 by the Alexander. The Lord is come on. Don't stop. Don't stop praising them. He's worthy. He's worthy of the praise. He's worthy of the glory. He's great. There is. There is none like him. Hallelujah, Lord. We praise your name, Lord God. Give you the highest praise. Praise your name, Lord God. Bless your name. Hallelujah. Father, we come this morning, Lord God. In the name of Jesus, Lord God. Hallelujah, Lord God. We come this morning, Lord God. Thank you, Lord God. Thank you for your mercy, Lord God. Thank you for your grace, Lord God. Your Lord God. To all Lord God. We ask you this morning, Lord God. That you will have your way, Lord God. That you will move, Lord God. In a mighty way, Lord God. Move upon every heart, Lord God. Every mind, Lord God. In the name of Jesus, Lord God. We come this morning, Lord God. To glorify you. To magnify your Holy Day, Lord God. For you, Lord God. You alone, Lord God. Are worthy, Lord God. Worthy, Lord God. Worthy of the praise, Lord. Worthy of the praise, Lord God. In the name of Jesus, Lord God. That you will have your way in this service, Lord God. Move in a mighty way, Lord God. In the name of Jesus, Lord God. Help us this morning, Lord God. To draw our minds in, Lord God. Keep our mind on you, Lord God. In the name of Jesus, Lord God. Hallelujah, Lord. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, Lord God. We thank you, Lord God. For being wherever we need you to be and deliver, Lord God. I will heal, Lord God. I will provide you, Lord God. In the name of Jesus, Lord God. Hallelujah, Lord Jesus. Hallelujah, Lord God. We ask you, Lord God. Don't you know, Lord God. The praise team, Lord God. As they come this morning, Lord God. With the sacrifices, appraises until you, Lord God. Receive our praise this morning, Lord God. Receive our worship, Lord God. That we offer until you, Lord God. You do well, Lord God. In the midst appraises, Lord God. In the name of Jesus, Lord God. Hallelujah, Lord Jesus. Hallelujah, Lord God. Anoint your word, Lord God. As the messenger come forth this morning, Lord God. In the name of Jesus, Lord God. Anoint him, Lord God. From the crown of his head to the soul of his feet, Lord God. As he speak, Lord God. Under the ocean, Lord God. Of the Holy Ghost, Lord God. Have your way, Lord God. Continue to save, Lord God. Such, Lord God. As should be said, Lord God. You said no one. No one can come to the Father unless they are drawing, Lord God. We ask you, Lord God. You need last and evil days, Lord God. That you will draw them, Lord God. Draw them until you, Lord God. In the name of Jesus, Lord God. As you baptize them in Jesus' name. And fill them, Lord God. With the precious gift, Lord God. Of the Holy Ghost, Lord God. Speaking, Lord God. In an unknown town. That's a spirit, Lord God. Give him motherhood, Lord God. In the name of Jesus, Lord God. Take control this morning, Lord God. Take control, Lord God. Your will, Lord God. Not our will, Lord God. But you will be done. On earth as it is in heaven, Lord God. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. We're going to be reading the scripture reading. 27 verses 1 through 6. The Lord is my light. And my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked even my enemies and my foes came upon me to eat of my flesh, they stumbled and fall. So in whole shell encamp against me, my heart shall not fear, though war shall rise against me. In this will I be confident. One thing I have desire is of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his rebellion. In the secret place of his tabernacle shall he hide me. He shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall my head be lifted up above my enemies round about me. Therefore I will offer in his tabernacle sacrifice of joy. I will sing praises unto the Lord. May the Lord have the blessings to the reading of the word. Amen. Thank you Lord. Thank you Jesus. Hallelujah. You said you'd never leave us nor forsake us and we worship our God who is with us today. Find you to come in. Hallelujah. We worship the Lord today. Hallelujah. You know God so loved us that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever will believe on him. Whosoever will shall be saved. Hallelujah. That's the love of God because God loved us first. That's why we can love him today. Hallelujah. Oh we love you Lord. I love you. I love you. I love you Lord. Because you care for me. Because you care for me. Such a special way. Such a special way. And yes I praise you. I lift you up. And I love you. I love you. My soul belongs to you. Hey Lord I'm back. That's why my heart. That's why at this time we will have our morning solo. Oh I'm sorry. Elder Bishop is going to be coming. Bishop Alexander. Amen. Get me out of darkness into a love I can't ever forget. To be in the house of the Lord it's such a wonderful thing to belong to a celebrity. Come on somebody. I'm going to rub shoulder with somebody who's a celebrity. But our God he's the king of kings. He's the Lord of lords creator of heaven and earth and we deserve he deserves our praise. Hallelujah. I love the Lord because one day when I was a sinner Lord came into my life. He washed my sins away and gave me his spirit to abide in my person, in my soul and I thank him I thank him I thank him. I'm in thankful mood today y'all. Hallelujah. It's good to see each of you who are here today without a special event and it's good to see you here. Now I praise the Lord for him putting the desire in your heart to be here. When we come into his presence marvelous things happen. The Lord still works miracles. And he promised to meet every need that we have. I'm just glad to be here today. I want to call on a person today that the Lord has began working. Amen. I want to call sister Linda Dixon. Alright. Amen. Amen. Amen. You