THE TRUTH IS

Teddy Ott… Sunday December 30, 2007

I want to thank everybody that’s here today for coming.  Most of you know me well, you’re my brothers and sisters, and we’ve grown up together.  And you know it’s an honor that I’ve been given to come up here and to share God’s word, and I’m thankful for it, and I don’t take it lightly. 

You know some of you, brothers and sisters that I have here, you know exactly why you’re here.  Some of you, maybe you don’t.  The truth is, God knows why you’re here.  You’re here today for a specific reason.  And he has something in store for us. 

Somebody’s going to be blessed here tonight, amen. This morning, who is it going to be?  I am.  I’m going to be blessed tonight because I’m coming back.  I’m going to get all I can get this day that I’ve set aside for our Lord. 

Before I get into my message here this morning, let us go to the Lord in prayer.  Heavenly Father, it is you inside every one of us that draws us together, it is your truth that we seek and that we long for.  Father I offer myself for your use here this morning.  I ask you to touch my heart, touch my mind, touch the ears of all my brothers and sisters.  Let them hear what it is that you have for them in your house here today, it is you that will receive the praise, the honor and the glory for all that transpires in our lives, and we thank you for what you’ve done and will continue to do this day, in Jesus name, Amen.

The title to my message here this morning is “The Truth Is”.  God had me change that, just Saturday morning.  It had another title, and when he changed it, I panicked because I thought I would have to get rid of all the things I had tried to get together for a week, little did I know, what I’d put together, lined up with what he wanted me to call it.  I’m glad he’s in control, in taking care of what he’d have me do for him. 

There again, the truth is, something Christians should worship in, serve God in, walk before God in, speak to one another in.  The truth is something we must meditate on, bind about the neck, write upon the tables of our heart.  The truth is something that ministers should speak and teachers should teach, the truth is something that came by Christ, is in Christ.

Its sanctification, its purification, it’s part of the Christian armor, it’s something that’s revealed abundantly with the saints, abides continually with the saints, should be acknowledged, should be believed, should be obeyed, should be loved, should be manifested, should be rightly divided.  The truth is something the wicked turn away from, something the wicked resist. 

The church is a pillar and the ground of truth, the devil is devoid of.  To the child of God, the truth is the Word of God.  It’s the inspired revelation of God, amen.  It’s the book that contains the mind of God, the state of man. The way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers.  Its doctrines are holy, its precepts binding, its history is true and its decisions immutable.  Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be whole.  It contains light to direct, food to support, comfort to cheer you, it’s the travelers map, the pilgrims staff, the pilots compass, the soldiers sword and the Christians charter. 

Here heaven is opened and the gates of hell disclosed.  Christ is its grand subject, our good is its design.  And the glory of God, its end, should fill your memory, fill your hearts, guide your feet in righteousness and true holiness, read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully, meditatingly, searchingly, devotingly.  Study it continuously, preservingly and industriously. Read it through and through until it becomes part of you being, it generates faith that will move mountains.  It’s a mine of wealth, a source of health, a world of pleasure, it is given to you in this life.  It involves the highest responsibility will reward the least of the greatest of labor.  And will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

It’s a mirror to reflect, a hammer to convict, a fire to refine, seed to multiply, water to cleanse, a lamp to guide, food to nurish including milk for babes.  Bread for the hungry, meat for the men, honey for the desert, its rain and snow to refresh us, a sword to cut, a bow to revenge, gold to enrich and power to create life in faith. 

Tell me what more can God give us? 

You know he’s given us this truth that we possess, so that we can give it away.  Every new born believer should have this truth living inside them.  If you don’t, its your own fault.  Its freely given, you haven’t knocked, you haven’t seeked, we should repent while there is still time. 

If you’re here today and you don’t know this truth about the only begotten Son of our Father, and you feel God tugging at your heart.  There is not a set time apart for God, this is Gods time.  Salvation, repentance is God’s time.  Don’t hesitate to come to the alter and give your heart to the Lord.  The most important thing to God is his children. We know that, that’s the most important thing to me and every born again believer.  Is for Gods children to come together and be united.  Anybody remember the title of this message?  “The truth is”. 

There are billions of people in the world, even millions in this country, thousands right here in Rossville, they don’t know the truth that we possess.  There’s an estimated 6,773,482,218 people in the world, as of Saturday morning.  I had it pulled up on my computer and it had a head counter of the counter of the world population.  And I was watching this thing click off every second, a human is born. 

