Transcription
We give him glory and tonight lift your hand and praise him with me. 53 years of convocation. We give God holy praise. We give him honor. We give him thanks. Oh, praise the mighty name of the Lord. Praise God.
I do give special honor tonight to Bishop Herbert Cato, the national overseer for London. Reverend Simpson, Noreen Simpson, the assistant overseer. Praise God. I give God honor for Bishop Martial Gail, Reverend Barrington Richards, all the our bishops, all are ministers in their respectful places. I give God praise.
I want to pause a little bit. You know, looking back for where we came from. I give God thanks for Reverend Ragland Phillips, for Bishop Mary Core, for Bishop Walters, and for all the old patriots who have labored in the field. Amen. And they are gone on before. We give God praise for them. If they had not labored, if they had not kept the commandments and the promises, we would have nothing tonight to look back to. But we give God praise for them. Praise the name of the Lord. Praise him.
I want to say in this time of pandemic, I give God praise for keeping us, for seeing us through. And thank God, we haven't lost anyone. Amen. We are still in the race. Amen. And so the song said, "But forward still, this Jehovah's will. Though the billows dash and spray, with a conquering tread will press ahead." Amen. For He rolled the sea away. Oh, hallelujah. Come on, church, let's give Him praise for deliverance, for victory. Hallelujah. Had He not been for the Lord on our side, I don't know what would have happened to us. But tonight, we give Him praise. Praise the name of the Lord.
And the theme we're having for this great convocation, amen, "Looking Back to Move Forward." Amen. And so we look back from where we came from, the many victories we have won, the many great services we have had. God has delivered many, healed many, set many captives free. And tonight, the church of God is moving on. I give God praise. I give God glory. And I give Him honor. I thank God for the theme, amen, taken from Deuteronomy chapter 8, verses 1-20, and for the key verses, verses 2 and 3. "And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knowest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live." Amen. Praise the name of the Lord.
I want to say tonight that humans have a spiritual nature that can be satisfied only by the spiritual nutrients of God's word. Amen. Jesus used these words to rebuke Satan when Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. In Matthew 4:4, it is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." The temptation of Jesus by Satan was an attempt to entice Jesus from the pathway of perfect obedience to the will of God. We notice that in each temptation, Jesus submitted only to the authority of the word of God rather than to the desires of Satan. Amen. We must learn from the temptation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan is our greatest enemy. As Christians, we must be aware that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare that is unseen but very real. Powers of evil are behind it. We give God praise on tonight. We want to look back, praise God, of the trials that we have been through, the temptations we have been through. But praise God, we are still standing, keeping God's commandments. Amen.
Lift your hand and praise Him in this atmosphere. Lift your hand and give Him glory. Lift your hand and give Him honor. Oh, praise the mighty name of the Lord. Praise the name of Jesus. Praise God. As the church of God is moving, amen, by God's leading in these days, we want to continue to trust our God, knowing that He is able, knowing that if we obey Him, knowing that if we follow, amen, as He led the children of Israel from Egypt through the wilderness into Canaan, amen. It was an easy journey, but praise God, God kept them. God provided for them. God gave them water out of the rock of flint. I believe that rock was Jesus. Praise God. God provided manna from heaven, amen, fed them, amen. Even the scripture declares that the shoes they wear, their clothes, amen, they didn't have to change anything, they didn't have to buy anything new because there were no stores in the wilderness. But thank God, our God proved to be a mighty God. Our God proved to be a sustainer. Our God proved to be a deliverer. And we thank Him on tonight. Lift your hand and praise Him. Praise the name of the Lord. Amen.
Ah, we came to a conclusion in Ephesians 6. The Apostle Paul declaring from verse 10, he said, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth; and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." Lift your hand and give God glory. Lift your hand, amen, and praise Him.
