Pastor Arthur “AJ” Johnson
AJ: Well, good morning. Man, what a joy it is to be back with you again. We did get the offering, right? Yeah, because we may not get a good offering after I preached today. So make sure we got that. Just kidding. I greet you in the name of Jesus. It's so great to be with you and have so many friends here, Pastor Robert and TQ, Pastor Gordy, Jeff and so many others. I love you. I love this church family. God spoke to me. He has given me a word and I pray that you receive it. Now, let me warn you before we get into the scriptures today that my passion theologically is to exalt Christ in all of the scriptures. That sounds really cute, but I really mean it. I believe that the whole Bible is about Christ and that's my passion theologically.
I believe the whole Bible is about Christ and all of the [inaudible 43:49] of scripture can just give you a headache. For me, I'm just a plain old, simple guy from Birmingham and believing the words of Christ that the scripture points to him makes the Bible a whole lot easier for me to understand. And so by God's grace, we've pastor, doers of the word since 1990 and we have care center, a discipleship ministry for men struggling with addiction. By God's grace, we we've had a little over 300 guys come through and I'll keep 10 or 15 guys at a time. Just love on them. Try to be an example of Christ to them, just trying to be a father to them. So that's the way I plan on spending the rest of my life, just loving my first wife, Anne, and our sons and making a few disciples. So with that said, let's pray and then get into God's word today. Shall we?
Father, in Jesus name, thank you. Thank you, Lord that your word is true. Thank you. Oh God, that we are your people. You are the potter. We are your clay. Father, I'm asking today that you will do a little molding on us today and a little squeezing today, a little opening up of the eyes of our understanding to see the God man, Jesus Christ in all of scripture. Speak to us, oh God to the degree that we will not be forgetful hearers, but doers of your word in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
I've entitled this message from God's word "Look at us". Say it with me. Look at us. Turn to your neighbor and say, look at us. The whole Bible, Genesis to Revelation, is about Jesus. The Old Testament is Christ concealed. The New Testament is Christ revealed. All 66 books have one offer. As it says in second, Peter 1: 20 and 21: men wrote as they were moved or carried along by Holy Spirit. They didn't just write because they wanted to write. They didn't just prophesy because they wanted to. It says in that passage, no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation. In other words, they didn't just say or write what they wanted to say. They were carried along by Holy Spirit. That's a good place to say amen. May God help us to interpret, understand and apply his word by receiving the truth that the Old Testament scripture points to Christ.
In John 5:39, Jesus said you searched the scriptures in the Bible. The word scripture means Old Testament. Jesus said in John 5 39, you search the scripture for them. You think you have eternal life, but the scripture points to me. All of the Old Testament scripture points to Jesus Christ. Somebody say amen. All right, I told you that was my passion. I tried to warn you now. So Jesus fulfills all the law, all 613 of them and all the writings of the prophets, Matthew 5:17 notice. He said, "I didn't come to abolish or to destroy the law, but to fulfill, to accomplish its purpose." So it all points to Christ. How many know love fulfills law?
As I was sharing yesterday at the, at the service for sister who really impacted my life, I was reminded of her love for me and although she called me OJ, she loved me and all those. She called me colored. I loved it because she spoke out of love. You see, laws— and God spoke this, to me yesterday. Laws affect our behavior, but love affects our hearts. We love to try to put people under laws to control their behavior. But how many, you know, if you love God, come on. Somebody talk to me. If you love God, no one needs to put you under a law if you really love God. Laws are for people who don't love. You've got to have a law to control people who are not in love with Jesus. You know the greatest lesson for example— oh, I've got to do this. The greatest lesson, for example, for example, I learned about giving wasn't from the old covenant Jewish thide. A person without the Holy Spirit, you can teach a monkey to get one banana out of 10. That's not impressive to God.
An ancient Jew who didn't have the indwelling spirit— how many of you have the spirit of f God on the inside? Okay, I'm in the right place today. They can count to 10 and give God— you know, if they had corn 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, God's. They are cheap, right? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. That one belongs to God. Why are you guys looking at me in that tone of voice? So I didn't learn how to give from— I learned how to give from my oldest son when he was about five years old. Anna just given them a Popsicle (grape). Make a note of that. Black folks love grape: jelly, grape Koolaid. We liked grape, not strawberry jelly, grape. You get that down. Write that down.
