 come this morning Lord God, mercy Lord God. We come this morning Lord God, thanking you Lord God for another year Lord God. We thank you this morning Lord God for bringing us Lord God through the year 2022 Lord God and through the year 2023 Lord God. It's gonna be a new day of what you are Lord God. You didn't have to do it Lord God. For Lord God, hallelujah Lord Jesus, hallelujah Lord. We praise you this morning Lord God. We glorify, hallelujah Lord God. We bring in the new year Lord God, worship Lord God in the name of Jesus Lord God. As we ask you Lord God, into your presence Lord God in the name of Jesus Lord God. Oh Lord we ask you this morning Lord God that you will be glorified, be magnified Lord God in this service Lord God, that you Lord God and you alone Lord God, may receive Lord God all be yours Lord God. We lay Lord God, Lord we ask you this morning Lord God that you will take control Lord God. In this service Lord God, that you will move Lord God in a minor way Lord God. Move up on the heart Lord God of your people Lord God. You said those of us Lord God, those of us that worship you Lord God. We must Lord God, we must worship you Lord God. Inspire Lord God and intrude Lord God. You said Lord God, Jesus Lord God in the name of Jesus Lord God. Hallelujah Lord God, hallelujah Lord God. Hallelujah Lord God, help us Lord God. Look in the name of Jesus Lord God. Where is liberty? Liberty to praise your Lord God. Liberty to worship you Lord God. Liberty to glorify, to magnify your name Lord God. Hallelujah Lord Jesus, hallelujah, hallelujah Lord. Have your way this morning Lord God, have your way Lord God, anoint the word Lord God as it come for Jesus Lord God. Hallelujah Lord God, anoint the praise Jesus Lord God, anoint the musician Lord God in the name of Jesus Lord God. we ask you, Lord God, that you receive, Lord God, every praise, every honor, Lord God, that we offer to you this morning, Lord God, in the name of Jesus, Lord God, we surrender our will, Lord God, that you will be done, Lord God, in Jesus' name, Lord God, in Jesus' name we pray. Amen and amen. So this morning's scripture will be read from Romans 8, 28 through 39. If you wanna follow along Romans 8, 28 through 39. And it reads, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose, for whom he did for no, he did also predestined, to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God to give us all things, who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemns that is risen again, who is ever at the right hand intercession for us? Amen, amen. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or swore? For thy sake, we are killed, all on it as sheep for the slaughter. Preacher shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen. Hallelujah, we come to lift up the, but we celebrate resurrection because a purpose and a plan, amen. Lord, I lift your name, but I thank God that he thought I was worth dying for. Hallelujah, not just for me, but for the sins of the world. Hallelujah, Jesus gave up his life. No one took it, he gave it up. Hallelujah, because he thought we were worth it. Thank you, Lord God. Thank you, Lord God, but we give you glory. He saw something in me. I'm going to read a scripture for it. I'm going to ask you to stand for the reading of the... Says, rejoice righteous, for praise is comely to the upright. Praise the Lord with the harp. Sing unto him with a new song, with a sultry, an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song. Play skillfully, play skillfully for a second. Let's play skillfully with a loud noise, for the word of the Lord is right. The word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done in truth. He loves righteousness and judgment. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Says by the word of the Lord, the heavens were made and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathered the waters of the sea together as a heap. He left up the depths of the storehouse. Said, let all the earth fear the Lord. Do you fear the Lord today? Do you fear the Lord today? Said, let all the earth fear the Lord. All the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake and it was done. He commanded and it stood fast. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to naught. He make the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever. It stands forever. All the thoughts of his heart are for all generations. Here it is, here it is, it says, blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord and people who have made, he has made his chosen people as the children's inheritance. Come on and rejoice, rejoice, rejoice to the Lord. Give him praise today. That's right, that's right, open your mouth and praise him. Open your mouth to give him glory, to give him honor. Because year 2022 was rough. But we're still here. We've been through some hard times, but we're still here. But we're still here. The enemy tries to take us up, but we're still here. And I came through with joy today. Little satay is gonna come and sing that for us. Let's join the house of the Lord today. Come on, get behind her and rejoice with her. One more