This sermon emphasizes the importance of obeying God and having the courage to follow His instructions. It highlights the need for integrity and faithfulness in the midst of encroaching darkness, urging listeners to turn to God and embrace His light. The speaker challenges the congregation to obey God wholeheartedly, to repent, forgive, and live in alignment with His Word, emphasizing the urgency of the times we are living in and the need for genuine transformation.

I want to talk to you this morning about the promise of light in a time of darkness. It's Proverbs chapter 11, if you'll go there please, Proverbs chapter 11. Father, I thank you, God, with all my heart, Jesus, for the anointing of your Holy Spirit. For without the anointing, there is no change, there's no life, there's no real validity to our profession to belong to Jesus Christ. But God, because of your word and because of your power within us, we do change from image to image and glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. I thank you for quickening my physical body and my mind and giving me the ability to convey your heart to this congregation today. Father, God Almighty, I cast myself upon you as always. I have no confidence in myself. I have no confidence in my own abilities. I have only confidence in your life within mine. Oh, Jesus, animate me. The intense of my heart, the tone of my voice, everything, God, let it be your life being lived out through mine. Father, I thank you for it in Jesus' name. The promise of light in a time of darkness, Proverbs chapter 11, one verse, verse three, says, the integrity, I'm reading from the New King James Version, the integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. Folks, you and I, we are living in a time of encroaching darkness. Jesus warned us about these days, a time when there's, and you can see it now in society, there's a sudden turning in the hearts of society at large against the testimony of Jesus Christ and the people of God. There's an employment agency, I was told this morning here in the city that tells its applicants, do not put down on your application that you belong to a church. Do not declare that you're a Christian because it almost will doom you from gaining any kind of meaningful employment now in the city. So many organizations don't want anything to do with anything that has anything to do with God. It's a time of darkness. It's a season that's going to get worse. It's going to get progressively worse as the days go forward. I've shared with this church before that I personally believe that we are somewhere midway between persecution and prosecution for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Things are going to radically change in this world. They are now. It's accelerating very, very quickly, but God promises light in a time of darkness, promises that we will have a light for our feet and a lamp for our path, that we will have a song that's not going to be extinguished, and that the light within us will actually burn brighter as the days grow darker. But in order to do this, we're going to need the life of Christ. You see, your courage and mine will fail. Your sincerity, as meaningful as it might be, is not going to get you through these days we're about to face. You and I need the power of the Holy Spirit. We need the grace of God alive within us. We need to be unashamed to cry out, even if we have to cry like the blind men on the side of the road. Thou son of David, have mercy on me. We need an infilling of the Holy Spirit like we've never needed before. We need the strength of God to be the testimony of God in this generation in which we find ourselves living. But the scripture tells us that there's a certain integrity that is required of those who profess to know Jesus Christ. The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. And so there's a question that needs to be answered. Now I'm speaking to you as a pastor who cares. I care about you. I care about your future. I care about whether or not you're going to have strength to face these days that we're living in. I care about your ultimate destination. Where are you going to end up in eternity? And if I didn't, I wouldn't speak these words, but I'm speaking them because I care. I care more about where you're going to end up in eternity than being popular, standing in this pulpit. I care about you. I care about your soul. I want you to know that. But how honestly are you dealing with the cross of Jesus Christ? This question must be answered and it has to be answered now because the darkness of this world is going to spiral down into lawlessness and confusion. A time that Jesus himself depicted where people who thought they had light for their future found out that they didn't. He was asked in the gospel of Matthew, what are going to be the signs of the end days? And Matthew chapter 24 talks about nation rising against nation, false prophets, etc, etc. But Matthew chapter 25, he talks about a separating that's going to happen among those who professed to know God. They went to church. They had a measure of light. But when the darkness came and this, this season that just is going to announce or be a herald of the coming of Christ, they thought they had light only to find out that their lamps had gone out. They really didn't have light at all. I want to suggest to you, they never really had the ability to provide light. And if they did have it, it was only momentary. Think for a moment about the centurion at the cross in Matthew chapter 27 and verse 54. The scripture says when he, when he saw the things that were