Studying the word of God, my mind instantly went to, man, I’d  like to see a counter with all the souls being saved.  As it was clicking off.  My moment of joy was somewhat short lived.  God took my heart to another counter.  He showed me a counter that showed the souls of those he’s already lost, that had been lost and how fast it was going, which was faster than those being born.  He just wanted me to stay in touch of his concern for this lost and dying world, and our job in it, our part in it. 

That we should never loose the heart for salvation for all the lost in the world.  There’s 4200 religions estimated to be in this world, everyone of them claiming to know what the truth is.  Christianity being 2.1 billion, most of which, teach the truth.  Then we have Islam, the Muslims, second in stats, 1.5 million, correction, billion…1.5 billion Muslims. 

Then we have these, which describes the bulk of American, and most likely the world.  1.1 billion people, they’re labeled as secular, non-religions, agnostic, and atheist.  Probably all of us at one time or another in our lives, fit into one of these categories.  The secular, are described as worldy, profane heathens, you know there the ones that started secularism. 

You may not know what that is but, that is the group that took prayer out of our schools.  They’re working hard to take God out of everything in this land.  Then you have your non-religious type, you know that describes a lot of unsaved people, especially the upper middle class, they’re just living out their lives and setting back and watching the show, not getting involved in anything. 

Then you’ve got your agnostics.  A person that believes that the human mind can not know whether there is a God or an ultimate cause, anything beyond a material phenomenon. Agnostics question the existence of God, heaven, such things in the absence of material proof and unwillingness to accept supernatural revelation.  And the atheist reject all religious beliefs totally, in the existence of God. 

Hinduism… 900 million, Chinese traditional …394 million, Buddhism…376 million, primal indigenous…300 million.  African traditional…100 million, Cyniciam…23 million, spiritism…15 million, Judaism…14 million, Jadeism 4.2 million, and it goes on and on, and on. 

Everyone of them thinking, I know what the truth is, teaching them their truth.  You know all these religions have something going for them, something good in them, cause that’s what draws people to them.  But we know it sorta like a pretty piece of candy, that has poison in it, and by the time you realize it, your poison. 

No wonder there’s 1.1 billion people that don’t really want to get involved or believe anything.  Look at all the religion in the world, look at all the different doctrines and writings and bibles even.  Hey, I myself, thought these thoughts of what’s going on in the world when I was lost about all of these religions.  Satan used this to bind me and hinder me and I know he’s using it even today. 

Due to the uncertainty that he can place in your mind, thinking how can anybody be right with so many different beliefs, religions and doctrines. You know the Christian faith is not lacking in some of this. We have different doctrines in a small degree and different way of worshiping, even different bibles. Even in these different things satan still uses to hinder and to hold back and to bind people up, even cause division. We ourselves know. 

There over 38,000 proclaimed denominations in the world.  I had no idea there were so many denominations.  Tell me something, how can one Jesus, one Lord and one truth, cause so much confusion in a planet , in a world?  We know its not God, we know that.  He’s not a God of confusion; is he.  It says so in his word and that’s my life, that’s my lifesblood. 

1 Corinthians 14:33 says “For God is not the author of confusion, but peace, as in all the churches of the saints”.  Well, we as believers know where the trouble lies.  You know, satan started early on, didn’t he.  You can read about it in genesis 3:5, he sort of started this spiral of religion and interpretations and the doctrinal problem.  Satan knows that these differences in interpretations and ways of thinking would probably reward him many souls throughout the years. 

I’ve heard this myself and I’ve heard it a lot, and I’ve never had this thought.  Though I might have done it.  I’ve been talking to people, trying to get them to come to church and they say, this is my church, oh, I go to this church.  Like I’m trying to lure them away from God.  And I’ve never had that mind set. I’ve never thought about my church.  I’ve always thought it was Christ church.  That’s what I’ve always thought, that’s all I’ve ever read.  And I’m wondering where this way of thinking comes from and its in this world and satan uses it to his advantage.