know I'm known for having two things that I like to do. I like to bless babies and I like to pass out certificates. Amen. So it's my opportunity today to pass a certificate speaking of what the Lord has done. If you would just turn around here sister Dixon. This is sister Linda Dixon. Woo! Yeah! And she received the certificate and I'll read it to you. It said, now when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and the rest of the apostles men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, repent, be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. That comes from the Bible Acts 2.37 and 38. The certificate further reads baptismal certificate. Good place for a prayer. I just want to go off script for just a minute. When I was a young boy at our church back in Missouri one of the preachers demonstrated for us young people what transpires when you baptized in Jesus' name and he had a basket and he reached in and pulled out a black scar. He talked about this being the condition of the heart before remission of sins and he talked and he went on and he preached a little sharp thing then he said, when you go down in water in Jesus' name and he took the black handkerchief and put it in the hat when you're baptized in Jesus' name you come up with a new life he pulled out a white white handkerchief and that's the way the Lord without soap and water without soap or bleach or just water alone when you go down in Jesus' name when you come back up you have a completely clean slate forgiven of all of your sins. And so this is what took place it says baptismal certificate this certifies that Linda Dixon in obedience to the command and in following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized in Jesus' name on the third day of July in the year 2022 at Shield of Faith Christian Center Long Beach pastored by yours truly Bishop Arling Alexander who's got the camera alright this is our opportunity let me present this to you and we bless you bless the Lord and we're blessing you it is our blessing to you to present this certificate oh my God bless your certificate would you like to have remark would you like to have remark alright alright she doesn't want to preach today so alright God bless you amen and now before our music I'm going to call on the first lady of this church amen she's my girlfriend and she's been my wife for 50 years next month and somebody said I've been running for Jesus a long time and I ain't tired yet I've been with this lady for a long time I ain't tired yet receive our first lady as she comes and as remark she'd like to leave with you then after she's completed we'll have our solo and then we'll go further in the service God bless you sister first lady thank you Lord everybody alright I wasn't here yesterday last Sunday for my celebration my birthday I'm 77 years old yes sing happy birthday to me that's right but I wasn't here birthday to three times you all only know of two but there was one that was hidden away in 2018 that they found on me but it's been three times God has been good to me so I'm happy to celebrate 77 years I hope I go 80 even it's a 97 years so if the Lord's willing I hope that but I want to thank everyone even though I wasn't here who sent me beautiful flowers I mean beautiful flowers gift cards little other little gifts and God is good and guess what Pat's and I are twins shut up Bishop we aren't you see this someone in the church walked him here and they decided that I'm going to have one too so they brought me one too I remember years ago somebody bought us an iPad they bought him one and they bought me one too and the church did that and then later on after years down someone bought him an iPad and they bought me one too so we're twins and I guess I'm going to say this and on my fifth anniversary we didn't know what we wanted to do we didn't want to go anywhere travel anywhere because we've been y'all know we've been all over the world we've been everywhere so we didn't want to travel anywhere we don't renew that vows three times three times really because the first time we got married and then in year 26 we renewed him and then when we went to Israel we renewed him at the wedding of Kana we renewed him then so we didn't want to do that again that's what we wanted to do so one Sunday we were sitting at home and he was talking about I had bought him a Seiko watch some time ago and he had it on and it matches his outfit he said I don't want to wear it because it matches my outfit it doesn't work and he said I think I get it fixed I said no don't get that fixed I only paid I didn't pay even $200 for it and so then we were sitting so what are we going to do for our anniversary we have Mashi Apple Watches for our anniversary amen so we praised God for that and alongside of that we said oh that's what else we want for our anniversary we want an adjustable bed ourselves an adjustable bed for our anniversary presents amen and we praised God for that 50 years you should do something right you should do something for yourself I praise God for all the gifts all the cards all the love that was shown me when I got so many flowers I said ooh boy they giving me my flowers while I'm alive I thank God for that and guess what they're still alive I praise God for that thank you all very very very very much and I was going to read a scripture found in Philippians 4 17 where Paul said that the gifts that you give me I'm just going to prayer phrase it the gifts that you give me is not because I desire them or because I want them or even because I need them but you give them to me so the Lord can reward you for what you get in your account the Lord reward you for the gifts that you give me and pit pastor so I thank God for all the lovely gifts all the