happening, when the earth ran, the sun was eclipsed for a moment and the way that Jesus cried out. Now the centurion who's got to be right in the proximity of the cross because it would be his job to actually keep family members away from trying to get the person off the cross to guard that scene as it is. And he said, surely this was the son of God. So that's a, that's a profession. This man had momentary light, but momentary light doesn't mean that he actually embraced eternal life that was on visibly displayed before him. Many, many people come to the house of God and they have light. We see it here Sunday night. Testimonies are given. The gospel is preached and people sit here and they say, Oh, surely this must be true. Surely Jesus must be the Christ. Surely he must've died for my sins. And they, they get out of the seat and they come down to an altar. And it's, it's, but it's only a momentary thing. There it's, it's, it's a, they've experienced something in their own natural emotions, but they've never been able to make the bridge or make that final step into the life that is offered to them through Jesus Christ. Paul says the last days will be characterized by many people who have a form of godliness, but no evidence in them of the power of God and the change that that life brings. Remember if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creation, a new creature. Behold, the old things are passed away and all things have become, become new. If I am in Christ, if Christ is in me, I should be able to say to you and you should be able to say to me, behold, in other words, look at my life. Yeah, I'm not everything. I'm not everything yet that God wants me to be. But like Paul, the apostle said, I'm leaving behind that was needs to be left behind and I'm pressing forward to the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. But behold, that's what a testimony is. A testimony is not just a, a verbal declaration of the memorization of some principles of scripture. A testimony is something visible. Behold, Christ is in me, the hope of God's change, the hope of my glory, everything, the hope of God's glory in me is Christ in me. Behold, we ought to be able to say that Peter said it on the day of Pentecost as the people stood in, in, in wonderment at 120 people were, were transformed and Peter got up and said, God, this God said through the prophet Joel, the day was coming that it was going to pour out his spirit on all flesh. Sons and daughters would prophesy. Old men would dream dreams. Young men would have visions on servants and handmaidens. The spirit of God was going to come. You have to understand how preposterous that was to the people of that time. For it was only a select few through the old Testament that would know this kind of an anointing. David knew it when he went into the valley, Elijah knew it when he stood against the various things that were trying to engulf the people in his time. It was only a select few, but now God is speaking. I'm going to pour out my spirit and everyone is going to have an opportunity to have a transformed God breathed life and ability that we don't naturally possess. And then Peter says something profound. This is that which is spoken about through the prophet Joel. I love that. This is that. Can you say that in your workplace? Can you say, this is that, can you say it in your home, in front of your children? This is that. Can you say it to your family? Can you say it in your community? Can you say it in your apartment building? This is that which God has spoken about through the prophets. God has given me of his spirit. God has given me abilities that I don't naturally possess. God has given me a new mind, a new heart and a new spirit. Behold, all things have become new. Paul said, don't be deceived in the book of first Corinthians chapter six, verses nine to 11. You see, because the deception was creeping into the Corinthian charts through various speakers who claimed to be speaking for God. Paul said, don't be deceived. And then he lists a whole litany of practices, which, which they're, if not turned away from people who continue in these practices are not going to inherit the kingdom of God. Paul says, don't be deceived. No thieves, no fornicators. That means people who are engaged willfully, repetitively in sexual activity outside the bonds of marriage, nobody living in unrepentant of homosexual relationship, nobody stealing, nobody lying, nobody who goes out habitually drinking and carousing, nobody who uses people for their own gain. None of these people will inherit the kingdom of God. Don't be deceived. Paul says, don't be deceived in thinking that it's good enough just to be in church. It's not good enough to be in church. It's a good thing, but it's not good enough. A relationship with God requires a transformed life. It's the life that God offers through Jesus Christ. But then Paul goes on to say, and such were some of you, but now you're justified. Now you've received Christ. In other words, and he has covered your sin. Now you are sanctified by the spirit of God. Paul was saying, now the Holy spirit within you is changing you from what you were into what you will be. I'm not suggesting that being a Christian doesn't mean you don't struggle with behaviors of the past, but what I'm telling you that when you have truly come to Christ, the behaviors of the past no longer have the power over you that they did before you knew him. And yes, you may slide, you may fall, you may fail, but if anyone be in Christ, he's a new creation. You fall seven times. God says, I'll pick you