But the word itself discloses what its church is, what we are as a body of believers.  Maybe they didn’t hear it.  Maybe they didn’t want to hear it. Romans 12:4-5 says, for as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office.  So we being many are one in the body of Christ, and everyone members, one of another.  This is 1 Corinthians 10:13.. for we being many are one bred and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bred.  1 Corinthians 12:12-13.. for as the body is one, it hath many members and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.  For by one spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be jews or gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit.  1 Corinthians 12:20… but now, there are many members, yet one body.  Ephisians 4:4… there is  one body, one spirit, which you are called into one hope of your calling.  Colosians 3:15…and let this peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you are called to one body, and be ye thankful. 

You know it’s sad that the believer has allowed satan to come in and manipulate and do what he’s done to Christ church.  And I know in my heart that it’s a supernatural power that has caused this to transpire.  I’ve had different people tell me that, over the past year maybe, that I meditate too much on satan. 

Well, since I’ve got saved, that’s all I see.  I’m in this world and I walk out down the street, I go to the mall or I go to the store, I see sin and rebellion and I know what produces it.  I’ve never meditated on satan but I can sure see his handy work in this world.  I couldn’t see it when I was lost, but that’s all I see now. 

What is sad, to me, 2.1 billion Christians.  Why do I see all of this evil and I seldom see the multitude of saints stand out?  You know, years ago, right after I got saved, I read this.  Jesus prayed this prayer 5 different times in the bible, its been used in sermon upon sermon about unity in a local body.  which would apply, because we are one body, though we may be scattered throughout the world to do Gods work. 

You know the prayer he prayed in John 17:20-23 is more than enough to convince me that I’m a part of a body that is worldwide and I’ve got brothers and sisters all over this planet.  John 17:20-23, Jesus prays… neither pray I for these alone or for them also which shall believe on me, through their word, that they may be one as thou Father are in me and I in thee, they also may be one in us… that the world may believe that thou hast sent me, and the glory in which thou givest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one. I in him and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one.  That the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved me as thou has loved me.  That should convince every believer to do everything in their power to stand united with brothers and sisters throughout the world.  And not allow interpretations and doctrines that aren’t blatant sin, and deception to divide in their hearts and in their minds. 

I’ve seen it my whole life growing up in some of the churches people call old fashion.  Some sing out of Hymnals, some blue books, some traditional…whatever.  And I’ve seen people allow themselves to be separated one from the other because of where their hearts. 

You know, but the truth is, it’s still Gods church, its still Christ church.  He’s still in control of it.  I don’t like it but God’s in control and he knows what he’s doing, and he’s still going  take what we have messed up, and use it for his glory.  Matthew 16:18 says…and I say unto thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  John 12:32 says.. and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 

The thing of it is, right now, all over the world, people are being saved.  Every kind of church, every denomination where Christ is preached, people are being drawn to our Lord. You know, its Jesus that sets people free. I wonder sometimes, what some of the Christians and my brothers and sisters think this is. I know what the world thinks it is, just another religious writing, but the newborn believer should know better. The truth is… many Christians come to Sunday school but they don’t have one… they don’t bring it. 

Thousands this morning come to church and don’t even have one with them. Large quantity of Christians are more apt to leave their bible at home, than their cell phone. 

There is something wrong with that. Some are even undoubtedly lost their love for Gods word. Tired of reading it, tired of hearing it preached, tired of hearing teachers teach it and they don’t even realize it, I don’t think. Because I’m not sure they know what this is.  But they’ve been deceived into believing its something else. 

I could have titled this message something else and it would have been the same. “Who is truth”?  You can’t know what the truth is without knowing who the truth is. It is the who that opens the door to the what. 

Its in the book.  John 1:1-2…in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.  John 1:14 says…and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory and the glory as of the only begotten, full of grace and full of truth.  John 14:6 says, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life.  No man come to the father but by me.  We can’t separate the two.  They are one.  How do you love one without loving the other?  I can’t. 

I might allow myself to be deceived by thinking I can but I can’t. 

I remember when I first got saved.  I was sort of like this newborn babe that is described in 1 Peter 2:2…as a newborn babe desires the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow there by…you guys remember that desire?  Have you had that desire?  Where did that desire go, should it go?  I couldn’t get enough of the bible, I couldn’t get enough related to it, that would help me understand truth. 

The thing is, it wasn’t me, it was the nature that was in me that I yielded to. I couldn’t help it, I couldn’t help but to seek the truth, I couldn’t help but to read about what had happened to me when I asked Jesus to come into my heart because I didn’t understand it.  I knew something happened and I had to figure out what it was.  How a person can go through their life and have Jesus inside of them and not be overwhelmed, by what is going on in their life… is there anything going on, is there anything supernatural manifestations taking place?  I don’t understand it. 