gift cards I just love you all love you all love the bomb last week you know who put a peach cobbler but it was good I got some homemade cookies as one of my presents the food was delicious delicious delicious you all know how to cook and I had some of my favorite foods and I praise God for you all I just love you all and I praise God I'm so sorry I wasn't here but you know what God knows amen and you all continue to pray for First Lady because you know I look good and I feel pretty good but I'm not 100% myself so continue to pray for me but God is working a miracle in my life He's already done it and I don't know if it's old age or what but it could be some of that too because to be honest Bishop and I are the sites of the oldest people in here amen it's just our bones ache and this ache and that ache but you know what God is still good to us even through the aches guess what we press our way and we push our way amen so continue to pray for us pray for us old senior citizens we may not want to admit it but we're senior citizens so pray for us I'm 3 years from 80 so pray for us amen may the Lord help us do I look at I know I don't look but that's okay God is still good continue to pray for us amen thank you God bless you such a gracious beautiful First Lady amen we thank the Lord for your leadership God has blessed this building this group of people this section of Shield of Faith wonderful leadership amen and it is glorious we thank the Lord for us hallelujah alright Psalms 59 and 16 says but I will sing of your mighty strength and power yes I will sing aloud of your mercy and your loving kindness in the morning for you have been my defense hallelujah a fortress and a high tower and a refuge in the day of my distress if you ever want to get in touch with the Lord sing sing sing hallelujah to him he dwells in the midst of praises so wherever you are and wherever that praise is he comes to make himself known hallelujah let's sing of the goodness of God we ready Mike praise your Lord praise your Lord I know he watching come on let's sing it I sing I sing oh I sing because come on the joy of the Lord the joy of the Lord yes I sing stand on your feet and give your praise she said when I think of the goodness of Jesus is anybody happy is anybody free today says I know he watches over me the other morning I was sitting in worship I was just kind of singing some songs praising God the Lord spoke to my heart he said tell the people to expect miracles expect my favor and expect blessings see you got to open up your mouth and decree and declare I'm blessed by Jesus hey I was thinking about that song brother that I expect a miracle every day God will make a way I don't know have you ever been in a situation where it seemed like there was no way out but God but God who's rich in mercy I give honor to our bishop and to our fabulous first lady we thank God for them why don't you put your hands together give out a hand praise for our bishop and our first lady come on you can do better than that come on come on we appreciate them and I just counted such a privilege to stand before you stand in the great great man of God great woman of God I was thinking about Solomon he built the temple and he finished building the temple and he offered a thousand sacrifices and God came to him and said what do you want what can I do for you and he said for so great a people is thine Lord teach me to go out before such a great people is thine and you need to understand when you belong to God that makes you great when you belong to God that makes you somebody special I just thank God because of who he is and what he does and the word that God gave me for today is I still have my joy I still got it hey I've been through some things but I still have my joy I've been through some hard times I almost lost everything but I still have my joy I don't know about you but I'm determined I'm going to go rejoicing all the way after all that I've been through I still have my joy I was listening to First Lady three times she's battled with cancer and one Jesus name but I can tell you that she still has her joy and if you're going through a test don't worry about it give God some praise like Sister Merlin said because he inhabits the praises of his people if you praise him he'll show up and do something for you your testimony I still got my joy I lost my head but I still got my joy I lost a few toes but I still got my joy because greater is he that's in me than he that's in the world still got my joy still got my joy me and my said for the joy of the Lord shall be your strength the joy of the Lord shall be your strength if you will develop a life of being a worshipper you will walk in great strength you will have great victories because every time you worship God shows up see he loves a worshipper he can't resist a worshipper see I found out even when I was in trouble even when I was wrong I began to worship I began to say Lord you're good Lord you're mighty Lord you're powerful Lord you're able to do I messed up I made a mistake but I need your God and every time I began to worship like that he shows up to your husband he can understand that see a wife sometimes y'all get out of pockets you know what I'm saying and you come up to your husband baby you so strong see we know y'all jiving us but we say what do you want but what can I do for you girl keep talking keep talking God loves a worshipper but see he gets no glory when we complain and cry and just act like I just can't make it he said but after all that I've been through I still have my joy now joy is not necessarily the absence of challenge and struggle many times the Lord blesses us and he does wonderful things in our lives and we're so excited and we have great joy and we give him praise that's