Praise God.
Certainly want to welcome all of our online viewing audience today. Thank you for joining us. You won't be disappointed. We do want to ask you to be a virtual evangelist today and share this link and help us reach as many hearts as we can reach. I believe that what God has given me is revelation for the body of Christ. This is a message that I've had for at least 28 years.
I went to a, what was called a, I guess you would call it today a church growth conference. It was like a, it was called Breaking the 200 Barrier because back then a mega church was considered 200 members. And the person that put the conference on was John Maxwell. Now, you all might not remember, but John Maxwell used to be a pastor before he was an expert in leadership. And so, he was actually pastoring and he had like a 300-member church.
And so, everyone was there to learn. I was like 23, 24 years old. And the pastor clearly saw something in me and took me with him to this conference. And so, while I was at the conference, I just wrote down some things and I still have them in my Bible. And I said to God that if you ever called me to pastor a church, this is the way I would pastor. He literally told me that this was how to pastor a church.
And of course, how many of you know sometimes your visions, your dreams, they'll get tested. And they'll look like they die, right? And all kind of stuff has happened to that over the years. And even Linked Up Church has started this way in part, but not in its fullness. And so, now it's time to really get over to what I believe is the fullness of what God's called us to do.
And so, let's look at our opening text. All of these notes are in the YouVersion Bible app. Of course, I'm going to give you more than what's in those notes, but follow along. You can also read them in the Linked Up Church app. But follow along.
How many of you know you're not at the movie theaters this morning? You're in church, right? And so, if I was you, I actually would never believe anything a pastor said anyway. Anytime I walk into church, I'm already like this. Why? Because if they don't show it to me in the Word of God, I'm really not interested in it, okay? And so, follow along so you can see these things for yourself because some of them over the next couple of weeks will need to be judged.
So, let's get into this. Proverbs 29:18, and then some of these things are prophetic. And how many of you know the way to know whether or not someone, God, really told something to someone, right? It's easy to judge. Did it come to pass? If it didn't come to pass, they lied on God. I'm going to say some things prophetically today.
Proverbs 29:18, out of the Amplified Classic. Of course, I'm not going to spend a lot of time here because we exhausted that the last time I was up. But it says, "Where there is no vision, no redemptive revelation of God," when you read that entire chapter, this is written to leaders and how their leadership impacts the people that God's called them to serve.
So, the context for what I'll talk about the next couple of weeks is really my ability as the leader of Linked Up Church to convey to you all what God is saying to us, how He's saying it, what is my part in it, what's your part in it, and how we fulfill His vision for this church together. Because how many of you know I can't do it by myself? It's going to take a collective effort, but I will tell you this, it's big.
Some of y'all didn't catch that. He has to do it. So, where there is no vision, right, no sight, dream, revelation, oracle, right, no redemptive revelation of God, the people perish. See, they begin to leak out and die eventually, destruction. But He who keeps the law of God, who's that of man, blessed, happy, fortunate, and enviable is He.
So, now, in the book of Revelations, the book of Revelations addresses seven letters to seven churches in Asia Minor. Now, Asia Minor is what's called modern-day Turkey. And so, if you'll read Revelations 2 and 3, and I'm going to give you a little historical account of that because I think it's important to understand that because it'll bring more clarity to some other things that I'll say.
But in Revelation 2, it says, in Revelations 2 and 3, John is the writer, but really, the words are spoken from Jesus. All right? And I'll prove that in a moment. And so, it's really what Jesus is saying to seven churches. And believe it or not, Linked Up Church is a little bit of us in all seven of these churches. And I'll talk about the specific part He spoke to me.
So, each letter as proclaimed by Jesus, recorded by John the Apostle. So, it's proclaimed by Jesus, but it's recorded by John the Apostle, declares the triumphs and failings of the recipient churches and warns each congregation to repent. The advice of these letters is prophetic, it's forewarning, it's present-day Christian communities that get caught in the snares that can lure us away from our faith.
I mean, there's a lot of things this world will throw at us that if we're not careful, it will lure us away from our faith. And sometimes, they're real subtle, and they're so close to God that it looks like God, but it's really not God.
And so, who wrote to the seven churches in Revelations, right? Christian scholars from the second century have attributed Revelations' physical writing to John the Apostle, the physical writing of the book of Revelations to John the Apostle, who was the son of Zebedee. You can look that up in Mark chapter 3, verse 17. But listen to this, John literally wrote Revelation. The book makes that clear, but really, Jesus, these words came directly from Jesus, specifically chapter 2 and chapter 3.
Does anyone have a paper Bible in here today? Paper Bible, I want to prove this to you. Any paper Bible saved people in here today? You're real saved if you still bring a Bible to church. Lift it up in the air. Okay, would you go to Revelations for me? Go to chapter 2 and chapter 3 of the book of Revelations. Everyone who has one, do that, because I want everyone to see this for themselves. I should have brought one with me, all right?
