Sunday Morning at The First Church of God (11-1-26)

A church service opens with greetings and celebrations: Josh’s 16th birthday, plus anniversaries for Mike & Donna and Steve & Brenda. After singing "Happy Birthday" and "Happy Anniversary," the congregation stands to sing two hymns. First is #695, "Onward, Onward," a battle cry encouraging believers to conquer for the Lord through heaven's power. Next is #590, "He Touched Me," sharing personal testimony of Jesus healing burdens of guilt and shame, bringing joy and wholeness. The pastor then asks if anyone has prayer requests before moving on. How is everybody this fine Sunday morning? Good. Happy looking congregation, goodness sakes. If somebody's not happy when they come in, they'll be happy when they leave. First day of November. Josh got a birthday. Are you 16 again? Is it today? It's today. Yeah. Could we all stand, we'll sing happy birthday to Josh. Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Every day of the year, may you feel Jesus near. A happy birthday to you, a happy birthday to you, and the best one you've ever had. Might as well stay standing. We've got an anniversary this week. Today. Mike and Donna. Hey Don, pay attention. Happy anniversary to you, happy anniversary to you, happy anniversary, God bless you. Happy anniversary to you. Oh, and that was for Steve and Brenda too. They've got an anniversary coming up Wednesday. Steve and Brenda's got one coming up Wednesday. And I think that's about it. We don't have any announcements, do we? Okay. Then Donna. All right, let's let's stand and turn to 695 and we're going to try to sing this. Is it the B? Onward, onward is the battle cry. Onward, onward to our home on high. We will conquer for the Lord, or die. The foe is retreating, press the battle on. Strengthened by the mighty power of heaven, we shall conquer, we shall won. Till the raging foe far is driven, press the battle on. Onward, forward, never faint or fear. Christ our captain is forever near. Be courageous, full of hope and cheer. The foe is falling, press the battle on. Strengthened by the mighty power of heaven, we shall conquer, we shall won. Till the raging foe far is driven, press the battle on. Onward, forward, let the foe defy. We We shall triumph in Jehovah's might. The foe is falling, press the battle on. Strengthened by the mighty power of heaven, we shall conquer, we shall won. Till the raging foe far is driven, press the battle on. Onward, forward, the crown of glory. See it shining on that heavenly shore. We shall wear it when the conflict's o'er. The prize is waiting, press the battle on. Strengthened by the mighty power of heaven, we shall conquer, we shall won. Till the raging foe far is driven, press the battle on. Let's see, um Let's do 590. I think I'm still in B. Hey, what's my G? Is that your G? G sharp. Shackled by a heavy burden, 'neath a load of guilt and shame. Then the hand of Jesus touched me, and now I am no longer the same. He touched me, oh, he touched me. And oh, the joy that floods my soul. Something happened, and now I know, he touched me and he made me whole. Since I've met this blessed Savior, since he cleansed and made me whole. I will never cease to praise him, I'll shout it while eternity rolls. He touched me, oh, he touched me. And oh, the joy that floods my soul. Something happened, and now I know, he touched me and he made me whole. He touched me, oh, he touched me. And oh, the joy that floods my soul. Something happened, and now I know, he touched me and he made me whole. Who has a prayer request this morning? All day long I've been with Jesus,And it has been such a wonderful day.I have climbed up one step higherIn the good old gospel way.And I have spoken words of kindness,And Lord, He knows if I have done wrong.I've been going to make it right so I can testify tonight.I've been with Jesus all day long.Y'all stand up and sing that.If you don't know it, pretend that you do.All day long I've been with Jesus,And it has been such a wonderful day.I have climbed up one step higherIn the good old gospel way.And I have spoken words of kindness,And Lord, He knows if I have done wrong.I've been going to make it right so I can testify tonight.I've been with Jesus all day long.Well, I see two pretty new babies in the congregation.And I tell you what, that just tickles me to death.One of these days that nursery will be used.And I'd like to see about a dozen more of those little kids, so you young folks.Sometimes you just have to grow.Oh boy.You got something?Okay, okay.On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,The emblem of suffering and shame.And I love that old cross where the dearest and bestFor a world of lost sinners was slain.So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,Till my trophies at last I lay down.I will cling to the old rugged cross,And exchange it someday for a crown.O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,Has a wondrous attraction for me.For the dear Lamb of God