We've got a lot that have been out, and I'm probably going to forget somebody, but we've been praying. Ms. Carol's been working really hard to get here, and she made it here. God got her and Brother Don, so y'all give them a big hand. God bless you, Miss Carol. Brother Trent, it's not just anybody that I would go and get a chair for and bring specifically, but it's good to have Brother Trent. He had back surgery. Good to have you, Brother Trent. God bless you, God bless you. We've had many of you, many folks that have been out, and we just appreciate you being here. We got a lot of visitors, and we just want you to know that we love you and appreciate you, and I hope that you feel that this morning. One thing that we want to do, yes, Miss Paulette? And Janie's hot, I did get to see, and Janie's hot. Janie, where you at? That's what she did. Hey, Baptists are not to move. of misdemeanor has been a portion of a look at her husband her husband is with the lord now of the misdemeanor for me in this lesson is charging so good to have a misdemeanor And I wanna say that I think on the next thing we need to do is we've got a lot of July birthdays. I'm one of them. I like birthdays. I love birthdays. So those in July, you have birthday in July, stand up. We're gonna sing happy birthday to you. July, July, come on, we got a whole list of July. July, all right. There you go, come on, some are reluctant. We're not gonna ask you ages, right? We're just gonna sing happy birthday to you. Okay, one, two, three. ♪ Happy birthday to you ♪ ♪ Happy birthday to you ♪ ♪ Happy birthday, God bless you ♪ ♪ Happy birthday to you ♪ God bless y'all. God bless y'all. We don't have a program, per se, for Independence Day. I hope that you celebrated that. We don't wanna take our independence for granted. So if you know someone that is in the military, that's current military, somebody that may be overseas, they may be in the States, but somebody, I want you to stand, I want you to give their name, and then we're gonna have a prayer of safety for them because they are fighting that we may be and remain free. So we want to acknowledge them. I've got a son. His name is Nathan Moose. He's in Sasebo, Japan. Who else wants to stand in place of somebody in the military? Okay. Okay, thank you. All right. All right. Shirley. I got you, Charlie. Amen. Amen. It's windy. I mean, I mean. All right, Miss Carol? All right, okay. Anybody else? All right, we're gonna pray for these. I wanna ask Brother George, Brother George, would you pray for these for safety? And we wanna thank God for the freedom that we have, and men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line to sacrifice family time, other privileges that we have to fight for our country, and we just want to pray a prayer of protection of them. Brother George. Amen. Amen. Thank you both. If you have your Bibles this morning, if you turn to the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 12, 1 Corinthians chapter 12, If you need a bulletin, there's a lengthy outline, although we probably won't get to everything, but you can take it home and study. If you need a bulletin so you can have an outline, raise your hand. We have a guy that, my son is up here. Anybody need a bulletin? So there's an outline on the back. Okay, everybody's on the ball. You need one? Okay. All righty. We're gonna begin with verse 13. Read 13 and 14 and we'll jump over to Hebrews. Would you stand? in honor to the Word of God this morning. 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 13 and 14 will begin there. 1 Corinthians 12, Romans, 1 Corinthians. I'd like to hear those pages turn, amen? I tell you what, it's good that we can have the Word of God and we can read God's instruction this morning. Again, with verse 13, For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. You flip over to Hebrews chapter 10, beginning with verse 19. A little bit maybe harder to find. Good scripture goes right along with what Miss Elizabeth was saying, the Brother George's scripture. Beginning with verse 19 of Hebrews chapter 10. having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised, and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your word, your precious word this morning. Lord, we thank you for the Holy Spirit that resides in every believer here. Lord, we thank you for you continuing to speak to us through your spirit and Lord, also bringing conviction to the loss through your Holy Spirit that they might be gloriously, miraculously saved. Father, we thank you for speaking through your body, the church. Lord, we thank you for the body of Christ. We thank you that we can gather together as a family. Lord, with the Father, we just praise you for this precious precious time this special time Lord we thank you for those that are with us who have been out Lord we pray a special blessing for them Lord I pray that the visitors that are here Lord that they feel like family they know that they're loved by us and more than more importantly by you Lord I pray that you'd speak to every single heart Lord, you know the needs that we have, and you're able to meet those needs. Lord, feed us with your word this morning. Lord, help us to take what you have for us. We would believe it and walk in it. Help us to receive it, and especially your love. We pray in the precious holy name of our Lord and Savior. His name is Jesus. And all God's children said, amen, amen. You may be seated. A couple of Sundays ago, I missed one Sunday, but a couple of Sundays ago, we talked about the devil's attempt to keep us off of our knees. And this morning, I'm gonna talk about the second thing that I believe is where he wants to attack, and that's the family. Now I know there's the biological, there's the physical family, and it's very, very important. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that, right? We love our family. We were able to go to Gatlinburg and spend time with our family, and that was a good time. I want to tell you, there's another family that's going to live forever, and that's the family of God. And I want to talk about that family because that's where the devil will attack. He attacks the family. He attacks the family. He tries to divide and ultimately to destroy. because the family of God is a threat. Just as prayer is a threat, the family of God is a threat. When the family of God gets together, it gets God excited. When the family of God gets together, I believe the Holy Spirit works in a unique way, in a special way. When prayers and people joining together in prayer, when people join together in praise, I believe God in heaven responds to that, amen? And let me tell you, when God responds, things happen to where we are, and that's what we need, and that's why we need Him. So I'm gonna give you a couple of things this morning, I pray that'll bless you. If you look here, number one, I want you to realize this, in being a member of the family, number one, if you look under here, we desperately need one another, for we are the body of Christ. And I want you to look at this. Each member is valuable. and needs the other members to complete the body and function fully. I heard a guy preaching on the way, and I listened to try to find something decent to listen to, and I was coming back from Gatlinburg, and this preacher was preaching, and he said, we will never experience the fullness of God on this side apart from the family of God. Now, folks, let me tell you, when the family gets together, we experience God in a special, unique way. Now, when we went to Gatlinburg We were together, now we communicated, we talked every now and then. I kind of pick on my youngest son, or not my youngest, but my middle son, Nicholas. I pick on him because sometimes we can't communicate together sometimes. He's busy and I'm busy. It's kind of hard, but when we all got together, we got together as a family at Gatlinburg, there was a special, unique dynamic. How many of you experienced that? When you get together with your family, maybe your children and your grandchildren you hadn't seen, maybe Fourth of July, how many of you experienced a unique dynamic when that happened? Raise your hand. Anybody get together for the four? Isn't it a lot cooler to eat together? Can you imagine? You're the only one watching the fireworks and nobody else is there. That's not that good, is it? But when everybody, as a matter of fact, we went to Athens, we were watching the fireworks, and because of the excitement of other people, we were excited about that. So there's a unique dynamic when the family gets together. But I want you to know this morning that every member is important. That first scripture that I read, it talked about us, the one, each one of us are part of the body of Christ, and we're valuable. I want you to know that this morning because the devil comes along and he attacks and he says, well you're too old or you're too young or you're too this or you're too that and what he does he tries to attack us in our value I want to remind you of a fact that Jesus Christ died for you Now Jesus wasn't just anybody. He was and is the Son of God, the Creator of the universe. He spoke this world into existence. It's here because Jesus said it so. let there be light, there was light. But I want you to know that the God of the universe found you so valuable to him that he went to a cross willingly because of his great love. The Bible says, for God so, I love that little word, so loved the world. that he gave his only begotten son amen so don't you let anybody especially the devil tell you you're not valuable oh you have to say I was so valuable to God that he died for me amen and let me tell you at the regardless of how young or old you are this morning you are valuable to the body of Christ now sometimes we get we say well I can't do what I used to do did you know just being here just being seen do you know that does something to our hearts do you we were talking about Sunday school we had some seats some people that weren't there you know we miss when you're not here we miss but when you're here we're elated and we're excited I want you to know this morning we're so happy that you're here this morning you being here has blessed us already amen church I want you to look at a couple of things here that will kind of help us out. We're connected by the Spirit in those first verses. It talked about the Holy Spirit. Those people who have accepted the blood of Jesus, who have surrendered their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ, accept Him as Savior and Lord, guess what? They have the Spirit. If you look at A, you'll look at the Scripture here in Hebrews 10. If you look at verse 19 again, it's got 10 and 19, it says, Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the Hwa. the blood of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, having been cleansed and set apart for God, and that's sanctification. In other words, we've been set apart for Him. When God spoke to your heart, they said I gotta do a work and you know what he had he had to have the blood had to be applied and because Jesus died some 2,000 years ago we accept Jesus and and God's going yes you've accepted the payment that was made the Bible says the wages of sin is death and guess what Jesus died in your place Jesus died and was separated from God the Father, so you wouldn't have to be. So you could spend an eternity with Him, forever and ever. Because sin is a barrier, folks, and that had to be taken care of. But guess what? The blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin. Let me tell you, the blood is sufficient. I don't care what sin. You know, usually people say we're good at one or two. We practice pretty good sins. You know, whether it be lust, whether it be materialism, whether it be pride. But, you know, we have one or two we're good at. Regardless of how grievous, regardless of how heinous, regardless of what wickedness we have done, the blood of Jesus, I want you to know this morning, it's sufficient to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. There's nothing you can do. The only reason a person ultimately goes to hell is because they say no to the love and grace of God. That's ultimately the reason why a person goes to hell. It's not because they killed somebody. It's not because they slept with somebody. It's not because they lied. It's not because they stole. It's because they rejected the blood of Jesus. But let me tell you this morning, the message is going out loud and clear. The Holy Spirit is preaching this message across the globe. Will you come? turn your eyes upon Jesus why because it's only through Jesus it's only through his blood that you can be forgiven but let me tell you no matter how bad you being he could come in and he could change you and he can do good and be good for you amen he could do good through you and that's what he desires to do this morning it's not and I want you to know this today Cashpoint is not perfect. Matter of fact, we're a mass. The preacher's not perfect. Matter of fact, he's a mass. The deacons are not perfect. They're a mass. But you know what? The only difference between a saved and a lost person is they trusted Jesus' righteousness. And listen to me, folks. It's not our goodness. It's His greatness. Amen. It's not our love, but He's love. The Bible says that we didn't love Him. we didn't come after him but let me tell you this morning he's coming after you this morning he wants to love on you and when he does that let me tell you just say yes Lord you just agree when God speaks to your heart he speaks conviction to your heart you just say yes Lord that's me he says you need me yes Lord I need you you've been wrong yes Lord I've been wrong and Jesus said well I want to change all that let me tell you when the blood's applied it changes everything when you accept Jesus Christ the Bible says you become a new creature in Christ old things are passed away behold all things are become new when I got saved I tell people it's like this it was black and white before but it become technicolor it was like I changed the way I thought about my mom and my dad I changed the way I thought about church and let me say this folks if there's not a love and a passion for church there's a problem I remember before I didn't I didn't care about church I didn't have a passion for church but when I got saved and the blood applied I became hungry for the Word of God let me tell you miss Judy it wasn't good for me just to be at church on Sunday morning I had to be there Sunday night matter of fact I came to church I was there before the preacher come in the parking lot Why? Because the blood had been applied. Why? Because Jesus had changed my life and he put me, he adopted me into the family. I have a brand new family. Let me tell you, my family's in North Carolina. They're a distance away. But that's not the only family I have. I have a family here at Cache Point Baptist Church. and I'm so glad that I have that family and I'm so unworthy of that family you know we worked at the children's home and we we had some children that were adopted and I remember you know they they were a mess they had all kinds of baggage but we had parents that would say man I want to adopt them and I want to love them and they would treat them just like their own then God did the same thing for us amen God did the same thing we were unworthy but God said I want you to be a part of my family let me tell you this morning he wants you to be a part of his family so much so that Jesus said I'm gonna pay the price I'm gonna do what you cannot do I'm gonna do everything's necessary the only thing he's looking for you to do is say I will or I do that's all he's looking for yes Lord that's all he's looking that's the only right answer no matter what God speaks to you this morning the only right answer is yes Lord amen that's the only right answer the blood was applied I want you to know this morning there's nobody good here except Jesus he's the only one amen so listen to me you don't you worry about how we look or how we act or what we dress like we all are in need of Jesus and after being saved people say well you're saved you're good now let me tell you we need Jesus just as much than the first time we said yes to him, each and every day. But we're cleansed. Number two, we're changed by the Holy Spirit. If you look at Acts 1-5, look in Acts, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Acts 1-5, and this is important because we've been talking about baptism. I want you to understand something about baptism. the baptism there's two kinds of baptism there's a water baptism it's important the Bible preaches that Jesus was baptized he's the example I believe that a person accepts Jesus I believe it they ought to be baptized but let me tell you there's a baptism more important than the physical baptism that's the baptism of the Holy Spirit look at this scripture in Acts 1 verse 5 the Bible says for John truly baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with food The Holy Ghost, not many days hence. You know why that was necessary? Because there needed to be a change take place in the heart. Let me tell you how, change is not going well. I was talking about doing some dieting with folks, and I'm going, after you eat that meal, you