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Heat. [music] Heat. >> [music] >> Heat.

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[music] Heat. [music] Heat. [music] Heat.

N. [music] >> [music] >> Well, good morning church. It's good to see you this morning.

Let's stand as we [music] begin our time of worship this [singing] morning by singing the house of the Lord. >> [music] >> We worship the God [singing] who was. We worship the God who is.

We worship [singing and music] the God who ever more will be. He opened [music and singing] the prison doors. He part in the raging sea.

[music] My God, [singing] he holds the victory. There's joy [music] in the house of the Lord. There's joy in the house of the Lord [singing] today.

And we won't be quiet. >> We shout out your praise. [music and singing] There's joy in the house of the Lord.

Our God will surely in this place and we won't [music] be quiet. We shout out [singing] your praise. We shout [singing and music] out your praise.

We sing [music] to the God who heals. We sing to the God who saves. We sing to the [music and singing] God who always fades away.

Cuz he [music] hung up on that [singing] cross that he rose upon that grave. [music] My God, still rolling stones away. There's joy in the house of the Lord.

There's joy in the [music] house of the Lord today. And we won't be [singing] quiet. We shout out [music] your praise.

There's joy in the house of the Lord. Our God is [singing] surely in this place. And we won't be quiet.

We shout [music and singing] out your praise. Oh, we were the [music] beggers, now we're [singing] royalty. We were [music] the prisoners, now we're [singing] running free.

We are forgiven, accepted, redeemed by his grace. Let [singing and music] the house of the Lord sing praise. We were the beggars.

Now we're royalty. [singing and music] We were the prisoners. Now we're running free.

We are forgi, [music and singing] accepted, redeemed by his grace. Let the house of the Lord sing praise. [singing] [music] There's joy in the house of the Lord.

[singing] There's joy in the house of the Lord today. [music] And we won't be quiet. We shout on [singing] your praise.

There's joy in the house of the Lord. Our God [music and singing] is surely in this place. And we won't be quiet.

We shout [music and singing] out your praise. There's joy in the house of the Lord. There's joy [music] in the house of the Lord today.

And we walk in quiet. We shout out your praise. [music] Joy in the house of the Lord.

Our God is surely in [music and singing] this place and we won't be quiet. We shout [singing] out your praise. I stand [music] in the [singing] presence of Jesus [music] the Nazary [singing] and [music] wonder how [singing] he could love me.

A sinner condemned [singing and music] by grief. singing, [singing] "How marvelous, [music] how wonderful, [singing] and my soul shall ever be. [singing] How [music] marvelous, how [singing] wonderful is my [music] Savior's love [singing] for me.

He took [singing] my sins [music] and my sorrows. [singing] He made [music] him his very [singing] own. He [music] tore the burden unto Calary [singing and music] and suffered and died along.

[singing and music] Lift your voices, church. How marvelous, how [singing] wonderful, [music] and my soul shall [singing] ever be. How marvelous, how wonderful [singing and music] is my savior [singing and music] glory.

When with [singing] the ransom in glory his face [singing and music] I bless shall sing will [music and singing] be my joy through the ages [singing] to sing of his love for [music] me. singing how [singing] marvelous, how wonderful and my [music and singing] soul shall ever be. How [singing] marvelous, how [music] wonderful is thy Savior's [singing] love for me.

is singing. [singing and music] How marvelous, how wonderful [singing and music] and my song shall ever be. How [singing and music] marvelous, how wonderful is [singing and music] thyior.

[singing] >> Can we give God praise this morning as we're seated today? It's a pleasure to see everybody in God's house this morning. We welcome you to Calvary Baptist Church.

Couple things we want to let you know about is uh if you can remember uh uh Pastor Tony Slawson's uh family in prayer, his mother passed away. So, let's be lifting them up in prayer. And also uh Pastor Ray Long is in the hospital and we need to lift him up in prayer also.

And uh I'm sure some of you have heard the news this morning about Senator Graham passing away. Um, and so we need to lift his family up also and let's just be mindful and prayerful for that family. And we're delighted that you're here this morning.

