June 9, 2024 - Edited

So we'll just open with prayer and begin. Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. Thank you that you have come within each of us, Lord. Jesus, you sent your Spirit to be birthed within us. May we just acknowledge that we are not distant from you, that we are one with you, really, and we don't have to go find you. You're here. You're within us. Help us to recognize that you're as close as our heart and our mouth. That's the faith we preach. I appreciate that, Lord. Lest this time together, we just commit this time, may it be valuable to each one of us, Lord. We want to just respect and honor you today and reverence you in this house. In Jesus' name, amen? Amen. All right. You ready? I watch the morning sun light the sky, to help creation as it came to life, you amaze me. Oh, Lord, you amaze me. I watch the ocean as it gives us sand. Behind the boundaries of your unseen hand, you amaze me, oh, God, you amaze me. Everything was void, you were there, darkness was everywhere, you spoke the word, there was light. You held dust in your hand, gave it breath and called it man. The angels that stood by your side must have cried, you amaze me. Holy, holy. I watch the seasons as they come and go. I feel the flowers, too, I feel the snow, you amaze me, oh, you amaze me. I watch the mother hold her newborn child, then look like mama with her daddy smile, you amaze me, oh, God, you amaze me. Everything was void, you were there, darkness was everywhere, you spoke the word, there was light. You held dust in your hand, gave it breath and called it man. The angels that stood by your side must have cried, you amaze me. Holy, holy. Everything was void, you were there, darkness was everywhere, you spoke the word, there was light. You held dust in your hand, gave it breath and called it man. The angels that stood by your side must have cried, you amaze me. Holy, holy. Oh, you amaze me. Holy, holy. Lord, you amaze me. Amen. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Sing it. Open the eyes of my heart. I want to see you. I want to see you. It might not be in there, huh? That's alright. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to see you. I want to see you. I want to see you high. See you high and lifted up. Shining, shining like the light of the glory. Pour out your power and love as we sing, holy, holy, holy. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to see you. I want to see you. Oh! Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to see you. Oh, I want to see you. See you high. See you high and lifted up. Shining in the light of your glory. Pour out your power and love as we sing, holy, holy, holy. Sing holy, holy. We sing holy, holy, holy. Holy, holy, holy. We sing holy, holy, holy. I want to see you. We sing holy, holy, holy. Holy, holy, holy. Holy, holy, holy. Now I want the ladies to keep singing holy, holy while the men sing, open the eyes. Holy Lord of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart. I want to see you. Beautiful. I want to see you. One more time. Men sing, open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Open the eyes of my heart. I want to see you. I want to see you. Beautiful. Rising to the heavens, the Lord receives your worship. Precious Lord, bring up Holy Spirit. You are welcome here. He's here in power and glory. He wants to manifest Himself to us. He's so eager to reveal who He is. I listened to a teacher and he says he's 93 and he's praying for another 10 years. He's enjoying what he's learning about God still. Amen. That passion. I really like that. There's nothing worth more that will ever come close. No thing can compare your high living Lord. Your presence, Lord. I've tasted and seen the sweetest of loves. When my heart becomes free and my shame is undone. Your presence, Lord. Your presence, Lord. Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. Come flood this place, fill the atmosphere. Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for. To be overcome by your presence, Lord. Your presence, Lord. There's nothing worth more that will ever come close. No thing can compare your high living Lord. Your presence, Lord. I've tasted and seen all the sweetness of your love. When my heart becomes free and my shame is undone. Your presence, Lord. Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere. Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for. To be overcome by your presence, Lord. Your presence, Lord. Let us become more aware of your presence. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. Let us become more aware of your presence. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. One more time. Let us become more aware of your presence, Lord. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. One more time. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. One more time. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. One more time. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. One more time. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. Let us experience the glory of your goodness. Bring up goodness of God. I enjoy the Lord, don't you? He so invites us into his throne room, he does. The Bible says, come with confidence before the throne of grace. Don't tiptoe into his presence. Don't be afraid. Don't walk on religious eggshells anymore. Amen. I love you, Lord. For your mercy never fails me. All my days I've been held in your hands. From the moment that I wake up, till I lay my head, I will sing of the goodness of God. All my life you have been so faithful. All my life you have been so, so good. Every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God. I love your voice. You have led me through the fire, through the darkest night. You were close like no other. I've known you as a father. I've known you as a friend. And I have lived in the goodness of God. All my life you have been faithful. All my life you have been so, so good. Every breath that I am able, I'm going to sing of the goodness of God. Come on. Your goodness is running after, it's running after me. Your goodness is running after, it's running after me. With my life laid down, I surrender now. I give you everything. Your goodness is running after, it keeps chasing after me. Amen. He'll bless you as much as you let him, you know. All my life you have been so faithful, Lord. All my life you have been so, so good. Every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God. Your goodness is running after me. Your goodness is running after, oh, running after me. Your goodness is running after, keeps running after me. With my life laid down, I surrender now. I give you everything. Your goodness is running after, it's running after me. Hallelujah to the Lamb. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing. Power and majesty praise to the King. Mountains bow down, all the seas will roar at the sound of your name. I sing for joy at the work of your hand. Forever I love you, forever I'll stand. Nothing compares to the promise I have in you. Shout to the Lord, shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing. Power and majesty praise to the King. Mountains bow down and the seas will roar at the sound, sound of your name. I sing for joy at the work of your hand. Forever I love you, forever I'll stand. Nothing compares to the promise I have, nothing. Nothing compares to the promise I have. Nothing compares to the promise I have in you. Faithful is he who promised, who will also do it. Amen, he's faithful. You are worthy, Jesus. Great are you, Lord. Bring that one up, Sandy. It's so good. I love this. You know, one of the things about this church, you are worshiping people. You can enter into his presence so easily. It's just a beautiful experience. Appreciate that. Recognize it. It's a good thing. It's a good thing. You give life to our love. You bring light to the darkness. You give hope. You restore every heart that is broken. Is that you this morning? Great are you, Lord. It's your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise. We pour out our praise. It's your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise to you only. Let's start that beginning again. You give life to our love. You bring light to the darkness. You give hope. You restore every heart that is broken. Great are you, Lord. It's your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise. We pour out our praise. It's your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise to you only. And all the earth will steal your praise. Our hearts will cry. These bones will sing. Great are you, Lord. All the earth will shout your praise. Our hearts will cry. These bones will sing. Great are you, Lord. It's your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise. We pour out our praise. It's your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise to you only. Great are you, Lord. Sing great are you. Great are you, Lord. In Jesus' name. Speak that one. Do that one. Whoa. I speak the name of Jesus over you. In your hurting, in your sorrow, I will ask my God to move. I speak the name because it's all that I can do. In desperation, I'll seek heaven and pray this for you. I pray for your healing, that circumstances would change. I pray that the fear inside would flee in Jesus' name. I pray that a breakthrough, it would happen today. I pray miracles over you. In Jesus' name. In Jesus' name. Receive it from the Lord. I speak the name of all authority. The altars are open. Declaring blessing every promise. You know, I'm going to interrupt you for a minute. I felt that too. Before she came up, I felt like it was altar time for some of us. I don't know who you are, but come. Come and don't be afraid. As we sing this song, there's more need here today than we might know. It runs deep, but God's love runs deeper still. Amen. Come. I speak the name of all authority. Declaring blessing every promise. He is faithful to keep. Speak the name no grave could ever hold. He is greater. He is stronger. He's a God of possible. I pray for your healing, that circumstances would change. I pray that the fear inside would flee. In Jesus' name. I pray that a breakthrough would happen today. I pray miracles over your life. In Jesus' name. In Jesus' name. Come believe it. Come receive it. Oh, the power of the spirit is now forever yours. Come believe it. Come receive it. In the mighty name of Jesus, all things are possible. Amen. I pray for your healing, that circumstances would change. I pray that the fear inside would flee. In Jesus' name. I pray that a breakthrough would happen today. I pray miracles over your life. In Jesus' name. I pray for revival, for restoration of faith. I pray that the dead will come alive. In Jesus' name. In Jesus' name. Thank you for answered prayer, Lord. Thank you for breaking through, Lord. You're the God of breakthrough. There's nothing more that needs to be done. You've done it all, Lord. Oh, we sing a miracle today. There's no need to wait. It's now. His word is now. His word is true. His word is faithful. He can do what He promised. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. I receive this morning. Sometimes waiting for the answer isn't wrong. God is working. He is working. He is working. The answers are going to come. I pray for your healing. Thank you, Holy Spirit. Speak the name of Jesus. I just want to speak the name of Jesus. Over fear and all anxiety. Every soul held captive by depression. I speak Jesus. I just want to speak the name of Jesus. Till every dark addiction starts to break. Declaring there is hope and there is freedom. I speak Jesus. Your name is power. Your name is healing. Your name brings life. Yes, it does. Break every stronghold. Shine through the shadows. Burn like a fire. I just want to speak the name of Jesus. Over fear and all anxiety. Every soul held captive by depression. I speak Jesus. Your name is power. Your name is healing. Your name brings life. Break every stronghold. Shine through the shadows. Burn like a fire. Shout Jesus. Shout Jesus from the mountains. Jesus in the streets. Jesus in the darkness. Over every enemy. I speak Jesus for my family. I speak the holy name of Jesus. Shout Jesus from the mountains. Jesus in the streets. Jesus in the darkness. Over every enemy. Jesus for my family. I speak the holy name of Jesus. Yes. Hallelujah. Amen. We do boast in the Lord and His strength and His power. It's His ability, not ours. Not unto us, O Lord, but unto Thy name be glory. It's been fun, Lord. It's been good to be with You in Your house. You are great. Find that one, Sandy. You are great is what it's called. You deserve the glory and the honor. I lift my hands in worship and I bless Your holy name. You deserve the glory and the honor. I lift my hands in worship and I bless Your holy name. You are great. You do miracles so great. There is no one else like You. There is no one else like You. Oh, You are great. You do miracles so great. There is no one else like You. There is no one else like You. There is no one else like You. Amen. So the miracles are coming. Have faith. Be strong. Keep trusting in the One who will do it. You're talking about a faithful God. Even when we're not faithful, He remains faithful. Amen. He cannot deny who He is. All right. Let's get into our message as we begin. I'm always totally reliant on God because, like I said before, if I'm not hearing a word proceeding from the mouth of God, I don't have a lot to say. It has to come from Him. Anything valuable or eternal or worth listening to has to come from the mouth of the Father. Jesus said that's where the life is. It's not in the bread. Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds or flows forth from the mouth of God. Amen. And we all have that capability to listen to the voice of God. You're His sheep now. You can follow His voice, and you just learn to get better at it, at discerning His voice, right? So, He wants to speak. He does. And I pray that our ears, our hearing capacity can grow. I want to start with 2 Samuel. I brought some scriptures up. I just want to read some of them to you. This is 2 Samuel 9, and I love this. It's the grace of God in the Old Covenant. It's an example of God's grace. David asked, Is there anyone remaining from Saul's family I can show kindness to because of Jonathan? Do you know that it's the kindness of God that leads people to repentance? It's not the condemnation of God. Let's get that right. Remember that. I want to convince the lost that God is good. When you convince them that God is good, He will make the changes in their lives. Amen? Let the Holy Spirit do His work. God, we do our part, and He does His. There was a servant of Saul's family named Ziba. They summoned him to David. And the king said to him, Are you Ziba? I am your servant. He replied. So the king asked, Is there anyone left of Saul's family I can show the kindness of God to? Ziba said to the king, There is still Jonathan's son who is laying in both feet. He had been carried as a little boy, fleeing from an enemy. I think he fell, or they dropped him, or something happened when he was young. It crippled him for life. The king asked him, Where is he? Ziba answered the king, You'll find him in Lodabar at the house of the son of Ammion. Whatever it says down there. So king David had him brought from the house of Macabre, the son of Ammion, in Lodabar. It was not a good place to be. I don't think he lived in a real good place. Mephibosheth is his name. Can you say that ten times? Mephibosheth, yes. Son of Jonathan. Son of Saul. It was actually grandson of Saul. You get the picture. King Saul came to David, bowed down to the ground and paid homage. David said, Mephibosheth, I am your servant, he replied. Don't be afraid. That's always a good thing to hear. That's one of the things God first says to us, you know? How many times he said that to the disciples? Don't be afraid. Fear not. Because it's intimidating. You come before someone in authority, and you maybe not feel very good about yourself. David said to him, since I intend to show you kindness because of your father Jonathan, it would have nothing to do with Mephibosheth. He was a son. And because he was a son, he was invited. That's the reason you're invited. Into God's very best. By no virtue of your own, but just by the fact that you're his son and you're his daughter. That's all that you need to know. And you'll receive the full inheritance from God. Amen. The kingdom is yours. Fear not, little flock. It's your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. So, I will restore to you all your grandfather Saul's fields. Man, giving him the whole farm back. And you will always eat meals at my table. Can you imagine? What a personal invitation. This gets up close. Eat at the king's table. Wow. Does that sound familiar? That the father wants us to eat at his table? He does. I don't want to miss the allegory here. The comparison. The symbolism. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies. And you will always eat meals at my table. Notice the word always. This was going to be for the rest of his life. That is good news. Mephibosheth bowed down and said, what is your servant that you take an interest in a dead dog like me? That's how he viewed himself. I wonder sometimes if many of us still, and I've talked to believers. I do. And they've been believers for a long time and still don't feel their worth and their value to God. Right? They don't. I had to tell a lady. She was a pastor's wife. I just said, you know, you get credit for everything he did right. And we did nothing right. And we get credit for everything he did right. It's called the great exchange. It doesn't have to make sense to our brain. It can make sense to your heart. He became sin who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of God. It's beautiful. Praise God. You know, I have a little snapshot of C.S. Lewis, the famous author, Chronicles of Narnia, among other wonderful books. We actually got to go to his home. We went to Oxford. We were in England visiting our granddaughter. And we actually went to his home where him and his brother Warnie had resided. I saw the typewriter that's still onto the desk that his brother typed some of those wonderful things for. But snapshot of his life. He met a woman later in life named Joy David Davidman. And this is an amazing love story because she had cancer and she was in a sick bed. And he stood there and said, I want to marry you. He loved her crazy. He was crazy about her. And she was stunned that there was nothing she could do to prove her worth to him. Not a thing. And yet, he loved her. Does that sound like the Father? There's nothing we can do to prove our worth. But that doesn't stop him from loving us. I love that. And you will always eat meals at my table. So Sibisheth bowed and said, I think a dead dog. I'm ready for the next one. He called himself a dead dog. Quit, quit, you know, deprecating yourself. Not even humorously. You are valuable to God. Begin to say what's true about you in Him. Amen. Put good words in your mouth. Not curses. Then the king summoned Saul's attendant, Ziba, and said to him, I have given your master's grandson all that belonged to Saul and his family. I like that word, all. You, your sons, and your servants are to work the ground for him. And you are to bring in the crops so your master's grandson will have, you know, plenty to eat. He's going to have enough for the rest of his life. He's going to have an income. He's going to have provision. There isn't anything Mephibosheth would need to worry about. Pretty good deal, huh? I like it. Doesn't that sound like grace? But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson is always to eat at my table. Again, he said it again. What an honor. In this sermon, it's called calling all cripples. Because we're all, we've all been crippled. I could tell you stuff about my life, but I won't, you know what I mean? There's stuff in me that I've done, I've seen, I've failed miserably at. And God knows. And yet, He calls me to His table. What an honor. Broken as I might be, and not crippled as I have been. I sin as much as anyone else. I've cried tears. I've been ashamed of myself. Embarrassed. And all the rest. Stuff that you feel is incompatible with who you are. God made me to be His son from the very first day I draw breath. I was His from the very beginning. And so when I went off and did my thing and sold my wild oats, it was incompatible with my true self. I never felt like I should, that was me. I never fit in. I, God was sure, He never gives up on you. You can run, but you cannot hide. So I don't care what it looks like for your loved one that's out there in drugs, alcohol, homosexuality, you name it. God is not done with them. He is chasing after them. He has not forgotten them or the lost. He said, I came to seek and save the lost. I didn't come into the world to judge the world or condemn it. I came to save it. And that's the truth. And we should be about His business too. We should be about our Father's business of seeking and saving the lost. Amen. Not condemning or judging. Or being angry. So, I know the grace of God. I know the righteousness of God. I desperately needed it. I needed to know where I stood with God. And I've finally settled. The old account is settled long ago. Amen. It's true. My Lord, thank you. Ziba said to the king, your servant will do all my lord the king commands. So Mephibosheth ate at David's table just like one of the king's sons. Isn't that cool? It was as if David adopted him into his family. Does that