go on vacation and you eat, you oughta seen the banana split I had. not to get you hungry before it's time to go. But I mean, I ate, I said, I'm gonna have to go on a diet. You know, we all have those things, and we have that, well, I need to do this, I need to do that. I want to tell you, when it comes to the spiritual things, when it comes to those things that really matter, only God can change. You got a problem, only God can solve it. You got an addiction, only God can free you. You got depression, only God can give you hope. I want to tell you whatever the need is, God is the one, He's the need maker. He's the need meter, amen? He can meet whatever needs you have. No matter what it is, God can do that. Let me tell you, it takes the power of the Holy Spirit to do what needs to be done in our lives. It's not a list of do's and don'ts. And let me tell you, this church doesn't operate according to do's and don'ts. It operates according to the will of God. It's, Lord, what do you want to do? It's through the power of the Holy Spirit, anything gets done. We don't do nothing on ourselves. What we do, it's of naught. But when we do according to the Lord's will, then things get done. When we preach what God says preach, things get done. When we teach what God says teach, things get done. When we go where God says go, things get done. But let's make no mistake, it's not us that does anything, it's only us that joins God in the work that He's doing, amen? But He wants us all to be a part of that work, but He has to initiate. Let me tell you, when God initiates it, He sustains it, and He brings the fruit from it. and God gets all the glory this morning, amen? If there's anything you get, let me tell you, it's of God. We have been changed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It takes the baptism of the Spirit. Let me tell you how that happens. When you accept Jesus Christ, you believe that he died on the cross, the Bible says he died, then he rose again the third day, he did that for you because why? You're valuable. Say that, I'm valuable to God. I'm valuable to God. don't care if you're a church member not a church member don't care if you believe in God what you don't believe in God the bottom line is the Bible says you're valuable why because Jesus paid a price you know something that's cheap you look in a car you know you you got I don't know if I used to sell cars use cars you know the more valuable the car the higher the price for the car. The newer, you buy a new car with no problems, you're gonna pay a lot for it, amen? You buy a junker, somebody says, well listen, this is a good car, give me $100, you better wake up. It ain't a good car. So the price reflects the value. Let me tell you, there was no greater price that was ever paid than 2,000 years ago when Jesus died on that old rugged cross. God in heaven, creator, allowed himself for man to spit on him, to nail him to a cross, and he died. He died a physical death. He went and he went into the tomb. They buried him. But glory, hallelujah, because death could not hold the Son of God, he had done what he said he did. Jesus said on the cross, it is finished, amen. Jesus finished it. And guess what? He came out of the grave to say, look, here is the victory. The victories wouldn't have been won if Jesus was still in the grave. If anybody could find his bones that were still in the grave, then we wouldn't be here this morning. But we're here to proclaim victory, amen. We're here to proclaim that Jesus won the victory. You know what he did? He took Satan out for you. He took care of sin for you. He delivered us from death, amen. The Bible says that if you know Jesus Christ, you will never die. You will just change addresses, amen. You'll just take off, you'll let go of the old and take on the new. That's the glorified body, amen? Let me tell you, God has wonderful things for His people. Let me tell you, don't let nobody tell you the church doesn't have a glorious future. It's got a glorious future. God's went and prepared a mansion for us so we can be with Him someday. He's prepared a body with us. And guess what? This morning, He's prepared the table for you. Whatever you need this morning, Jesus is the answer. Say, Lord, I'm struggling with this. Get honest with God. Lord, I'm fighting this. Lord, I can't. Let's get honest with God. Lord, I can't get to victory unless you give it to me. when you do that and you let God come on the scene and do what you can't do say Lord I can't heal this marriage you're gonna have to do it Lord I've been given a death sentence and cancer Lord if I'm gonna be healed it's gonna be and folks let me tell you I'm not a Pentecostal preacher but I do believe God is still a God that heals I believe if God chooses to heal I believe he puts it on your heart that he'll heal you I believe he can do it amen glory hallelujah if he told Lazarus to come forward three days being out of the grave in the grave come forth he could do that with us today I don't care what the problem is. Brother Derek you're kind of radical. I believe Jesus was very radical. I believe Jesus was radical when he healed the blind and he healed the lame. I believe Jesus still heals. Say well brother Derek I believe he does on the other side. I believe just like he told Mary and Martha, he said the resurrection power is here available. I believe the resurrection power of Jesus, Miss Judy, I believe it's available today to do whatever's needed to be done. I don't care what it is, I believe God can do it, amen? Let me tell you, it's by faith, the Bible says. It's by faith that the mountains are moved. It's believing what the word of God says. And you know what, and that, not to get on another story, but you know, that's what he said, do you believe? Kid, ask