The only way I did understand it is this.. everything that I did, everything that I saw, everything that I felt was written down.  The more I read the clearer things came.  You know that bible says that truth is light.  Psalm 119:11 says...the word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path.  Psalm 119:130 says…the entrance of they word giveth light, it giveth understanding unto the simple.  Our behavior and actions show the amount of light we have in us. 

I had people have to point mine out, especially my wife, and she’s pretty quick to do it.  I’m thankful for that, I mean, me being saved, it’s a good thing cause I would have gotten mad.  But she can correct me now and the instant she says anything about my actions or attitude, I have to react to it because I know she’s right.  Because I live for the truth, I live by the truth.  I want to argue and say something but I can’t cause I stand on this truth.  You know, we know we are to walk in the light we receive right?  Well this is true.  But this is also true, light does not run from light, only darkness avoids the light. 

Truth is reading the bible keeps that light burning.  Exposure to the preached word keeps that light burning.  It’s hearing of the teached word that keeps that light burning. You can make up any excuse you want but that is the truth.  I’ve had some wrong thinking a lot since I’ve been saved. For whatever reason but God always straightened my thinking out. 

I used to think that preaching was for the lost and teaching was for the saved.  Made sense to me.  Why do you need to preach to me when I want to hear some truth about something I can use?  That was my way of thinking, I want to go where people are teaching the word and you can take this fire and brimstone stuff over here and salvation stuff to somebody else, cause that was my mindset early on as I got saved.  But I was wrong, God straightened me out on that way of thinking.  Cause my wife’s preached to me, whats the difference?  If she can point out stuff that is not straight, why can’t a preacher do it?  I just didn’t recognize it.  All preaching is; is a purpose for calling  attention to truth.  That’s all it is.  All teaching, which could be both one in the same work together, is a work in making the truth clear. 

One is no more important than the next. 

Since I’ve been saved, the preached word has shown me a lot.  I listen to whoever and whenever.   As a child of God, you hear the truth.  If there is misleading doctrines or flesh, you can see that, you can know that.  The only way you can be deceived is to allow yourself to be deceived.  Ephesians 5:8, this is out the new living translation.  Says… for though once your hearts were full of darkness, now it’s full of light from God, and your behavior should show it.  As I said earlier, our behavior shows the amount of truth in which we’re walking. 

You know we got, like I said earlier, we got 2.  billion proclaimed Christians in the world. Next time your at a mall or a store or a ballgame or whatever where there is a large number of people, see how many you can pick out.  See how many you can spot, see how many spot you, see how many recognize you.  How many of them can see that light that is in us?  You know, I’ve noticed something else over the years, I’ve looked for scriptures to back up, anytime I go to thinking, I filter through this.  My thinking has been wrong many, many times so I have to go to the word to make sure my thinking is right. 

But I can’t find anything wrong with us taking our faith and Jesus and lifting him up in a public world.  We’re not persecuted, wouldn’t matter… it doesn’t matter.  How many of you guys wear shirts with logos on it for a ball team?  Everybody in here…most of you.  How many wear a hat with something on it..huh? Most everybody in here. How many have a shirt with a little emblem on it or a shoe with a little check on it or some other indication of some sponsorship of something on it? 

How many wear stuff to draw attention to your faith, to your Jesus?  How many?  Good deal.  That’s the way that it should be.  How many of us don’t think a thing about it?  I didn’t, I’ll tell you when I thought something about it.  I put my coat on.  I’ve got one of these James Street Church of God coats, jackets.  I want to tell you something. I took notice of it and other people took notice of it.  Not that I was promoting a denomination but they knew that I stood for a faith in God. 

It seems that in this day and age, we’ve allowed our faith to become something that it’s not.  From time to time you’ll see this little emblem of a fish on an automobile.  How many of you guys got one?  Anybody got a fish on their automobile?  Hope nobody’s got a fish with legs on it.  I didn’t know what it meant at first.  Somebody had to tell me it was a symbol of darwism. I didn’t have a clue, I thought man, look at this one, it’s starting to walk around.  Then I saw this one, I saw this big fish eating this little fish…I didn’t know what that meant.  Somebody had to tell me, it sort of dawned on me that Christ was the big fish eating the little fish with legs on it.  Have you seen that one?  I love seeing that, and I have seen the extreme with automobiles totally covered with writings and stickers and things displaying their faith. 