We hope that you've come expecting God to bless you and uh so we're going to open up the service in prayer and let's just be excited about what God wants to do in our hearts and lives today. All right, let's pray together. Father, as we bow before your presence, God, we're thankful for a time that we can come and and just worship you and give you praise for all that you do, how you bless us, how you meet our every needs, God, we can't thank you enough, God, I pray this morning for our time of worship this morning.

And Lord, that you would just meet with us, God, that you'd be pleased with our worship, God, that you would touch us and God, that the words of these songs would just uh uplift the people here at this church and uplift the name of Jesus. God, I pray for pastor as he comes before us in just a little bit and and brings the message. God, I pray that you'd strengthen him and use him this morning.

God, that somebody would come to know you as savior, Lord, and master. Father, we thank you for all that you've already done. We give you praise for what you're going to do.

And Lord, we lift up these prayer requests that's already been mentioned here today. God, would you touch them in a mighty way? Lord, we'll honor you.

We'll give you praise for all that you do. It's in the name of Jesus we pray. And all God's people said, uh, this this song that the choir is fixing to sing is called My Life Is In Your Hands.

You don't have [singing and music] to worry and don't you be afraid. [singing] Joy comes in the [music and singing] morning. troubles they don't last always for [singing and music] there's a friend named Jesus who will wipe [music] your tears away [singing] and [music] if your heart is broken just lift your hands and [music and singing] say oh I know that I can [music] make it I know [singing] that I can stand.

[music] No matter what may come [singing] my way, my life is [music] in your hands. You don't have [singing and music] to worry and don't be afraid. Joy [music] comes in the morning.

[singing] Troubles may [music] last always. For [singing] there's [music] a friend named Jesus who will [singing] wipe your tears away. [music] And if [singing] your heart is broken, just lift [singing] your hands and say, [music] "Oh, I know [singing] that I can make it.

I know [music and singing] that I can stand. No [singing and music] matter what may come my way, my life is in your hands. [music] With Jesus, I can take it.

With him, [music] I know [singing] I can stand. No matter what may come [singing and music] my way, my life is in your hands. In your test [music] and trials, they seem to get you down.

And all your friends and loved [music and singing] ones are nowhere to be [music] found. Remember, there's a friend named Jesus who will [music and singing] wipe your tears away. And if [music and singing] your heart is broken, just lift your [music and singing] hands and say, "Oh, I know that I can make it.

[music] I know [singing] that I can stand. No [music] matter what may come [singing] my way, [music] my life is in your hand. With Jesus, [music] I [singing] can take it with him.

I know I can [music and singing] stay. No matter what come my [music and singing] way, my life is in your hand. [music] Oh, [singing] I know that I can make it.

I know [music and singing] that I can stand no matter what. [music] They come my way. [singing] My life is in your hand.

[music] With Jesus Christ [singing] and take it with him. I know [singing] I can stand no [music] matter what may come my [singing] way. My life is in your hands.

I [music and singing] know that I can make it. I [singing] know that I can stand. No matter what [music] may come my [singing] way, my life is in your hands.

>> [music] >> With Jesus, I [singing] can take it. With him, I know [music and singing] I can stand. No matter what come my way, [singing and music] my life is in your hands.

[music] My life is in your hands. My life is [music] in your hands. My life [music and singing] is in your hands.

Thankful that our life is in his hands. This next song says, "At the cross, love ran red." Let's stand as we sing in worship. [music] >> Oh, lift your voices to it.

There's a place where mercy reigns and never. [music] [singing] There's [music] a place [singing] where streams of grace flow deep [singing and music] and >> where all [singing] [music] the love I've ever found comes like [music and singing] a flood comes slowing down. >> [music] >> At the cross, [singing] at the cross, I surrender my life.

[singing and music] I'm in all of you. I'm in all of you. [singing and music] Where your love ran red and my sin [music] was white.