people, do you believe what I'm saying? Do you believe that? Based upon our belief and what he says, that's where the victory's won if we believe. members of the body of Christ we are all we all and I did forgive me for my English we all were sinners or we were all sinners every one of us in need of a Savior before our conversion let me tell you and Cashpoint I can't brag on well you know what I did I chased after Jesus I lassoed him I got him to come into my heart I got him to change my life I can take the only credit I can give is to him Jesus came after me he came after me through a mama's prayers but I believe my mama prayed persistently passionately because the Holy Spirit of God got on her and said you don't give up on him let me tell you when the Holy Spirit of God says you pray for somebody you believe God's gonna do something amen when the Holy Spirit gets on somebody and we walk in that we follow him and because my mama did that the Lord came after me the Lord pinned me up let me tell you don't ever stop praying for your children for your grandchildren don't stop praying for your spouse don't stop praying for your neighbor don't start praying for your church but you keep praying and see what God has in store I believe God can do abundantly above all that we ask or think but we're all on the same plane. We were all undone. And the only reason there's anything right in our lives is because Jesus Christ abides through the Holy Spirit. It's only by God's grace that we're forgiven and adopted into the family. There ain't a single one of us earned it, amen? There ain't a single, well, Brother Derek, I gave. Well, guess what? It wasn't your giving, it was God's giving. And the gift was His Son, Jesus. Amen? Okay, number two, operating in love. If you look at Hebrews 10, he says, and let us consider one another to provoke unto love, or to encourage love. This is an atmosphere, and can I tell you that love is the glue that holds us together. Love is the glue. And it's not just any love, it's not a phileo love, it's not a friendship love, it's not an eros love, it's not an erotic love, it is an agape love. An agape love is an unconditional love. An agape love is, I'm gonna love you even when you're wrong. I'm gonna love you when you're down. I'm gonna love you when you're dirty. I'm gonna love you unconditionally. Let me tell you folks, if the love of God was dependent upon our performance, He would love us about one day a week. Anybody get that? But aren't you glad God doesn't love you one day a week? Aren't you glad, listen to me, aren't you glad that he doesn't love you just when you got it right? Amen? What about that, wives? What about loving your husband only when they get it right? Guys are going, no, I need your love all the time. And vice versa, amen? it's a gothic love what about us at church members we love one another why because why do we love because we've been loved that's why we love how do we love unconditional let me tell you before I was saved I only knew a conditional love if you did good to me I did good for you but after I was saved Lord put on my heart I remember a guy he punched me in the gut when I was young on the bus and all I could think about is someday I'm gonna be I was young I was about 10 I was about Probably 12 years old, he was about three or four grades ahead of me. He was a bully, and I couldn't, Miss Jen, I couldn't wait till the time I snuck behind him. I was gonna have to grow up a little bit more. I didn't know where I was gonna find all this didn't make sense in my mind, but I was going, I'm gonna get him some way, somehow. I remember I got saved and I remember God took the sword. I remember when I got saved and the Lord started to have me to pray for even my enemies. The Lord started to change my perspective on people and I'm going, he's lost and going to hell. I'm saved and going to heaven. I need to start praying. I need to start having compassion. Let me tell you, if you only have compassion for your friends, there's a problem. We're to have compassion for the lost. We're to have compassion for the evil ones. We're to have compassion because they need Jesus and guess what? From his perspective, we were just as rotten as they were. Amen? Just as bad. The only reason is we said yes to him and we're praying that they'll say yes to him and he'll change their lives. He's the only one that can get it done, but he still does it. If you'll let him, he still does it. Look at this A, it's not about others and not just self. Hebrews 10 24 says let us consider one another let us let us think about that other person Bible says we're to prefer above ourselves our brothers and sisters in Christ you know the Bible says that he's not a respecter of persons he loves everybody guess what that's what we're to have we're to have a love for everybody now you know one of the things y'all know this our visitors know this engage this I remember visiting churches and one thing I would look for I would look for clicks within the church I look and I say, does this church, are they all loving each other? Or is this little old group over here loving one another? This little group over here loving one another? And when I come in doors, they don't know me, so they don't love me. But you know what I look for in the church? I look for love. Listen to me, when you find a church that there's love, unconditional love, you'll find Jesus right down in the middle of it. Because he's the only one. The Bible says, for God is love. that's his main characteristic now God is on the flip side he's a God of wrath also but he loves first he presents that first he gives that opportunity first but I remember looking for a church and I remember one and they kind of had the little clicks and they didn't even know