up seven times because it is assumed in the scriptures that you have an honest relationship with God. It is assumed that you're able to be convinced by the Holy spirit, that this behavior needs to be turned from. And you're reaching out to the things before trusting God to give you the power. Those who belong to Christ are moving away from the captivity of sin and towards the freedom of a new life. Oh, thank God. Thank God. Thank God. Thank God. Thank God. Thank God. Thank God. Oh God. Thank you. I was worshiping today on the platform and it's almost like I suddenly had just a panorama of my life from when I was young and all the struggles and all the trials and everything that would want to destroy me, the pathway that I was on, the downward trajectory that I couldn't escape, the inward corruption that was growing no matter how I tried to walk away from it, I couldn't walk away from it. And then I'm on this platform worshiping today and I'm thinking, oh, thank God. Oh, thank God. Oh, thank God. Oh, thank God. Oh, thank God for the mercy of God through Jesus Christ. Thank God for your word. Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, that your promises are not out of reach. Thank you, Lord, that not only do you give me promises, you give me the power of your Holy spirit within me to make these promises of reality. All you ask of me is to embrace it, put one foot in front of the other and move towards it. And if I fail to get up and keep moving towards it, and if I fail to get up and keep moving towards it, scripture says the integrity, the upright will guide them. I've not always been perfect from the day of my conversion. That's for sure. I'll tell you that, but I've been honest. It was, it's been an honest walk. I've never, my wife told me one time, she said, the one thing I can say about you, Carter, is that you've never been a hypocrite. You've been dead wrong at times, but you've never been a hypocrite. The integrity of the upright will guide them. I wanted Christ with all my heart. I wanted the life that God had for me with all my heart. And it's not been an easy journey at times, but, oh, I look back now and say, thank you, God. I never give up. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus, for how faithful you've been. But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. There's something in all of us that wants to craft an easier path than the one that God has laid out before us. There's something in every person that wants to have sin and eternal life at the same time. And if you're not careful, because the sin nature of man is to be as God, don't forget, that was the temptation in Eden. That's your sin nature, wants to make you out to be God and to be able to declare what is good and what is evil. Remember, Satan came to Adam and Eve and said, you can be as God and you will know what is good and what is evil. So you can actually wind up calling evil good and good evil and even still sit in the house of God. You need to be careful of that. What does perversity look like and how does it happen and how do we escape it? In John chapter 19 verses 23 and 24, here's, I think, one of the most glaring examples of the perverseness of the human heart. Soldiers, most likely in proximity to the greatest event in history. They're probably not much more than from me to this pillar away from Christ. It's the greatest event in all of history unfolding right before them. There will never be in their lifetime a greater event. God came into the world that he created, shedding his blood, breaking the bonds of hell, bondage, sin and darkness, giving men and women a right to come back into living relationship with him. Every drop of blood that hit that dust must have sounded like a thundercloud in hell, as bonds and bondage and weakness are beginning to be broken. And here they are sitting in proximity to this event. Just as many of us here today are sitting as we hear this truth, we are equally in proximity to this incredible event that happened on a cross 2,000 years ago. But what are they doing there? The scripture tells us that they're gambling for the garment of Jesus. Incredible. So they're gambling. They really don't want anything of where the cross is going to lead their lives and what it really means to go into that living relationship with the son of God. All they want is a covering, the covering that he provided, basically. And I can't help but wonder about how many people are in the house of the Lord today just throwing dice, basically gambling. I just want enough of Jesus that I don't go to hell, but I don't really want to live for him. I just really want his covering. I want this covering of the blood that the preachers talk about, but I want to go out. I want to do my own thing. I want to live my own life. I want to, I want to do what I want to do. And when I get to the end, I want to just believe that just being there and just talking about the event, being able to describe it and being able to say, yeah, I won. I won the garment. I won. I threw the dice and I won. Look, isn't it marvelous? But not wanting anything where the cross is going to lead them. Think of others that are walking by in the Matthew chapter 27. They're partakers of religion, but they're simply filled with unbelief. This is the most religious nation on the face of the earth at this time. And here they are walking by the greatest event in the history of the world. And the scripture says they're wagging their heads. They don't really believe that he is who he says he is. If you are the son of God, come down from the cross. They really don't