Anna had given him a grape Popsicle. You know the ones with the two sticks? Austin, my son passed away. As soon as he got his Popsicle, his buddy Ryan came over. Austin said, "Mom, Ryan's here." She said, "Okay." He said, do you have another Popsicle?" She said, "No, that was the last one, Austin." Austin, my God, I feel the Holy Ghost. He took his Popsicle and he broke it in half. He gave half of his grape Popsicle to his little buddy Ryan. I said, my God, that boy knows how to get." I said Austin, why did you give Ryan half of your popsicle?" He said, "Dad, he is my friend." He gave out of love. Okay. Enough on thide. Let's continue on.
The whole Bible is about Christ. Here is our text today. Psalm 1:21 verses one and two acts. Chapter three, verse four, a song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. I look up to the heels or the mountains does my help come from there. My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. Now to acts chapter three, verse four: Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, look at us. Say it with me. Look at us.
Beloved, the word Psalm means song. And there were songs of ascent. The book of Psalms 120 to 1 34 were the songs that they sang as they ascended to worship God as they walked to the old covenant Tabernacles, then temples. Most scholars believe that the Levites would sing those songs Psalm 120 through 1 34 as they made their way up to minister. They would sing these songs or songs of ascent. Notice, beloved the Old Testament temple. I'd like you to write these down. If you are a note taker, follow along with me, Psalm 15:1, Ezekiel 34:26, the Old Testament temple was God's holy hill. Please write that down.
Worshipers would ascend to the presence of God. The Levites would go to the temple to worship God. There were outer courts. There was an outer court, inner court and the holy of holies where the presence of God live. God used to live in a building. So they would ascend there to worship God. Psalm 51, a Psalm of David: who may worship in your sanctuary Lord, who may enter your presence on your holy hill. Zion Jerusalem was the place where God lived. And then of course, Ezekiel 34, 26. I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill or mountain. And in the proper season, I will send showers of blessing showers they need. There will be showers of blessing. Be if you are taking notes, Psalm 24, 3, Isaiah 2:3, Micah 4:2. It was also called the mountain of the Lord. Say it with me, the mountain of the Lord. Almighty God lived, he dwelt there by his spirit.
How many of you have read in the Bible where that glory of God would come in like a cloud. Some people are still seeing clouds today. They need help. Although there was kind of a cloud around the twin cities yesterday— I don't know what in the world that was. But it was not the Shekinah glory of God, because some of you have a hint where the glory of God is today, right? It's not in the cloud. If you see a smoke— all right, let's keep going here. Who may climb the mountain of the Lord who may stand in his holy place? Psalm 24, 3. Are you following me so far? Am I my communicating? People from many nations will come and say, come let us go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob's God. There he'll teach us his ways and we'll walk in his path. The Lord's teaching will go out from Zion. Say it with me, from Zion, from Zion. We are still looking like we are going to Zion.
His teaching comes from Zion. His word will go out from Jerusalem. It started there beloved, but it has moved on. Hallelujah. People from many nations will come and say, let's go to the mountain of the Lord, Micah 4:2. See if you are taking notes. Isaiah 64 9, it was prophesied that God would look at us as the old covenant Jew look to the hills, as they look to the mountains. Are you with me? It was prophesied that one day people would look at us. Fancy that. The Old Testament temples would be destroyed and God would move. Move from that old covenant tabernacle, and then the temples. Amen. I think I have an illustration of— yeah this was Solomon's, a replica of Solomon's temple, outer court, inner court, holy of holies. The priest would go in and, you know the story. There have been enough teachings about that, that old covenant temple.
You see brothers and sisters, God moved. Tell your neighbor, God moved. Listen to Isaiah 64 9. Don't be so angry with us, Lord. Please don't remember our sins forever. Look it up. Say it with me. Look at us, we pray, and see that we are all your people. We are all your people. Can I read a little bit of the Bible this morning? Is that all right with you? I just like reading the Bible. I read from the new living translation because a lot of the men we take in by God's grace, can't read at all and they learn to read by reading the Bible and some of the, the lessons that Ann taught our sons, as she homeschooled all three of them, I use now to teach men how to read. Just read the Bible.
One guy was in there one day; we get up every morning at 5 and pray at 5:25, eat breakfast 5:30. We are in the word every morning at 6, and we work all day and shower in the word every night at 7. Well, one guy was there and I said, all right, it's your turn to read. He was looking through his Bible, you know, at the index, ad he said, preacher. I said what? He said, "I can't find the Philippines." Man, I love it. Am I blessed or what? I said, man, when I first started, I couldn't find the Philippines either.