time, come on and rejoice. Give God praise. As we stand, some of us may feel the joy of the Lord. Perhaps there are some who may not feel the joy of the Lord, but the joy of the Lord. You have to embrace it. Come on, somebody. That's right, that's right. If you join, you'll have everything that you need necessary. It's in the house. And we come into the house to worship the king of kings. And when we worship him, when we raise our hands, you haven't had any test of trials before. Come on, come on. Maybe you didn't get a chance to be buffeted by situations. But if you've had those kinds of problems, when you come into the presence of the Holy One. Let me just sing a little bit. All right, all right. And can you all help me? Yes, sir. I wanna sing, God is great and greatly to be praised. God is great, he is great. In the presence of our God. No, you don't have to. You can stand if you want to. Amen. Praise the Lord, everybody. What a privilege it is to be in the house of the Lord again on this Sunday morning. God is truly great. He's the greatest thing that I've ever been exposed to. Yes, sir. He's greater than great. He's great. He's great in my soul because I belong to Jesus. Jesus belongs to me. It's not for a year or time alone, but for eternity. I belong to him. He belongs. I'm delighted to see each of you who are here this morning. Amen, I'm glad to see the Adams family. Amen, amen. Praise God, praise God. Good to see you. We're still holding on. The Lord is blessing in a marvelous way. We choose God. And when we choose God, he's already chosen us. So we're a team together. It's us and God. It's God and us. Amen. I have to make, or it's my pleasure to make an announcement that's coming up on next Sunday. Next Sunday, Shield of Faith Fellowship of Churches is having their vision meeting and the scripture says without a vision, the people perish. So it's our determination that we're not gonna perish. We're not gonna let those who are around us not receive the vision because it's all about us preparing to meet Jesus. That's what our aim and that's what our goal is, is to meet Jesus. Now the apostle, Bishop Henry, apostle Henry B. Alexander and Bishop Marty Alexander, they have this lovely picture. Amen. And they're inviting us to come out on January the 8th, that Sunday at 3.59, 3.59. I'm not throwing bricks of people who are late today. We're gonna have a marvelous time. Through the years we've gone there for the vision and the Lord always directs his people. So apostle Henry B. Alexander is our leader in this fellowship and we're going to hear what the Lord has given him for us on next Sunday at 3.59. All right, now then the other thing I want to thank those of you who were so very gracious and kind towards my wife and myself for the gifts that you gave of whatever description it might be, we appreciate it greatly. And we want to thank you for remembering your leader. All right then, now let's go to the word of God. I'm looking for the word of God. It's right here somewhere. All right, I want to call your attention to the word of God as it is found in Nehemiah chapter eight. Nehemiah chapter eight. This message is appropriate for where we stand at this particular time on the first day of a new year. First day of a new year and at a time like this many of us, most of us perhaps look back at where we've come from and we want to evaluate ourselves and see how we're measuring up to the standard that is set. And so it's a time for rebuilding. When we look at chapter number eight, Nehemiah chapter number eight, I want to call your attention to verses one through 18. And I'll probably want, I'll do my best to stop. I'm excited. I'm excited about what the Lord has done. Now, in the Old Testament, Nehemiah called an assembly of God's people. He called them to a spot that was a wide open space so that it might be plenty room for God's people, everyone to be there, because God's people needed a word. Nehemiah had with him Ezra who was a scribe. And Nehemiah called Ezra to run a revival at that particular place at that particular time. So let me begin the reading before I do. I want to say, this is a time for self-examination. And this is the setting that we're going to look at at this time. And as I grew up, I remember there was a song that was sung and they said, search me, oh Lord, try my reigns I plead and see whatever else I need. Lord, I have your spirit. And Lord, I'm doing the best that I'm willing to do. Not the best that I can. We most of the time, we give God what we want to give him. And we say, we'll forget about the rest. But it said, search my heart and try my reigns I plead and see whatever else I need. Whatever else I'm short of, Lord, make me to understand. Make me to know what more I need to do. Let me read from beginning verse number one. It says, all the people gathered together as one man in the street that was before the Watergate and they spake unto Ezra, describe to bring the book of the law of Moses. The people were hungry. And they said to the leader, describe the teacher, bring the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. We're God's people, we recognize that. And