believe it. Others are walking by. They don't believe that he'll do what he said he will do. Hey, you, Hey, you said you would rebuild the temple in three days. Well, if you can come down and we'll believe you, you know, there's a lot of religion in every generation that sits in the presence of God, but doesn't believe that he is who he says he is. It's that Martha type religion with has all its excuses, why God can't do anything anymore. And Jesus weeps and looks at her in exasperation. So did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God, if I didn't get to not tell you, listen, my brother, my sister, did I not tell you Jesus would speak to your heart today that if you would believe you will see the glory, not exterior inside, you will see the glory of God. You will see in your own life that which will bring God himself to reputation. I'll tell you one thing. He is who he says he is. We better be careful with the word of God. You can't just pick and choose little portions and make, you got to read the whole thing. You got to believe the whole thing because he is who he says he is and he will do what he said he will do. So the question arises, do you believe what was spoken through the apostle Paul? Do you believe today that if you have willful, unconfessed and unrepentant of sin, that still you will have light and life at the end of your journey. Proverbs chapter 11, verses five and six say the righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be caught by their lust. You know, in spite of all the mockery that there was at the cross, there were also people there who were of a different spirit. Oh God, help us in this generation. God help us to recognize the hour in which we're living. Oh Jesus, Jesus help us. Almighty God. There was a thief on a cross who opened his heart to the truth of what he was witnessing. He acknowledged his need of a savior and turned towards truth as much as his strength and situation would allow him to. And thus Jesus said to this man, this day you'll be with me in paradise. He couldn't come down off the cross. He had no time to get baptized, couldn't change and do good deeds, couldn't make restitution, but he turned to God. I remember preaching in Zambia and when I gave the altar call in the stadium, two men carried a man dying of AIDS and literally laid him on the platform. He was probably just a few hours from death. And I remember rejoicing and I looked at him. I said, it's been a long journey. Hasn't it? He nodded at me. It's been a long journey. He's, he's two steps away from heaven, that man, like the thief on the cross, but his conversion was real. His coming to God was genuine. There was a disciple by the name of John. Jesus looked at this man and said, behold, your mother, John had to open his heart and home to a new way of living and thinking. Kingdom of God brings you into a bigger family. Kingdom of God means that you and I have to give up the selfishness of me, myself, my, and mine. We open our hearts and we open our homes to others who belong to the body of Christ. There's a change that comes into the heart. When Christ comes in, there's a largeness of heart that is given by God. That is not of yourself. It's not of myself. It's of you. And it's an evidence of God who opened his heart to us. If Christ be in you, you're a new creation. Oh, thank God. Thank God. Thank God. I remember when I was a young Christian, I went from walking through the supermarket with my wife one day saying, oh, I hate people. I remember saying it out loud because people had been such a source of pain in my life. And not long after that, I found Christ. And not long after that, we had 17 people in our house for a whole winter. What a difference. A widow whose husband had died, was a firefighter who had died, and she and her two children, another lady who was in abusive situation, her children, another couple who were just starting in the ministry, and their three children, another pastor. I've lost count. There's more. I don't even know how many there were. And then everybody else that showed up who was hungry. And it was never too much for us. Something happens to the heart when Christ comes in. There's a largeness comes into the heart. And then Jesus spoke to his own mother. And he said to his mother, behold, your son. And she would have had to believe that if she yielded to his words, her every need would be provided. There's got to be something that comes into our heart that says, God, I'm going to obey you. I'm going to follow you. He basically transgressed order because technically speaking, his mother should have been then in the care of another family member of his own household. But he switched that around and gave his mother to the care of his disciple John. And his mother would have had to obey that. This is part of the change that God brings into the heart. When you and I are given instructions, and they don't necessarily make sense at the time. And it's out of the order that we've come to know that the way things should be done in our mind, breaks us out of the box of the way of thinking the way that common men think. But if she had to have known that if she yielded to his words, there would be provision. And folks, if we will listen to God, if we will obey him, even if it looks impossible, if we will get out of whatever house we have to get out of and get into whatever house we have to get into. If we will walk away from that, which we need to leave and embrace that place where we need to go, listen to me, folks, listen to me, listen to me. This is where light comes from. When we begin to obey