I was there as a visitor and I said well I was kind of stubborn back then a little bit and and I went up and I said well how are you doing? I felt like I had to welcome the members, because they wouldn't welcome me. May that never be said, a cash point. Listen to me, I know we have people that we're a little bit closer to, but God calls us to love everyone. Everyone, amen. The ones that we don't know, the ones that we like and we don't like. Y'all with me? Hey, I'm just being honest there, man. Well, I don't like their ways. Well, they probably don't like your ways either. The love and focus on others, or to look to the needs of others, consider one another, look to the other. You know, a lot of times people look at church and they're going, well, what can church do for me? When you need to look at what can I do for the church body? And let me tell you this, and I'm not speaking down because I didn't understand this for a while, but we all have the perception, well, I need to be here to get my needs met, but we forget the other half of that equation is the church needs you to be there to meet their needs. You know what, the preacher, it'd be pretty bad if the preacher's up here preaching, ain't nobody to listen to, amen? The preacher needs people. You know what? The preacher needs people praying for him. The people need the preacher praying for them. It's both ways. Your brother needs you to pray for him, your sister needs, and they need to pray for one another. So we consider the other, we think of the other. So when you think about, well, should I be there at church or not, and I'm just, I'm not trying to be hard on you, just stick your feet under there a little bit if you need to. I'm not trying to be hard, but think about it this way. Is there somebody needs to see me, or is there a word that I can speak to somebody to give them hope, to let them know that they don't need to give up on life, there is somebody that cares, somebody that cares enough to talk to them and to be there for them. So I want you to think the church a different way. I want you to think at it, when you're not here, what are they missing? Amen? What are they missing? Now some of you can't, Miss Carol's been down, Brother Trent been down, they've been down six, sometimes you can't be there, and we understand that. Sometimes you gotta get away, you got to have vacation, everybody's gotta do that. But listen, just remember, when you're not there, the body is missing somebody. I look down, I'm thankful I have all five. Brother Joe, if I looked at my hand and I only saw four, I would start to panic. I look down and I saw only one leg, I would start to say, whoa, cause it's gonna be hard for me to walk up and down the aisles and jump with one leg. I'd try my best, but it'd be hard. But we need the whole body, the whole body of Christ. Why? To love one another. The Bible says that if you look at me, we're to promote love. It says to provoke unto love and to good works. The foundation of the church is love. Everything, we talked about motive in Sunday school, we're supposed to love one another. Whatever we do is out of love. If we feel like we gotta say something to a brother and sister in Christ, it's out of love. If we need to do this, we don't do out of guilt. Well, I guess I oughta do this. Well, I guess I, you know, the, don't you hate these? Well, it's the Christian thing to do. What? What about Jesus living through? It's the Jesus thing to do because Jesus is in me and I can't keep him from getting out of me, therefore I got to love somebody because his love is overflowing. See, when Jesus is inside, he's got to get outside. If Jesus don't get outside, he's probably not on the inside. Does everybody understand that? so Jesus wants to get out how does he get out then love we promote love everything that we do is out of love that's our motivation love for God and love for people look at this what I said the church body is loved by our Lord and we in turn love Jesus and each other now look at this this is important for you to get in that notation of that to love everybody look at this on the outline to love we must have received love and to forgive, we must have had forgiven, been forgiven. I want you to understand this this morning. You can never truly, unconditionally love without first being loved unconditionally by your Creator. You can't drink Sprite if you got Kool-Aid in your cup. You know what you take in? You take in what is there, what is provided for you, and you take that in. Okay, so if somebody's giving you, they give you a cup and say, you know, here's your Sprite or whatever, then you take that, that's what you, so when God, I know y'all going, what in the world is he saying? Well, sometimes I wonder too. y'all I'm a flawed preacher but I do the best I can brother Willie said I'm doing the best I can but it's God's gonna have to get the message but this is a man you can't give something you ain't got you can't give love unconditionally if you ain't got you can't forgive I mean truly forgive well I'm doing the best I can that's the problem isn't it you know why you're able to forgive because you've been forgiven and you've been forgiven more than you will ever forgive Y'all get that? You've been forgiven more than you will ever forgive because Jesus has forgave you through all eternity. He's just asking for you to forgive this little blink in time. The Bible says, it says, the grain of sand, it's here today and gone tomorrow. Life is as a vapor, so it's short-lived. You say, well, Brother Derek, I don't have it. Well, it's available. Jesus is available. His love is available. Now look at this, love is the ID badge. I want you to run from John 3 to the 18th. John 3. John 13. I'll get it. 34 and 35. John 13. I hope I put this right, y'all. John 13. 