Lord help us, we'll try to finish before 12. You pray for us, I want to try to mind the Lord. In 2 Chronicles chapter number 5 and look at verse number 1 please. The Bible says, Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the Lord was finished. Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver and the gold and all the instruments, put he among the treasures, the house of God. Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers, the children of Israel into Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month and all the elders of Israel came and the Levites took up the ark and they brought up the ark and the tabernacle of the congregation and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle these did the priests and the Levites bring up Also, King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude. And the priest brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, to the oracle, the house, in the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims, For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark. If you didn't think twice or look at that real close, you'd think they were alive. But we know better. And the cherubim covered the ark and the stains thereof above. Look at verse 11. It came to pass when the priests were come out of the holy place. For all the priests that were present were sanctified, did not then wait by course. Also the Levites, which were the singers, all of them, of Asaph, of Haman, of Jephthah, with their sons and their brethren being arrayed in white linen having cymbals and psalteries and harps, so much for the Church of Christ, stood at the east end of the altar with them and 120 priests sounding with trumpets. And it came to pass as the trumpeteers and singers were as one. to make one sound, to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord. When they lifted up their voices with the trumpets and the cymbals and the instruments of music and praised the Lord, saying, for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever. that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord. So that the priest could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud. For the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God. Now isn't that why we're here? Isn't that really what it's all about? Can I suggest to you this morning that that's God's purpose in saving you. That's why God delivered Israel out of Egypt. He didn't deliver them out to take them somewhere. He delivered them out to bring them to Himself. It's God's intention to fellowship with man. He gave Adam everything he wanted in the garden. All he had to do was just enjoy it. Amen. Keep it all. But he sold out his soul for a tree. Can you imagine? And all God wants from us is fellowship. When God said to Moses, He said, take and build a tabernacle. Put up a tent, boy. And I want you to do it after the pattern in heaven. He said to me, when you get it ready and you get that ark set up, I'm going to come down and we're going to fellowship. That's why I'm doing this. And ever since then, ever since the day I got born again, I've been chasing around, trying to find a place where God and me can fellowship. After all, that's what it's about. That's what we're supposed to do. That's what God wants from us. He saved us to bring us to Himself. He saved us for fellowship. God wants to fellowship with you. That's why He put up a tabernacle. God wants to come. He said, get that ark in there, and I'll come and dwell in between them chambers, and I'll fill that house, and the glory of God will fall into place. You say, why a preacher? Because God wants to fellowship with man. That's his desire for us. Why would we have a meeting? I don't need another meeting. I need to rest. Come on, I'm telling you the truth. What is the purpose for, why in the world, preacher, would you go to the Philippines? Why would you go to Canada, preacher? Why would you go to West Coast? Why would anybody go to West Coast? The land of fruits and nuts, amen? Why would you go out there? Why would you go to that church? Hey, there's not 10 people in that church. Why would you go there? I'm telling you, hey, one of them days way back yonder, I knew what it was like to see the glory of God come into place and fill it up, amen. And I ain't got over it since, and I want some more of it, amen. Ever since the day I got saved, brother Jim, I've been trying to get back to that day I got saved. That's what it's all about. Can I ask you a question? What else is it in this life? What else is it if we can't see God's glory once in a while? Well, hey, God saved us and He's gonna take us home, but we can have home here, He said. We can worship here. We can enjoy Him here. We can have eternal life right now. You don't have to wait till you die. I already died. Hello? Everybody all right? I'm just, I don't understand. I mean, what is the purpose? Why are we going through all the trouble? Why are the ladies fixing all the food? Why are we doing all this? It's not but for the hope. Maybe God might drift by here. Maybe God might swing by. Maybe God might blow through. Maybe God might get a hold of somebody. Call a young man to preach. Or make a young girl a missionary. I'm telling you, what is the purpose? If we can't see God, show up! Amen! That's why we're here! That's what I want! You thought I was doing this for my health? You think it's for your money? Thy money perish with it. I would like to see God again. I want to see God come through again. I'd like to see the power of God again. I'd like to see God move one more time amongst His people, amen. That song said it'll be worth it all. Can I show you something real quick? My time's about up. I want to show you this. Luke chapter 15. I know it's going to look like I might be taking a little out of