I owe [singing] all you. >> I owe [music] all you. Jesus, [music and singing] there's a place where [music] sin [singing] and shame are powerless.

[music] where my [singing] heart has peace with God and forgiveness. >> Where all [singing and music] the love I've ever found comes like [music and singing] a flood comes flowing down. [singing] At the cross.

At the [music and singing] cross. I surrender my life. I'm in [singing] all of you.

I'm in you. Where your love [singing and music] ran red and my sin was white. I [singing and music] owe to you.

Here my [music and singing] hope is found. Here on holy ground. Here [music and singing] I bow down.

Here I bow [music] down. Here arms [singing] open wide. Here you [music] save my life.

Here I bow down. Here [singing and music] I bow. At the cross.

At the cross. I surrender my [music and singing] life. I'm in all you.

I'm in [music and singing] all you. Where your love [music and singing] went and my sin was white. I [singing] [music] to you.

I to you. At the [music and singing] cross, at the cross, I surrender my [singing and music] life. I'm in all of you.

I'm in [music and singing] all of you. Where your love ran red and my sin [singing and music] was white. I owe all to you.

I owe all to you, Jesus. [music and singing] Oh, sing the scores. Oh, [singing] the [music] blood of Jesus.

Come on, sing. Oh, [singing] the [music] blood of Jesus. [singing] Oh, the [music] blood of [singing] Jesus.

It [music] washes white as [singing] snow. I'm thankful for the blood of [music and singing] Jesus. I'm thankful for the blood of [singing] Jesus.

[music] I'm thankful for the blood of [singing and music] Jesus. It washes [singing] [music] white as snow. [singing] Can we give the Lord praise this morning?

>> Thank you. May be seated. >> Amen.

Thank you, brother David. My my my. It's good to be back in God's house.

Amen. I'm telling you, I you know, sometimes you say things that you regret, but I I really really really believe that he he got it this time. I do believe that.

I I mean, it's feels different uh than it did before. as long as they told me, the doctor has told me, my family has told me, and especially my wife to be careful and to take it easy and let it get to the point that the Lord desire or not the Lord, but the Lord too, but the doctor uh desires for it to get to. But I want to say this.

I I'm so grateful. I know I was here Wednesday and and I said the same thing, but I I'm so grateful for the the men that were able to uh preach um over this last six weeks or so and how God used them. uh one one of the great privileges of being a a member of Calvary Baptist Church that we know that whenever you come that whoever is standing in this pull pit is going to preach to you the word of Almighty God.

And and that's what we need to hear. And guys, again, I I say thank you. Hopefully that won't happen.

We're at such an extension uh once again as God continues to bring uh the recovery to the body. But I want you to open your Bible. Have you got your Bible with you?

Um and hopefully you have it. Turn it to Hebrews chapter 13. And while you're turning there, Lord willing um uh next Sunday we will probably uh get back into our uh study in Philippians.

I really want to get back in there and start that verse by verse once again. But while you're turning here, there there's two things about what is going on in the church that I know that you're praying for, but also that you need to be participating in as well. And first of all is the sign up for judgment house.

Um I know again it is July and you're thinking, well that's October, but as you know they have to get uh this in place. they need for you to um sign the dotted line that you're going to be able to uh serve during those few uh weekends out of the month of October. Again, I I say this and I really believe it's true that that is the greatest evangelistic tool that uh we have here at Calvary.

And and I know that over the last um two months listening to uh those men that were were preaching and listening to what they were saying that that they were trying to encourage all of us that we are fishers fishermen of men and we're to be sharing the good news of our savior. And that is a great tool um not only as you're out at the gas station or you're at the ball field or you're at the supermarket or you're uh wherever you may be on your job, but God gives us that tool uh during those few weeks that you can go and you can be part of wherever you might be because I promise you this that God is the one that's watching what we're doing as we do that. And you may be a security guy.

You may be a door knocker. You may work in concessions. You may work in a drama part.