left His glory aboveTo bear it to dark Calvary.So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,Till my trophies at last I lay down.I will cling to the old rugged cross,And exchange it someday for a crown.In the old rugged cross, I will ever be true,Its shame and reproach gladly bear.Then He'll call me someday to my home far away,Where His glory forever I'll share.So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,Till my trophies at last I lay down.I will cling to the old rugged cross,And exchange it someday for a crown.I will cling to the old rugged cross,And exchange it someday for a crown.Yep, that's got to be my favorite song.Thank you.All right.Are we gonna try that one?That ain't right.B?I think so.Upon an old rugged cross at Calvary,Was nailed my blessed.All right, that one's gone.Real bad way to go.Well, I hate to sit in silence while I'm trying to think.Yeah, get Bill to hand it up here.Maybe one will come to me in a few minutes.Come on.Anybody have a testimony this morning?I do. Let's talk about it.Let's talk about it.Shout about it.But you know, um.When I look around and see the good thingsHe's done for me, I knowI'm unworthy of it all.For His blessings He freely gives, I oweMy life to Him. I've got so muchTo thank Him for.Oh, I've got so much to thank Him for,So much to praise Him for. You see,He has been so good to me.Oh, when I think of what He's done and whereHe brought me from, I've got so muchTo thank Him for.Sometimes along this way I kneel,I stop and say, "Thank you, Lord,For all You've done for me."Someday I'll reach that shore, oh please, let. kneel once more I've got so much to thank him for Oh I've got so much to thank him for so much to praise him for you see he has been so good to me And when I think of what he's done and where he brought me from I've got so much to thank him for Oh I've got so much to thank him for so much to praise him for you see he has been so good to me And when I think of what he's done and where he brought me from I've got so much to thank him for You know he took the place Somebody wants to sing after a while but I'll wait I'm sorry what did you say After a while Oh you go ahead and sing that one Yeah that way I don't have to think about it Upon that old rugged cross at Calvary was there my blessed Savior died Forgiving foes they know not what they do oh sinner friend for thee he died His hands are gently knocking on your door outside he's pleading to come in His heart is breaking as he waits for you to wash you clean from every sin Someday he's coming back to claim his own we'll fly to heaven's golden shore A crown of life he'll give on that glad day with him we'll live forevermore His hands are gently knocking on your door outside he's pleading to come in His heart is breaking as he waits for you to wash you clean from every sin Those cruel thorns they pierced my Savior's head the blood was pouring down his face In shame oh sinner friend he took your place His hands are gently knocking on your door outside he's pleading to come in His heart is breaking as he waits for you to wash you clean from every sin I'm sorry now some folks in here might understand this but Jeremy and his crew down there Adam they won't sometimes them thoughts just leap in mid-sentence All right now you said we could make something up and they won't know the difference Yeah I'm not that good Okay they want to hear that What chatter They call it Donna's song now Well after a while it'll all be over after a while the sun's gonna shine Oh after a while dark clouds will pass over and we'll shout hallelujah after a while The road is rough and rocky the hills so hard to climb But if you put your trust in King Jesus he'll fix it all right after a while Oh after a while it'll all be over after a while the sun's gonna shine Oh after a while dark clouds will pass over and we'll shout hallelujah after a while The cup is sometimes bitter so bitter sometimes it makes us cry But then we call upon our sweet Jesus he'll fix it all right after a while Oh after a while it'll all be over after a while the sun's gonna shine Oh after a while dark clouds will pass over and we'll shout hallelujah after a while Well I don't care what this world may think about me I'm on a journey and I'm just passing through I've got my eyes set upon heaven I'm going home brother how about you Oh after a while it'll all be over after a while the sun's gonna shine Oh after a while dark clouds will pass over and we'll shout hallelujah after a while Dwayne would you stand and pray over Yeah after a while after a while sooner than you think Amen You know there's blessings in obedience and there's cursings in disobedience So, um, it's mine and Donna's anniversary today, 51 years. Donna said 51 long years, yeah. I said it just like yesterday. I don't want to get the cook mad at me. But we're going to be in Deuteronomy chapter 28. Deuteronomy chapter 28, verse 43. And also, uh, Revelations 8:14, uh, 18:4. So Deuteronomy 28:43 and then