God, do what God is telling you to do. When you read his word, and he tells you to do something, simply do that move towards truth, even if it doesn't make sense to your natural mind. If it's not the way things have typically been done in your life, just simply do it because God was going to give his own mother light and sustenance. Even during her coming hour of darkness and sorrow, she was about to endure and had begun to endure a season of sorrow and darkness, but Jesus promised to be light. What kind of a person are you? Are you a soldier? Are you a centurion? Are you a headwagger? Are you a theological debater? I went on a Christian website a little while ago and there was a forum, and you know what the forum was? Are aliens real? If they are, do they have a soul, and if so, should we evangelize them? It was all I could do not to type in, you guys have been out in space for so long, you might as well do something while you're out there. That kind of discussion even is the end result of perverse thinking. It's the end result of not really bearing any fruit for the kingdom of God on this side of eternity. God help us. God help us, says the perverseness of the unfaithful will destroy them. The crookedness, always learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth, always defending the faith, but bearing no fruit whatsoever for the kingdom of God. The integrity of the upright shall guide them. We need light. We need life in the midst of the darkness we're about to face. We need courage and strength to face what you and I are going to have to face. These are difficult days. It's going to be very hard for all of us. We encourage that you don't naturally have in your heart. Only God can give it to you. Peter made a boast of his love and loyalty, but it failed him at the time he needed it most because it wasn't birthed of God, it was birthed of his own human will. I pray all the time. I say, God, I don't have the courage to do what I feel you're calling me to do, but you do. So Lord, I'm asking you to take over the frailty of this heart. And I'm not going to boast in myself because in myself, I know I wouldn't be able to make it to the finish line, but in your life and strength within me, I know you can, you did and you will. You overcame fear. You overcame all of the obstacles that were set in your way. And you went to that cross. You triumphed over powers of darkness. You rose from the dead on the third day and you gave gifts unto men. Oh God almighty, give me light and give me life for the days ahead. We don't always understand how it's all going to work out, but if we'll obey the words of God, he promises light in darkness. Listen to the words of Jesus, John chapter eight, verse 12. I am the light of the world and he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. I am the light of the world. He that follows me, shall not walk in darkness. He that follows me, shall not walk in darkness. He that follows me shall not walk in darkness. May I expand on that? He that follows me shall not live in willful disregard of the Word of God. He that follows me shall not mock the Word of God. He that follows me shall not continue to live in willful and unrepentant sin before a holy God. He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Oh yes, folks, I don't know about you, but something is so stirring in my heart. I feel the nearness of Christ. He's coming soon. He's coming for His own people. He's coming for people who are going to have light, no matter how dark it gets in this world. And our testimony is going to be one thing. Behold the bridegroom. I see Him. Do you see Him? Do you see what I see? Do you see? Can you see His coming? People who have this kind of light are not spending their time in clubs on Friday night. People who have this kind of light are not living in adultery or fornication. They're not doing what they shouldn't do. They're not stealing from other people. People who have this kind of light are putting away everything on the Internet that shouldn't be put away. They're putting away everything before their eyes that they shouldn't be watching. People who have this kind of light are getting out of every conversation that will rob them of faith. People who have this kind of light are involved in prayer. People who have this kind of light have the passion of Christ for the lost in their generation. People who have this kind of light are in the prayer closet, in the Word of God, believing God every day for strength and vision and the power to change. Oh, I see Him. I see Him. I see Him. I see Him. Glory to God. Glory to God. I walk out on the streets of New York City some nights, and it's like walking through an immoral zoo. But I don't see anything with the natural eye anymore. I see Him. I hear His voice. I see His power. I see His mercy. I see His ability to touch every heart and every life. And that's what I believe, and that's where my life is going. That's what I lay my life down for. That every man, woman, and child in New York City and even across this country will have an opportunity to hear that there is a Savior who did die for their sins. That's the cry of my heart. It's the purpose of my life. And if that purpose ever stops, I may as well just go home now. I have no reason to be here. Oh, I see Him. Oh, thank God. Thank God. Thank God. Thank God. Jesus said, they trimmed their lamps and said, Behold, the bridegroom. But there were others who sat in the proximity of this great truth and said, I don't see anything. I don't feel anything. I just see destruction, distress, disease, calamity, war, hatred, division, paralysis