sound familiar? With no ability to repay or earn or perform for. He was a cripple. I would say you remain crippled in your own flesh, so that the Spirit of God can enter into you and do stuff that you never dreamed possible. It's through the cripples that God does His best work. It's true. It has nothing to do with our great strength or intellect or performance or character or charisma. It's all about His Spirit inside. And He wants to do through you and speak through you things that you never thought possible. We're just vessels. We're vessels of honor. We have this treasure in earthen vessels. And the Father tells me what I tell you. Mike, you have no idea what I'm going to say through you today. You just let me say what I want to say through you. You be my vessel. And you'll be, you know. And that's all I want. That's what I want. I want to say what He says. Amen? That's what counts. That's all that matters. And we all have that ability. Come on. So, he ate at the king's table just like one of the king's sons. Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micah. All those living in Ziba's house were Mephibosheth's servants. However, Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem because he always ate at the king's table. He was lame in both feet. They seem to want to emphasize that. Pretty cool, huh? I love that story. I'm going to read a little more. Let's take a look at Acts. And this other scripture came to me. And I don't want to miss anything. It's in the book of Acts chapter 10. It's God dealing with Peter. Okay? We're going to kind of switch gears here a little bit. But I think there's a similar connection. There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian regiment. He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God. You never know where God's servants are. They might not be in your church. They might not be where you expect them to be. But they're out there. They're praying. They're serving God. Let's not judge them. We just may be surprised at who knows the Lord out there. You know? They don't come under our banner or our label. About three in the afternoon, he distinctly saw in a vision an angel of God who came in and said to him, Cornelius! Looking intently at him, he became afraid and said, What is it, Lord? Good answer. Good question, I should say. He got the right guy. Lord. He recognized that it was the Lord. And he told him, Your prayers and your acts of charity have come up as a memorial offering before God. Wow. This is a Roman, man. Okay? Let's read on. Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, who is also named Peter. He is lodging with Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea. When the angel who spoke to him had gone, he called two of his household slaves and a devout soldier who was one of them, those who attended him. Next. After explaining everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. The next day, as they were traveling and nearing the city, Peter went up to pray on the housetop at about noon. God was doing one thing on one end and another thing on the other. He had spoken to Cornelius to send for Peter, and God was speaking to Peter to get ready for Cornelius. God is working on both ends. And I'm going to put a little segue in here, too. Yes, we may be without a pastor, but we're not without a God who loves us. Don't forget that. Amen. That's so important. So important. And he is working on both ends. He's working on our end, and he's going to work on the heart of someone to send here. I told the last candidate that came, I said, you must be sent here. Those who preach must be sent. If they're not sent, then we don't want them. We want one who is sent here, who feels sent by God. That's important, too. That's scriptural. How can they preach unless they are sent? Amen. So there's the standard. Then he became hungry and wanted to eat. But while they were preparing something, he went into a visionary state. Let's listen. Are you interested in this story? It's really good. Okay. He saw heaven open and an object coming down that resembled a large sheet being lowered to the earth by its four corners. In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and the birds of the sky. Then a voice said to him, Get up, Peter. Kill and eat. No, Lord. Do you see the oxymoron in this? You don't say no and then Lord. If you say no, he's not Lord. Right? I caught that. No, Lord. It kind of revealed something here. He was having a battle here. He was going, wait a minute, God. I've got my traditions, you know. I've got my holy religion. And you're trying to interrupt it here now and change all the rules? Can God change the rules? In a sense, you know what I mean? Our traditions. Jesus said, you hold your traditions so tightly that you make the Word of God ineffective. Come on. Let go of them. Be free. And let God direct your boat. Okay. Peter said, no, Lord. Can you imagine saying to God, no. For I have never eaten anything common and unclean. I feel a little bit of pride here. You know, I tithe of all I possess. I'm not like this sinner over here. You know, I fast twice a week. And he said, thus praying with himself. But the one who left the temple justified was the one who was crying and saying, Father, have mercy on me, a sinner. He was repenting for his brokenness and his crippledness. He knew. Amen. Boy, I get emotional over this stuff. And that's okay. You