Go to Revelations chapter 2 and chapter 3. I want you to bear me out. Is Revelations chapter 2 and 3, are all the words in red? Every single word, can you hold it up and just show everyone around you? Just hold it up, turn it around. Every single word is in what? All right? And so, if you study Bible, anytime it's in red, who is the speaker? Who? Right, so John is the writer, but who's the speaker?
Now, how many know we should take whatever Jesus says extremely serious? Everybody agree with that? So now, my whole saved life, God has been showing me that I'm not supposed to just pastor a church. I'm supposed to pastor an entire church. This might be too much for some of you all to swallow. I've just been afraid to say it for years. I just didn't have the courage.
And I'm going to prove to you there may be several churches in one city, but there's one church that's called to pastor that city. So, when he writes these letters, there's seven churches. There's Ephesus. These are cities. Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Smyrna. Now, believe it or not, I used to pastor in a city called Smyrna. And that's when I was like, God, is this the city? It could have been, but maybe God, maybe people got involved.
But how many know that never changes God's plan? There's Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and then what? Laodicea. So, these are all cities, right? Now, let's read what he specifically told me in Revelation 3, 6 through 8. Now, this is not a story that I'm going to tell you. I'm going to tell you not all he told me, but I want to share this portion with me.
This particular church was a faithful church. They weren't a perfect church, but they were a faithful church. I mean, I was glad when he told me to go look at that church right there. I got a little nervous at first, some of the other churches. LinkedIn Church, you're a faithful church. Go ahead and thank God for that. You really are. That's the only way we got here is because you all have been faithful. We've all been faithful.
But listen to what he specifically said. And then I'll point out what he said to me from what he said to this church at Philadelphia. He says, "And unto the angel of the church in Philadelphia, write." So, notice Jesus is instructing John to write this letter to the angel of the church at Philadelphia. Now, when we see the word angel in Scripture, we automatically think angelic being, right? But if we don't study and we don't look up words, we can miss meanings.
And so, this word angel here is a Greek word, "angelos." And it literally means a messenger, especially an angel. Watch this. By implication, a pastor, a messenger. So, Jesus is instructing John to write these letters to the pastors of these churches. Because how many of you know, at the end of the day, the pastor is the one that will be held responsible for what goes on in that church, all right?
So, now, what does he say here? He says, "These things who is holy and who is true, who has the key of David." Now, if you look up key of David or key in the Scripture, you'll see it's always connected to authority, right? And so, what I want to share with you all is that God is elevating our authority. He's bringing us to a new level of authority, and He's increasing, what's the word I want to use here? Our influence. And He's given us the keys to do this.
So, we have license and authority to do what He's calling us to do. Are you all ready? Somebody say, "Let's go." Come on, somebody say, "Let's go, pastor." Come on, you'll get me going if you say, "Hey, let's go, pastor. Let's get it done," right? And so, He's given us keys.
David, watch this. "And He who opens, and no one shuts, and shuts, and no one opens." Linked Up Church, God is opening up a door for us. I'm talking about as I'm speaking. In real time, God is opening up a door for us, and no one will be able to shut it. This is what He says to me, and I'm going to shut a door that no one can open.
So, listen to what He said to me. There are some things that we've been doing, we can't go back to. So, our vision is not changing, but it is evolving. So, some of the old ways we used to do things, those are shut now, and they will not work for where He's taken us. He said, "I know your works. So, see, I've set before you, watch this now, an open door, not open doors." So, you've got to know specifically which one He's referring.
And I do. Now, He's speaking corporately, but how does this impact you individually? In life, you'll get windows, open doors, and opportunities, and moments matter. And if you don't know how to seize that moment, that door, and that opportunity, it'll pass you by. Now, because God is so good, He'll open other doors, but it won't be that door.
We are in a moment in the history of this church where when I'm at liberty to talk to you about it, you will say with your own mouth, "Only God could have done something like this." You still with me out there? Somebody give God a real good hallelujah in this place.
So, I've set before you, not multiple doors, an open door. And no one can shut it, for you have a little strength, and you've kept my word, and you've not denied my name. For Linked Up Church, that's why the door opened. It's because we won't deny His name.
And what He told me with that is that there will be opposition that will come to try to force us to deny His name, but we won't do it. They will pick it out in front. They will do all kind of things to shut our mouths, but we will speak louder. Come on, I'm going somewhere with this. Come on. Come on. They tried to take Father's Day and turn it into something, a whole month of something that's attacking the character of God and the families of God.
And we're just a church to rise up and have something to say about that. Come on, somebody. I said, come on, we're just a church with the type of men in it that will rise up and not just say something about it, but do something about it. Come on, do I have anybody here that's ready to go to war for God?
So, now, let's talk about this. So, Jesus gave the early church His vision, and they ran with it. So, I want you all to understand, I don't have a vision. I'm trying to carry out His vision for the church. That's the real difference in everything I'm explaining to you. Joel Gregory is nothing. He means nothing, and he will never be nothing. Anything that I am, it's all in Christ, and my job is to find out what is His mission for the church, and then all of us need to do that, all right?