34 and 35. I want you to look at this. This is good scripture. It needs to be one of your marked places. a new commandment I give unto you that ye what one another love one another as I have what love you now I want you to get this they couldn't do it unless it had been done they couldn't love until they had been loved they couldn't forgive until I've been forgiven but let's let's read on in the scripture he says as I have loved you that you also love one another now look at this at verse 35 by this shall all know that you're my disciples if you have loved one to another you know what he's saying here is that people gonna see Jesus in you when you love the body you know people are gonna see Jesus because the Bible says God is love So when you see an unconditional love, when you see a sacrificial love, when you see a love that doesn't make sense, when you see a love that's willing to go to the extreme, then you're going, that's God. And you know what, people are drawn to that. Can I tell you this morning, you don't need, now I like the banana split, probably one of my favorite foods to go back to that. I'm still on it, brother, I'm still tasting. Anyway, we like those things, but there's no greater need that we have than to be loved right where we are. Today, right in the middle of the mess, right in the middle of discouragement, right in the middle of pain, right in the middle of doubt, right in the middle of frustration, whatever you want to put there, God loves you right where you are. And let me tell you this morning, He not only loves you where you are, He comes to where you are. Let me tell you, I don't know how many of y'all, I was surprised when I asked this question. I didn't expect anybody to raise their hand. I said, well how many of y'all been put in jail? Just to let y'all know what company y'all in. And there was a lot of other people, I thought I was the only one that had been in jail before I was saved. People and I said, oh wow, okay, I better be careful asking that question. Let me tell you, that's not a pleasant place to be. I don't want to go there again. that's not a fun place it's bad you think of people bad about people you know brother what I'm talking about but you know what Jesus came brother Jeremy he came right in the middle of the jail cell he wasn't afraid to get dirty he had already carried the sin of the world on him but he came right in the middle of my mess you know what God will do right you don't have to go to where he is he'll come to where you are glory hallelujah amen Right in the middle of your struggle, right in the middle of your trouble, God will be with you. You just say yes to Him. You say yes to Him. Love is the ID badge for a Christian before a lost world. Love will speak when preaching won't. You know a preacher can preach. I learned this and it was the last lesson, main lesson God taught me. I don't know why it's in this order. He taught me four main principles. The first one was praying. connecting have an intimacy with him that was the first principle God taught but he used the preacher that's going to be preaching revival to teach me this last lesson and the lesson was you can preach your heart out you can do as good a job as Billy Graham or whoever you want to put there whoever your favorite Charles Stanley but if people don't experience you loving them it ain't gonna mean a hill of beans you know what Jesus did before He shared the truth, he met their needs, he loved them, he came to where they were, and he loved on them. Because when you love on somebody, they tend to listen. There's people that don't listen to what God has to say, and I'm gonna tell you why. It's because of the spirit of unbelief. And you want me to tell you what they don't believe? At the center of their being, they don't believe that God really loves them. They don't believe God really loves them. Because guess what? The main need you have is love. You were born with that need. You were born with a need for a great big love. And that's God to love you like nobody else can love you. Miss Jan, God knows every evil thought I've ever had. the times Chuck he's known what what I would do I think of Peter he knew that Peter was going to deny him three times Jesus knew that but he said Peter I prayed for you Jesus loved Peter when it was unlovable Jesus loves me when I'm unlovable he loves you when you're unlovable it's a love that transcends all other things amen so what you need this morning is you need a love to come in and take over. To have every single thing that you've ever thought, ever done, or will think, or will do to be covered, completely covered by the blood that the Bible says cleanses from all unrighteousness, it makes that white as snow. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. Amen? You don't deserve it. I don't deserve it. But it's not because of who we are. Woo! But it's because of God. And the Bible says God is love. And He loves you. Amen? He loves you. More than you can ever imagine. He loves you. And you know what, God? All this is a simple message. All God is wanting us to do is to receive His love, bud, and to give it away. All he's wanting to do is, we who are thirsty, to come to him and say, Lord, my cup is empty, I'm thirsty, I'm starving, Lord, I'm hurting, I'm dry. You know, we don't have much rain, we're kind of dry, would y'all agree? The problem is, with a drought, the corn stops growing. The corn stops growing, we don't eat corn. The beans stop growing, we don't eat beans. The watermelons shrivel up, or they cook from the inside out, and we don't have watermelons. It takes rain, doesn't it? I'm gonna tell you, the rain we need in this country, in our lives, is God's love to wash us. You know what water does? Water brings to