Revelations 18:4. I hear somebody's horn out there. Probably mine. Oh well. Okay, check it out, Jeremy. It's a beautiful day, isn't it? Especially for the horns. Okay. No, I don't hear it. He was... That's our Dave. We love Dave. That's our, that's our man there. You know, every year about this time, you know, I tell people don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke alarm. And I didn't forget, but I haven't yet. I got to do that. I was going to do it last night, but it's so high up there, I'm afraid I'll fall and I couldn't be here today. But, uh, this time change every year. You know, either way, I wish they'd just leave it one way and just we get used to it, but... Yeah, someday they're supposed to vote on it and, and I hope it passes one way or the other because it messes me up. It seems like I'm okay right now, but come October now it's going to be different, but... But, uh, Deuteronomy 28:43, and it, and it says, I want to talk about the, the news. Because, uh, you don't get no, the only good news is the Bible. The only good news. Either way, you don't know what to, you don't know what to believe. But, uh, but for sure, it says, "A stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail." Now another version talks about the, the stranger is a sojourner who is among us. It says that, uh, he'll be the head and we'll be the tail. And the Bible, see why I say it's the good news, is because if it's me talking, you can get mad at me, but, but if it's the Scripture, if it's reading out of the Bible, Scripture, then you need to talk to the Lord. Because he's got this for us. And the Bible says that the truth, the truth is the only thing that will set you free. The truth. And what is truth? Pilate asked Jesus, what is truth? And truth was standing right in front of him, and truth is right here. His name is Jesus. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Now, what I just read out of Deuteronomy, that could have been, that could have been written today. But Hebrews says Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He doesn't change. He, he never was not. Someone said, well, where did God come from? He didn't come from nowhere. He never was not. He's always been. In the beginning, he was there in the beginning. So, um, another thing here, if you haven't voted, be sure to vote. I believe our country's at a crossroads. And I believe it's one of the greatest, uh, elections ahead of us in time. But, uh, God tells us to turn away. Now when I'm talking about the word, I just read you the Scripture, and he can't lie. But God tells us, and I'm a Christian. Someone asks what I am, I'm a Christian. I believe in the morals of the Lord. I believe, uh, in sanctity of life, and I, I believe in, uh, you know, uh, everything the Bible says. And I'm pro-border, I'm pro-capitalism, I'm pro-American, I'm pro-children, I'm pro-English, I'm pro-Jesus. And when we, when we, uh, select somebody, be sure you pray about it, and be sure you talk to the Lord about it. Because we're going to stand in one of these days, I'm going to get in Revelations, but we're going to stand and we're going to have to be accountable for who we trusted in, for who we, who we, uh, backed up in life. But according to this survey I read, only 51% of the Christians will vote. And if ever Christians need to get out and vote, it's now. And, uh, I don't know if you've been watching the news, but our moss over there in Maineville, it's only, what is that, about two miles from my house and half a mile from Bill and Jenny's there. I just talked, they were working on it today. But it's under federal investigation right now. Like old Earl Pitts, you remember Earl Pitts on WLW? Yeah, there's a lot of smell about there. He said, wake up America. We better wake up, that's for sure there. And that's what's so important. And if we vote for the wrong candidate, you know, uh, whoever, vote for the wrong candidate, you, you might have an easier life, but your children and grandchildren might not. And that's what I'm looking at today, but I stand with Jesus. He said, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creation. I don't think like I did before Jesus. I didn't care about nothing before Jesus. But he said, if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature or creation. All things are passed away; behold, all things become new. And I, I was just thinking about France has already fallen. And we're preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I think France has got like 28 nuclear warheads, and it's already, and then Italy, and then who, who's in charge of that? When they take over a system. Think about that for a minute. And Europe, it's under siege, Italy, all the count, all the, the signs are all around us. You know who Mohammed was? Do you know what the number one name for a boy in Europe is? It's Mohammed. It's Mohammed. And he was a, a pedophile, he was a pervert. And he was the Arab religious military leader, and he was the