We are reading the new living. The first time I picked up a new living Bible in the Christian bookstore, I read the whole book of Acts right there in the store. I had to buy it because I used it. I couldn't believe how easy it was to understand. I'm just a plain old guy from Birmingham, you know? Well, Isaiah 64, look at verse one. Can we do that? Oh, that you would burst from the heavens, prophetically now, and come down. He is looking forward to the first coming of Christ. We talked so much about the second coming of Christ. We've missed the greatest event to ever happen. It was the first covenant of Christ. And so the prophet says, oh, that you would come down. How the mountains would quake in your presence.
How many of you know he is shaking once again. Oh that's another message from Hebrew. Let's go on now. Oh, oh, oh, hear God's word. Oh, the mountains would quake in your presence. Verse 2, Isaiah 64, as fire causes wood to burn water. The ball you are coming would make the nations tremble; not only Israel, but all the nations then your enemies can you learn the reason for your fame. Verse 3: when you came down long ago, perhaps at the giving of the law, you did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations. Oh how the mountains quake. Verse four: for since the world began, no eye has heard and no ear has seen a God like you who works for those who wait for him. Come on. We've got to say that together. He works for those who wait on him. Glory to God.
Verse 5: you welcome those who gladly do good, who follow godly ways, but you have been very angry with us, us old covenant Jews for we are not godly. Can people like us be saved? Verse six: We are all infected and impure was sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags like autumn leaves. We wither and fall and our sins sweep us away like the wind. Are you hearing this? This is a prophecy about the first coming of Christ. Oh my goodness. Verse 7, Isaiah 64:7: yet no one calls on your name or pleased with you for mercy. Therefore you have turned away from us and turn us over to our sins. Verse 8: and yet, oh Lord, you are far. We are the clay and you are the pot. We are all formed by your hands. Don't be angry with us law. Please don't remember our sins forever. Look at us. Say it with me. Look it us, we pray and see that we are all your people.
Look at verse 10. Your holy cities are destroyed Zion is a wilderness. Yes, Jerusalem is a desolate ruin. Verse 11: the holy and beautiful temple where our ancestors praise you has been burned down. And all the things of beauty are destroyed. Verse 12: Thank you for listening. After all this, Lord, must you still refuse to help us? Will you continue to be silent and punish us? You see beloved, although there was a glorious tabernacle in the temples, Solomon’s [inaudible 1:03:28] temple didn't rebuild and in Herod's temple, the one that was standing when Christ ministered on earth in the flesh. Will God Be silent and punish us? Somebody say no. Somebody say no.
God has a plan. And what's his plan? His plan is to move into your body. That's our next point. And here is where I want to go. Today. First Corinthians 3: 16, first Corinthians 6:19. Our bodies are the New Testament. Temples of God. Somebody say amen. And if that doesn't light your fire, your wood is wet. Look at us. Tell your neighbor, look at us, say it like this. Look at me. And I know together with the body— Oh, some of y'all about to get it now. Rather than looking to the building— Oh, wait a minute. All right, let listen. Almighty. God lives dwells within us by his spirit. Somebody say amen. This building is not the house of God. We don't even leave the lights on for him when we leave because he comes in when we come in. Somebody say amen. Am I preaching or what? Somebody shout look at us. Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God. Remember Jesus said, "Destroy this temple in three days, I'll raise it up." He was talking about the temple of his body.
Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the spirit of God lives in you. Not in the holy of Holies. The holy of Holies is in you, sir. Look at us for God's temple. Holy and you are that temple. Look at first Corinthians 3:16 and 17. Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? Remember Paul got accused of preaching against the temple. No, he didn't preach against it. He preached the fulfillment of the old covenant temple that your body is the temple. Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you and you and was given to you by God for you do not belong to yourself? Oh my goodness.
The Bible says that we are the living stones. It didn't say we need to live stone. He said we are the living stone. Somebody say I'm a living stone. Amen. First Peter 2:5 that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are God's holy priest. You are the fulfillment of the Levites of the Old Testament. You offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. Somebody say, man, does anybody believe in the priesthood of the believer anymore? We don't have time to preach on who we are. You are the fulfillment of the Levites who ascended to minister to God. Beloved, you don't just minister to God once a week. You ascend. Everywhere you go, you are ascending to worship. Say amen, somebody. I said everywhere you go, you are ascending to worship. I was ascending the other day to get me some hot wings.