We have to be determined to live this life, praise God. The reason why we are living this life, we don't want to be lost. We need to hold on by faith. We need to stand the storms of life. The storms of life are raging, but praise God, we can say, "Lord, stand by me." Hallelujah. Lift your hand and praise Him. Somebody praise Him. Praise Him. Somebody praise the name of the Lord. Praise Him. Praise Him. Praise God. We are really into a spiritual conflict. We are with evil. We are in a conflict, a warfare against our faith. Amen. In the wilderness, God led Israel to humble them, to try them, to prove them. And thank God, God remained God. He remained true to His word. Hey, many want to know if they would have loved Him, if they would have trusted Him, by showing how much a God, amen, praise God, He had been to them. He had been their protector. He had been their deliverer. They wanted to know if they would have appreciated Him. Praise the name of the Lord.
And so today, church, we stand up for God. We want to go to what we are going through, knowing we have a God that declares, amen, that He is our God, and He'll be with us to the very end. And we are more than conquerors if we stand on the promises. Praise God. There's therefore now no condemnation if we will stand in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah. I commend the church of God. As we look back to see where God brought us from, we'll recognize we are going somewhere. We are heading for a city. We are heading for home. Lift your hand and praise Him with me. Praise God.
God has been with Israel, amen, since they left Egypt. He has been an away-maker. He has to be provided, amen, with them with manna from heaven. Oh, praise Him, somebody. Praise Him. When they needed water, and I know when you need water, there's nothing can satisfy you like water. But when they needed water, and there were no water anywhere, at one point they had water, but the water was bitter. But God provided them clean water from the rock of flint. That rock is Jesus. Lift your hand and praise Him with me. That rock was Jesus. That rock is still Jesus. Hallelujah. He gave water that was not in the wilderness. He gave deliverance. Hallelujah. He gave the Holy Spirit to keep us on the journey. Amen. He said, "We believe on Him, out of our bellies will flow rivers of living water." Lift your hand and praise God. Lift your hand and praise Him. Hallelujah.
Be determined by the grace of God to stand fast in the liberty where He had made us free. Be not entangled again. You can't go back. We can't go back. We will not go back by the grace of God. Stand fast in the liberty. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
God wanted Israel to know that He was their God. He was their provider. Amen. That praise God, the wilderness was not a good place. It was a rough place. But God sustained them. Towards the heat that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. I encourage the church of God. God promises us no plague will come nigh our dwelling. Amen. Has given His angels charge to keep us in all our ways. Hallelujah. He gives us power to tread on serpents and on scorpions and over every power of the enemy. I want to say today, we are living in a better day. Amen. When Israel sinned in the wilderness, God had to allow Moses, amen, to make a golden calf, a golden snake, a golden serpent that they would look upon and live. But today, thank God, we don't need that. We have Jesus. We have Jesus. Come on, praise Him, somebody.
The next experience was a great experience. But now, for us in the New Testament, we have Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. We have a better covenant. We have better promises. And we have a better way. Hebrews 10:19-25 declares, amen. I exalt you, brethren. Oh, praise Him, somebody. Let's get to Hebrews, praise a little bit, amen, in the word. Hebrews 10, verse 19. He said, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." Come on, say, "The blood of Jesus." "By a new and living way, which he had consecrated to us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an 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." Verse 23 said, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised." Come on, hallelujah. Lift your hand and praise Him. God is a faithful God. God is a mighty God. A God that kept His word. A God that kept His promises. Hallelujah. His promises are Yea and Amen. Hallelujah. Church, hallelujah. Hallelujah. Praise Him. Praise Him, somebody. Praise Him.
And let us consider one another to provoke. I want to provoke somebody. Let us provoke one another unto love and unto good works. Let us provoke one another, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. Amen. Satan would thought he would have messed up this work. He could have split up. He could have scattered us. Allow us not to have, amen, lead a good leadership. But thank God, the Lord God is leading us. The Lord God is at the head, and He's the head of the church. He's leading His church from victory onto victory. Move the church of God like a mighty army. Move the church of God, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church of God. Lift your hand and praise Him. Lift your hand and give Him glory. With confidence, draw near with confidence. We magnify Him, knowing that He's able. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Church, hallelujah.