You may work in the counseling. But as long as you're serving in that area that God has placed you to. And then secondly also until I think couple of weeks um that there is the um opportunity for you to uh nominate men into the deacon ministry.

And and I pray that um you are seeking God and you're looking into his word. and Timothy about what God says about uh men in that position that they're who God wants them to be. And you place those men um in that on that card and you probably received them in Sunday school or they're in the back on the ministry table if you would like to get a hold of that and do that for us.

I know that it would be greatly greatly appreciated. But in uh Hebrews chapter 13, I I really want you to um listen well this morning because I I want to talk about God. Now, I know you say, "Well, that's that's shouldn't be something unfamiliar because we're in God's house.

So, wouldn't it be relevant to talk about God?" But I I want to talk about it in this point and that is are you allowing God to be the God that he deserves and desires to be in your life. You see in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 8 there is a a very to me a very unique verse of scripture. It's almost a a proclamation or an anthem per se by by the writer of Hebrews, whether it's Paul or Barnabas or whomever it might be.

But they they make a statement and and again I think this statement is very relevant for not only the day that he wrote it and also for the day that the listeners read it but also for you and me in 206 or 26 because if you'll notice what it said in that one verse it said Jesus Christ. Now we don't have to go a lot into detail about who that is but as you know whenever the writer of Hebrew the Hebrews is addressing his listeners he understands that some of them were not on the solid foundation that Jesus Christ was a man. But at the same time, Jesus Christ is God.

And you see, there were some that were debating that. There were some that were ignoring that. There there were some that were bringing in erroneous doctrines within the context of the early church.

But what the writer of Hebrews is saying that Jesus Christ and then notice he says the same. Now, now that's a very that's a very extreme word because what this writer is telling you and I is that there has never been a time where Jesus Christ never existed and there will never be a time when he does not exist. You see, because the writer is proclaiming that Jesus is God.

And then, if you'll notice, he brings in a a a timing. If you would notice, it said he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. In other words, there will never be a time where Jesus will not be.

As I was thinking about this and what God would allow me to teach to you on this Sunday morning, I I began to think about truly who God really is. I began to think of of the history of God because whenever this writer writes this verse, he said that Jesus is the same yesterday. Now, now we know that that was that is the history of God.

That yesterday he is was the same as he is today. Now, don't get bored, but I I began to think about God in the past. I began to think about how God was.

I began to think about in the book of Exodus whenever God began to move in the nation of Israel that we find them in that book that they were in bondage and they were in slavery. They had no hope. They had no They had really no um desire from day to day because they knew that today was going to be the same as yesterday.

And if tomorrow came, it would be the same. But then all of a sudden, God began to move. And God moved on a man that you and I know as Moses.

Now God did some great things in the life of Moses. Now we know that he hid him as a baby and he prepared him in a place called Midian. But then there came a time for God to fulfill the purpose for Moses.

And you remember what occurred that whenever Moses was out and about on that day that he saw a bush or a tree that would burn but it would not be consumed. You see only God can do that because you see God was calling him to a place. God was calling him to a an assignment, an agenda.

And so you know the story that God began to draw Moses unto himself and and you remember that he told Moses that I want you to go and I want you to bring the nation of Israel out of bondage of Egypt. Now understand something. Moses knew that that was going to be something that he could not do in himself.

Now now I don't want you to lose me this morning. Now stay with me. That was something that he could not do in himself.

If Moses would have went and knocked on the door of Pharaoh and said that I am here and and I desire for you to let the people of the nation of Israel go, you know what Pharaoh would do? He would slam the door and continue what he was doing. But then all of a sudden, God began to move.

And the Bible said that he sent Moses into that nation. And he did not send uh Moses into that nation just in himself. He sent him as the one that the I am was sending him.

Now just in case you forget the I am is God. Ju just in case you forget that Jesus reminds us seven times in the Gospel of John that he is the great I am. And whenever Moses went into the land of Egypt, the Bible said God began to do something that only God could do.