know how I am. Again, a second time a voice said unto him, a second time, what God has made clean you must not call common. This happened three times. He needed it three times. It's okay to repeat it. That's what Peter said, too. I write this to remind you. I know you know it, but I'm going to reiterate it. This happened three times, and then the object was taken up into heaven. Let's read on. While Peter was deeply perplexed about what the vision he had seen might mean, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions to Simon's house, stood at the gate. They called out, asking if Simon, who was also named Peter, was lodging there. Next. While Peter was thinking about the vision, the Spirit told him, three men are here looking for you. Get up. Go downstairs and accompany them with no doubts at all, because I have sent them. The Spirit of God can move and get your attention, get you moving in the right direction. Then Peter went down to the men and said, Here I am, the one you're looking for. What is the reason you're here? They said, Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who has a good reputation with the whole Jewish nation, was divinely directed by a holy angel to call you to his house and to hear a message from you. Peter then invited them in and gave them lodging. Okay. The next day, he got up and set out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him. The following day, that means other Jews, okay, that came with him. The following day, he entered Caesarea. Now, Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. You want your family in on this? It's important. Call them in. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshipped him. Uh-oh. Let's read on. Peter helped him up and said, Stand up, I myself am also a cripple. I'm a cripple just like you. Don't be worshipping me. Right? I'm a man also. While talking with him, there's so much I could unpack here, but I'm going to buy time. While talking with him, let's not worship a man. You follow the Holy Ghost. There is not a man on earth that can substitute your own personal relationship with God. Don't let anyone interfere with your one-on-one with him. Amen? Boy, that's important. Ask me how I know. While talking with him, he went on in and found that many had come together there. Peter said to them, You know, it's forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner. But that's how they felt. That's what they believed. That they were the chosen people. And, uh... Let's read on. But God... But God... Aren't you glad God butts in sometimes? Amen. But God has shown me... And this is interpretation of that vision. Good timing, because he needed to hear what... He needed to see that vision in order to be able to do what he was going to do here. God has shown me that I must not call any person common or unclean. Amen? There is no person on earth that you call common or unclean. God calls them clean. He wants... Anyway, let's move... That's why I came without any objection when I was sent for. So I asked, Why did you send for me? Cornelius replied, Four days ago at this hour, at three in the afternoon, I was praying in my house. Just then a man in a dazzling robe stood before me and said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard. And your acts of charity have been remembered in God's sight. Therefore, send someone to Joppa and invite Simon here. Who is also named Peter. He is lodging in Simon the Tanner's house by the sea. Therefore, I immediately sent for you. And you did the right thing in coming. So we are all present before God to hear everything you have been commanded to do by the Lord. This is a divine setup from God. Because he was about to open the door wide to the Gentile nations. All the nations of the earth. He was going to give them an opportunity to be clean and come back. Then Peter began to speak. In truth, I understand that God doesn't show favoritism. But in every nation, the person who fears Him and does righteousness is acceptable to Him. That was huge in that day. Let's read on. He sent the message to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. You know the events that took place throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John preached. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. And how He went about doing good and curing all who were under the tyranny of the devil. Because God was with Him. We ourselves are witnesses of everything He did in both the Judean country and in Jerusalem. Yet they killed Him by hanging Him on a tree. Jesus represented a father that the religious system did not know. They thought He was blaspheming. And they had created a God in their own image. A religious God that was angry and very threatening. And this was the kind of God that they represented to the people. The kind of God that Jesus said, you're weary, you're burdened, you need rest. You guys are getting wore out by all this teaching. This false doctrine. And I'll tell you what Paul says, you have to have sound doctrine. That means free from mixture of air. This leaven of a little law, a little grace, it poisons the whole lump. And the thing is, it's undetectable. It's deceptive. And if you partake of this bread, if you start to eat of this bread, your religious system will be defiled. And so it is. It's more insidious. We've got to be careful. Sound doctrine means free from mixture of air. Okay, there