of our society, our political system, everything. How is it that you can see these things? Give us of your oil. Our lamps have gone out. I can't give it to you. You have to go and get it for yourself. You get it by obeying God. You do what God calls you to do. Obey Him. It's never been any deeper than that. People who don't want to obey God are always studying something. Ever noticed? And who is my neighbor? What a brilliant question. Who is my neighbor? If your son or daughter came home, this was supposed to be one who taught the law. If your son or daughter came home with that question, you'd march them down to school and say, What are you teaching my kid? Doesn't know who his neighbor is. But see, under the guise of learning and cleverness, you say, I'm studying this. And if I ever get it right, you count me in. No. We just read and we obey. I've known this. I've walked in this power. I have light. Thank God. I'm not afraid of the future. I want to challenge you this morning with everything that's in my heart. Step out of darkness. Obey God. Stop looking for reasons to not obey Him. Stop trying to craft wrong and make it right somehow. Call it what it is. Call it by its right name. Jacob wanted the blessing of God. He went to his father for the blessing, but he lied about who he really was. And years later, he's now wrestling with the son of God himself, as many believe it to be. And as he's wrestling, he says, Oh, bless me. Oh, bless me. This is the second time he asked for the blessing of God. And as if there had been no distance between the deception of his father and wrestling with the son of God. I believe it's the pre-incarnate Christ who looks at him and said, What did you say your name was again? Jacob, deceiver. He said, Now that you've dealt honestly with me, I'm paraphrasing, but this is what he was going on. Now that you've dealt honestly with me, I'm going to give you a new nature. And you're going to prevail with God and with man. You're going to have a link between heaven and earth. And your life is going to amount to something for the kingdom of God. Because you have been willing to be honest in the sight of God. I'm not going to gamble for his garment or wag my head. I said to my wife when I was a brand new Christian, If this is true, I want the whole journey or no part of it at all. And I still feel that way today. God, take me on the whole journey, whatever it means for the rest of my days. Take me on the fullness of that journey. Let me finish standing like Paul and saying, I've fought, I've run, I've fought a good fight. I've finished the course that God gave me. Let that be your cry. Let it be your, you're all going to die here. You know that you're all going to die eventually. Your physical body is going to die. Matter of fact, if statistically speaking by this time next year, some of you will already have died. That's I'm not trying to scare you. That's a reality in a crowd this size. You're going to be gone. Where you spend eternity. Depends on how you answer the question today. How you deal with the cross of Jesus Christ. Requires integrity. Integrity of the upright will guide them. The perverseness of the crooked will destroy them. Oh, Jesus, help us. Because we're coming to the end folks. We're coming to the end now. It's not that far away. And we all are going to have to stand before the throne of God. And give an account. What did you do with my son? How did you embrace what he offered? What did you do? What kind of a life did you live? Did you wag your head? Did you gamble? Did you gamble for a garment? A covering? Or did you turn as best as you knew how? You opened your heart. You began to obey God. Oh, please, hear me on this. If you've ever heard me in your lifetime, hear me today. Because we don't know what tomorrow holds now anymore. Father, I pray, God, that you would give each of us here today the courage to do what we need to do. Many of us know already what it is you're asking of us. And you're the only one, Lord, that can give us this strength. The things that need to be put away. The relationships that need to be broken. The practices that need to be stopped. God, you're the only one. But, Lord, you will never reject an honest heart. You'll never get tired of us. You'll always lift us up and give us the power to go forward. Please, Jesus, don't let anybody in this auditorium today or in North Jersey fail of the grace of God. Don't let us fall short of what we should be in Christ. Give us the courage, Lord God, to do what we need to do. Thank you, Father. In Jesus' name. Welch Revival 1904, one of the greatest revivals the world has ever known, ushered in a brand-new Pentecost worldwide. People began to travel from afar to see the young evangelist that God was using. His name was Evan Roberts. And one particular meeting, they were packed. There was no more room in the place, very much like this church is on Sunday mornings. It was just packed to capacity. And everybody was waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting to hear the words that would come from the mouth of this young man of God. And then the music stopped, and he just sat in his seat, and he didn't get up. And there was a silence in the church for a very long period of time to the point where it actually started to potentially become uncomfortable. And finally, he got up, and he stood in the pulpit. And I can feel excitement in people's hearts. We're going to hear from a vessel that God is using to bring a national awakening to Wales. And he got up, and he just looked up and he said, Obey God. And he sat