normal that's natural but what about the times when it seems like everything that could go wrong did go wrong car broke down refrigerator stopped running my dog ran away I love that dog I guess he didn't like me he ran away see when what do you do when you're in the middle of a hard time what do you do when you're in the middle of a struggle I remember watching Dr. Sykes my uncle Richard when they went through the most horrible thing you could imagine and I was amazed that she never lost her joy see you have to understand joy is not the same as happy happy fluctuates it goes back and forth you happy you know when you get this and they got that and then it broke and then you're sad and you're happy but joy comes from Jesus joy even if I don't see you in this life I'm gonna see you again I got joy unspeakable and full of glory I got hope I got hope David said I will bless the Lord or I choose to bless the Lord to barack the Lord it said in his praises Tahila will continue to be in my mouth in other words it doesn't matter what I'm going through on good days and bad days when I got money, when I'm broke I'm gonna bless the Lord because that is the best thing that I can do so David says I will bless the Lord he says and it will continually be in my mouth or it will emanate from my soul my mind my will and my emotion I was listening to Bishop when he got up he said when I think of the goodness of Jesus and all that he's done for me see if you will think you will think if you consider I may be struggling now but he brought me out last time if he did it last time he's gonna do it this time he may not come as fast as I want him to come but he always shows up on time and when I get through I got a testimony that God did it couldn't do it for myself couldn't make it for myself but God did it and not only did he do it all along the way see when I look back over my life and I think things over I consider I have to come to the conclusion that I am truly blessed he says I have a testimony in other words I have a story to tell you know sometimes we see people like Bishop we say they are blessed if you sit down they got a story to tell you like they said it won't always be like this the truth is it wasn't always like this there were some tough times some difficult times but I made it up in my mind that I am going to keep my joy I'm going to praise the Lord I'm good days and bad days and up days and down days when I have money when I'm broke I'm going to praise the Lord at all times now you need to understand that praising Jesus is always going to be a choice the enemy will try to tell you why in the world are you praising God and you're going through this when he talks to me like that he says I'm praising the Lord because I'm going through this and he's going to bring me out and I'm going to door and I'm going to keep my joy see because the truth is the world is watching I hear you say you're going to praise God when everything is going alright but what about now things are tough what about now you're going to praise him now I praise him for his goodness and for his faithfulness to me I praise him for his ability to do the impossible things that I can't do for me I praise him because he loves me and I don't deserve it have you ever seen a beautiful woman with an ugly man and you thought why oh my God why I know that's a couple of times I had to say that that boy must have some money or something see but that's us the angel says what is man that you would even consider and the son of man that you would dwell with him we were that ugly woman touch your name and say you ain't ugly you ain't ugly he ain't talking he ain't talking about you no I'm not no I'm not I ain't talking about nobody in particular I'm probably talking more about myself turning in the Bible Acts chapter 16 here in this 16th chapter Paul and Silas are going about the city of Thyatira and they are preaching the gospel and there's a young woman with the spirit of divination she's got her own psychic hotline and her own infomercial she says call me now he says I know you're not calling her now I know ain't nobody in this room nobody in this room call it her now amen bishop I know amen I know that I know that I know the saints are saved and anyway so she's following them and she said these are the servants of the Most High God and they will show you Roy and she's saying it over and over and over again now the truth is she wasn't praising them she was making fun of them she was throwing shade at them so every place they go she follows them and she's young these are the men I imagine even if they went to a public bathroom she'd be standing out waiting as soon as they walk out these are the men and Paul got tired of her mess and cast a demon out of her in the name of Jesus Jesus and so she has to shut down her psychic hotline cancel her infomercial and now she's saying don't call me now don't call me now but when her pimps found out they couldn't make any money off of her see people will use you and try to make money off you try to take advantage of you and act like they love you until they can't get nothing out then they want to throw you away see when they found out that they couldn't make no money off of her they were hardest fish grease they were mad and so they took Paul and Silas to judge Johnny down at the people's court and they said these Jews are making trouble in our city they're teaching some stuff in our city that is unlawful to teach and they disrespect us as Romans I mean as Millenials did I say Millenials and so judge has Paul and Silas has their clothes stripped off of him he has them beaten with many stripes he has them put in the innermost part of the prison and has their feet in handcuffs or foot cuffs I don't know what you should call it but