And so, now, listen. Now, I want to go back to where did I get this from pastoring an entire city? Let's get into it in the introduction, right? So, B.H. Carroll, who was a famous Bible scholar, in his commentary estimates that there were probably 100,000 members in Jerusalem in the Jerusalem church after 25 years. Peter Wagner and many others have agreed. G. Campbell Morgan estimates a minimum of 60,000 people. If you look up any Bible dictionary, it will tell you that in New Testament times, the city of Jerusalem was approximately 200,000 people.
So, what we have here is a church with 100,000 members in a city of 200,000 people. You see where I'm going? So, half the city had come to know Christ. So, no wonder they got upset and commanded them to never speak again in that name, and they used these words because you filled our city with the Word of God.
Look at Acts chapter 5, verse 28 to bear me out. We're going to fill a city with the Word of God. Boy, I wish somebody would just get excited with me today. I said, we're going to fill an entire city. Look at Acts 5, verse 28, saying, "Did we not, again, they had been out speaking in that name, getting people saved, filled with the Holy Spirit, water baptized, right? And they said, did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and you intend to bring this man's blood on us."
Folks, what we're going to do is going to bring opposition. We must be ready for it. So, if you're scared, go home. Call the police. But if you sign up for this army, then you better put your war boots on. Come on, somebody. Come on, you better put your shoulders back and get ready to knuckle up and get out here and do some work for the kingdom of God. Because no one's going to sit around and let us take territory and smile about it.
So, what am I saying? I'm using this as an example. I'm not telling you this is the city where we'll do it, but I want to use this as an example. There are 17,554 residents in the city of Powder Springs. That's a census in 2023. 2023 said there were 17,554. So, if we're using Powder Springs as an example, then we need to reach at least 8,777 of them. Can we do it?
This side, not getting me motivated enough. Can we do it? What if somebody say, "Let's go, pastor?" Huh? I'm giving you real numbers here. How many? 8,000. It's interesting that half of that was 777. That's God's perfect number. Don't do that to me because I'll be ready to go today. I'll be ready to go get it done today.
So, when we look at the book of Acts, you find at least eight characteristics of the early church that positioned them for this kind of blessing from God. I believe this with all of my heart, that if we would echo the actions of the early church, then we can expect God's blessing on Linked Up Church as much as it was on those ancient leaders who saw that kind of blessing on the church at Jerusalem.
Folks, I believe God's called me to pastor an entire city. Let me try this side. Folks, I believe God has called us to pastor an entire... Entire city. Now, remember, to get the anointing and the grace that was on that church, we have to do what they did. Is everybody listening? You can't just say you want this and you don't want what they also did.
Now, let's look at number one. We must connect people to God. Eight characteristics. We're going to look at one of them. Number one, we must connect people to God and the Holy Spirit. See, we've been focusing on the Holy Spirit for a long time. We've been focusing on the Holy Spirit for a long time. We've been focused a lot on God and salvation at Linked Up Church, not enough on the Holy Spirit.
And God said, you got to level that up. He said, I want my power in my church. He said, I want my people to see my ability beyond you. So we've got to connect people to God and the Holy Spirit.
Now, I want to read two accounts here, and it was really Jesus' last words before his ascension. Now... I was, how many of y'all know, if you get a chance to talk to people that you love before you leave this earth, you're going to tell them the most important things that are on your heart, right?
And so I was blessed to actually be with my mother in her last coherent state. So the day before she passed, we could talk just like this. And I was next to her bed, you know, she taught me how to budget, all kind of stuff, right? So we're going through the checkbook, doing stuff that I used to do when I was 14, 15. It was a moment for us, right? So I'm budgeting, doing the checkbook, paying all her bills, right? We're going through the drill.
Even though I'm 20, I don't know how old I was at that time, 30-something, 30-something at that time. And so I asked my mother, I told her some things and I said, you know, mom, I just really want to clear the air. And I shared some things with her about who I was as a kid. It was really no reflection on her as a mother. You were a great mother. You did a great job. It was just me.
And where I was at, I chose to listen to people out there in the street. I chose to listen to my friends, put my friends above you. It was no reflection on you, mom. You were the best mother that I could have ever wanted in my life. She turned and said to me, she said, I want you to do a couple of things for me. And I said, well, mom, what is that?
And first I asked her, I said, are you ready? And when she said that, I kind of shifted. She was planning to depart. I said, are you ready to go? She says, I'm ready to go, but I want you to do a few things for me. And the first thing she said was, she said, you make sure you take care of your wife. And she said, don't you ever leave your children. In fact, she said it this way, don't be like your father and don't leave your family.
And I said, I got you. I'll never leave you all. I'll always be there for you. I got you, boy. I got you. And how many of y'all know, to this day, I still live in honor of that, right? Lady, we were at the airport the other day and the lady, she's talking about how pretty my wife was. And I told her some things and she said, now, don't you ever treat her wrong. I said, listen, I put that on my mother and my daughter. I'll never treat that woman wrong.