founder of Islam. And they worship, and he believed that Jesus was the son of God, I mean a prophet, but he don't believe, Islam does not believe that Jesus was the son of God. And you can't deny any part of the deity and believe in God. Now Revelations 18:4 says this. 18:4 says, "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, saying, Come out of her, my people, my people now, he's not talking about the world, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Now who do you think that voice that was calling out of heaven? That was the Lord himself. He said, come out of her, my people. Her was Babylon in the Old Testament. And Babylon is a, is a political system or a world system which relates to the world today, but it says, it refers to a economic system or a, uh, corrupt religious or political entity representing rebellion against God. And he, and he goes on to say that you not be partakers of her plagues. And there's going to be plagues for those who do not support God. And that's what's so important. The command here in Revelations, believers are instructed to separate themselves from the world. The believers are to be Christians. I remember going to the hospital years ago, and they'd ask you what, what my faith was, and what my denomination or whatever, and say what, I tell them I'm a Christian. I'm a Christian. And Christians were, they were first... Christians in Antioch because they looked like Christ. Now I'm a Christian. He's in my heart. The command has come out of her, out of her values and lifestyle. The reason it was to separate the believers from sharing in her sins and protecting them from experiencing the plagues or the judgment of disaster. And that's what's so important here. Because uh, again, the only good news is the word of God. And when I'm reading out of the Bible, you can count on that's the word of God. That if they come out of her, my people, that ye receive not of her plagues. If my people who are called by my name shall seek my face and humble their heart, seek his face and turn from their wicked ways, said, then will I hear from heaven and I will heal their land. If there's ever a time we need to be praying, it's now. It's for our nation, for our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren. It's not blue or red, it's about Christian. It's about trusting and following God. It's good against bad. It's just the opposite here. This woman here killed her three children a little way back, a few weeks ago, and they've almost, she's a millionaire over now from the GoFundMe page. Now that's that's beyond infanticide, that's beyond partial birth or I I just and and Matthew 6, that's Jesus' sermon on the on the mount, it says no man can serve two masters and love and either he'll hate one or love the other. And you can't do them both. You cannot make both masters. And it's either the world or it's Jesus. You cannot straddle the fence. Choose you this day whom you serve, Joshua said. Choose you this day. And I'm going to stand with Jesus Christ. I'm going to stand, I'm going to back him up. And the masters, you're either controlled by the world or you're controlled by Jesus Christ. I I think back to Joshua. He took over after Moses and he led the people into the promised land. Moses didn't go because he smit the rock twice and says God buried Moses and he took him up on Mount Nebo because they would have worshipped Moses if they couldn't find his bones. But Joshua in 5, chapter 5, it says, and it came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho, and he lifted up his eyes and looked and behold, there stood a man. Now he looked up and he said, there stood a man over him, against him with his sword drawn in his hand. And Joshua went unto him and said unto him, art thou for us or art thou for them? Now listen to this. And he said, nay, otherwise neither. But I am come, now I am the captain of the host of the Lord and now I am come. And Joshua fell on his face, and this is what he said, he fell on his face to the earth and it says, and did worship and said unto him, what saith my Lord? I believe that was an incarnation vision of Jesus Christ himself. And he had his sword drawn and he asked him, whose side are you on? Who do you represent? Whose side are you on? And you know what his answer was? Nay, neither. He said, I didn't come here to take sides, I've come here to take over. And Jesus has got to be number one in your life because there's no other way. There's no other name given among men whereby we must be saved, but at the name of Jesus Christ. Isn't that something? Joshua was meeting this armed stranger before Jericho and you remember the miracle and they walked around the walls of Jericho and six times. But on the seventh time, the Lord told them to start shouting. And they started shouting and it says the walls fell flat down. And you know who who fought that battle? All they did was walk around, blow the horns and praise the Lord. That was the Lord. The same Lord is fighting