Preached Sunday Morning September 22, 2002 doing service and edited for the Internet audience.... write for the video and cassette....

Introduction:
It is Sunday Morning and thank God for another day and another week. I like to share a word from..the book of Ezekiel...

My Text this morning comes from....

Ezekiel 37:25-28

25. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwell; and they shall dwell theirin, even they , and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

26. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

27. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

28. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

This morning I would like to talk from the ....

Subject: "Get UP", and go to church, It is praying time!

...In 1999 the turn of the Century....we were excited about the number 2000...a new Century....and what it would bring us....more prosperity.....security.....wealth.....and good living....

...We were excited because when we look back from where we had come from.... the 60's..the Dr. King era... where we marched in the streets and prayed for better jobs, housing, and economy....after 30 plus years...Well. praise God...We have arrived.....for this is what our parents had been praying for...that we have a better day...and a better quality of life style than what they had to endure...Yes!

...We are living better now than anytime in history....

...We use to drive used cars....today we drive New cars with lifetime warranty...

...We use to have a bath room outside the house (called out house)... we use to live in...and well water...and a family of 3 sleeping in one room....with no T.V....

....Today we have 5 houses with 10 TV.....and a wealth of freedom to choose...which house we are going to sleep in for the weekend...cause we can fly from one coast to the other...

.....We have arrived....thank God....

But God, I am too busy.. Now...cause you have given me all these toys to play with and I don't have time to praise you on Sunday cause I am tired from traveling and working all week....So I need to sleep on Sundays and get my rest so I can maintain my toys.... Well......

...Some may say ...we have arrived....our children are in college and becoming millionaires with great jobs and wealth...and the future.....looks Great for them and my grand kids......Well....maybe.....

....Life is beautiful.........

Take a look at the Bible....and look at history of the Jewish people....

We look at our scripture this morning and the story of the children of Israel...is real simple....God bought them out of bondage and slavery....and they forgot God.....during the good times....

It seemed that when you are in a negative situation ....the first person you call on is Jesus Christ....

If you look at our history....we are about to do the same thing....Forget God....Do we have to loose everything to realize that God is in Control...and this is his world we just renting space in it for a minute... while tryin to prepare and looking for a future permanent home?.....Well.....Look at us....

Today....we have a similar situation like the Bible times.......too....

God has bought us out of bondage and slavery....and we have freedom to do what we want to do....

Have we forgotten God?.....

Sunday use to be a day of Worship and praise to God...

Sunday use to be a day that the Lord had made for us to go to the Sanctuary...and like Kirk Carr...said in his song... We lift our hands in the sanctuary.........

Well my friends...less I not hold you to long.....

But I most say that our bedrooms have become our sanctuary..

We have become tele..vision....specialist....our remote controls drive us...and we spend Sundays.....chilling....in our fine homes...

We wake up and catch T.D. Jakes or BET....and than we roll over and go back to sleep.....I guess you say something is better than nothing....

This is all good and perhaps their is nothing wrong with this picture.....But it gets old....cause you right back Monday morning on the firing line...with no God in your thought process...cause you missed church and the Word....the Message from the Minister on Sunday Morning....

Yes Sunday Morning....You go to church for...a program that looks something like this....

Devotion...praise and worship..or Deacons...

Hymn....close to thee...

Scripture.....Ps 23

Selection from choir....ORder my steps..

Preached Word.....God is a Good....from Gen 1...

Altar Call.....Our Soul is revived...

Benedition....we tell our friends & family hello...good bye....see you next time..

Yes! Folk that works....It has been working for 200 years.. if your mom was here (who is resting in the arms of God)....she would tell you how many days..hours...minutes...she prayed.....Yes!

Somebody prayed for me...had me on their mind...took the time and prayed for me....I am so glad my momma prayed...

But I must remind you....We now have to pray for ourselves and our children and children's children....

For we are models for our children....if we don't serve God. trust me....they won't...cause they feel....momma did not serve them....so why should we...Saints....