And then she leaned across, gave me a pile because people aren't used to hearing men talk like that about their families, right? I said, put that on my mother and my daughter. I'll never treat that woman wrong. And so when you get those moments, cherish those. If you ever get to be with a loved one before they transition, cherish those. Remember, you'll see them again. That wasn't the last time I'm going to see my mother. She's in my future and I'm excited about it.
But the next time there will be no separating. I get to be with her throughout all eternity. Come on, somebody. Now, of course, I miss her down here, right? But I know she's still watching. She's in that great crowd of witnesses. And I know I'm still making her proud every single day of my life.
Now, let's read this. Matthew chapter 28. I won't spend a lot of time here because our whole Connect 40 campaign is getting ready to be about this, connecting people to God, the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28, 18 through 20 says, "And Jesus came and spoke to them saying," now, this is after his death, burial, and resurrection. He says, "All authority has been given to me." Dunamis, miraculous ability has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
And so now go therefore. So he's delegating that authority to them. And notice he said, "And make disciples of all nations." He didn't say make followers. He said, "Make what?" See, we've been a church of followers and not a church of disciples. I remember one time I went to this leader's church and I went there and I was so excited because he had a gabillion followers on all of his social media. I mean, gabillion. I mean, it was like 70-something thousand. I mean, just followers, 300-something thousand followers.
So when I get to the church, what do I expect to see? 300-something thousand people, right? God in there, hundreds of people. And it dawned on me, he's been creating followers and not making disciples. And that's a difference. See, a disciple is a devoted follower of Jesus. Key word there, devoted. They don't have an on switch and an off switch. That person is not going to go to church one out of every four weeks.
That person is going to serve on a dream team. Well, that person is going to be involved in connect groups. That person is going to actively help God fulfill His vision in that local church. See, either I'm a devoted disciple or I'm just following. Ask your neighbor, which one are you? If they wouldn't look at you, that already tells you something right there. If they didn't even move their head, they just went. Don't ask me no questions. Look at them again and say, which one?
I said, which one are you? Look at them again. Say, you heard me the first time. Which one? I said, which one are you? All right. So, it says, "Go ye therefore and do what?" So, we have to become experts at making disciples and not creating followers. Make disciples of all nations. Nations, there's ethnos. We must be more diverse. God doesn't want to all anything.
So, we have to start hiring people that don't look like us. That's going to make us uncomfortable. It's going to make them uncomfortable. Boy, it's just going to be all uncomfortable together and learn how to do this. All of our music can't sound a certain way. We need different people up here on our stage, right? And so, I'm asking anyone out here that's different, get involved and help us diversify this church because that's the kind of church God wants, where we all learn how to get along and share gifts with each other. Amen.
Baptizing. We do that here. Water baptizing. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So, notice we do some things well. We don't do other things well. Baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, teaching them to observe all things that I've commanded you. And lo, listen to what he says. "I am with you even into the end of the world." So, if you understand what he's telling his disciples as he's departing, as long as you do this, I'll be with you.
So, to the degree that you want Him with you is to the degree you do what He told you to do. Let's look at Luke 24. Luke's account is something different here. Notice what Luke says in Luke 24:49. Before Jesus' ascension, after his death, burial, and resurrection, he says, "Behold, I send the what? Promise of my Father." How? Now, what promise is he referring to, right? You got to go all the way back to Joel chapter 2, where he said, "In the last days, I'll pour out my spirit upon what? All flesh," right? That's what he promised in Joel chapter 2.
Notice he didn't say, "Within." He said, "Upon all flesh." And so, notice what Jesus says. "Behold, I send the promise of my Father. How? Upon you." But interesting. "But tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high." Now, you got Matthew's account, and you've got Luke's account here. So, Matthew is telling them what to do, but then Luke is saying, "Don't do anything until you get some power."
Luke said, "Listen, you have the instructions, but wait till you get some power and some ability, because what you're getting ready to face, you won't be able to do that with just the Holy Spirit within. You're going to need something on you to conquer territory." So, he said, "Behold, I send the promise of my Father. How? Upon you. But tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you be what? Endued with dunamis from on high, right? Dunamis. Miraculous ability from on high.
Let's look at Acts chapter 1. So, they obey that. Let's look at Acts chapter 1. Let's pick up at verse 4. "And being assembled together with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to do what? Wait for the promise of the Father." So, in other words, don't go out there and try to deal with those people on your own. So, he says, "Wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, You have heard from me. For John truly baptized with water. Now, we know we're not talking about water baptism, but you shall be baptized with the what? Holy Spirit, not many days from now."
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, saying, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel?" And he said, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put in his own authority, but you shall receive, what's that? Dunamis again, authority, right? Miraculous ability. When the Holy Spirit comes, you shall be baptized with water. Now, we know we're not talking about within you. When he's come how? When he's come how? And you shall be witnesses. To me, where? That's a city, isn't it? And then in Judea and in Samaria until what?