And he began to send those plagues upon that nation. And you all know the story that after the 10th plague was given that the firstborn male of all the families without the blood they were killed. But the Bible uh tells us that God used that opportunity to allow the nation of Israel to be taken out of bondage.

But then while they were on their journey, they faced something that they could not bring about as a solution to their problem. They found themselves on the beach of the Red Sea, and there was the Red Sea before them. But then there was the enemy of Egypt behind them.

So what were they going to do? Now, now remember with your mind, they were in a position that they could not fix themselves. If they would have tried to go over the Red Sea, many of them would have drowned.

If they would have tried to turn back and to fight the land uh army of Egypt, many of them would have been placed right back into bondage and many of them would have been killed. But you know what God did? God did something that only God could do.

And the Bible says that he opened up the Red Sea and he made walls out of that water. And he made dry sand out of that mud. And the Bible says that they walked through the Red Sea on dry ground.

Only God could do that. Only God could. They could have pleaded, but they could not have done what God did.

Whenever they went into the wilderness, God gave them water. from a rock. He gave him mana from above, constantly doing only what God could do.

Then I'm reminded of these men in the in the book of Daniel. You all you all know the story. I'm not giving you anything you do not already know.

And you remember the story of those three Hebrew men that whenever Nebuchadnezzar had a statue built of himself, you remember that whenever the music would play, whenever the people would sing, that they were all required to bow down and to worship the statue of Nebuchadnezzar. Now, if they didn't, they would be placed in a position that they could not solve within themselves. They would be thrown into a fiery furnace.

And you all know the story now. You know, I say it a lot. Are you still here?

The music played. >> The people bowed, but then they looked over and in that group there just for purpose of the Bible, those three men were still standing. You know why they were standing?

Now, don't don't miss this. You know why they were standing that they didn't have they didn't have the solution to go and to eliminate or extinguish the fire. Nebuchadnezzar let it play again and said maybe you missed it.

But they still they still stood. But you know what them guys said? Those guys stood before Nebuchadnezzar and Nebuchadnezzar said, "Guys, you don't understand.

That furnace has been it's been um ignited and it's hotter seven times more than it's ever been." Now, don't miss this. Don't miss this. You know how those men responded?

Our God is able. Our God is able. You see, not the statue, but they were they were understood that whether God took them and extinguished themselves in the fire, that was all in God's hands.

because you remember he's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Then that older man by the name of Daniel, several years down the road, when the proclamation came and that they had to had to pray only to Darius and if not they would be placed into a den filled with lions. You know what Daniel did?

Daniel went up into his room, opened up his windows, got down on his knees, put his face toward Jerusalem, and he prayed as he always had. Because you know why? He knew that God is able.

And you know what happened to him? They came, arrested him, put him into the lion's den. And that night, now listen, that night, perhaps everybody in the kingdom of Babylon thought when that door would be opened the next morning, perhaps all that would be there was a man that was consumed by the lions in the den.

But you do know that God is able. And while Darius paced the floors of his bedroom, I believe that Daniel slept and used the lions perhaps as the softest pillow that he ever had. >> You know why?

because God is able. But then you go and you began to and I know we got to move on. But then now now now and keep your mind with me this morning, but then we come to the what you and I term as the New Testament.

And we and we find this Jesus Christ who was born through the womb of the Virgin Mary. Though he has always existed, but in this time the Bible said that in the fullness of time, God became man and Jesus was born. Now, I wish I could take a lot of time here, but I I know that you don't want to stay here any longer than you have to.

The doctor did give me a third, he said, or she said, you know, 30 minutes. That's about all you need to do right now. But we'll see.

But the Bible says that Jesus was born. Jesus began to move. And one of the things when I when I read my my um Bible, I began to I just always amu uh not amused but amazed how God through the person of Jesus Christ continually healed people while on this earth.

The Bible says in one verse that he went into all of the cities and all of the v villages healing those that were diseased. And I began to think and you know I look at all the all the bi all the scripture and you know I I read that you know even in my study this morning how and I know this doesn't this really doesn't grab us the way I really believe that it should but it talked about a man that could not hear nor could he speak. Now, some of you, you've never experienced that.