through it all through it all Paul is Silas they kept their joy Paul is Silas they kept their praise let's look at verse 23 and when they had laid many stripes upon them they cast them into the prison charging the jailer to keep them safely who haven't received such a charge thrust them into the inner prison and made their feet fast in the stocks 25 it says and at midnight Fred Hammer talks about late in the midnight hour he says about midnight Paul and Silas they prayed and they sang praises I like to say they prayed and they sang praises to God and the prisoners heard they were shy about it they sang and they sang praises to God in the middle of the test and suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the temple were shaken and immediately all the doors were open in every man every one bands they were loosed so here in our text they are cast into prison and it says late in the midnight hour they began to praise God and say when you praise God like that God will show up so God showed up see God inhabits the praises of his people if you praise him in the tough times if you praise him when you're in trouble if you praise him he'll show up and he'll show out won't he do it yes sir see there they had power in their praise and you need to understand there is power in your praise when you begin to praise God God will do something for you the joy of the Lord was their strength to endure but the joy of the Lord also released the power of God it says so after their praise after the praise I want you to notice after the praise there was a shift in the atmosphere there was an earthquake God began to move when you praise God like that he will shake things up for you it says the prison doors are open and their chains and the chains on everybody around them fell off so you need to understand when you go through the test and when you give God the glory he will bless you and all the people around you he will bless you and your family he will bless you and your children and your grandchildren I remember I don't remember what it was but it was a major blessing and the Lord said I did that for your grandmother see she prayed some prayers you didn't know about she gave me some praise you didn't know about he said I did that for her see you have to understand your praise is not just for now but it will fall off into the future it will open doors it will make ways when you're going through struggle and pain and sickness and disease if you will praise the Lord God will open up a door God will make a way God will heal you God will deliver you God will bless you so the prison guard he thought everybody had escaped and he knew he was in heat big trouble and he said I'm going to kill myself before they can kill me see but God has a way of making a testimony he went to kill himself and Paul said dude don't do that he said we're all here and we have not escaped he says do no harm to yourself and the prison guard was so affected by that by what happened man of God what must I do to be saved see when you go through your tests and your trial and you give God the praise and the glory and he blesses you and the people around you then they'll come to you and say Dr. Sykes what must I do to be saved and you know Dr. Sykes will jump all over that see if you keep moving on the street with the good news I believe she'll put you in headlock she's Alexander they can get kind of rough I know they got that you know we pretty smooth up front but if we got to get down get dirty for the gospel see but there's something about when we magnify the Lord he says don't magnify the Lord with me now the Lord is as big as he's always been but when we magnify him he grows bigger in our sight and in the sight of people around us and they can see the hand of God on our lives and they say I want what you got I don't necessarily understand it but I want what you got see sometimes we try to cram stuff down people's throat and make them love God and make them come to church my brother said man you got to love the hell out of him I wasn't cursing him I'm talking about the hellish nature I don't want Bishop to sit me down he said you know when you're in trouble when they have the musicians still playing stay over there don't do that to me man but it's something when we begin to magnify God wants us to show the world to be on showcase of what I can do see I know I can tell it God I was almost dead and the doctor said this time tomorrow you should have been dead but God who was rich in mercy a couple of years ago I lost my house I had to give all my furniture away I had some good stuff and I watched my furniture ride down the street because I didn't have no place to go I had a baby grand piano that was over 100 years old I couldn't give it away I had to take a sledgehammer and break it up that broke my heart but you know even in the midst of that I kept my joy I wasn't happy about it but I had joy but everything I lost he's giving it back to me and better better than what I had and I can tell he'll make a way out of no way he'll open the door for me he don't know what to do I didn't know where to go I had a friend call me he said man what do you need you need some place to live here move him in this house to God he is Jehovah Jireh he's a God that looks ahead and provides before you get there I said I'm not going to ask none of my aunts because she had houses I could move in I was going to ask somebody I said God if you don't do it my ship's going under I'm going to trust you the Lord with all my heart I didn't lean to my own understanding my own understanding was talking to me 100 miles an hour but I said I will bless the Lord at all times I don't care what it looks like I don't care what it feels like I don't care who got my furniture I'm going to bless the Lord