So, if you look at his strategy, you've got to start at home first, and then the surrounding cities. So many people want to be international, and you haven't even won your city. Let's work on that. Let's work on that. Let's work on your city, and then surrounding cities, and then go to the uttermost parts of the world. You see strategies?
All right. You all still with me out there? All right. So, he says, "You shall receive power," and that power and that miraculous ability is so that you can witness for me in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria until the end of the earth. So, now, if you're a Christian, you already have the Holy Spirit living on the inside of you. If you're a Christian, raise your hand right now. All Christians, raise your hand. You already have the Holy Spirit living on the inside of you, but listen to me. That by itself is not enough.
We must rely on His power on a moment-by-moment basis. Why would God give us His power? The power of God is for witnessing, for ministry, and for mission. It comes on you to do something, not to sit and watch. Everybody clear? Now, everyone in here, that's never been baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit, will receive that today with the Bible evidence of praying in other tongues. Every person in this room, I'm telling you, you need it because before he ascended, he told them, "Don't do nothing until you get it."
Look at Acts chapter 2. Let's look at verses 1 through 4. "And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all in one accord and in one place. And then suddenly there came a sound from heaven. And then suddenly there came a sound from heaven. And then suddenly there came a sound as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting, waiting, right? And then there appeared to them divided tongues as a fire, and one set upon each of them."
So, one tongue like fire set on each individual person, and they were all, how many? All were filled with the what? Now, they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. So, the subject is they, all of the people who were in there. The upper room. So, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak with other tongues. But then notice, as the Spirit gave the utterance.
So, they got filled, they began to speak, but the Spirit gave the utterance or the manner or style by which they spoke. And so, no two people spoke in the Holy Spirit or in the Holy Ghost or in tongues the same way because the Spirit individually said, each one of them. And then as the Spirit came on them, they got filled first, they agreed, cooperated, began to speak, and then the Spirit gave the utterance or the style by which they spoke.
So, one of the ways to know, it's not the only way, but one of the ways to know whether or not a person has ever been baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit is their ability to speak or pray in other tongues. You're going to need this down the street. Stretch, right? Jude chapter 20 says, "Building yourself up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost."
There are going to be times when you don't know what to pray for as you are, but the Spirit Himself will make intercessions for you with groanings and utterings that cannot be uttered, right? And then while you don't know what to do in the natural, the Spirit is praying out and birthing out things that your natural mind does not understand. But 1 Corinthians chapter 14 verse 2, says that we're praying out mysteries and divine secrets that our spirit knows, but our head doesn't know.
But the more we pray in other tongues, the more we pray in the Holy Ghost, then our spirit begins to enlighten our mind, and we get something called understanding, and we have an aha moment, and we get to operate at a level that the world doesn't get to operate at. We get to bypass Satan and all of his imps and demons, and we get to go, you know, we get to go, you know, we get to go, you know, we get to go, you know, we get to go, and it is our job to bring heaven down to earth and show them who God is, how great He is.
If you've never prayed in other tongues, come on down here now. Come on down here now. I'm not asking you. I'm telling you because you need this. Come on down here now. You've never prayed in other tongues, never been baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit. Come on down here now. Come on, move, move. He's sitting there like, well, what should I do? Move. He told His apostles, He told His, He said, "Don't leave Jerusalem. Stay in that room until you get endued with power from on high."
Come on, you've never prayed in other tongues. You've never been baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit. Come on down here now. Come on, Linked Up Church, don't pity pack out there. Give God glory.
All right. All right. Listen to me. This is the easiest thing you will ever receive in your life. Easiest gift you will ever receive in your life. Okay. Praise God. Come on. I'm going to shut it down now. There's nothing to play with. Don't wait. Don't. I said, if you've never been baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit, Bible evidence of praying in other tongues, you don't know what you're missing. You're trying to live life without it.
He told them, "Don't do nothing until you get it." So, that would make you smarter than God. Okay. That's what I want you all to do. Where's my counselor? Where's my counselor? Which side is the counselor on? Where's the counselor? You got it? All right. I want everyone up here. This will be the easiest gift you've ever received. Okay. Easiest. Luke chapter 11 said, if any of you ask the Father for the Holy Spirit, He'll give it to you.
We're not talking about the Holy Spirit. We're talking about salvation. Because you get that when you confess Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. His Spirit comes to live on the inside of you. We're talking about something coming upon you. That's going to equip you for service, for witnessing, for mission, and for ministry. Okay. So, I want everyone to look over here to my left. That's Minister Russell Williams. Him and a team of counselors, they're going to show you from the Word of God and walk you right through this. Go ahead and follow him right now.
Easiest gift they'll ever receive in their lives. You all sit back down. I got a couple more to put in you. And so, what you can see is when you emphasize the Holy Spirit, you see what He does. See, we've been emphasizing God, and we got to level up. He wants more gifts in this building, more manifestations of the gifts. He wants to express Himself so much more.