down. And they said the altar was packed with people. People even went across the aisle to ask forgiveness to people that they had harbored bitterness against. You see, the thing is, most everybody knew what to do. But you see, in a genuine awakening, people obey God. That's where it all begins. Obey God. Obey God. Whatever this book says you should be doing, you should do that. I want to challenge you with everything in my heart. I know it's an open altar call for anybody who just knows I need to do whatever it is you need to do. You need to write a letter. You need to forgive somebody. You need to repay a debt. Whatever it is that you need to do, you need to get out of a relationship. You need to get away from a certain lifestyle, a certain practice that has captivated you for years. You need to become a husband to your wife, a father to your children, a wife to your husband, a mother to your children. You need to be a good son or daughter to your mom and dad. Whatever it is that God's speaking, all I can tell you is that all my life I've obeyed God as much as I know. I can't honestly say today that there's anything I know of today that I didn't do. When God spoke to my heart and I knew it was Him, I simply just trusted Him for the strength and moved towards what He was speaking. And He has never failed me one time. Not one time has He failed. You understand, in a moment, it's still early, we're going to worship for about 10 minutes. And in the annex, you can step up between the screens in the main sanctuary. You can just come and meet me here. And we're going to pray for courage. That's all I feel to pray for, just courage. Because you already know what to do. We're going to pray, God, give you courage. Remember, He'll give you the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit will become your strength and your courage. To do what you know God is calling you to do. In North Jersey, you could step up to the front of the sanctuary as well. Let's stand, please, if you will, if God's speaking to your heart as we worship. Just come and we're going to pray for courage today together. Thank you, Jesus. Stretch out your hands, if you will. Lord, we know we're living in the last days. We ask you, God, to give us the grace to obey you. We ask you, Lord, to plant within our hearts a deep, deep compassion for those that are lost. For obedience will produce in us the heart of God. Father, we thank you, Lord, that your yoke is not heavy and your burden is light. You said, come, learn of me. I'm meek and lowly of heart and you shall find rest for your soul. So, Lord, we thank you that we can rest in you. We can rest in your strength. We can rest, God, in the fact that you will not leave us nor forsake us. We can rest in the fact that you are merciful, God. When you know our hearts are honest before you, even though we fall seven times, seven times you'll pick us up, God, and you'll give us renewed strength. Thank you, Lord, that you'll take us through every door that we need to go through, that our lives may bring glory to your name. Help us, Lord, to say yes, God, just to say yes to you, Lord. Just give us the courage to say yes today. Many people here already know what they need to do. God, give us the courage to go forward. We will not boast in ourselves, for we don't have the power to do it in ourselves, but, Lord, it's you. Paul said it's Christ in us, the hope of glory. God, we thank you that if we boast, we boast in the cross of Christ. We boast in the power of God. We boast in a living relationship with a living God. And, Father, we pray that we might be able to point to this generation, not just with our theology, but through our lives, and say this is that that was spoken about by the prophets. God, we thank you for this, Lord Jesus Christ, with everything in us. Oh, God, give courage to these men and women, Lord, these young people that are at this altar, God. Lord, when we begin to obey you, light comes, and life comes, and hope comes, and strength comes, and joy comes. You'll take our worship to a whole other place, oh, God. You'll put words in our mouths, Lord, we didn't believe God could ever be there. You'll take us, Lord, God, to places and make us into something that will glorify your name. Not by might, not by power, but by your spirit, almighty God, you will do this. Father, I thank you for it, Lord. God, almighty, make us among those who have oil in our lamps in this last hour of time. Oh, Jesus, Jesus, give us the eyes to see you everywhere we go. Father, we thank you for this, God. Give us the vision to see the victory, no matter what we face. Father, we thank you for it, we praise you for it. God, almighty, I pray that together we go over the finish line in victory. We go over the finish line shouting and rejoicing in the goodness of our God. Hallelujah to the Lamb of God. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, God. Jesus, Son of God, I pray for the grace to take a multitude of souls with us, an innumerable number of people, men, women, young and old, rich and poor, of every race and every culture from coast to coast across this country. Oh, God, give us the grace to take a multitude with us to the kingdom of heaven. Father, we thank you for this. Oh, God, we praise you, we bless you, Lord. Jesus, Jesus, give us a song this week, oh, God, that is birth of something of your life within us. Oh, Father, we thank you for it, we praise you for it, we bless you for it. Oh, God, in Jesus' mighty name, let's give Him a shout of praise in this house. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, mighty God.