we want to do what it is that we're called to do. Then Ezra, second verse, Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women and all that could hear with understanding upon the first of the seventh month. When I look at the children, I'm not sure what their ages are, but it was commonly understood that at the age of 13, a child was grown. So they, Ezra the priest, he taught everybody who was there. Men, women, boys and girls, whoever could understand the teaching, he said he taught unto all of them. I like the way we have church here. It's the way that I grew up in church. There was no children's church. Somebody invented children's church. Well, if we have children's church, we won't be disturbed. How about if you grow up in church and you come to church, you're not a disturbance. Come on somebody, you're in the place where the Lord wants you to be. As long as you can understand what is being taught, this is the place for you. Now you all know me, I'm transparent. And I'll just tell it like it is. I was a little kid, one Sunday night in church. And I was making a ruckus and my mother said, stop that. And I stopped for a second. Then I went back to doing it again. And she took me, we were on the second floor in the church building, big steps up to the auditorium. And when the deacons were saving money, they turned the lights off on the steps and the hallway outside of the auditorium. My mother took me out in the hallway there and say, stay here. And she went back into church. You know what I say to that? You know what that did for me? That helped me to understand. Come on somebody, I didn't do that ever again. And I found when I sat in there, I had the opportunity to listen and learn. And I listened and I learned. And there ain't nothing wrong with that for little children to be in the sanctuary with the old folks. And I'll move on from there. I think maybe somebody understand that. But what is being shown by this is that everyone with understanding has to know that they have a God that they have to satisfy. They have a God who requires something from them personally. And that's why we say, search my heart and Lord. Try my reigns and see whatever else I need. Cause I want to be right. I want to be saved. I want to please you. And he read there in before the street that was before the Watergate. From the morning until midday. Did I read that right? From the morning to the midday. Come on somebody, how about that's happened some church before the men and women and those that could understand and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law. Now, this is didactic. I'm teaching in that verse right there. Attentive is in italics. All right. And what is pointing to is there was nobody who was there. All of the nation of Israel, they were there and they were standing out of tension. They were not sitting down. They were standing and they were focused on the word. Ezra described stood up upon a pulpit of wood which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood, I'm not gonna read all these names cause you all don't know anybody in here. All those names. Go to verse five. Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was above all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stood up. Now, I don't imagine that there's anybody who said attention to you in the military. You have a leader and they'll say attention and you go from this to, they didn't have to have anybody tell them attention because their hearts were hungry. They were longing for the word of God. They knew that they were caught with a purpose and they had something that needed to be done that only they could do. Come on. And so they were hungry for the word of God. How many wanna please God? Oh, I do. I do with both hands. I wanna please God. I don't wanna hear him say depart from me. I made you with intent of this and that and the other. And you did none of that. I'd rather hear him say well done. Well done, good and faithful servant. So I pays attention with my ebonics. I pays attention. When he opened it, all the people stood. And Ezra, bless the Lord, it's 12 o'clock y'all. Please forgive me. I'm sorry I did that. I'm sorry it did it to me. Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people. Well he was above all the people and when he opened it, all the people stood up and Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God and all the people answered amen, amen. When Ezra blessed the Lord, the people said, so let it be. Everything Ezra said to and about the Lord, they said yes, I agree with that. With lifted up their hands and they bowed their heads. And worship the Lord with their face to, now when you get hergery for the word, something takes place in you. There's something that grabs a hold of you and causes you to begin a change. See that's what the Holy Spirit is about. When the Holy Spirit comes to you and it comes into you, when you're filled with God's spirit, that's the beginning of your salvation journey. It causes you to change your mind about stuff you've been doing. Come on somebody. Somebody said in a song something deep down inside that makes me wanna do right. Well