So, remember this. To minister in the Holy Spirit's power means you must have Spirit-filled, Spirit-controlled members, or we'll get spooky. And Linked Up Church will not become spooky. Everything must be done decently and in order.
Number two, we must connect people to family. Connect groups, small groups are important to God. So, if they're important to God, they should be what? Watch this. Acts chapter 2, 42 through 44 says this. "They continued steadfastly in apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers." And then what happened? Reverence came over every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
The first thing we've got to ask ourselves, what created the environment for many wonders and signs to be done through the apostles? The people were steadfast, steadfast in their devotion to God. Folks, I'm going to say some things, and I'll show it to you from the Word of God. We cannot win a city one day a week. I will prove this to you from the Word of God. We cannot win a city coming to church once a month, one day a week, once every six weeks.
I'm not talking to visitors. I'm talking to members. Say online, I'm talking to members. It was convenient. For a little while, but you're not going to get people saved staying at home. Now, of course, if that's the best way, then, you know, physically, I can't do that. That's what you do. But if you're able, we should all be working. Somebody give God a real good hallelujah in this place.
Then it was interesting. Now, all who believed were together, and they had what? All things common. Now, you're talking about, ah, don't get ahead of yourself. Let's read that in the Passion Translation. I'll get to that. Oh, I want to release that so bad. Acts chapter 2, verses 42 through 44. In the Passion Translation, you're going to see even our name here, which I'm really praying about shifting our foundation text to this.
"And every believer was faithfully devoted to following the teachings of the apostles." Every believer was what? So, that means every believer had a theme about this. They were faithfully devoted. Ask your neighbor, are you faithfully devoted? Now, again, if they didn't even move their head, if they didn't turn, tap them on the shoulder and say, "Hey, I asked you a question. Are you faithfully devoted?"
Can you all see that there? What were they faithfully devoted to? Following the teachings of the apostles. Watch this. "Their hearts were mutually linked up." Y'all didn't know we were in the Bible, did you? So, their hearts were what? What's the name of the church you go to? But is your heart mutually linked? See, we went on a ride yesterday, about 14 bikes. All our hearts were mutually linked together.
I mean, it needs to be that way, riding down a freeway to Chattanooga, Tennessee. We all need to be connected, right or wrong, and looking out for each other. See, it's going to be hard to pick any of us off because we're all together. One hurt, guess what? We all can rally in there to help them out.
So, every believer was faithfully devoted to following the teachings of Jesus or the apostles. Their hearts were mutually linked to one another, sharing communion and coming together regularly for what? So, every time prayer. So, we've got about, on our roll, 7,000 or so people on our 200 coming. Now, for some people, you know, it's a legitimate reason. But for others, there is no legitimate reason.
We're talking about one hour, one day a week, that most of the community won't prioritize. But they say, we need Friday night prayer. Well, let's master Saturday prayer first. We get together 10 minutes before service. That's difficult for most people. Sure is quiet in this, you all still out there? Give me a good hallelujah if you're still out there.
Yes. So, we want 10 minutes before service. You don't think prayer, it's important. You don't get all of those people respond that way if people aren't praying before service. So, they did. They come together regularly for prayer. So, a deep sense of holy awe swept over everyone, and the apostles performed many miracle signs and wonders.
You got to go all the way back to understand what created that environment for miraculous signs and wonders. The believers were faithfully devoted. Come on, somebody. Their hearts were mutually linked together, and they came together regularly for prayer. Pastor called a prayer meeting. Is it more important your show on Friday night? What is the real priority?
If I say, "Hey, we getting ready to, we got an opportunity out in front of us, but we need to pray it through." How many people could I depend on? See, now we want miracles, signs, and wonders. How come we don't see more miracles, signs, and wonders? Look at prayer Saturday morning. Look at pre-service prayer on Sunday morning. It's just not that important.
You all still love me out there? I think I'm going to close right there. I think I lost the service right there. You all still behind me? Nobody said, "Let's go, pastor." I didn't get no, "Let's go, pastor." I didn't get none of that. This is what I got. So, I'll close with these thoughts. This is the last one I'm going to do today, and I'll get all of these in. Don't worry.
This is the perfect example of fellowship. Listen to this very carefully. It's in your notes. They loved each other. So, when God has a bunch of baby Christians, listen to this. He looks for the warmest incubator he can find, called the church. And the church that has warmth and fellowship and harmony, God blesses that church with new believers because He wants them to be in an environment where they can grow.
Ten times in the first five chapters of Acts, it says, they were united. They were unified. Luke the writer uses phrases like they were on one accord, one heart, one purpose, one spirit, all united in thought. God can overlook a lot of things, but one thing He will not overlook is disharmony within His church. God hates division, and He hates schisms.
Notice the results of this kind of fellowship. Look at Acts chapter 2, verse 47. Notice the results of this kind of fellowship. Look at verse 47. "They were praising God and having favor with all the people." And you all read that last sentence for me.