you go. God raised up this man on the third day and permitted him to be seen, not by all the people, but by us, witnesses appointed beforehand by God, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. Amen. A little more here. He commanded us to preach to the people and to solemnly testify that He is the One appointed by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about Him that through His name everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins. You see what the conditions are? Believe in Him! I knew at 12 years old that Jesus was the Son of God. It was a revelation inside my heart. I was in Willits with my aunt and uncle, they're gospel pastors, and I remember the moment I stood in the doorway and I sensed that I knew. You just have to know. And that revelation is going to come to people. You see? That they're going to know He's the Son of God too. And that's all you need. And when you believe on Him, you'll receive forgiveness of sins. That's pretty simple. We complicate some of the simpler things. A little bit more. While Peter was still speaking, these words, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded! Because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. Alright? They couldn't believe it. I thought it was just for us four no more. Shut the door. But now I see that it's for every nation in the world. This gospel. God is opening the door. He sees value in every single person that's ever breathed. He does. He treasures people. And we need to see value in them too. We need to see them through His eyes and love them with His love and find that they have come to Christ. It's the only hope for our nation. It's true. It's true. And there are people out there ready. They are ripe unto harvest. We need to get our sickle out. Anything else? For they heard them speaking in other languages and declaring the greatness of God. It sounds a bit like the upper room. The Holy Spirit fell on them. They began to speak in languages that they didn't understand. I like my prayer language. It does add dimension and depth to your prayer life. You pray the mysteries of God. You pray the will of God with groanings that cannot be uttered sometimes. We pray in English. We pray in understanding. And we pray in the Spirit. It's very clear. Can anyone withhold water and prevent these from being baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? Let's get with it. And He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. They were all amazed and surprised and shocked that God had accepted the Gentiles. Amen. Incredible. Because He sees value in people. He doesn't see race or creed or denomination. He sees people. He loves people. Amen. From all. The Bible says when you get to heaven, when you get to heaven, you're going to see every tribe and every tongue and every nation. Multitudes! Yes! Glory to God. So that's it. I just thought, wow. Then they asked Him to stay for a few days. The apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had welcomed God's message also. This cracked the door wide open. Amen? It was wonderful. Glory to God. Thank You, Father, for making it clear where we are and how much You value each of us. We don't have to prove our worth to You. We just come as we are. And You make the changes. Holy Spirit, help us to love people where they are and not judge them for who they are and let You trust the Holy Spirit to make the changes. We're going to close with a song. Thank You for listening. I always like to close with a song, you know? He is working. He is making a way for all of our children to make their way back home. Calling the alcoholics, calling the drug addicted, calling the homosexual, calling all to come home. You are here moving in our midst I worship You I worship You You are here You're working in this place I worship You I worship You You are here moving in our midst I worship You I worship You You are here working in this place I worship You I worship You You are way maker, miracle worker promise keeper, light in the darkness My God, that is who You are You are way maker, miracle worker promise keeper, light in the darkness My God, that is who You are You are here touching every heart I worship You I worship You You are here healing every heart I worship You I worship You You are here turning lives around I worship You I worship You You are here mending every heart I worship You I worship You You are way maker, miracle worker promise keeper, light in the darkness My God, that is who You are You are way maker, miracle worker promise keeper, light in the darkness My God, that is who You are Even when I can't see it, You're working Even when I don't feel that You're working You never stop, You never stop working You never stop, You never stop working Even when I can't see that You're working Even when I don't feel that You're working You never stop, You never stop working You never stop, You never stop working You never stop, You never stop working You never stop, You never stop working You never stop, You never stop working You never stop, You never stop working You never stop, You never stop working You never stop, You never stop working You never stop, You never stop working That is who You are That is who You are That is who You are That is who You are That is who You are Amen Amen Believe, believe and receive, believe and receive And I'm gonna let you go in Jesus name Bless you