How many of you guys noticed this sign down here on the interstate?  About the meaning of Christmas.  Anybody notice it?  I noticed it.  I want to tell you something, I’m proud of my brothers and sisters in the faith spending their money to display what Christmas stands for.  There should be more of it. We’re in a land where we can do that.  We should display what we believe in.  But someway, some form, some fashion, we have allowed satan to turn our faith into some kind of covert operation, were we working stealthy and in camo.  Right, that’s what it seems like. 

I’ll tell you something, I can’t spot them.  I go out of my way to try to allow my light in me when I interact with the world to make a difference when I see somebody sad or frustrated or upset.  That’s what’s inside of me that is working.  I know we’re in a war for souls, but we have an enemy that is after them just like we are.  And we can’t allow the enemy to bind us up and worry about… I talked about this in Sunday school, people worried about embarrassment. 

Another good one, we got 2.1 billion Christians….go to a restaurant and see how many people pray over their food.  Count them out for me.  What’s the deal, are they hiding or are they there?  I wish God could put something over their head so I can see.  You know, why don’t they?  Are they ashamed to, are they embarrassed to?  And it’s sad that we’ve allowed the enemy to manipulate our faith and to put us almost in hiding.  And I’m not going to be part of it.  I don’t care, I’m going to be what Christ wants me to be, I’m going to do what Christ tells me to do if it’s embarrassing then so be it. 

Now I don’t even know what embarrassing is to be honest with you.  Cause, I’m trying to allow God to change my heart and to change my mind and change my emotions to suit him.  And I understand it’s a growth process with everyone but there are some things that are just natural to a born again believer.  That should not require any knowledge of the word of God.  The spirit of God living in you should be manifest in your way of talking and your way of acting.  If not, something has happened to it. 

Everybody that’s married probably wears a ring and don’t think nothing about it.  It means some thing doesn’t it?  We don’t think a thing about it.  Of course, it would be awful if my wife thought I was ashamed to wear it.  It’s never been off my finger to my knowledge since I got married, I’ve been married over 30 years.  I don’t know that it would come off without a hacksaw.  You know, Romans 1:6 says…for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.  For it is the power of God, and the salvation for everyone that believeth. 

You know I’d almost have to challenge you guys to wear something that draws attention to your faith.  Why shouldn’t you, why wouldn’t you?  Anybody want to tell why they couldn’t wear something or do something to draw attention to their faith?  Thing is, what would keep you from doing something, wearing something, or acting a certain way that would draw attention to your faith?  You’ll have to ask yourself that.  But I’ll guarantee you one thing. If you do, it will make a difference, if in nobody else, in you.  It did me. 

As I started wearing things that proclaim my faith in God and in Jesus, it kept me conscience of who I was an ambassador for and a representative of.  It kept him close to my heart.  People is looking at it.  Maybe we’ve went covert cause we don’t want people to see us for who we really are.  Are we ashamed of our Lord?  I  know that we’re not, but I know what satan is doing in the hearts and the minds of my brothers and sisters.  In me knowing that their lack of concern and understanding of this is just another tool that he’ll use, to invested interested, to manipulate and change what plan God has for each and every one of us.  I think I’m going to go ahead and stop right here.  I’ve got a few more points I want go over and a couple of things I would like to say before we leave.  Sister Melissa…

You know, as I said earlier, the most important thing to me as a believer and to those of you as a believers, is those that don’t.  Those that don’t know the truth, those that are still in bondage to our enemy. 

As I read this, I would like for everybody to bow their heads and pray.  Jesus said in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth and the life.  No many cometh to me but by the father.  Acts 4:12 says.. neither is their salvation in any other, for there is none other name, under heaven be given among men where by we must be saved. 

The truth is if you have not asked Jesus to come into your heart, you do not have a way to know the truth.  Because he is the truth.  You don’t have a way to eternal life, because he holds eternal life in his hand.  And his hand is stretched out.  You don’t have a way to God, but Jesus will take you to meet the Father.  Will you come? 

