There Comes A Peace (October 8, 2023)

In this transcription, the speaker discusses the importance of breast cancer awareness and encourages listeners to get regular mammograms. They also emphasize the need for early detection and treatment of medical conditions, particularly for people of color. The speaker also mentions the importance of taking care of one's physical and mental health, including getting regular check-ups and reducing stress. They emphasize that while doctors can treat, only God can heal. The speaker then transitions to discussing the book of Revelation and the concept of redemption and reconciliation through Jesus Christ. They highlight the privileges of redemption and reconciliation and the peace that comes from having a relationship with God. The speaker concludes by referencing Isaiah 9:6, which describes Jesus as the Prince of Peace, and encourages listeners to open the door and let Jesus into their lives. The month of October is generally the time that we recognize breast cancer awareness. And I'm so grateful for what Reverend Linda shared with us and recognizing that we need to make sure that we're keeping ourselves in tip-top shape so that hopefully we can run a half marathon one day as she plans to do so later this month. But in the month of October, as we recognize breast cancer awareness, and for all the sisters in particular who are on the line, just want to encourage you to have your mammograms done regularly. And many of you know that our dear and our beloved Sister Vivian, my oldest sister, she transitioned over 20-plus years ago because of breast cancer. And so it is a matter that I definitely am encouraging you, all my sisters, to be mindful of as you treat your bodies as the temples of the Holy Ghost. We all should be mindful to get regularly tested and screened for medical conditions, especially those that are unique for people of color. And for the brothers who are on the line, please make sure to stay on top of your blood pressure. Do what you need to do to reduce stress and anxiety as well as getting that prostate checked. The Bible says that we are to work out our own, O-W-N, salvation, our own salvation, and the time is now at hand. As Elder Bobby has been preaching to us from Revelation, the time is now at hand. And practically, in this moment, for us to be keenly aware that the thief comes to kill and destroy, yet the wisdom and the Spirit of Christ has come that we may have life and it more abundantly. Our Father and our God is neither anti-intelligence nor anti-medicine or anti-doctor or anti-therapist or anti-counselor or anti-psychologist. Whatever we need to do, we need to do to take care of ourselves. And I'm glad that some Sundays ago that even Sister Ursula, who's also this example of the benefits of seeking out medical advice and then being proactive with an understanding that doctors can treat, yes, but only the Father through His Word can heal. By the stripes of the Word, the Lord Jesus, we are healed. But we can't be healed when we don't know. And the Word says that my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. When we don't know that we're hurting and ill on the inside, we can't go get treated. So we want to move in the direction this morning of early detection so we can move in the better direction of early petition. We want to seek out God's intervention sooner than later. And I think about Paul this morning. What shall we say then? And let me paraphrase. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sickness? Shall we continue in illnesses? Shall we continue in illnesses and headaches and in stress and in anxiety? Shall we continue in something inside of our bodies ain't feeling right? Because I feel a lump. Hallelujah. I feel something different in my body. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. So we need to move, hallelujah, in a better direction so that we can get ourselves where we need to be as we continue to treat these bodies as the temples of the Holy Ghost. And let's get checked out, y'all, because as it is written in the book, whatever we sow, that shall we also reap. So we don't want to sow ignorance, hallelujah, so that we deny ourselves the opportunity to be treated and to be healed. If we sow lemon seeds, we will get lemon trees and then we will get the lemons. And too often is the case that we reap the bitter harvest of lemon bitter decisions which unquestionably manifest in our minds and in our bodies that we can eradicate earlier while in the infancy stages. We always got family. We always got. And I simply, in the spirit of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, want y'all to be around not only with the longevity of life that God has intended but with the quality of life. I have come to give life and it more abundantly. We always got. We always got. We always got. And I want y'all to be around with us as I want to be around with y'all. This morning, we want to go quickly now back to Chapter 5 of Revelation. Thank you, Elder Bob, once again for stretching us as we go through this book of Revelation. It's a very difficult book and it's stretching us, at least it's stretching me. And I encourage everyone to spend some quality time as we go to Chapter 6 and continue to move forward as God leads us. But in Chapter 5, reading verses 5 through 10 in the book of Revelation, John wrote this and I proceed. And one of the elders said unto me, Weep not. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the thrones and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof, for you were slain and has redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. And has made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. I pray to God we'll continue to open our hearts and our minds that we may receive the revelation and the illumination of who Christ is and who is to come. Family, it is in verse nine that for me this morning really rings out as John reflects two powerful privileges to those who are in Christ's kingdom. One, that we have been redeemed from the deadly grip of sin, thank God. Verse nine there, what we see here, for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. So that first privilege is one of redemption. And then there is the concept of reconciliation. And it's there in verse nine that we're reminded that what we were stripped from in the garden of Eden, that undisturbed relationship with the Father, where he could come down from heaven and speak to us and console us in the cool of heaven. That relationship that had been stripped because of a thief who comes to kill, steal, and destroy, through the second act, hallelujah, Jesus Christ himself, through his blood, hallelujah. We have been as the people of God on the side of the cross. We have been effectively and eternally reconciled because God was in Christ reconciling us unto himself. So as we read these verses, and in particular verse nine, these are two privileges that we should not ignore and should be reminded of. Sometimes we're just going around in our house and we can just say, thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus, for redemption. Thank you, Jesus, for reconciliation. And those are the privileges that we have. We have Christ's privilege, hallelujah. We have redemption and we have reconciliation. And in the Lord Jesus, we have, if you will, reparations manifested in our lives because he came to give us life and more abundantly. And we also have a newness of life, hallelujah, reflected in the harmonious relationship we have with the Father and also at the same time with each other. It's all good now. It's all good now. It's all good now because both the redemption and the reconciliation we have actually speaks to peace. Sister Annette sung about him this morning when she used the phrase, Prince of Peace. The identity of the Lord Jesus is one of peace. The essence of who Christ is and Christ is in us is peace. The Lord Jesus, the matchless Lamb of God, he came and he sacrificed his life as our kinsman, redeemer, that we might be made fully whole. That's what peace is. Peace is about being made whole with God, with ourselves, and with each other. Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6, the prophet says this as he described the soon coming matchless Lamb of God. In Isaiah 9 and 6, the prophet wrote, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, Here's the last one, y'all. The Prince of Peace. Thank you, Sister Annette. The Prince of Peace. I know we are more than two months from the season that we celebrate the event that we describe as the birth of Christ. We honor his birth through the Virgin Mary. We praise God for this immaculate conception. I know it's two months into the future. Should we get there, the Lord delays his return. But it's never too early to share the good news even now that the prophet Isaiah saw when he wrote it into the scriptures for our reading that we refer to as Isaiah 9 and 6. And the prophet Isaiah saw a gift package coming. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Gift package coming. You know how we do. We like to order from Amazon. After we place our order in, you know, we get these alerts to remind us that the package is coming. Hallelujah. We offer this alert in Isaiah 9 and 6 that was written before his birth that said that, yes, the gift package is coming and his name shall be called Wonderful. Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. And in my Christological mind, I see the prophet Isaiah proclaiming that there is a gift package already paid for who is being delivered by the heavenly express. Not the federal express, but the heavenly express, if you will. And in Revelation chapter 3 verse 20, the Prince of Peace, who is the heavenly gift package, is saying unto us because he was sent by the heavenly express, God himself, in this era of the Father's revival. And he said this in chapter 3 of Revelation verse 20. He says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If you will hear my voice and open the door. If you will hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and will eat with you. I will fellowship with you. I will suck with you and you with me. If you will hear my voice and open the door. I just want to remind us that we can't get the gift if we don't open the door to receive the gift. But if we just open the door and open it wide and let him come in, Jesus, the Prince of Peace, he will come in and he will eat with us and he will fellowship with us. This morning I believe that the Holy Ghost is just telling me to remind us, and this will be my subject this morning, there comes a peace. Last week we talked about there comes a praise, but today I want to talk to you about there comes a peace. The Prince of Peace is standing at the door and he's knocking. He's standing at the door and he's ringing the doorbell to usher in the new era of his peace. By his blood, the Prince of Peace, hallelujah, has satisfied the Father's demand in full payment of sin. We had our reparations this morning, and by his blood, the Prince of Peace has abolished the curse of having been declared righteous only in the eyes of the law. Thank God that there's something better than justice for me this morning. I don't know about you, but for me, I have something better than justice this morning. I have his grace, and by his blood, the Prince of Peace has reconciled us unto the Father. By his blood, the Prince of Peace came down from heaven, and the Word became flesh and it dwelt among men. He said, I came not to condemn the world, but through me that the world might be saved. I thank God for this package, the gift package, hallelujah, who came down and preached peace to us, which were far off, and he also preached to those who were nigh. He spoke to Israel and non-Israel, hallelujah, and through him, the Prince of Peace, we all have access by one Spirit, the Comforter, the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost. Unto the Father. I'm so glad that the beloved disciple, John, he took the time to put pen to paper, if you will, and he recorded us. He recorded this for us, and you can find it in chapter 14 of John's Gospel, and it's in verses 25 through 27. And he's writing about what Jesus said, and Jesus said, and it is written, beginning at verse 25, These things have I spoken unto you, big and yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father was saying in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance. Whatsoever I have said unto you. Now, I like this part here, y'all. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. I thank God for the written word, there comes a peace. And yesterday around 5 p.m., I was taking my two-mile walk in the neighborhood, and a crisp fall wind blew. And again, I felt his peace all around me. And in this time of year, as we watch the advent of autumn, hallelujah, we should also experience a change within our mind and in our bodies. The seasons are changing. You could feel it this morning, even in Tallahassee, when I left the house, it was already like 57 degrees. And I'm sure it's gotten warmer, but just that crisp air reminded me that the seasons are changing. And I believe that God is moving us into the season of peace. There comes a peace. And while we're in autumn, as we watch the leaves turning, I'm sure that Dr. Glenda, probably being in the D.C. area, in the Maryland area, she's probably enjoying the leaves turning now. And when you're in the north, more north than Tallahassee, if you will, when you see the leaves turn, that autumn is really a reflection of the state of death that is occurring. When we see the leaves changing, the leaves are actually dying to make preparation for the new leaves to come. Hallelujah. So, in this state of death and decline, we see this majestic awe and spectacle of unquestionable beauty. We call it autumn. But even as we see autumn right now, in the month of October, we too can be reminded that we are going through autumn every time that we're allowing our minds to be renewed. Hallelujah. And because of the death of Jesus Christ, we can live in autumn. We can live in the beauty of holiness. We can be reminded with the gentle breeze that suddenly comes out of nowhere that we have the peace. We have the Prince of Peace. And we have this peace with the Father. And we can have this peace with each other because inside of us, hallelujah, inside of us, we have the Spirit of Peace, but the Comforter, good God, but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father was sent in my name. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. And even when we get past this moment, I pray that the Holy Spirit will come to you on time and in the right time just to remind you there comes a peace, a peace, a peace that passes all understanding, all comprehension. The Comforter, the wind of God, comes at times in our lives as a gentle breeze. And that's when we can be reassured that we have with Christ a peace that passes all understanding. And I don't want to get it twisted, y'all, and let me clarify that because the devil is a deceiver. The devil is a liar and he can't trick us this morning. So, let me clarify that the Lord Jesus didn't promise us a comfortable life. He didn't promise us a tornado-free life. He didn't promise us a hurricane-free life, a wildfire-free life, a earthquake-free life. In fact, the Word says the exact opposite and reminds us that those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall, hallelujah, not might, not might, not may, but shall suffer persecution. So, we are not promised a persecution-free life. We are not promised a stress-free life. But the Lord Jesus did encourage us that we have His peace. And because we have His peace, even when the circumstances of life appear to be negative, we have a different report because His peace has made us whole. At the beginning of the circumstances, hallelujah, they might look jacked up. They might look like it's wrong. It might look like it's negative, but His peace, His cold and gentle spirit reminds us that we know that all things are working together for our good and for His glory. Our money might be looking funny, but there comes a peace that reminds us that, peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, not as the bank gives, not as FAMU or FSU or Howard or the University of Florida gives, not as the world gives, give I unto you, I give you my peace. So, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. The facts in real time don't line up with what He promised in now faith. And while you're going between real time and now faith, the wind blows. And you get that autumn crisp, gentle breeze to remind you that, what shall we say to these things? Hallelujah, what shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? There comes this peace, hallelujah, that reminds us that He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? There comes a peace, family. Regardless of what we're going through, we're going through to get to. There comes a peace that says within Theos, being possessed by the Holy Spirit, there comes this enthusiasm that it's already all right because the Lord Jesus is with us. My peace I give unto you. So, don't be afraid. Don't be intimidated. Don't be denied. Don't be undermined. Don't be scurred, if you will. If God be for us, regardless of the doctor's report, the legal report, the financial report, if God be for us, who can be against us? Peace I leave with you, He says. My peace I give unto you. So, don't worry about nothing. Yeah, yeah. We don't worry about nothing, but at the same time, we plan for everything because that's doing things decently and in order. Yes, don't worry, but also plan. Study. Show thyself approved. But we're a person that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. So, we don't worry about nothing, but we plan for everything. We study. We pray. We work. We fast. We pray. We praise our God to guard ourselves against the seen and unseen forces working against us. We are reassured that if God be for us, not the Constitution, not the Civil Rights Act, not reparations, hallelujah, but if God be for us, who can be against us? Let not, let not, let not, let not. That means we've got to take ownership of this. We have personal accountability and responsibility. We need to have some personal stand in the game. Let not your heart be troubled. Too often we are listening to the wrong report. We're inviting trouble into our midst. It's in the news. It's on a radio program. It's coming to us through Instagram and through WhatsApp and through a text and through an email, but let not your heart be troubled because there comes a peace, a peace that transcends knowledge of what we see and connects us with who we know, the Prince of Peace, He who was, He who is, and He who is to come. Let the Redeemer, the Lord, say so. Pray so. And sing so. Amen.