You can hear well and you can speak loud. But on that day, this man could not do either. And when Jesus came up to him, he did something that only God could do.

And he touched him. And all of the sudden his ears were open and his tongue was loosed and he could hear and he could speak. Why?

Because God touched him. I think about the person that was covered in the with skins uh just touched with leprosy. And you know back in those days when when they were a leper that they could not go into the temple, they they had to run.

They could not be in their homes. They could not be around people. But then Jesus came and all of a sudden touched them and their skin became smooth and clear because of what God did.

Whenever those few I know the the um person that we know more about than any is Lazarus. Lazarus was dead. The doctors tried, the family tried, but he was still dead.

And then all of a sudden, Jesus came. And Jesus, when he walked into the city, he already knew that Lazarus was dead, but he already knew that Lazarus would rise again. And the Bible says that on that day, you see the tears of Martha or the tears of Mary, they did not bring the life back into the body of Lazarus.

In fact, both of them even said, "Lord, if you would have been here, that wouldn't have happened." But oh, little did they know what was about to occur. You see, the mourers were around. You know what mourers was that day?

That was those that they would come and they would cry over the family. But they would cry. Why?

Because that person was dead. No life, no breath to them. No hope.

But then all of a sudden, Jesus did what only God could do. And he said, "Lazarus, come forth." And all of a sudden, Lazarus walked out of that grave. Oh, that may not mean a lot to you.

You sit here on a Sunday morning and, you know, we're immune to that. So, I dare you today Go right now. Go over to Laurelwood.

Go over to Grand View. Go into your home where you have the containment of some ashes of your of your uh uh family member and go and begin to tell that grave to open and that person to come out. You know what'll happen?

Nothing. You'll pray over those ashes and nothing will occur because it's all in the hands of God. My favorite miracle in all of the Bible, and you know this, so I'm not going to detail it much because all of this is introduction.

Then I'm gonna give you the message. I know what you're saying. When that woman had the issue of blood.

She was white, pale, fatigued, tired, probably just ready to say, you know, I'm giving up. But then she heard that this man by the name of Jesus was coming into town. Now, I want you to listen.

You know the story. She had already been to the doctor. The doctor had already done all of his tests.

She had went through the CT. She had went through the MRI. She had went through all of the blood work.

Everything was done. And the doctor walked into that room. That lady seated in that room all by herself, no family around.

And the doctor said, "There's nothing I can do. There's no cure. There's no medicine.

There's nothing I can do." But yet, when she walked out of that doctor's office and she saw that crowd of people walking down the road, she said, "If I could just touch the hymn of his garment, I don't need to talk to him. All I need to do is touch it." And the Bible says that. Now understand something.

In her weakness, in her fatigue, in her despair, perhaps even in her tears, she went down and she touched the hem of that garment. And all of a sudden, she became totally healed. Not because of the crowd, but because Jesus is God.

But here's the here's the I guess the subject of our thought this morning. The Bible said in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 8. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Can I ask you this? I've asked myself this. If God could do it, then is God not powerful enough to do it today?

You see, I think that sometimes that we underestimate the power of God. But I I want to leave you three things. I know I've given you a lot to think about, but but I I want to give you three thoughts about all of this as you look at how he was and you look at where we are today.

Because there's one thing that I believe that when you go and you and you and you would have to take the time to look at all of these m especially those in the days of Jesus, all of these people were in a state of despair. In other words, it was something that they could not fix for themselves. And you know, I I I listen a good bit.

I know I don't listen the way I should. I know I've been told that, but but I do listen on occasion. And even in the context of church, we we live we we we are in a place that so many people and just to use the term that we understand, they're hurting.

They're going through trials. They're going through tribulations. They're going through sufferings.

And you see that there there's some of you today and and you can say, "Preacher, I can say amen to that because that seems to be where I've been, where I am. It seems to be where I am going." But you know something? Life is going to bring us despair.