Starting of a new year, will you ask our Lord to come into your life.  It’s not a denomination, it’s not a religion, it’s not a church organization, it’s Christ’s church.  Over 2 billion strong.  You could start this new upcoming year with a new life.  All you have to do is come and ask him to come into your heart, and be your Lord and Savior.  

God loves you, his son died for you and God only knows how long he’s willing to wait, or how long he’ll tug and how long he’ll draw.  But I pray that if you don’t know him, he’ll continue to show his mercy upon you, continue to deal with you.  And whatever the enemy has brought that has bound you up that would keep you from receiving something that cost you nothing. 

The greatest gift that mankind has ever known, is refused by countless thousands everyday, because of an enemy they can’t see, and chains that have got them bound that they can’t see.  Thank God for his mercy.  You can look up now.  Brother and sisters, each and everyone of you know. 

Know that this past year, where you have gone, whether you’ve done more for God, whether your more in love with God, whether you’ve cooled off a little bit, whether you’ve done a total about face.  You and you alone know.  I know that all it takes is for us to come to our heavenly Father and ask him to do a work in us.  No matter what you’ve done, no matter what you want to do, he has to be in the forefront. 

And if you believe that you’re a child of God and a member of the body of Christ.  I want you to come up here.  I want us to join together and pray as a body should pray.  I don’t care what denomination, I don’t care, we’re brothers and sisters in our Lord. 

It must be built up, It must be fertilized, it must be guarded.  As we go into this new year, let us go unto our heavenly Father and ask him to move and to touch and to direct and to do a work in all of us, and to use us for his honor and his glory. 

Heavenly Father, we are so thankful for what you’ve done, we’re thankful for your word, we know Father that there have been times that we have fallen short, there are times that we’ve been flat out rebellious.  There have been times that we have disagreed with your word and turned against it.  We’re not perfect.  But there is one thing these have done, they’ve stepped up in faith, they know that they’re your child, they know that you love them, they know that your going to help them, be there for them, guide and direct and mold, and do whatever it takes in us to transform us into the image of our Lord and Savior. 

Father we don’t know what the next year is going to bring but we are asking you to come in us and continue to use and to mold and transform into the image of our Lord.  And to bring us together throughout this land, to be the body of Christ that we are supposed to be. 

Help us to energize that light that is in everyone of us, place in us a hunger and desire that when we go out into this world, that we will draw attention to our Lord.  That we will draw attention and give honor and glory, to that which we believe and that which we cherish so much in our hearts.  Loose us from that bindness that the enemy has placed upon each and every one of us at times, that would hinder us, whether it be in our way of thinking, whether it be totally absent of thinking about it. 

I know, Father, that you have shown me if we would be that light to this world that men will be drawn unto you, by us and what you have placed into us.  They won’t understand it, they’ll seek to understand it.  Father I praise you for everyone that is here and I pray Father that you will continue to keep your hand upon them, that you will guide them throughout their lives.  And we will continue to work and serve you, and in Jesus name do we pray, Amen.

Anybody have a special need for prayer or anything today?  If you do, I would like to pray with you now.  Those of you that are here, that are part of our elders would come up and lay hands on this child, been sick and we know our God is a faithful healer.  We are going to ask him to touch this child right now, and he will…and has. 

Heavenly Father we thank you for your word and we thank you for your promise.  Father we are believing right now, and we know that you have touched this child, and I thank you for that.  I thank you for those that are here and the faith that rises up within us, that we can come together.  Your word tells us that we can lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.  There is no doubt in my heart and in my mind.  It is you, you are the supplier and the healer.  And we will give praise and honor to you this morning.  And I thank you for my daughter, Father, that brought this child up in faith.   She is the caregiver of this child, as her faith that means most to you.  That she trust you with her child, in Jesus name we give you thanks and praise. Amen. 

Heavenly Father, my brother has stepped out in faith, in faith has he come forward asking you to touch his body.  Father, how much does it take?  I am believing, I know.  He is believing and stepped up.  Father, I know right now you are moving through his body.  It is your power, it is your spirit that is here this morning that is touching my brother.  And I thank you for what you’ve done and for what your doing in him.  Help him Father, throughout his life.  Encourage and guide and direct.  Father you are the healer.  And we praise you for touching him here this morning, Amen.