I beg to differ with them. It gives you the power and the will to do right. The Holy Ghost won't make you do nothing. It won't let you charge them with having made you do something. So what the Lord does, His Spirit comes into us. And when you have the Spirit of God, if you're really serious, if you're determined that in 2023 you're gonna do better than you did in 2022, something's gonna move on the inside of you and it's gonna cause you to say, Lord, I thank you because you saved me. I thank you because you never left me. I thank you because you walked with me down through the year. But Lord, I wanna do better. I wanna get it right 100%. Help me, help me, oh God, to do it completely. And when you began to experience that, you won't have to struggle with yourself. You see, they humbled themselves. Did you see that in that verse? They bowed their head as opposed to one of these. You can't make me. I bowed in submission, I bowed in adoration, understanding that you are my father. And you're everything that I need. You made promises to us as your people. And Lord, we wanna receive your promises and we wanna be right. Then let's skip down through all these other names. Skip down to verse eight. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading. Now, the question I wanna ask is what is it that you don't understand? They didn't have understanding until they read the word. When they read the requirements, their eyes were open and they had the ability to do what God was asking. God wouldn't ask you to do it if you couldn't do it. He said, but after they read that scripture, they understood we gotta come on up closer. We gotta get better. I'd like to hear about five more AMAs. We've got to get better. Come on, yeah, you're saved. Yeah, but you ain't got it a hundred percent. Old school, Washington Elementary, after we were in the first grade, we had a sign that says the golden rule and the golden rule says you do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Anybody understand that? Come on, anybody understand that? You got to understand that. God said, our new commandment, I leave with you that you love one another, you embrace one another. Don't look for opportunity to stab somebody in the back. Anybody understand that? Do unto others. Love your enemies. Love your enemies. It's easy for me to love that girl right there. See that little girl? It's easy for me to love her. She ain't my enemy. She grew up needing me. And I met her needs and we can love. Easy, it's easy to love you. How many of you perhaps have some one person who gets on that last nerve? And when you see them and they come in this way, you go, Jesus said, a new commandment, I leave you. He said, in that old commandment, it was an eye for an eye. Yes. And a tooth for a tooth. If they do it to you, you do it right back. He said, a new commandment, not just new, but new commandment, you must do it. This is new. You got to love your enemies. Yes, sir. In 2023. Nehemiah, which is a tishbite. And as with the priests, the scribe, the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, this day is holy unto the Lord your God. Now, what happened is, let me tell you. See, you see what happened was, what had happened. Okay, I can never learn that. What happened was, when they understood the teaching, they said, whoa is me. They looked with an introspective eye and they saw, I'm not right here. I'm not right here. I'm not right here, here, or here. Again, to mourn and weep, because they were missing the mark of God. They mourned and wept for all the people wept. Everybody was crying. Everybody. We see people in church from time to time. And you see them being moved by the spirit and the tears began to roll. But that's only two or three. But it said right here, that everybody began to weep when they heard the words of the law, that we missed it by a long shot. We got to have somebody help us begin to weep and bow down before God. But a surprise, here comes the surprise. The priest and the scribes, the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, this day is holy unto the Lord, your God. This day is holy unto the Lord, your God. Stop mourning. Stop your mourning for all the people wept when they heard the word of the law. Then he said unto them, go your way, eat the fat. Come on somebody. Come on. If you understand what happened in that revival, they were touched, they were pricked in their heart and they wanted to just do anything and everything and they were weeping and wailing and probably tearing their clothes and all that kind of stuff. But the teacher said to them, this ain't that kind of party. I know how you feel it. I know you feel undone. I know you feel wretched because you haven't lived up to all that the law requires, but you didn't know. But after you now learn, stop it, stop the crying, stop the mourning, stop all the turmoil inwardly toward yourself. Just do it right. He said, what you need to do at this point, see the remedy for sin is for repentance, repentance. And when you repent, guess what? It's gone. Repent to God and the Lord will forgive you. Ain't nobody out there who understand that I ain't here