Now, let's look at the motto again. People were getting saved daily because people were being Christians daily, not just on Sunday. Today, the church only works one day a week. Why is Satan beating us? He's working seven days. We're working one. Then with the one day, Satan gets six days to take out of them what we tried to put in them in one because there's nowhere to go when they leave here. Where's the place to go? Connect groups.
See, I need a people. I need a tribe. I need somebody to hang with throughout the week. Or if not, I go back to my old group. So then I become, watch this, saved on Sunday. That's what I do on Sunday. But Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, where are we at? Now, come on up here and get this $100 bill, boy. I just need it. You ain't going to come up here. I know he ain't going to come up here and get it. Thanks for not coming up here.
I didn't want to really release that $100. I would have gave it if he would have came up. But I was like, I really want to keep that one in my pocket today, boy. All right. And so I'm going to go somewhere with this. I'm just going to close for the day, though. But I need you all to understand. I'm going somewhere with this because I'm going to introduce a new ministry here at Linked Up Church and some other things, right?
The only way to get people saved daily is if believers are working daily. He said, "I have come that they might have life." He did not say, "I have come that they might have meetings." So notice, Christ is where life is happening. Listen very carefully, which is outside of the four walls of this church. The church thinks it only happens in here, but life is happening out there.
So believe it or not, we're actually supposed to leave here and go to work. On our jobs. Come on. In our neighborhoods. Come on, somebody. Come back here on Sunday to celebrate all the wins. Somebody say, "Let's go, pastor." Come on, somebody say, "Let's go, pastor."
Let's all stand to our feet. I'm done for the day. I'll pick up with point number three on next week. So that end result of people being close to each other and celebrating warmth and harmony, watch this, was that other people wanted to get involved.
There was a guy with us riding yesterday. I pray he's watching the service today. I actually literally invited him to the service today. But you know what he was saying? First time rider, not a member of the church. I mean, we can't just always invite saved people. You got to invite unsaved people so that they can see life done differently.
So he said to me, he was like, man, I like this. Now watch this. He smoked this, lit up a cigarette. I didn't say a word to him. See, some of y'all would have been, "Oh, we don't smoke on these rides." I mean, you'd have lost him right there as soon as you said that. The Lord told me to tell you, he probably said, and he's telling me to tell you right now to go sit your butt down somewhere because I smoke.
I mean, it wasn't about him smoking or not smoking. It was about somebody loving on you. So you can see that when I didn't even jump or move, because I'm his bike, two bikes down from mine, he's like, all I... All I said was, did you enjoy yourself today? And he was like, man, this was good. I said, you going to ride again with us? Come on again, man. I said, do you have a church? Nah, I don't go to church.
I said, well, we got a good one. 8:30 and 11 o'clock tomorrow morning. If you're not doing anything, come on and come. If not, watch it online. If you're watching, man, it was a joy to ride with you yesterday. Watch this. While he was riding, Mary J. Blige, who else? He blasted Usher, Mary J. Blige, he just riding and just, I mean, he just enjoying himself.
Not once did I say, we don't play that kind of music on these rides. Don't nobody want to be around that, folks. He said, "Let your light so shine." Not your mouth. He said, "Let your light so shine." So that men can see your good works. Not your good words. Your good works.
And then glorify the good. So I didn't say a word. We're too judgmental. And the reality is, because you pointing the finger, you know you doing this. The exact same stuff. That's why you're so upset when you see other people doing it. It reminds you of yourself.
So the result of these people being close to each other and celebrating warmth and harmony was other people wanted to get involved. They wanted to be a part of that. And they wanted to give their lives to Christ. Because they were welcomed. You'll never get a person saved unless you first accept who they are.
The worst thing you can ever try to do is change people. You must accept people. I'm done. Did you all get anything out of this today? Come on. Let's lift our hands and just let's just thank the Father. Come on. He's elevating us. He's giving us. He's bringing us to a new place of authority in the kingdom.
He's gracing us with territory, different things that sometime in the future I'll share all of that with you. Amen. But Father, we just thank you today for Linked Up Church evolving into more of who you are and less of who we want to be, Father. My prayer is that this entire body, Father, will rally behind this and rally behind you.
And Father, you'll bring us to a place where we've impacted over half of the city that we're pastoring in. And I accept today publicly, Father, and I receive your grace to do it, the anointing to pastor an entire city. In Jesus' name. Hallelujah.
Now, if you're in this building today watching online or in the room, right, all of this information was for you as well. When I get to some of these other parts, you'll see that we can expand globally this way. And it's great stewardship because it doesn't cost us a lot of buildings and things because people can meet in homes and Starbucks and different things.
You're a big part of what God is doing here at Linked Up Church. So I don't want you to disconnect. If you're in this room or you're watching online, listen very carefully. If you're not saved, you don't have a personal relationship with God through His son, Jesus Christ. You've never confessed with your mouth and believed in your heart that Jesus Christ is the son of God and that God raised him from the grave.