context, but I'm preaching right now. In Luke chapter 15, I'm not going to insult you and read all the passages. I know you know about the prodigal son. I know you realize that there's a coin missing and God still shines on silver. Amen. And there was a sheep missing and God still shoulders those sheep. Amen. And there was a son missing and God still saves those sinners. I thank God for that. But that's not what I want you to see real quick. I want you to look at verse number 28. The Bible says, and he was angry and would not go in. Therefore, his father came out. Brother, I'm telling you something. We spend too much time, too much effort, too much money and too much prayer. Too much heartbeat. Are you listening to me? We put too much together and spend too much time away from our families and do too much to try to get the Father to come in His house. Hello! But if we're not careful, the Bible says, had this one left this house, there's reasons we can run him off. Amen. If we're not careful, we'll do it. There's reasons in that chapter right there. I'm not going to preach them all. I'm going to read a few of them and I'll be done. Amen. You know, verse number 11, Bible said, and he said a certain man had two sons. Amen. They ain't nothing to make the father leave his house worse than a brother's at odds. Amen. You just get two brothers fighting in church. You get too mad about this and that. Amen. You get too squabbling over nothing. Amen. Five minutes later, they can't remember what the argument was about. I'm telling you, but things like that, little things like that will run God out of His house. It will run the Father off. It will move Him out. Amen. Hell will move in. And it will happen in a hurry. Amen. try to get prepared, try to pray, and try to get everything. I told my folks at church, I said, listen to me. I said, I'm telling you, I announce at least once a year. I said, I'm telling you, don't come up to me 15 minutes before I preach and tell me what your problems are. I'll take them to the pulpit. Amen. Don't you come up to me 15, 10 minutes before time to preach and give me your burdens and throw your problems on me. I said, matter of fact, don't bother me 15 minutes after I preach. Let me enjoy the minute. Hello, I'm just trying to tell you there's some things if we're not careful and we work so hard and we do so much and we fight so hard to get the Father to come into His house, God help us, don't do nothing to run Him off. Brothers, brothers at odds, that'll run the Father off. Verse number 28, a bitter and angry spirit. Run the father off. Bible says, and he was angry. Amen? You know it's just almost impossible to be angry and sin not. Did you know that? But you can do it. God said you can do it. Amen. You know how you can be angry and sin not? You know how you can be angry and not let it affect you? It's when you're praying for that person you're going to have to deal with and God says, hey, you get mad at him because he needs it. Get angry with him, he needs that. But you don't do it for yourself. Oh, amen. You don't do it. Hey, listen. I'm telling you, this old boy right here, he got angry. And you know what happened? It caused his father to leave the house. Now, when the father leaves, the glory leaves. You know what Israel did, just like the brothers preaching by? You know what they did? They went on with that ark just like they never missed a beat. Like God was going to always be there. They went out there and they tried it again with just that ark, but they found out they needed more than the ark. They needed the God of the ark. And He didn't show up. And boy, things got rough from there. Are you listening to me, church? I'm telling you, you come in here about half cocked from work, half mad, been fighting with your wife all the way to church or your husband. Shall we stop and pray? Come on, you know what I'm talking about. You, you, you, you, you fight with her and you, you reach over and cut the radio on. She cuts it off. You cut it back on. She cuts it back off. You cut it back on. She cuts it back off and takes the knob. Get to the church and grab your Bible, lay in the back seat and step out. We've met to worship. Come on, isn't that the way we do? And what we ought to do is just come in, fess up. You know, we got this thing backwards. We need to reverse it, brother. What we need to do is have the altar called to start. Come on in the house of God, get on the altar, get right with God and then have church. I mean, you can't come in here with that angry spirit, that bitterness in your heart and try to serve God and live for God and worship God. Come on, is everybody all right? Amen. A bitter and angry spirit will cause, listen, if God's the potter, How many of you agree God's the potter? Where's the potter's house? Aren't we there? Amen. But you know what'll run the potter out of his house? Brothers at odds. Bitter and bad spirit. Amen. Bad appetite for what's on the table. Is that alright? That's in verse 27. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatty calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. I don't like cow. I ain't eating beef. I'm a vegan. Hello? Everybody alright? I'm telling you folks, we get a mess. We make a mess for ourselves. We try to put God in a box. God ain't gonna be in a box. Now listen, can I help you? Can I tell you something? I'm closing. I got about six more and we're closing. But can I help you? I'm telling you, I'm telling you, nobody in this church wants fellowship with God more than God wants fellowship with you. He will tear mountains apart. He will flip islands upside down to come to you for fellowship. But he will not go any place where he does not feel like he is welcome and wanted and worshipped. And I'm promising you that. Stand with me. Come on preacher.