I pulled up, my God, full of the Holy Ghost. I got out of my truck, walked in to the weed shop, ascending to worship the law. But when I got in line, there was a young lady in front of me about six foot five, scantily clad. I had to look down to stay in the spirit. I think I told you about that, Pastor Robert. So I'm standing in line thought I was there to get some wings, but this young lady needed some more clothes on. I said, Lord, should I leave or should I stay? So I'm looking down because that really wanted that 10 piece. But I'm trying to walk in the spirit as I'm ascending as a Levite to worship the Lord. I was looking down, and after she made her order, she turned around to walk by and she said, Pastor AJ. I said do I know you? She said, "I visited the Doers of the Word the other day and I need to be saved." Come on somebody. Everywhere you go, you are a Cindy to worship because your body is the temple of God.
I was ascending last Saturday on the downstairs bed. Hallelujah. I had my shorts on. I had my remote in hand, watching a little fishing. Early last Saturday morning, there was a knock on the door like the police. You all know how the police knock. You will answer the door. You all know that knock. So I went to the door. The young lady said, "Are you the preacher?" I said, "Well, yes I am." She said, "I need a place to stay. My two children and I are homeless. I got assaulted last night in this place. I was sleeping behind this business and I was assaulted and I need a hotel room." I remember I said, I'm not going to buy your hotel room, but I want to tell you what God— I gave her a word from the Lord. Listen, a week earlier, Rodney, my home director said a young lady came by and she said, "I need some help." And he said, "We are a men's home. We don't have a women's home open yet." He said two days later they found her dead a block away from our church building.
How many of you know hurting people all around us. We need to stop telling them about that old covenant temple. We need to tell them to look at us. You see the spirit of Christ came in Acts chapter two. Come on, somebody, anybody believe in Pentecost anymore. Amen. The birth of the church. There is no record of God's glory ever filling Herod's temple. Why? Because you are. Come on, turn to your neighbor and say, you are. You are the temple of God. Now turn to your second choice there, the neighbor and just say you are the temple of God. Amen. Acts chapter 3, My God and heaven. Thank you, Holy Ghost. Acts chapter 3: My God, Peter and John ascended to worship and pray. Now this was her rock temple. There was a slide that showed the tabernacle, Solomon's temple and [inaudible 1:12:43] temple rebuilt Herod's temple. Now God losing your body. The fruit of the spirit, the gifts of the spirit are available to you.
Peter and John ascended. Say it with me, Peter and John ascended to worship and pray just as the Levites had ascended to minister for ages before Peter and John ascended to minister, my God in heaven. Acts 3:1: Peter and John went to the temple one day, one afternoon to take part in the three o'clock prayer service. Verse two: and as they approached the temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. You see each day he was put beside the temple gate, the one call the beautiful gate. And you don't have to study six months on the gates because they all point to Jesus. Listen to me. So he could beg from the people going into the temple. So his friends put him there right by the door, right by the gate.
Now, as people come in, you just bring them in people who beg. One day, we had the guy in and I said, I said, what are you doing? He said, man, I need help. He said, I've been doing wrong, preacher. He said, I robbed by steal from people. I said, well, how do you do it? He said, well, I invented carrying a sign. I said, you invented that? He said, yeah, I was the first person to carry a sign, will work for food, homeless veteran. He said, I created all of those slogans. I said, really? He said, yeah, I've been in most of the states throughout the country. He said, I've raised of thousands of dollars. I've stolen from people. I said, so you are the sign man. He said, yep, that's my invention. I should have a patent on it. I mean, people all over the world are using my techniques now. He said, preacher, I'm just tired of taking advantage of people.
So I go through the rules. I said, well, Jesus has a better life for you. He said, but you know, people want to give you money. It makes them feel good. One day he said, I had a little bet with a couple of homeless guys. He said, we all had houses. We just— you know, it's good money, tax-free money, holding signs. Some of you are looking at me in a funny tone of voice. He said, we had an argument about, is it the sign or is it the location you are in? What makes the most money? You've got a lot of guilty people. God has blessed them preacher. And they just feels so guilty, man, they'll give you. Man, I've been offered cars, homes, everything. I said, really?