life. Amen? It brings to life. See, when the Holy Spirit baptizes you, you're brought to life. He comes in, He loves you. and he reminds you, even when you blow it, big, and we all do, some worse than others, we blow it, and his grace and his mercy comes along. I still love you. I still love you. It's not because of what you've done, but because of what I do, 2,000 years. Let me tell you what, folks, that is good news. That is good news. You don't have to succumb to the devil's attack. You don't have to succumb to the physical ailment. You say, God, I got a problem, and your word says you're the problem solver. Jesus said, I've come to give life, life more abundant. The enemies come to steal, kill, and destroy. Listen, you don't need him in your life. You don't want to walk with the devil. I did it. You don't want to walk, you want to walk with God who gives life, not the devil who takes it. The last one is kind of self-explanatory in the scripture. that he says, forsake not the assembling of ourselves together, the church body is to be present. I found out that I can only love to a certain degree a distance away. So my boy has been, maybe forgive me, he'll probably listen to this, my boy who is in Sasebo, Japan, Nathan Moose, has been talking long distance with a young lady. Of course, we didn't know this for months, but we found out he's been talking to this lady that he likes, Maya is her name, and And that was good, but as I began to hear, I could tell it wasn't sufficient to maintain the relationship or grow the relationship. So she, because she wanted to see him, drove from North Carolina about six to seven hours to Fayetteville, Tennessee to meet Nathan while he was here. And so they got to meet because it wasn't sufficient and long distance relationships only can go so far. But they got to hold hands, Brother Joe. They were so cute. Anyway, we were going to the Texas Roadhouse, Miss Carol. Texas Roadhouse, and they went and they were courting because they could only do so much long distance. But when they got together, they could touch, they could look into the eyes of the other one who was googly-eyed. They could only look into the eyes of the other one when they saw each other. Now, I want you to get this. Church is not to be a long-distance relationship. Now, I want y'all to get this. Church, you gotta be present. because guess what? Miss Jan, we want to see you. Now Miss Jan knows I pick on her all the time. She picks on me, but don't feel bad for her. She gives it back to me. Ain't that right, Miss Jan? Listen to me. We want to see you. see when you came in brother Trent when you came in to see you coming in those bit family to see family blesses us you bless those guys see kids by me and Lauren blesses us seeing you with family blesses us amen to see you if you never said a word just to be ain't God like that He said He'll never leave you nor forsake you. Just knowing He's there. If God be for us, who be against us? Just knowing He's sitting right with us and will never, ever be alone. Hallelujah! Glory! So let me tell you, don't let the devil attack. you and tell you you're not valuable and you're not needed and you're not needed here because you are and you'll never know you being here how you blessed somebody today. Amen. Don't forsake the assembling of yourselves because you're robbing somebody of a big big blessing. I can't tell you how much this church has meant to me, and I don't know the prayers that's being prayed for me, but I know there's a lot, because it takes a lot. So I appreciate your prayers. I'm so thankful to be a part of the church. I'm thankful that God in his grace and mercy came where I was, thank you Jesus. Touched my heart, does not give up on me. not worthy of being in your presence. I'm certainly not worthy of being in God's presence. It's only because His love is so great. It's only because His forgiveness is so complete. It's only because of who He is that I'm here today. And folks, it's only because you're here because of Him that you're here today also. I don't know what you need to do today. I don't know what decision you need to make. But if God tells you whatever it is, you just say, yes, Lord. Not what the preacher says, what God says. Father, I thank you, Lord, for the privilege to be here. Thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness that's offered over and over and over again. Lord, help me not to take it for granted. Lord, I thank you for each person that's here, Lord, it's so valuable. And they'll never know what a blessing they were just in being here today. Lord, I pray that whatever need they have, Lord, I ask you to meet it. Lord, I pray if they're discouraged, Lord, I pray that you would encourage them. Lord, help us as a church body to encourage. Lord, help us to run to love, never to hate. Lord, help us to not be condemning, or to lift ourselves up with pride. Lord, help us to all realize that we were all lost and undone. And Lord, we're still a mess. You're just in the place, position of being the potter, molding this old lumpy clay into something beautiful. Lord, I pray for those that are lost this morning, that have never had their love tank filled. Lord, I pray that they may see you, Jesus, that you loved them enough to die for them, to help them to live in a way that they'll experience the abundant life. Lord, I pray that you'd help them to say yes to you today. Lord, I pray for that believer that's struggling in some way. Lord, I pray that you would meet the need, whatever it is. Lord, we're praying for miracles. We're praying for big things to be done. Even here, even today, may your will be done. We pray in the precious, holy, and powerful name of our Savior. His name is Jesus Christ, our Lord. And all God's children said, won't you