

in this sanctuary, not knowing that it was two

of our very own. Prayed the hand of God quickly.

We must retain the purity and the holiness of

God. One thing I will not be charged with when

we stand together and I give an account for your

soul. They'll never read from the record of the

angel that is written. You never warn them against

sin and living a holy life. That's one charge.

That will not be mine. You must live a separated

life. Don't fall into the ploy of celebrity quote

-unquote Christianity. The true heart of conversion,

you will see it removed from the situations.

Well, they're doing good, are they? Well, they're

lifting up Jesus. Are they? Well, y 'all go watch

it. I've seen enough of it. I heard what they

said. Where's the fruit of the life? Are you

and I not going to be judged by our fruit? Not

solely along by our confession or what we say?

Are our fruit not going to be what is judged

by the eyes of God? In accordance to the commandments

of his word, he said, if you don't follow my

commandments, you have no part with me. No matter

what you say. That's the reason James said, look,

I will demonstrate to you my faith by my works.

But my works will prove to you my faith. I pray

for every one of those testimonies that I hear.

I think, oh, Lord, truly convert. And then you

see this other thing. You see what they say here,

how they act. I think, Lord, help them. Put somebody

in their path. It's just as bad to watch some

Christian celebrities on TV. I got to get on.

We are to remind ourselves that God is good in

his faithfulness, and that's what he was telling

Israel here in this 43rd chapter. I think it's

20 -some -odd times in 19 verses the personal

pronoun I is used. I, I, I, the Lord declaring

himself. Over and over and over and over and

over. And as you read it, God, I know that I've

done this for you. And you know that I've done

this for you. But that is not all that I wish

to do for you. I have sent into Babylon. And

the princes are coming down. It's already done.

I've already set it into motion. It's already

going to happen. I'm already going to deliver

you. I told you. Did I not tell you 70 years

that I'm coming after you? Time is drawing to

an end. I'm coming for you. Hear this today.

Today he has declared that he will come again.

The Son of Man shall appear in the clouds of

glory. He will return. And he said it and he

will do it. And even so now my heart longs for

his coming. Five minutes. I'll try to wind this

down. God proclaims your future. Behold, I will

do a new thing. God wants to do some things in

your life that you cannot label. He wants to

bless you in ways that you cannot fathom. And

it's not always financially. Sometimes it is.

Hallelujah. But there's more going on in life

than finances. Behold, I'll do a new thing. It's

a declaration. It's a promise. It's not a refurbished

thing, a recycled thing. It's not a sequel. It's

a new one. God says, I will never change my character

and my nature. I am who I am. But my methods

in your life, I wish to renew daily so that you

know that I am ever mindful. I don't want the

same thing every day. Sister Kathy's about to

probably get tired of bacon and eggs for breakfast.

I change it up every now and then I do smoked

sausage and eggs. Surprised her the other day

with some waffles. I could eat the bacon and

eggs every day and it never bothered me. But

I'm not just cooking for me. Now the shoe's on

the other foot and I wondered how for 30 some

odd years she was able to please me. Then I begin

to think, huh. I guess I need to fix something

besides. Something new. God wants to do something

new for you. If there's a willingness in your

life to break these unprofitable cycles of your

life, things that are not bringing, he proclaims

your future. Thirdly, do not. Dismiss the small

things. Because God can manifest through small

things in your life and they become monumental.

Right? Don't miss it. So many times the Lord

says, shall it not spring forth? And you remember

we discussed that little word spring. We think

of a spring, boing, you know, tigger, boing.

That's not the implication. It's to break forth.

It's to push through. It will spring like the

young tender plant. Shall you not know it? It

shall spring forth. Look, you've got to be watching

for the simple things and the small things that

God's doing in your life. so that you don't overlook.

And when you begin to focus on that, how many

of you have ever sat down and tried to write

out the good things of God, the blessings of

God in your life? And when you begin to consider

one, well, you've got to think about another,

and it leads to another, and it leads to another.

And then when it gets down to it, it's some of

the smallest, minute things, but then you begin

to realize that, yes, that's God springing these

things up. It's breaking forth. It's coming through.

He is El Parazim, which actually is the Hebrew

for the God of the breakthrough. Breakthrough.

Breaking through that which is over you, trying

to hold you. That's the reason Jesus said, unless

a corn of wheat fall into the ground, it dieth

alone. But if it falls in the ground and it is

covered, then when it comes forth, it brings

forth much more fruit. If you remember, I posed

that question to you. What is dying in you? What

is that? That uncomfortable thing that God's

trying to root out so that he can cause something

to spring up. Shall you not know it? Number four

was if all seems lost, don't give up. I'll make

a way in the wilderness, the Lord said. I'll

make a way in your wilderness, rivers in your

desert. You go back to the first of the chapter.