Life life's going to bring us sometimes disease because and you know I began to think about all of this in life and and you say why does it happen? Why? Why?

You know, the the the question always is asked, why does bad things always seem to happen to good people? You probably ask yourself that in the mirror. You know why?

You know why it happens? Is because every single one of us are depraved in this nasty stuff called sin, we can't do anything about it. Now, now there's some who think that they can that, you know, they think that if they do better and, you know, if they think if they, you know, do a little bit more works or deeds, but we all know that the the power over sin is none other than what we sang about earlier, and that is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But there's one thing that unfortunately will happen. Unless Jesus decides to come back, and we pray that he does very soon. If he doesn't, let's just say 50 years from now, he still hasn't come.

More than likely either this church will be closed or this church will have re uh re have more people come in more populate the church because every single one of us would have faced death. It's something that we don't have the answer for. But then I want to give you a second thing and that is how they were in that desperation but also in their willingness to be willing to approach God.

Now listen to me very carefully and I want you to get this. I don't want you to misunderstand how we're going to close this service. I I began I want to go back just in thought to the one that we started with Moses because we talk about God parting the Red Sea and he did.

But you know what moved God to part the Red Sea? Now, now stay with me. It wasn't the moaning and the crying and the hollering of the people.

You know what happened? God told Moses to lift up your staff. An amazing amazing thing as far as symbolic of the faith because I'm gonna tell you something.

Moses was willing to say, "God, whatever you have, I'm willing to believe." And my friend, I'll be honest with you. I think that's where some of us need to be this morning till we get to the point just like that song, my life is in your hand. But as I close, the most important thing was the divine working and movement of God.

I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand. I'm not going to ask you to stand up. But I dare say that in this building this morning that there are a lot of you that have got on your face bended your knee, expressed your heart to God to heal you.

And for some reason, God has said no. Now, I don't want to make it unspiritual, but sometimes that irritates people. God, if if you did all of that, why can't you heal me?

Because you see, one of the things that we must trust with God is that he and we use this word often in church, but I do not think we really understand what the word is. And that is the word the sovereignty of God. You see, whenever we think about the sovereignty of God, we haphazardly say, "Well, that's just saying that God can do what he wants when he wants, and he can." But a lot of times, if you're like me, I try to bend my human reasoning to bend the sovereignty of God.

Now, I know you're not going to admit that. But I try to manipulate God where I have to get to the point that God, I'm going to trust you. You may forget everything I've said the last whatever I've been preaching, but there's one thing I want you to get when you walk out of here.

And I want you to know and I want you to understand this. The same God that parted the Red Sea is the same God that is still in control. The same God that took those three Hebrew men and invaded their presence in that fiery furnace is the same God that is still in control.

But what I must understand and what I pray that you will understand is that I trust him to be the God that's going to meet my need according to his glory and his power. Because can I give you something? I before you close this morning because one of the things that that I I I really believe is important.

You you you ask me, you say, "Preacher, what what is needed? What what's needed in the church today?" I mean I mean for a moment, let's not think about the brother the Nazarene. Let's not think about East Side Park, North Side, any of the churches that you've been at.

Let's let's not think about that. Let's think about Calvary for a moment. What What is most needed in our church and we don't hear it a lot?

That is that in all things he gets the glory. He gets the glory. Whether I'm in sickness or whether I'm in health, the purpose should be to God be the glory.

Great things he has done. Now, I'm going to ask you something. Then we're going to sing.

I don't even know what song they're going to sing, but but maybe this morning as you sit there, m maybe you have allowed yourself to begin to look at other solutions instead of God. Because because let me say this that you know there there's nothing wrong with asking God to to heal you of whatever it might be because God might say, "Man, you said it. I'm going to do I'm I'm going to do it all for his glory." I've often asked myself, I said, "Lord, Lord, if you do decide to heal me, what would I do in telling the people about that healing?" And I began to think, I pray and I pray that every one of us be able to say because of his glory.