He said, but when you drove up, you told me if I wanted to change to come home with you. So I decided to come home with you. He said, so we had a bet, whether it's the sign or the location. And he said, I bet you that I could hold up a blank sign. And people would give me money. I said a blank sign. He said, yeah, just the blank cardboard sign. And so his buddy put in money; he said about $500 in the pot. They had a pretty good day. He said, he just held up a blank sign, just the blank side. He said, man, I wasn't there two minutes and lady came by and gave me a fresh, crisp $100 bill. And so he won the $500 from the other guys.
He said, I stopped that woman, preacher. I said, ma'am, can I ask you why you gave me the a hundred dollars? And she said, yeah, I passed by. And I came back and I thought he is so poor, he doesn't even have a marker. So this man was begging as they went in to worship. Oh, but he met two fellas who had been to Acts chapter two school. How many of you know chapter two comes before Acts chapter 3. He began to beg for some money. Do they do that in Minnesota or is that against the law? Okay. All right. He began the bed for some money. Am I communicating this morning? You are awfully quiet.
You don't know what happened. Somebody say, look at us. He began to beg for some money. And guess what Peter and John said to this guy. When he saw Peter and John he asked them for some money. Acts 3: 4, Peter told the man, he told the world, you see the lame beggar represents a desperate hurting world. How many of you know there are desperate, hurting people all around us. So he told the man, Peter told the man, look at us. Say it with me. Look at us. The invitation was to the new covenant temple of Christ. Peter and John looked at him intently and Peter said, look at us. Say it one more time. Look at us. He was healed by looking to us, God's temple.
I want tell you something. Holy Spirit is not telling you to give everybody money. Maybe you need to give him a word. Everybody say a word. There was a lady who called me. Pastor AJ, are you Pastor AJ? She said, I heard that you help people. The projects are right behind a church building. I heard that you help people. I said, you got that right? I help people. She said, well, praise the Lord. She said, I need some help. I said, well, you call the right place. I don't think we had $500 in the bank. I said, you called the right place. I said, are you saved? I said, well, how about Ms. Ann and I, my first wife, why don't we come by to see you? Okay. When can you come? I said, we can come right now. Somebody say look at us.
We go by her house. And I said, what do you need? She said I need some money. I said, what's that? She had a television bigger than this screen here. I said, what's that? Oh, that's my TV. I said, well, how much does that cost? She said, oh, $35 a week. I said, $35 a week, $140 a month to rent a TV. She said oh, no, 35 a week. I said what is that? Oh, that's my washer and dryer. It's $50 a week. And what is that? Oh, that's a computer for my grandkids. That's $50 a week. I said, what's that? Oh, that's my new refrigerator. It's $30 a week. How many of you know she needed something more than money. She needed a budget. And I said, well, how about this? I'll give you a TV. It won't be bigger than me. You know, bigger than that one. But you'll be able to see on it. I'll give you a washer and dryer. We've got a lot of those. I'll give you a computer. It won't be flat screen. It will be a fat back, but it will work. She ended up getting Jesus and she thought she needed some money. Don't be afraid to say, look at us. Did you guys get up and leave or something?
He wanted money, but he got something greater than money. People are hurting. I mean, am I telling the truth? How many of you know money is not always the best answer? I meet people that will spend their money, they will spend mine and yours and they'll still need some more money. You need to learn to begin to say, look at us. This man was healed by looking to us, God's temple. He was healed by Christ. Remember verse 12 Acts 3:12. It wasn't by our power or goodness. It was the power of God. The lame man looked at them, eagerly expecting some money. Verse six: Then Peter said, I don't have any silver or gold for you. Everybody say for you. It wasn't that they were broke. I quote Peter all time. I don't have any money for you. Sometimes they walk up to me and I asked them for a dollar before they asked me for a dollar. They walk up to me, hey man. I said, hey bro, man, let me have a dollar. Whoa, whoa, whoa. I'll give me a cigarette, man. Give me a cigarette, man. You got a square? I never smoked a cigarette. I never smoked a joint. I have never done meth or heroin. I sure I've seen a lot of guys deliver from it and look at us.
I've got my grace. I can reach people. You can't, you can reach people I can't. Hello? Somebody say, look at us. Peter said, I don't have any money for you, but I'll give you what I do have for you in the name of Jesus. Somebody say in the name of Jesus. Oh, I've got something better than of quarter. I've got something better than a few crumbs. Look at us. And Peter got a word from the Lord. If you'll just grab him by the hand. I'm sure that's what the holy ghost said. If you just grab him by the hand, I'm going to heal him.