I'm exhausting my brethren. By God's mercy, let us follow after righteousness. Let us be careful, amen, not to blame, amen, or not to behave as those in the wilderness, amen, who forsook their God for other gods that could not deliver them, other gods that could give them nothing. Our God is the God. Jehovah is His name. Hallelujah. I said, Jehovah is His name. Hallelujah. Mighty conqueror, great in battle. Jehovah is His name. Lift your hand and praise Him with me. Praise Him with me. He will deliver us from the enemy. I don't care which way the enemy comes from. Amen. God is a deliverer. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Jesus. He sent Jesus, His only Son, when we were hopeless, dying, had no way out. Jesus came saying, "I am the way, I am the truth, and I am the life." Oh, praise God, somebody. Jesus gave His own life for our life. Are you hearing me? Jesus gave Himself so that we might live. Hallelujah. He fulfilled the laws and commandments. Praise the name of the Lord, somebody. Oh, praise God. The laws and the commandments given in the wilderness, amen, was a schoolmaster to bring God's people, amen, to know God. Amen. We knew the law, but the Lord could not deliver us. But thank God, Jesus came. Thank God, Jesus came, fulfilled the law. Hallelujah. And He gives us everlasting life. Amen. He gives us everything better than what they had in the wilderness.
Colossians chapter 1, verses 15 to 18, said, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." Praise God. Verse 19 of Colossians 1 said, "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." Amen, somebody. "And we are complete in him." Hallelujah. I said, we are complete in him. For in him, the fullness dwells. Praise God. We have an all-sufficient. Our all sufficiency is in Christ Jesus. Are you hearing me today? We can look back and so we can move forward. Even we don't have to go back to go forward. We can aim. And I commend the church of God. Before you go backwards, stand still and see what your God will do. Stand still and see what He will do. Praise God.
Colossians 2 and 8 said, "Beware lest any man spoil you." Amen, somebody. "Through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And in him ye are complete." Come on, complete. Say, "Complete." "We are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and powers." Colossians 3, verses 1, 2, and 3 declare, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, set your affections on things which are above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Amen. Christ is the true center of our Christian life. Amen. Let us fight the good fight of faith. Let us lay hold on eternal life. Amen. Don't go back. Don't look back. Amen. We can't turn back. Amen. Stand, brethren. What's never going on? Stand. Stand in the fight. Stand in the race. The race is already won. Jesus won it for us. And we have the victory. We should have a church that could praise God for that. Oh, lift your hand and praise Him. Praising somebody. He paid for it all. He paid it all. He paid it all. Praise God. Praise God.
They didn't have this in the wilderness. They didn't have a Savior in the wilderness. Are you hearing me? They had a God. When they did wrong, He punished them. But thank God, Jesus paid the sin penalty. He paid it all. He paid it in full. And God does not have to deal with us as He dealt with them in the wilderness. Are you hearing me? They wandered 40 years until they all died because of disobedience. But thank God, Jesus died that you might live. Jesus reigns. Hallelujah. He's at the right hand of the Father in heaven, interceding for you and for me. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, somebody.
And although the Apostle Paul said, "I have not yet attained." Hey, remember this one thing I do: I forget the things which are behind and I'm reaching forward, I'm pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. This is a high calling. This is a glorious calling. Children of God, what a glorious calling. Surely His blood can keep us from falling. Hallelujah. I said, Jesus' blood can keep us from falling. Hallelujah. His blood can keep us from falling. Are you still here? Hey, hallelujah. Christ is everything we need. He's our all and in all. And I'm commending the church of God. As we celebrate 53 years of convention, the 54th year will be better than the 53rd. Are you hearing me? The more closer we get to the end of time, the Lord Jesus Christ is behind us, amen, 100 and more. And I'm praying, brethren, that our whole spirit, our soul, our bodies will be committed, amen, and when the Lord comes back, He'll find us blameless, standing, waiting for His return. Lift your hand and praise Him. Holly, I feel God in this place. Lift your hand and praise Him. Praise Him.