knowing, amen. You repent and the Lord will forgive you and send you on your way rejoicing. He said, y'all get on out of here and go home and eat. Let's see what he said. Go your way, eat the fat, the good part and drink the sweet and send portions unto them whom nothing is prepared. We ain't got enough. We might have a little bit left over. But what they were teaching is no matter how much you have or don't have, there's always enough to spare. We live in a selfish society and people are ruthless. Those who are on the top, they didn't get there by walking with Jesus. Slayers, cheaters, thieves, selfish, selfish. Nobody but me and mine. But the Lord wants us to have a spirit of compassion. I'm not crazy. Well, people tell me I give too much. But I have a limit that I feel good with operating within. I had an experience just the other day. I was going shopping and as I was going into the market, I saw a lady and she asked somebody for change. And I went on and did my shopping and while I was doing my shopping, I said, I believe that she seriously needs that. When I get out, I'm gonna give her some money. I got out Elder Ross and she was gone. I drove out of the parking lot, made a right turn and went on towards my house and there she was. She was going next door to the other store. I couldn't help it, I had to stop. I stopped and I asked her, do you need some assistance? Yes, I'd like to have some money so I can get something to eat. And Elder Ross, it was my delight to share what the Lord has given to me. See, when I think of the goodness of Jesus, oh, he done for me my soul, Christ, Hallelujah. I don't want to be stingy. I don't want to hoard everything that comes my way. Everything that comes my way is not for me. Everything that comes your way is not for you. Scripture said, you give and it shall be given to you. Say it, say that, run it over. And I'll tell you about that running over. If you want to secure your offsprings, you better give. Think over, the Lord will overflow you with blessings. And now, you know how it is when you have a cup or a basket or something, when it gets to the top, it just starts rolling over and rolling over. And if you're the child of God that you ought to be when it rolls over, it's gonna roll over on your children. I don't want to tell everybody's business. See that little one right there? She don't have no student loan. And I keep telling you all, I'm not boasting, I'll boast in the Lord. My wife and I have been married 50 years and we've never had a discussion of whether or not we should pay tithes. It was just in us. And we said, we paying tithe. The Lord said, I'll open the windows of heaven. No, no, no, no, no, no. Oh, okay. That's sprinkled. He didn't say I'll open the windows of heaven and I'll sprinkle out a blessing. He said, I'll pour it out on you. It'll be such an overwhelming thing. It'll just take you, take you by surprise and be more than you can handle. All right, let me leave that. Then he said unto them, go your way, eat the fat and drink the sweet and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared. But this day is holy unto the Lord. Neither be ye sorry. He said, stop being sorry for what was back last year. The trick of the devil is to get you all worked up. And he's gonna tell you, you may as well quit. You know you stole the cookie out of the cookie jar. It was still right here. If the devil can confuse you enough or challenge you enough, you'll throw your hands up and quit. And he'll be happy. So forget the things of the past, forgetting the things that have passed. We move ahead. For this day is holy unto the Lord. Neither be sorry for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Now what I see right there is the strength that is needed for us to be whole is the joy of the Lord. What is the joy of the Lord? I've heard it expressed and somebody said the joy of the Lord is Jesus. Okay, but I wanna say that the joy of the Lord this is the joy of the Lord. This right here, you gotta get this in your head. So you'll understand what you'll know exactly what is required and that the Lord will give you the desire. The Lord will give you the longing to move upon what is right here. The joy of the Lord is your strength. The joy of the Lord will keep you from lying and stealing from Porter and Kayton. Excuse me, I hope I didn't get the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is your strength. Now let me ask you, do you acquire the joy of the Lord? He that hungers and thirst. He that hungers and thirst after righteousness shall be filled. The Lord said, I'll fill you up. I'll fill you up. You get in my word. Stay in my word. Thank you Jesus. What time is it? Oh yeah, 25 now. Okay, let me go. Let me go to Romans 28. I'm sorry, Romans 8, 28. Why he's read this for us during the devotion? And verse 28 he said, and we know. We know. There's no doubt. Yes. No fog, no nothing that is forbidding me from knowing. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. If you got the spirit of God living inside of you, you're called according to the purpose. Your purpose is to go forth and make disciples for whom he did foreknow. He also did predestinate. To be conformed to the image of the his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Let's talk about evangelism. More over whom he did predestinate. Them he also called. And whom he called. Them he also justified. Whom he justified. Them he glorified. The Lord glorifies you. He puts the glory in you. Then the scripture said, What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us. If God is for us. Who can be against us? He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Said, if he gave up his son, he can give up everything for you. You ain't that big of a deal. Who shall lead any to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemned? It is Christ that died. Yeah, rather than, rather that is risen again, who is even in the right hand of God, who also make an intercession for us. He said, he goes before the throne for all of our transgressions. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulations or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written. For thy sake, we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. And then he says, nay, no, no, no. And all these things, we are more than conquerors. You're more than a conqueror. You're more than a winner. You're more than number one. More than conquerors through him that loved us. And then he said, for I'm persuaded. I'm persuaded. Elder Ross, you can't fool me into thinking. My name is Johnson. No, no, you look like a Johnson. I might look like a Johnson. You can't persuade me. I know, I know, I know. So he said, I know that neither death nor light, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing can separate us. I'm persuaded. That's what makes me want to do it right. That's what make me want to get closer, closer to God, get into his word more. The word is the agent of change. If you don't get the word, ain't no change. You can't do it. You can't do it. Y'all all tried it without the Holy Ghost and failed. I tried it by myself and I failed. That's why I'm persuaded. I see who used to be this fellow right here. I want to encourage us all. Let's be more diligent. Let's be more diligent. What does that mean? What you're supposed to do, you understand. You understand. You understand the word. And so since you understand, now at this point, it's just about diligence on your part. Lord, help me. Lord, help me. Lord, strengthen me. Get in my word. Walk in the light. This is the Mother Alexander one. If you're walking in darkness, when you see the light, the only thing to do is get on over in the light. You see the light, you understand. Anybody who didn't understand this message, should they raise your hand? Elder Ross, they yours. Walking in the light, beautiful light down where the dew drops of mercy shine all around us. Shine all around us by day and night. Now say Jesus, the light of the world. I should walk in the light, walk in the beautiful light. Come where the dew drops of mercy shine all around us. Shine all around us by day and night. Say Jesus, the light of the world. One more time, walk in the light. Walk in the beautiful light. The beautiful light. Beautiful light. Down where shine all around us by day and night. Say Jesus, the light of the world. Come on, just one more time, just one more time. Shine all around us by day and night. I was listening as Bishop was preaching, teaching, preaching. And I was so impressed with the fact that Sister Merlin, God loves you. But Deacon Dandres, God loves you. See, as good as I am and as bad as I've been, He still loves me. Someone said he's a good, good father. I had a good father. There were times when he gave me a beating, but I knew he still loved me. Because he could put his hands on me, but you better not put your hands on me. Because you be in trouble. But it's something about the fact that God loves us. Even in spite of the fact that we have not been perfect. We've been perfected in him, but we have not perfectly followed him. And said, and when they found the book, and when they heard the book, they weaped and mourned because I have missed the mark of God. So I'm going to invite you and probably everybody should come down. If there's any area in your life where you could do better. I'm going to ask you to come down to this altar. If God has called you to do something and you're not doing it, I invite you to come down to the altar. Come on down, come on down, come on down. If I wasn't holding the microphone, I would come down. But God has called you. God has chosen you. And even though you've missed it, He has forgiven you. So come on down to the altar. Lord, I'm available to you. My will, my will, my will, my will. Come on down to the altar. You know you need to come. He has forgiven you. But I just want you to come and present yourself and say, Lord, I'm available to do what you've called me to do. I'm available to receive your salvation. I haven't been perfect. But what I have, I'm bringing it to you today. I know He's speaking to your heart. Don't stay in your seat. You're blessing it down here. Come on, say it again, say, Lord, I'm available. My will, my will, my will. I'll do what you've said. Say, use