You know the story, glory to God. Peter said, look, I don't have any silver or gold for you, but I'll give you what I have in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene get up and walk. Verse 7: then Peter took the lame man by the right hand, helped him up. And as he did the man's feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. Verse eight, he jumped up, stood on his feet, began to walk then walking and then leap and then praise and God. He went into that building with them, that temple. Verse 9: all the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. You see, blood look at us means to look to the indwelling spirit of Christ. It's not look at AJ It's saying look to the spirit of Christ and brothers and sisters, that spirit of Christ, that same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead— I know you wish you could come up and help me right now, but I'll make Lord. If he would just move over a little bit. That same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you. Say amen somebody, and you can walk in your family and your neighborhood, wherever God has you. And you can say, look at us.
Don't go get you some wings. You don't have to do what I do. A woman showed up knocking like the Popo and I been shot. I said, oh, you need to go to the hospital. You know, sometimes I'll just do what Holy Spirit leads me to do those who are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God led by the spirit, the same spirit, the same shekinah glory that was in the old covenant temple tabernacles is in you. So be led by him being led by the spirit. You see, Holy Spirit tells you to give. Don't give when Holy Spirit tells you not to give. Don't give a person a ride unless Holy Spirit says give him a ride. I was walking to the Memorial service. Someone left me yesterday when I wouldn't embarrass Sister Jacque, but she forgot to leave me the key to her car and it was time for the Memorial service. I think I can walk that far, you know? And I start walking and I started praising, God, Lord, maybe there is a bundle of Benjamins on the side of the road, Lord, I'm full of the Holy Ghost. Lord, you've got to have a reason for me walking. You know, it couldn't be racism. You know, because Jackie is such a sweet lady. I mean, why am I walking all the way from Africa? I mean, from Birmingham, Alabama now walking in Cochran, Minnesota, and a young lady stopped. Believe it or not. Her name was TJ. She had on a bow tie, and I started praying in the Holy Ghost. Well, there are a whole lot of other people that passed me by, but TJ, she wasn't afraid at all. I don't know her story, but she wasn't intimidated. Hey, she said, you must be AJ. I said, how did you know that? You are not asphalt, so you must be AJ.
But here is what I'm saying. Brothers and sisters, wherever you go be ascending to worship, it may be an encouraging word. There was a young man. He was living in an abandoned house where they were actually remodeling the house. There was a huge mega church in town, many thousand members. And I love him and they call me pastor AIJ, there is a young man. And he was living in an abandoned house. So you think you can help him? I said, well, if he wants to help. I go by his name is Antwan. And so he is, he is, he is taken a little bird bath in the sink. And he, he, he sleeps there at night. And when they are remodeling the house during the day he was working at Church's Chicken two days a week, he is trying to make it Antwan. And I said, Hey buddy, have you've been sneaking into that house, they are remodeling on first avenue. Yes sir. Yes sir. Yes, sir. I have. And I said, well, hey man, God has got something better for your life. I said, if you'll let me, I'll help you learn to follow Jesus. I said your, your problem isn't— he told me what kind of drugs he was doing. And I said, listen, bro, if you'll learn to walk in the spirit, you, you, you know, you learn to say no to your flesh. If you'll let me help you I'll help you. It was 28 years old.
He came in and had one trash bag. Well today, Antwan has preached for me three times. He has a son. He was reunited with his son. He has two cars. He is working for another ministry during the week. And then he helps us on Sunday. He is an incredible man of God. He just needed somebody. He just needed somebody to say, look at me. H just needed somebody to say, look at me. You know people that I don't know; maybe we need to start pointing them to Christ. I don't want someone to die and not meet Christ because I wasn't willing to say, look at me. How many of you consider your life miraculous. Let me see your hands. Yeah. Yeah. My life is— the way you got saved, I mean, you shouldn't even be here. Yeah. I mean, you feel like you should have been dead, some of the places you have been. Yeah. Yeah. If you look at you, look at you.
The Bible says on down in first Peter 2, we are a chosen generation, a royal priest. Good, Levites, holy nation. We show people the goodness of God. You need to start praising him. You guys have a Walmart down here? Yeah, Walmart. What a place to minister here. Just go to Walmart and just show people the goodness of God, God, you been so good to me. You know how many times I said that to people, you know, God has been so good to me.