I'm going to bless the Lord and he gave me stuff better than I had better than what I lost some of it I didn't pay a dime for I have people blessing me so I got embarrassed but see if you will bless the Lord see he's giving some of you ideas to be entrepreneurs but see first things first seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and then I will add it to you when you go down to make your plans when you get through making your plans just lift your hands and begin to give God some praise lift your hand and begin to say thank you God I don't know how you're going to do it I don't know when you're going to do it but what I know you're going to do it I give it to you I give it to you and I discover when you give it to God he'll give it back to you what you try to hold on you're going to lose it but if you give it to God he'll give it back to you and so he told the jail don't do yourself no harm and so the beautiful thing is he asked him what do I need to be saved as a result of their prayer and their praise as a result of their prayer and their praise they were delivered but the God got saved see God wants us to live in such a way that we see the power and the glory of God and we are delivered but men and women will see that are watching from the outside and they'll say I need this God that you have they were delivered and the God got saved see we are a living testimony you and I we are the final book of Acts the final chapter you and I we are chapter 29 of the book of Acts because the Holy Ghost wants to move in you and through you and for you not only to bless you but to bless the world see sister Cece the Lord is using you to bless people that can't help themselves but he's going to bless you and you're going to bless the world so we are a living testimony that we are epistles we are living epistles our lives are an open book known and read of men people are watching us at home at work at school like it or not every place we go we represent Jesus Christ the anointing is on you the power of God is in you I remember I had a friend and she decided she was going backslide and she went to the club she said she got got high and said right in the middle of her high somebody came up to her and said what are you doing here you do not belong in this place and we can't get our party until you leave so you got to go see the Bible says I bury my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ we belong to Him and all you have to do is be what God called you to be and say what God told you to do and act like God told you to act He'll bless you, He'll use you He'll make a way out of no way for you and so we witness to men as much as possible and we use words only when necessary don't talk about it be about it see we do a whole lot of talking sometimes we don't do much being about it we don't show much love people come to us and they say I'm so sick I don't know what to do lay your hands on them and pray the prayer of faith and God will deliver because the power of God is on the inside so what about this joy near my ship the joy of the Lord is my strength James says count on all joy when you're going through tough times Paul said rejoice in the Lord always, always and again I say rejoice David said this is a day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice yes I've been through the test but I still have my joy yes I've been through some trials but I still have my joy yes my heart has been broken my joy joy unspeakable and full of glory the joy of the Lord has been my strength the joy of the Lord has taken me through he's been my strength even when I felt like giving up I've got joy hallelujah I've got joy I've got joy tell somebody I've got joy tell somebody I've got joy I've learned through the test through the trials that I can still have joy through it all I've learned to trust in Jesus I've learned to trust in God through it all I've learned that I can depend on his word and since I know that I can trust him since I know I can rely on him since I know that he won't let me down I can praise him in advance I don't have to worry because I know he's going to deliver me I'm not going to worry till the battle is over I'm going to shout now I'm not going to worry till the battle is over I'm going to praise now I'm not going to worry till the battle is over I'm going to dance now because he's going to bring me out the Bible said many other fictions of the righteous but God but God delivers him from all I'm here to tell you today no matter what you're going through God will deliver you no matter what you're going through God's going to make a way no matter what you're going through he's going to give you the victory so you can give him praise him say after all I've been through I can rejoice because he keeps on doing great things for me he keeps on opening doors for me over and over again I've got joy after all we've been through we still have our joy I love him and I love to praise him I praise him because he's good I praise him because he's faithful I praise him because he's holy I praise him because he's righteous I praise him because he's God he's God so we can keep on running we can keep on we can keep on dancing we can keep on praising through it all through the test through the trial we can keep on we can keep having joy because the joy of the Lord is going to be your strength he's going to get on the other side of the test and say I don't know how I got here but what I do know God is good I don't know how he did it but he made I have joy and that is the comfort that I want to leave with you today no matter what you're facing no matter what your problem no matter what you're going through the joy of the Lord will be your strength and he will give you joy he will give you joy sometimes he'll give