Looking back to move forward. Looking at the past, what God has done for His people. And today, we are having better days. Hallelujah. And better days are coming. Better days are coming. We're going to see Him face to face. One song and say, "Oh, that will be glory for me. Glory for me. Glory for me. Oh, that will be glory for me." Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Let us be true to the trust He left us. Let us be honest, amen. Are you hearing me? Let us be honest and true. Hey, this world is not our home. We're passing through here. Are you hearing me? Let's not build monuments down here. Amen, somebody. Let's not waste our time down here. Let's preach this gospel, amen, that every man will not be a, no man will be able to stand and say, "We have never mentioned Him to them." Amen, somebody. We need to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding, for as much as we know our labor is not in vain in the Lord. Praise God.
Again, brethren, let's not look back. Let's not go back. Let's go forward in Christ. He is coming soon. I pray, praise God, that we will continue to fast and pray, to seek His face, to make sure we are in the race. Are you hearing me? Make sure. I don't want to know I'm a preacher and at the end I hear the part for me. I know you're not. I don't want to know that I have a name and people give me a name and at the end I lose out because I didn't know Jesus. But thank God, Paul said, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Hold on, church. Fight the good fight. Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life. Hallelujah. Look straight before you. Look not to the right hand or to the left, said Solomon, but look straight before you. Straight is the gate, narrow is the way that leads to life. Few there be that find it. We want to be the few that finds it. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Praise the name of the Lord. Praise God.
Tonight, I'm praying that we'll continue to seek His face. And if you are hearing our voice and you have not yet made your commitment to Christ, it's time to do so because there is no other way. I wish I have a church. I could say there is no other way. There is no other way. Jesus is the way. Jesus is the truth. Jesus is the life. And He's saying to those outside who have not yet accepted Him, "Come now, let us reason together." It's time to reason. Amen. "Though your sins be as scarlet, he can wash them and make them white as wool. Though they be red as crimson, he can make them white as snow." "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." Amen. Amen, somebody. Many have been trying. Many have been even given up. But He said, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me." You have to learn about Him. "Learn of me; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Amen.
Looking back so we can move forward. Looking back at the greatness of God. Looking back at what God has done for us. Looking back where He took us from and today where we are. Amen. We cannot give up now. Don't give up now. Hold out a little longer. Take Jesus at His word. Oh, praise God. I want to say to the unsaved that He's knocking at your door. Open your heart. Though I can't open it for you, you have to open it and let Him in. He will come in and sup with you. He will have a good time with you. I remember when I was wretched, miserable, and I didn't even know that God wanted something like me. But thank God, He came in and changed it. Hallelujah, somebody. And thank God today in what this is, because of Jesus. It's not because of my goodness and my greatness. Because the blood of Jesus, God's Son, came and saved to the utmost. The blood of Jesus, God's Son. Hallelujah. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. And that promise is to the very end. God bless you. God strengthen you as you look back where He took Israel from and look where we are today. Look where we are today. Hallelujah, somebody. Look where we are. Praise God. Waiting for the return of our great Savior. May God bless you. May God strengthen you. And I pray that the saints in London and all the ministers, amen, will be overcharged, get some charge, that you will press on and not give up. And all the fight is on, Christian soldier. The fight is on. But we are fighting not against flesh and blood, but principalities. And we have already won because Jesus won it for us. Clap those hands and give Him glory. Clap those hands and give Him honor. I said He won the battle for us. And now we have the victory. God bless you. God strengthen you as you continue to seek His face. Amen. Amen. Amen.
I give Him glory and I give Him honor. I want to pray for those who are not saved. I want to pray for those who are weak. I want to pray for those who are confessing weakness. He said, "Let the weak say I am strong." Declare your strength in Jesus Christ. And for you who have not yet accepted Him, "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God has no life." But we have a confidence in Him that whatsoever we ask Him for, He will give it to us. God bless you. God strengthen you in Jesus' name. Holy Father, and our God, we pray for those on the different mediums who have not yet met the Savior. Your arms are outstretched to reach them. I pray, God, that they will acknowledge what You've done at Calvary. You took their pains. You took their sicknesses. You took their sins and You nailed it to the cross. Hallelujah. And today we can say, "In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever, till my ransomed soul shall find rest beyond the river." We honor You, Holy Father. We thank You. Apply Your own blood tonight to somebody and set them free. And we promise to praise You and give You all the honor. We give You all the glory as we say thanks in Jesus' name. You.