My brother is standing in for my other brother Michael White.  Let’s ask the Lord to touch him through the intersession of my brother.  Heavenly Father, again we come to you with a small request.   I ask you to touch my brother that something has come against, that I know in my heart is a work of satan.   You have given us power over all the works of the devil Father.  On your word and on your promise do we claim healing for my brother.  I thank you for my brother that is standing in his place and in his stead, and the faith that has risen up in him, knowing that there are no bounds there are no limitations  to prayer and to what you can do with any measure of faith that comes from any believer. And right now, I know that you have touched my brother, Michael White. In Jesus name, I praise you, thanks and honor given to you. Amen.

Heavenly Father, I have a daughter here before me, that stepped up in faith.  Longing to see her dad come back to you.  Father, whatever it takes, whatever it takes.  Her cry out is for her father to come back to you, as well as my own.  I saw this man come to you Father, I saw the enemy come and deceive and lure.  Father you drew him once, and I’m asking right now that you draw him again unto you.  And faith, as his daughter came up here longing to have you move in his life, in his heart and in his mind.  There are no boundries and limitations in what you can do and will do.  Whatever it takes to bring him back, may your will be done.  And we thank you and praise you Father for moving… in Jesus name.

Heavenly Father, I have a dad here that has brought his son, brought his son to you.  He has a rash, we know that it is nothing to you but it’s something to this child, it’s something to this dad that stepped up in faith.  And coming to you with a situation, that he knows that you can take care of instantaneously. Father, I thank you for touching this child’s body, and I praise you for the faith of the dad that brought his son to you, that he can be touched by you.  In Jesus name do we give you thanks and praise for what you’ve just done.  Amen.

Is there anyone else here this morning?

Heavenly Father, I have a brother and sister before me right now, lifting their child up to you.  I know what has come against this child is a work of the devil.  And they’ve come forth Father to lift him up to you to have you touch his body.  To take away that the  enemy has brought against this innocence child.  Father they are the protector and the caregiver of this child.  And I know now, that you have touched his body, from head to toe.  And we thank you for your healing promise and for the faith that brings us together and has us to call upon your name to have you touch and to move.  Thank you Father for moving here in this child this morning.  And we will give praise and honor to you for what you’ve done.  In Jesus name, do we thank and praise you, right now.

Heavenly Father, another one of your children have come forth.  With a request to you and the concerns in her hearts for her loved ones.  Father she ask nothing for herself first, she ask for those that she loves.  Father I ask you right now to move in her heart and in the family of her loved ones, Father, those that she brings before you.  Whatever it takes to make a difference in their lives, conviction, trial, trouble, they are in your hands.  She brought them Father to you, in faith. Your child has brought this petition to you. Small thing does she ask for herself Father.  She ask you to touch her and direct her.  That’s more than enough Father because she has asked in faith, she stepped out in faith, she shall receive that in which she ask of you.  In Jesus name do I thank you for meeting her need and dealing with those that she loves.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Is there anyone else that has a need here this morning before we close our service?

I love it when God’s children comes up with a request to their father.  Before we leave here to day, we ordinarily have someone close in prayer.  I want to read this, I want us to pray this and we’ll be dismissed after I read this.  I don’t know how many of you read it.  How many of you read this on the back of the bulletin, a few.  Well, I’m going to read it to you.  And we’re going to dismiss after this because this is a New Year prayer.  So I want you to bow your heads and pray along with me.

Heavenly Father, God of our yesterday, our Today and our Tomorrow.  We praise you for your unequaled greatness.  Thank you for the year behind us and for the year ahead.  Help us in your new year, Father to worry less, to laugh more, to teach our children to laugh by laughing with them, to teach each other to love by loving them.  Knowing when love came to the stable in Bethlehem, he came for us. So that love could be with us and we could know you.  That we could share love with others, help us Father, to hear your love song in every sunrise, in every chirping sparrow in our backyard, in the stories of our old folks, and in the fantasy of our children.  Help us to stop and listen to your love songs so that we may know you better and better.  We rejoice in the world you loved in to beginning.  Thank you for another year and for chances everyday.  We pray for peace, for light, for hope, that we may spread them to others.  Forgive us for falling short this past year, we leave the irepable past in your hands, and step out into the new year knowing that you will go with us.  We accept your gift of a new year and we rejoice in what’s ahead.  Depending on you to help us, do exactly what you want.  In Jesus, name we come together, and in Jesus name do we give thanks and praise to you…Amen.

Message

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January 2008