you joy and it just doesn't seem to make sense some years ago my wife lost two of her brothers on the same day they were murdered and we were at the funeral and we were at the repass and someone says I know I should feel down but I got joy and I should feel like falling apart but I got peace he says I will never leave you and I won't forsake you it doesn't matter what you're going through he says I'm going to be right there with you he said you can go through the flood it's not going to kill you you can go through the fire and it's not going to burn you but he is the God that gives us victory in the face of what appears to be defeat and so since we know that God is going to deliver us since we know that God is going to bring us out since we know that God is going to make a way for us we can have joy unspeakable and full of glory joy that lasts a lifetime they said not like the world gives they give it to you they take it away but he's joy everlasting he's peace everlasting he's power everlasting it doesn't matter what you need he is able to do the Bible set now to him that's able to do he's able to bring you out he's able to give you a job he's able to open a door and because he's able we have joy so let me encourage you today that whatever you're facing in life let the joy of the Lord be your strength deliver you and bring you out and you'll have a testimony and you'll be able to tell the world that the joy of the Lord was my strength God bless you a message that we've received a message that is necessary for each of us to be what the Lord has called us to be the Lord called us to be witnesses he calls us to be light and darkness near the light of the world he said in my absence you are the light of the world and he says in the message today he says that praise is the key to victory praise is the key to the outcome that is expected of each and every one of us none of us alright he brought out scripture says the peace that Jesus gives never fails it always lives the peace that Jesus gives is joy unspeakable and when he says joy unspeakable joy beyond being able to verbalize what God is and what God has in store for us so when we praise God that's the key to every success in your life you ever been at a door at night time and you got a bunch of keys and you're trying to get in the house you say I think this one is it try that one and you try another and it won't work you can't get through the door even though the key is available but you can't find it you can't embrace it but let there be some light come on somebody let there be just a little bit of light and that little bit of light will point you directly to what it is that is needed in your life and so now all of us we have to make a decision it's not normal or natural I'll say normal or natural to be happy in the midst of great tribulation great trials it grabs a hold of who you are and it wants to take you over and lead you in an opposite direction of what God has for you but see if you praise him if you'll thank him if you'll not wait till the battle is over he said praise me even in the darkest hour he said you can trust me he said I will never I'll never leave you I'll never forsake you all you have to do is praise me talk about the goodness that I've done for you come on somebody now y'all know if I make you a pie and I give you a pie and you're taking it just walk off that'll be the last pie you'll get for me come on somebody you need to say thank you at least you need to acknowledge that something has been done in your favor so what we need to do is we need to praise God come on we need to praise him no matter what comes no matter what goes something praise him in the morning praise him in the new times praise him when the sun goes down praise God for who he is praise God for what he does praise God for his ability come on somebody the Hebrew boy says yes you can build a fire hot as you want to make it he said but our God is able come on in the midst of a fiery furnace God is able to see you through and they said even if he doesn't do it he's able he's able that's my testimony I'm able to see you through hallelujah hallelujah thank you let's stand let's stand hallelujah thank God thank God for the word Elder Ross thank God come on somebody thank God come on somebody's been touched somebody's been anointed somebody's felt what God was saying to the church hallelujah hallelujah when I think of the goodness of Jesus and all he's done for me my soul cries my soul cries hallelujah hallelujah thank God hallelujah it's joy unspeakable hallelujah you know that song it's joy unspeakable this is my key oh it's joy unspeakable oh it's joy unspeakable oh it's joy unspeakable oh it's joy unspeakable now if you're seeking what you need each and every one of us what we need is the power and when the Holy Ghost gets inside of us it gives us the ability to say no to the devil come on somebody come on we all came this way because we were all born and sin and championed iniquity and we were all about ourselves and all that we were interested in is what's in it for me come on somebody but when you find out that you can't fix anything you can't fix your life you need Jesus you need Jesus to take your sins away and then give you power to say no to yourself come on when you receive the Holy Ghost you're praising God that's what brings the Spirit into you that's what invites the Lord into your life you say lord you're good lord you're wonderful lord I praise you hallelujah and it begins to turn over down inside of your spirit down inside of your soul the lointing of heaven comes over you and you begin to speak in an unknown tongue ask the Spirit of God I say give come on you don't have to work for it all you got to do is recognize just recognize tell him who he is hallelujah