our battles today. And that's why we got to make up our mind, whose side are you on? There's only two sides, there ain't no in between. You're either on the Jesus side or you're on the enemy side. And Jesus, he called us out of the world, then he sent us back into the world and we're supposed to be standing with him. And and see what what the devil's done, he's got people blinded to where they don't know what's going on. They don't understand what's going on. But I believe that was Jesus Christ. Isaiah puts it this way in 54, no weapon that's formed against a child of God shall prosper. Every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. I I love America, don't you? I I think of Ohio just alone has got 80 to 100 mosques. And I believe like in Revelations when it talks about when they encompass the camp of the saints, we're being encompassed right now. I think Texas is like 350 to 500 mosques. And New York, California, and they've infiltrated us and they haven't came here to assimilate with us, but they're starting to get into our government and they're starting to take over. And if we don't wake up and stand for the Lord, and I I hear time and time again how the churches, they don't preach against it. They don't preach against what's coming. But the word of God is forever settled in heaven. Heaven and earth may pass away, but not my word. And that's what Isaiah talked about. He guaranteed that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. But we need to rise up as the church and we need to quit being silent and we need to stand for Jesus Christ. I believe he's our only way. He he is the way, the truth, and the life. And no man again, you and I'm going to share with you about being born again. But accept Jesus Christ as your savior. Do you know what you're doing? You're accepting eternal life. And you're accepting, the war is not us, but we need to stand up. We need to stand for, there there, how many times have you heard me say in Matthew, therefore be ye ready, for such an hour as you think not, the Son of Man cometh. And I I see in Florida, they don't even have beaches anymore where the ocean's rising and the tides and you see all the the fires and the earthquakes and and we're living in Matthew 24 and we're living what he prophesied. But it's when Jesus Christ, I tell you, a lot of people think that, well, I'll get saved on down the road or I'm young and I want to do this or that first and that. But if you're planning on that, you'll never get that opportunity. The only time you can get saved is when the Holy Spirit is drawing you. When God is speaking to you. I always talk about that tug or that pull in your heart. That's the conviction. That's who the Holy Spirit, he's not only the convicter, but he's the convincer. He's the open up your heart. He he he does the operation. He knows the very marrows of your bone. He knows what you're going through and everything you're facing. And he wants you just to turn it over to him. I like how Deuteronomy again, that's Moses, and this is he lived to be 120 years old and says his eyes never even growed dim. That's pretty good, ain't it? I can't hardly see now. But but Deuteronomy 30:19 says, I have set before you life and death, blessings and cursings. Therefore choose life, that thou may live, and thy seed. See, the decision you make don't only concern yourself, but your families. They watch you, they see your life. You open up the light to them. You are a written epistle, the Bible says. And Romans 10:9 says this, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. You've only got two choices. It's either blessings or cursings. Now who do you choose today? That's only a decision that you can make. Your mom and dad can't do it, your family, your uncle, I don't care how faithful they were. That's a decision you have to make. They may be faithful to get you to him, but you're the one that has to ask for forgiveness. You're the one that has to ask the Lord to come into your life. And you know, before I got saved, like I say, I was blind. I was walking in darkness. But see, when I accepted Jesus Christ, my eyes were open. Someone said even the grass is greener, even the birds, everything's different because you're looking out of his eyes. And you're serving Him now, instead of the world, you're putting your trust and faith in Him, not this world or. Again, Matthew said, whosoever shall confess me before men, will I confess before my Father. Now, if you'll confess Jesus Christ before men, before everybody around, He said He'll confess you before His Father who is in heaven. Now, what better confession can you get made than Him? Again, I think of old Peter, and you remember he denied Jesus three times. But Jesus said this, He said, Simon, Simon, Satan desires to sift you and have you as wheat, but I have prayed for you. Now, isn't that something? Jesus prayed, He knowed what Peter was going to do, and He knowed Peter denied Him three times, but He said, when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Even though Peter denied Him, God never gave up on him. Jesus never gave up on him. And to reject Him is to not deny Him, but to accept Him is to confess Him. And the greatest confession you can make in this life is the one you make with Jesus Christ. Again, Jesus Christ is the only way. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe in Him could have everlasting life. And you know the truth, see, that Satan don't like truth because it shines the light on him. It reveals him. See, and he turns it all around. But again, when he drawed and pulled, see, it didn't say that God so loved the world that He gave the church. Said God so loved the world. It didn't say the church. He came for them who was lost. He came to seek and to save the lost. He came for whosoever will. There's nobody that He will turn away. You can never done so much that Jesus Christ won't forgive you. And that's why He went to the cross. He was the only person who could have done that. Somebody else could have done it, or money could have done it, He could have stayed home. But God gave us His Son, Jesus, if you would trust in Him, He would give you everlasting life. And the alarm, and what I'm saying is Christians, we need not stop being quiet and we need to just get bold and start telling people, if you don't accept Jesus Christ, you'll be going into eternal damnation. In hell, where the worm is not, where the worm dieth not. Where the fire, where your thirst, where you have all your senses there. And the biggest, biggest, biggest enemy you'll have to yourself will be your conscience. Of how many times, how many people, and I can look back on how many people that I've preached over with 32 years preaching, and I could see it. I could see them, and yet they go out that door. They go out that door. And again, every time you turn Jesus away, the harder your heart gets. The harder it gets. And that's why the harder you get, the further away you get, the more danger in eternal damnation you are. I don't want to go to hell, do you? How bad is hell? God gave us His Son that we wouldn't have to go there. How bad is hell? He's giving you a choice. Like Moses said, choose you this day. Joshua, Moses said, I set before you life and death. Choose life that thou and thy seed may live. As we have a song, a congregational song. Somebody here and you haven't made that decision, says today is the day of salvation. But where are you going to hear the good news? Only place you're going to hear the truth is if you're going to a church that believes in Jesus Christ and believe in what He did for us. You're not going to hear it on the news with all this AI and all this stuff, you don't know what to believe no more, but you can believe His word. And He said, whosoever will. He said, come unto me all ye that heavy laden, I will give you rest. The invitation is to whosoever will. 473. I can hear my Savior calling. I can hear my Savior calling. I can hear my Savior calling. Take your cross and follow, follow me. Where He leads me, I will follow. Where He leads me, I will follow. And where He leads me, I will follow. And I'll go with Him, with Him, all the way. Well, I want to tell you that Jesus Christ loves you. He didn't come here to condemn you. He come here to love you and to give His life a ransom just for you that you could have everlasting life. He's not here to condemn you, He's here to love you. His arms are open wide. He said, if you'll just come unto me, I'll give you a rest like you never had. If you'll trust in me, all you got to do is confess, and He'll do the rest. I'll go with Him through the judgment. I'll go with Him through the judgment. I'll go with Him through the judgment. I'll go with Him, with Him, all the way. Where He leads me, I will follow. And where He leads me, I will follow. And where He leads me, I will follow. And I'll go with Him, with Him, all the way. I can remember when I gave my heart to the Lord, what a mess I was. But all I did was open up my heart, the Holy Spirit did the rest. I didn't know nothing, but all I know is I wanted to be saved that night. So I asked Jesus Christ to forgive me my sin. And you hear that song, burdens are lifted at Calvary. I floated out of here. And you can float out of here today if you want. All you got to do is confess. He will give me grace and glory. He will give me grace and glory. He will give me grace and glory. And go with me, with me, all the way. Where He leads me, I will follow. And where He leads me, I will follow. And where He leads me, I will follow. And I'll go with Him, with Him, all the way. Amen. How about let us stand for little Cam back there and Kate back there and lead them a world that they're safe and a world that they can live for Jesus, that they have every opportunity available to them. And it's up to us. We a generation left us. And we want to leave you all something for sure. Mary, would you dismiss us? Yes. And I want to say first of all that.