This is a re -emphasis of what he told them in

the first few verses. He said, you're going to

walk through the fire and it's not going to burn

you. You're going to go through the flood and

it's not going to rush over you. One of my favorite

stand it in spite of it scriptures is when the

enemy comes in like a flood, he'll raise up a

standard against it. That's always been one of

my, my Lord, I need a standard today. I always

go back to helping pops roll logs on the bed

of an old two -ton truck when we was in the pulp

woods. And I'd have to get out there with an

old can hook and help pop roll them 12, 14, 16,

18 -inch logs. We'd roll them things up, and

it'd always be the hottest day when it comes

loading time. And you'd have to roll them old

logs up one hook at a time. And it hit that trailer

because Pops always parked the truck down a little

bit lower so we could roll it off and it hit

and it'd roll on over. But they wouldn't roll

off on the ground because Pops had a standard

or two on the other side of the old truck bed.

And my mind goes to that. When I feel like I'm

about to roll off, I can't roll off because there's

a standard waiting to catch me. When I feel like

I'm getting washed away by the flood of life,

I'm not getting washed away because I take hold

of a standard. And the standard I take to is

his faithfulness and his holiness. and his love

and his joy and his grace that he bestows upon

my life. I take hold of the standard of the power

and the ever -presence of the Holy Ghost that

resides in me. And I cannot, like a tree that's

planted by the rivers of living water, I shall

not be moved. Been a few times I'm holding on

to that standard and my feet's flopping behind

me. Then that's when I realize I don't have hold

of the standard. The standard has a hold on me.

He's got a hold on me. He has a hold of you,

child of God. When the enemy tries to come in,

he'll raise up a standard. Stand with me. 1201.

Somebody say praise the Lord. Because I got two

other pages I was going to, but we won't. I guess

I'll save that for next week. The Lord's willing.

We're going to talk about how to engage the new

thing. How to engage the new thing. It almost

feels like since we've not been together for

so long and how that... Everything's transpired.

To me, it just feels like this is almost like

the first Sunday of the new year. Because January,

you know how it hits us anyway. It's just like,

oh, I don't know how to deal with that. But here

we are firmly six weeks in. I wonder, has any

of those old cycles tried to kick back up? Those

unprofitable. practices, try to re -engage themselves,

interject back into your life. I've called it

stinking thinking before. Has the enemy ever

tried to get into your mind and cause you to

start labeling things that's going on in you

and around you? Let me tell you, resist that

with everything that's within you. Just because

it shows up don't mean you have to feed it. You

don't have to feed it. Do not feed doubt. Don't

feed unbelief. Don't pet and play with fear.

You don't have to. You can put it on down the

road. Pick your pocket of rocks and send it running.

Huh? Put it on its way. Unbelief, you don't have

to let that stay around. Condemnation. What's

that, Pastor? Well, that's when the devil tells

you how sorry you are. Huh? Anybody hear that

besides me? He still tries that junk on me. Well,

Lord, you're not doing this. You're not doing

that. What are you going to do? You can't do

this. You can't do that. What are you going to

do? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, you know,

you know. Several years ago, I learned the difference

between condemnation and conviction. So when

I start hearing that voice echo in my mind and

trying to drive my emotions, I just put a stop

to that. I don't feed it. I don't feed it. I

don't begin to dwell and think on it. What I

have learned and discovered is the Holy Ghost

works from my heart up, not my head down. He

always begins with something, Brother George,

down in here. And before I can get it up to here,

he brings it up. It stirs in here. It's an offense

thing. I feel like I've offended God. Can't catch

my breath. I thought, whew. So then I have to

go ask, what is this, Lord? And then he tells

me, and I sure don't pet that. Don't let the

enemy condemn you, shame you. Jesus loves you.

God desires new things, things that you cannot

have no clue on how to say what they are. I can't

tell you what God's doing, man. I wish I could.

It's just great. Lord, I love you today. Thank

you for your goodness and your mercy. Shall harm

me. Altered in the arms of God. Just keep your

eyes closed and hear this little chorus. Let

the storm rage high. They don't worry me. For

I'm sheltered within the arms of God. He walks

with me. Listen. And naught of earth shall harm

me. For I'm shattered in the arms. If you need

a touch from the Lord this morning, I want to

give you that opportunity to come. I'm all in

between. I want us all to be down here. But I

think also we need to take a step of recognition.

I need the Lord this morning. And we need to

step out and make our way. God's got you. God

has got you. That standard remains. There's no

wilderness. There's no flooding. There's no high

water. There's no flame of life that can remove

the standard. It is there. He is there for you.