with Jesus you took a break the altar is open before the Lord and when you get down here we'll pray for you but you need to praise too come on somebody sometimes people say I'm praying for you and I heard some people say you need to pray for yourself they might have been not might have been some shade for them but that is the truth we need to pray for ourselves we need to know what God is able to do invite him in is there one such as this come to the altar come on the altar you can't still have your joy unless you get it first let's prepare to receive our offering tithes and offering thank God for His Word thank God for our instructions thank God for His teaching that prepares us to do the will of God while you're filling your tithes and you're offering envelopes last Sunday was the first Sunday and if you didn't get a chance to pay your tithes because your check hadn't come in yet today is a great opportunity to support the work of the Lord here at 4934 Long Beach Boulevard can I get an amen amen I thank the Lord for His people and the members of this church do a good job of paying their tithes and I think we ought to say hallelujah thank you Jesus Lord you're worthy all of that amen and I want to congratulate you on doing a good job of paying your tithes now there's great benefit in tithing if you sow seed into the kingdom of God the Lord promised that He would meet every need that you have and He says give according to your capability to give and so now I say that because sometimes if you're not able to give you might feel offended when somebody say you ought to give more well if you're not capable of giving that's not directed at you but if you got money money money money money money the Lord said give according to your capability and as a man sow it scripture said however you sow that's the way you're going to reap how many want a good harvest I do amen so now if you want a good harvest you can't plant seeds like this if you want a good harvest you put your hand in that pouch and take that seed and go whoo and He said ask you so however you plant He said that's what you're going to reap so now that's my admonition for giving on today you can give not a part of this congregation at this spot perhaps and you want to give to the building of the kingdom of God you can give by givelify show the faith Christian center Long Beach givelify or you can send it to 4934 Long Beach Boulevard 90805 and the Lord will bless you this is good ground I said this is good ground amen the word of the Lord and the anointing is always in this place come on somebody so it's a good place to support we'll gladly receive your contributions in the name of Jesus let me say this I heard somebody recently say preachers get all the money and it's spending on big cars airplanes and all that kind of stuff I want to tell you this is my testimony how long we've been pastors since the first lady 27 years I'm waiting on my first paycheck I'm waiting on my first paycheck amen so if you are thinking that Shield of Faith Long Beach has the bishop that's buying airplanes and big cars other than out of his own pocket that's not the situation here the Lord has blessed my family so that we bless the church amen the church doesn't enrich your bishops and first lady the Lord has blessed us with careers that we felt sufficiently provided for so now you might seem like I'm preaching but I have to say we were married 50 years ago and when we got married it was never any question about whether we were going to pay tithes and give an offering or not we came together knowing that that's what the Lord required of us and we've done it down through the years down through the years and guess what we missed it we've never missed it well I'll say this is the boast in the Lord first lady said we've been everywhere after we retired we've been to so many countries the one we haven't gone is to any Asian countries but all the Europe's and Paris and all that kind of stuff Africa we've been all over the place because the Lord promised he said I'll give you what you need and I'll let your baskets overflow I'll open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that you're not able to receive in other words your baskets will run over give God what belongs to him and then let him know how you love him by giving him an offering that's it for me let us stand for me I don't make this I don't make this plea I'm not the offering receiver generally but that's what the Lord has said for us today all right hold your tithes and offering up to the Lord Father in the name of Jesus we thank you we thank you for every provision that you've made for us thank you because you've opened doors where there seemed not to have been a door where there seemed not to be a way but we thank you that you continue to be faithful to your people we thank you oh God that you've directed our path and Lord we receive what you say into our spirits receive our offerings oh God in Jesus name we pray amen you may come and bring your offer look at these little children they're trying to get their offering in God bless you bless you honey yeah they're getting their offering you're gonna be blessed alright blessings and glory bless you sir we're glad to have you with us his mother and talk with the first lady God bless you we're glad to have you would you like to have a word alright you're good alright good we're excited to have you with us today and also we're excited because the lanes are back with us today amen God bless you amen and they've got that beautiful little boy amen we're glad that you all are back with us in service alright are there any other visitors that I don't recognize alright go ahead carry it on sister Miss Alexander alright come on all that determination come on thank you lord