One lady called me two days ago. She said my son's getting out of prison. He needs help. I heard some of the testimonies of men who have been through your discipleship. I told her about the program. She said, let me ask you something. I don't know how to say it, but were you addicted? I said, oh yeah. Oh, I was bad. I was addicted to sin. See, ma’am, I'm no different than those guys. My sin was just a little different, but I met Jesus and I went to Acts chapter 2 school, so now I can have some Acts chapter three experiences. Yeah. I just want to love on somebody. I just want to be the temple of God. God's been so good to me. Has God been good to you? You know, there are people that need to hear your story.
Pastor Brian, back when he used to really love me, and I'm done, he came down and we hunted with this guy, old boy named Bo cat. He had killed that season. I think 66 deer. We killed a buck and a dough a day from October to February. So we're pretty— we don't have all these wicked laws like you guys do up here. It was something that pastor Brian gave him. I know years later he always talks about that white man. What did you give him? I think you gave him a box of shells maybe. He says, preacher, I remember that white man that gave me those shells. What was his name? He asked me, Pastor Brian. I think it was a box of shells. Just showing people the goodness of God. God will do the signs and wonders and miracles and all of that stuff. Just show people the goodness of God.
Would you bow your heads please, sir. Please, ma'am, pastor. Raise your hand if you would say God's been good to me. Let me see your hands. Is it just me? Maybe holy spirit would have you just tell somebody how good God has been to you. Rather than joining them with all the gossip at work, maybe you could just tell somebody today at lunch about the faithfulness of God, the goodness of God. Tell somebody, look at me, look at me. You know, I'm an unassuming guy, Bible college dropout, but I started my own Bible college now with homeless guys. It's incredible. You ought to hear some of them preach. I used to long for spiritual father. Now I've been a spiritual father to hundreds of men. God has been good to me.
[Music1:36:00 -1:38:41]
AJ: Father would you just stir up the gifts that you've placed within us? A desperate hurting, fearful world needs to hear about your goodness. Lord, help us to ascend, to worship, to minister in Jesus name. Amen.
Brian: Thank you, AJ. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. We're so grateful for the encouragement that always comes through AJ bringing the word to us. I would like us to just receive a love offering for him today. If you're watching online, you can just give online texts to give in the same way. If you're here and you want to use the kiosk is just go to the category special. We'll just take a moment to pray here for AJ. Wouldn't you like to be able to help him open up that center for women? That would be a great goal to have, and we could help establish a center for women there in Birmingham.
So father, I just pray that you'd help us, help us Lord to sow a seed into getting that center launched and to expand the center they have there for the man, help with staffing, Lord and all the things that go along with the support of those men and those women that are need of you, Jesus. For father, all of our lives, you've been faithful. You've given us so much more than what we could ever really need. I pray the Lord with every breath that we have, we'll be able to say, look at us, such as I have a gift by thee. Holy Spirit, just come in your greatness, your power and your glory. Lord empower us in the same way that your power rested on Peter and 1:42:00 John. So that Lord, we could take those who are weary and heavy laden by the hand, and they can rise up such as I have, give I thee. In the name of Jesus be free. Free from your addictions, be free Lord from the bondages of their wounds in their lives that have tormented. They've been so tormented by the enemy.
Lord, I pray that our hearts will be moved full of compassion. That's how you were, Jesus, moved with compassion. Touch us, Lord, once again, with your grace and your power. We pray this in Jesus name.
[Music 1:43:11-1:44:52]
Brian: Lord, you are good all the time. You've led us Lord through the fire. You've been with us in the darkest of nights. You're close like no other. You've been our father. You've been our brother. You are our savior. You've been a friend and we've lived Lord in your goodness. Help us to be able to say, look at us; such as I have, give I thee. This we pray in your name, Lord.
Let's just lift our hands to the Lord. And now may the Lord bless you. May the Lord keep you may the Lord, make his face to shine upon you and give you his peace. And may the Lord turn his face towards you and give you his grace and his peace. And may you have the confidence to say because the spirit of God dwells in you richly, look at us, such as I have give I thee. This we pray in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit. And all God's people say amen. Amen. God bless you. It's great to have you here today. Stick around and visit with pastor AIJ. If you would like to give in the Kioski and you can give under special, we'll make sure all that gives goes to AJ. God bless you. Thanks for being here today.
Transcript taken from the Sunday morning service 8-1-21. If you would like to watch the full service, click the link below.