And you see this morning, I I know where we are. Hadn't been here in a while, but I I know where we are. When we began to play this invitation, even now, you if you come down now, you're not going to bother me.

I'm not going to just stop because you come down. You come down. But I really believe there's a lot of people in this building.

What you need to do is come and say, "Lord, you're the same yesterday, today, and forever. And I'm going to trust you. I'm going to trust you." heard brother Tim say this.

I was watching the t Sunday school before I came and he brought up Job. You know what Job said through it all? Though he slay me, but I'm still won't trust him.

So I believe it's time for us as a church. I know it's time for me as a person to say, "Lord, I'm going to trust you. And I know that you're God.

And I know that your hand, your hand can touch whenever you desire. Father, I want to thank you for Lord, just a privilege to be able to stand and to say these few words. And God, I I know that a lot has been said, but Lord, I I know this that you have brought us to a point.

You have brought us to a brink in our life that Lord, we as people have to come to this decision. Who am I going to trust? And Father, I pray that men, women, boys, and girls in this building are going to say, "I'm trusting in the one and the only where there is no equal.

I'm trusting in my savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." And Lord, we make this prayer in that name. Amen. Let's all stand if you would as we begin to whatever we're [music] going to sing this morning.

I really believe right now you come right now all across the building. You don't have to wait. You don't have to look.

But I but I really believe this morning that God has [singing] >> has spoken. >> Come on. Right now.

>> Amen. Come on. Every [music] step that I [singing] come on right now.

[music] [singing] >> Oh Lord. Every burden I'm going to come to you Lord. Lay [singing and music] it down at the altar.

Lay [singing and music] it down at your feet, >> Lord. I give it to you, Lord. There's no one like this, >> Lord.

There's no one above you. And today, it's yours. >> I am desperate [singing and music] for peace.

You're the one that is holy >> and I'm the [singing] one listening. >> So I [music] will lay it down. Lay it down [music and singing] at the altar.

Who am I to you when you are [singing and music] everything? And though I cannot be [singing and music] sure that my gift would be pure and be fit for my king, [singing and music] >> lay it [singing] down at the [music] altar. >> Lay down [singing and music] at your feet.

I am [music] desperate for mercy. [singing] I am desperate [music] for peace. You're the one that is [singing and music] holy and I'm the one [singing and music] who's in me.

So I will [singing] lay it down. Lay it [singing] down at the altar. >> [music] >> Heat.

Hey, Heat. You know, as we go this morning, it's it's just been good to be in God's house to sing his name. You could have said, "Amen." I hope it was good for you to be here.

But I want to ask you a question. How many of you know someone right now in your life? It may be a family member.

It may be a co-orker. It may be a neighbor, a son or a daughter that you know that right now that according to their life, the fruit of their life, that they're just not where God desires for them to be. You see, we all we all know people in with that.

So, here's what I ask you to do. As I as I have a time of closing prayer, I'm going to ask you to just stay where you are and just pray for them and say, "God, I want you to touch them. I I want you to draw them unto yourself." And Lord, if they're s lost, I pray that they would come to know Christ.

if they're saved but they're just not where they need to be in their walk with God that that Lord you would draw them to that because I really believe and you know again that where we are as a church where we've always been as a church as an evangelistic tool not only in this community but this city and county but we need to make sure that we not do not neglect praying for those in that Because you do know this, and not preaching again, that they'll never get saved until the spirit of God draws them. If they're saved, unless the spirit of God draws them, they're probably not going to get their things things right with the Lord. In fact, I want to make this encouragement to you, and I pro I'm done.

I encourage you to be here Wednesday. This past Wednesday, I I I tal began to teach a message about following the itinerary God has for our life. And the first thing that we looked at is the presence of the Holy Spirit.

And this Wednesday, we're going to look at a couple of more things. And and and I want you to walk I want you to be where God wants you to be. And I want you to have that desire to allow God to give you that joy and peace that only he can give.

Hey, we love you. God bless you. See you on Wednesday.