We are at "War"......and we are on the brink of "War" coming to our streets of America.....Hold me up Holy Ghost.

Some of us may think....all is well.....but we need to get up and go to church and pray with the Saints and bring peace back to our land....the good old times....the old time religion we talk about....we need to fall on our knees and pray at the altar of some church....somewhere..

Folk .....let's not kid ourselves...we are on the brink of war a major star wars....Go look at the movie...if you think I am kidding...Nuclear weapons...........Major stuff....we can't imagine 

we don't play cowboys and Indians any more....we use to use guns and bow and arrows....we have major weapons...taking us out.....today....

The Bible in Ecclesiastes chapter 3....says To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven..A time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plan, and a time to pluck up that which is planted...A time of peace.. and a time of war.....

Well....my friends...I am sorry to say...look at today's news in Jerusalem. the suicide bombing and the unrest and state of flux... hello somebody.....all is not well....

We need to get up and go to church and fall down on our knees at the altar and pray for our world....It is time to go to the altar and pray for our World who has been lost along the way.....

The Word says...

Ephesians 6:10...Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might...Put on the Whole Armour of God.....You see my brothers and sisters...you can't put on the whole Armour of God in Bed on ..Sunday Morning....Hold me up Holy Ghost...

You see the reason we can't get God in bed...is because we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of the world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.....

That is the reason we got to get up and go to church....so that we can fight these demons that are taking over our world...we live in....

Oh...I know....we all want to go to heaven.....but right now......Hold me up Holy Ghost.....we have to get and preserve the quality of life...our mothers and fathers have fought so hard for.....us to have on a day-to-day...until it is time for us to depart and move on....to a better life...Well....

Remember where we come from....Slavery...freedom...to a point..... where we can choose our home. ..job...economy.....all because of the sacrifice of our fore parents.....

Do you realize...

If all the food markets close up...we can't eat..

If all the Hospital closed up...we can not get well...

If al the churches closed up and T.V. went off the air....we loose...Jesus Christ......preaching and teach us how to maintain....Hold me up Holy Ghost....

We need to maintain what we have....before it is to late....because you don't want this quality of living to dry up on ya....because if it does.....we will be up the creek without a paddle.....

Remember our parents......

Where did they spend the majority of their time.....

Yes! You got it right.....Church......Well....in 2002...we have arrived....we no longer need the church.... ...well you know the story.....

But my friend....be not deceived....whatsoever you soweth.. you will reap it....

You see...today the streets are similar to the suicide bombing the folk overseas are experiencing

For our young folk are killing each other....Black on black...we cheat and steal from each other....We need God...

We can not survive this world without God in our lives...

How do we get him in our spirit....

Through weekly bible study...
Through prayer service...
Through reading the bible daily..
Through fellowship with believers....Church..

Now.....be honest....when was the last time you been to church.....5 years ago....3 years.... or you may say I have not been back since I had fought with the preacher about my tithes and offerings...Well...

I know...I am not talking about you musicians and professional church folk who go every day....and Real Saints....

But my appeal is to...those who don't do church.....who are lost without God....

Who perhaps is looking for Love in all the wrong places.. as Pastor Mackie would say .....

but I am tryin to reach that person who quit church or who is mad with the church...who has given up on the church and see no hope..in the church....and have given up on serving God...and accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior....Now is the time to Be born Again...Open your bible to John chapter 3 and read about the new birth.

Well ...My friend...this is a battle cry....we at War...we are in trouble....Unless God intervene.....we will all be destroyed and lose the little that we have....We need God..

The church needs you to pray and hold up the church filling station of peace love joy and happiness...

the church is...

1. The place were we come to meet God and agree as one... The Bible tells us where 2 or 3 agree and meet....he will pour out blessings from the windows of heaven....

2............Running late got to go to church..

Let me stop..... and...Go to Church.....TO BE Continued....Be blessed.


REv. John Fullard
President M.U.S.I.C.
www.abcgospelmusic.com
John5852@aol.com
925 833 9379