me, Lord, to show someone. I'm going to win somebody for Jesus this year. I'm going to do the will of God this year. Minister Andrews, can you help? I'm so registered. And I'm available, hence the verse. To reach out to man, to show him your love, and your perfect plan, and your perfect plan. With my eyes, I see a need. Eyes, I see a need for more of him. Cars that have been broken, so many need people to use. It's not too late. The Lord is speaking to your heart. Come on down to the altar. Say, Lord, I'm available to you today. In the kingdom of God, I missed it. My shore is empty. My shore. One more time. Just one more time. Say, Lord, I'm available. To show someone. To say, my shore is, my shore is, my shore. My shore is empty. My shore is, my shore. Now, Father, we pray right now. As men and women have heard the word of God, we receive the word of God. We have repented, said, Lord, forgive us. Well, we've missed it. But we have declared, Lord, I'm available to you. To do what you want me to do. To go where you want me to go. So, Lord, use us. Use us. In Jesus' name. And before we finish, if you have not made yourself available to receive this salvation, if you have not been baptized in the name of Jesus, if you've been baptized and haven't received the Holy Ghost, today is your day. Assistant Merrill, say, come and get it. Thank you, your mother, tell you, dinner's ready. Come and get it. So, we want just to take that, this time, to open the office and say, praise God, born again. If you have not made yourself available for His salvation, invite you to come. And as we're waiting, the Lord put it on my heart. This morning on the way, He said, just take a few minutes and sing, I need you. You need me. We're all a part of God's body. Stand with me. Agree with me. Agree with me. We're all a part of God's body. It is His will. It is His will. That every need be supplied. You are a reward. I need you to survive. Stand with me. The bishop done did the offering already, hallelujah. If you were listening to the message, he did the offering. He said, pay your tithes. That's what he said. He said, pay your tithes. They made a decision that they will pay their tithes and give an offering on top of that. That's what the Lord commands us to do. He said, give. He said, He will open up a window and pull you out of blessing that you won't have room to receive. That's what the Lord said. He said, give and it shall be given back to you with good measures. Press down, shaking together, running over, shall miss. Give until they buzz them. Let's start this year of right, year 2023 by giving to the Lord. Let's start it off right by being obedient to the word of God. He commands us. He commands us to pay our tithes. He only asks for 10%. And the offering is what you give to the Lord from your heart. Give to the Lord. What's due to him? He said, render to Caesar. What's due to Caesar? So what do you think about him? Render to him. What belongs to him? That 10% belongs to God. And you have 90%. But he only wants 10% of your earning. So bring your substance to the Lord in Jesus' name. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Don't everyone have an envelope? Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord. Let's hold our offering up in Jesus' name. Hallelujah. Father, in the name of Jesus, we thank you. We praise you, Lord God. We thank you, Lord, for giving us the mind and desire, Lord God, to start this year off right, Lord God, by being obedient to your word, bringing our tithes, our offering, and to your storehouse, Lord God, that there may be meat, Lord God, in your house. Lord, you said in your word that you love a chair forgiven, Lord God. You love a chair forgiven, Lord God. We ask you, Lord God, that you will bless your people, Lord God, with the spirit of giving, Lord God. Give liberally, Lord God. In the name of Jesus, Lord God. Lord, we ask that you multiply. Let it continue, Lord God, to meet the needs, Lord God, of this church, that it may further the work, Lord God, that's going forth here, Lord God. In Jesus' name, Lord God. In Jesus' name, we pray, amen, and amen. You may bring your offering. House of the Lord, amen. This is the first Sunday of 2023. It's going to be a great year, you all. It's going to be a marvelous year. Glory to God. The Lord is so good to us, amen. Thank God for everything that went on today. Hallelujah. Do you understand? Do you understand? Hallelujah. The joy of the Lord. That's right. If you find yourself being weak in any area, pick up the word and let the joy of the Lord be your strength. Amen. Hallelujah. Amen. Amen. God loves us here at Children of Faith Long Beach. Amen. He pours out His word and feeds us sumptuously. Fillet mignon. And we give Him glory for all that He's doing. Hallelujah. Are you determined? Amen. This word will hold you real good throughout the week. If you chew on it, amen, and keep bringing it up. Hallelujah. Amen. And chew it, chew it, and keep bringing it up. Amen. And let God bless you throughout the week. Amen. Come on. I'm determined to walk with Jesus. Come on. Hallelujah. Let's get ready to execution. I'll be faithful. Amen.