If you've never done that, I want to pray with and for you today. Secondarily, you might say, "Pastor, I'm already saved. I just don't live for God. I don't really have a right relationship. I'm out of fellowship with God." Well, remember, God will never leave you. He'll never forsake you. You left Him. He never left you.
All He's doing is waiting on you with open arms to return back onto it. And He's saying to you, "I'll kill the fatty calf. I'll put the purple robe on you and I'll give you the best ring. And I'll restore everything back to you that you lost while you were out there."
So if that's you today, you want to rededicate, get your life back right with God. I want to pray with and for you. And then finally, if you... You don't have a church home, but you believe God has led you here to Linked Up Church. It just bears witness with your spirit. You want to be a part of what God is doing here. You want to receive my wife and I as your pastors, the staff.
We'll pray for you every single day of our lives. And every time you come in this building, just like today, we don't want to entertain you. We'll make sure that you get the Word of God and the Word of God only.
So now, while every head is bowed, every eye is closed in prayer, no one moving, no one talking unless you've been assigned to do so. I gave three invitations today. First is to get saved. Second is to rededicate or restore your life, your relationship back right with God. Third is to join Linked Up Church.
My heart's desire is to pray for you. But I only know that you desire my prayers by the lifting up of your hands. So if you want prayer on any one of those three invitations, would you shoot your hand up in the air right now? Just go ahead and shoot it up in the air quickly as you can. God bless you, young lady. God bless you, sir. Thank you for your obedience.
Anyone else like that? Say, "Pastor, I'm not saved, but I want to be saved. Pastor, I'm saved, but I don't live for God. I want to rededicate, get my life back right with God. Pastor, I'm saved. I'm not a member of anyone's church. I'm in between churches. But God has confirmed this is where he wants me to join."
If you didn't raise your hand that first time, but in your heart you know you should have, go ahead, shoot it up in the air right now. Remember, God loves you, and we love you too. Thank you, young fellow. Anyone else? Lift it up, keep it up.
All right. All right, I want you to do me one more favor. If you raised your hand that first time or that second time, or you still didn't raise your hand, but in your heart you know you should have, would you gather up all of your personal belongings, step into the nearest hallway, come meet me right down here at the front.
Linked Up Church, give them a big round of applause as they come. Come on down now in Jesus' name. All right, praise God. I want you all to just check around you as quickly as you can and just ask anyone sitting near you that you're led to. Are you saying you're in right relationship with God? Do you want to join the church? I'll go down there with you. Just want to make sure we get everyone in here today.
Somebody else coming? Yeah, come on down. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Come on, anybody else? Anybody else? Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. All right, praise God. Man, I want to bless that little fella. Man, his hand went up in the air. Go get you something on me today, okay? That's $40 for you. I want to bless that. That boy's hand went up so fast today.
Wow, sometimes the children, right? It's amazing. Sometimes the children. I want everyone that's up here, all your help comes from God. I'm just leading, okay? He's using. So lift up one hand towards heaven. I want you to repeat this prayer after me. If you're watching online right now and you're not saved and you want to rededicate your life back to God, I'm getting ready to take care of both of these invitations right now.
So wherever you are, I want you to lift up one hand as well. And I want everyone to repeat this prayer after me. Say, "Dear Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe that he died, rose from the grave, and he is alive right now. Lord Jesus, come into my heart and save me now. As a result of what I've confessed with my mouth and what I believe in my heart, I am right now born again and in right standing with God. And all my sins are forgiven in Jesus' name."
Praise God. Can we give them another big round of applause? Praise God for each one of you. I want you all to look to my left and your right. See that young man with that Bible lifted up in the air? We won't keep you long. Go ahead and follow him. He's going to show you from the Word of God what you came down here for. Come on, make them feel real good.
All right. To my online viewing audience, I want you to text linked up to 9400. If you prayed that prayer sincerely from your heart, we have a ministry team that will follow up with you and help secure you in the decision that you just made. If you're physically in the room right now, you prayed that prayer from your heart. You said, "I'm just not comfortable going down in front of a crowd of people." It's okay.
We made provision for you. We have something called a Connect Card. It's right in the seat pocket in front of you. If you'll take a moment, fill out that card and then check the box that applies to you. Salvation, rededication, church membership. In a moment, I'm going to take up an offering. And when I do, I want you to take that completed card, drop it in that offering receptacle as it goes by.
And then our ministry team will retrieve it and follow up with you accordingly. If you have not completed it by that time, give it to any of these ushers or hostesses. We also have two offering receptacles as you exit the worship center. You can just stick it right in there and we'll follow up with you, okay? You all can be seated.
And while you're being seated, I am privileged to announce it is tithes and offering time. It is blessing time. Thank you so much for watching our online service. We certainly don't take that for granted. And if you enjoyed today's message and you want to get connected with us, we encourage you to become a part of our online community.
If you desire to help us reach more people just like yourself and advance the kingdom of God, then click the Give button now. This will allow us to connect more people to God, their families, their purpose, and their communities.
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on Jul 07, 2024
