Giving Helps - Dr. Frederick K. Price - October 29th, 2023
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00:00 Well, sometimes, you know, you have a moment where you forget to charge your iPad and so...
00:04 [laughter]
00:06 Thank God for the cloud. I get to teach from my phone today.
00:09 So, turn Ecclesiastes 3.
00:11 [laughter]
00:13 Okay, yeah.
00:15 [silence]
00:22 No, I don't need it.
00:24 Okay. Yeah, this will work.
00:26 That'll work.
00:28 And if I think of something, I'll just ask you, like...
00:32 Anyway, yeah. We'll flow.
00:35 Ecclesiastes 3.
00:37 We're gonna wrap this particular lesson up today.
00:42 Giving helps.
00:44 This message on giving above and beyond what you normally give.
00:49 Sometimes we must sow in tears.
00:55 And while the context of that is not talking about finances,
01:00 but we can take the biblical concept of sowing in tears and reaping in joy
01:06 and apply it to stretching yourself when it comes to sowing.
01:11 Some of us, we've been giving for some time, and we've made some gradual increases in our giving,
01:17 but there needs to be a time in our lives where we stretch.
01:23 And so this lesson has been about that.
01:25 It's also been about the purpose of helps ministry.
01:29 Ministry cannot be done on the back of one individual,
01:35 which is why Jesus ordained the function of helps in his church.
01:41 And so there's a purpose in helps,
01:44 and there are many who are already a part of helps ministry or they volunteer their time.
01:50 Hopefully some have been inspired to see where they can plug in if they haven't previously.
01:56 And then, of course, the Lord led me to share with you a division and mission of Crenshaw Christian Center in this hour.
02:04 Of course, I showed you the vision of my father.
02:07 And as I read the vision, I remember when I became pastor and I read his vision,
02:11 I said to myself, there's no reason for me to do anything else other than what the Lord told him to do.
02:17 So my mission is to continue doing what the Lord instructed him to do, but in some ways do it differently.
02:27 And with that, we have to understand that there's a time and season for everything.
02:32 Some things need to continue. Some things need to come to a close.
02:36 Some things maybe we can revisit. Some things, the one time it happened is the only time it'll happen.
02:43 But I want to look here in Ecclesiastes 3.1 and read this scripture that we've read numerous times in this lesson.
02:54 And it reads to everything there is a what? A season. To everything there is a season.
03:03 And then the next word we see after season or the next two words we see after season reads what? A time. A time.
03:14 So to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.
03:22 To everything there is a season, to every purpose there is a time.
03:26 But then notice the scriptures that we read after all begin with a time. There's a time too.
03:38 Why mention that there are seasons and times but then only bring up time afterwards?
03:46 Because seasons consist of time.
03:51 Time progresses through seasons. Which is why when you define the word seasons biblically, it means both seasons and time.
04:01 And when you define the word time biblically, it means both time and seasons.
04:07 Because you can't have a season without time.
04:12 But the seasons that do exist, time works through or progresses through them.
04:18 God created both, season and time.
04:21 And so when we read the rest of these scriptures we see that there's a time for A and a time for B and a time for C and a time for D.
04:29 There's a time for a number of things.
04:31 Now all of these things that there's a time for don't necessarily mean that these are all times God ordained or appointed.
04:41 He's fully aware of them. He has foreknowledge of them.
04:45 But God created time to progress, to move forward.
04:49 Adam let sin into the world and with sin came death and every other ill that we experience or are familiar with in this life.
04:59 And so all of that somewhat plays a part.
05:04 The choices that we make in life, the choices that others may make in life, choices that affect ourselves, choices that affect others.
05:14 There are a number of things to take into consideration as to when these specific times will occur.
05:20 But the fact is there's a time. There's a time to be born, there's a time to die.
05:25 And that's not only referring to our physical birth and our physical death.
05:31 There's a time for vision to be born. There's a time for vision to come to an end.
05:37 Vision may continue on and there's a time for mission to be born and for mission to come to an end.
05:44 And then it's time for the birth of a new mission under the umbrella of the same vision.
05:48 That could be the case. But there's a time for, a time for, a time for.
05:52 And we're familiar with all of these times.
05:55 Now, now, the Lord gave my father a very specific assignment and he has pretty much given me the same assignment with a different slant.
06:09 With, with, with a different color or texture to it.
06:14 But, but overall it's pretty much the same thing.
06:17 I didn't hear the audible voice like he heard. But I have been instructed by the Lord to teach his people.
06:25 And so the Lord's called me to function as a teacher in his church.
06:30 And what do teachers do? Teachers instruct.
06:34 Teachers, teachers like the other four gifts equip, but specifically teachers instruct.
06:42 Teachers aid in the eyes of the understanding of God's people being opened.
06:49 So that they can better comprehend the scriptures.
06:52 And when you better comprehend the scriptures, you better comprehend God.
06:57 Because God and his word are one in the same.
07:02 And so that was important to Jesus. He actually told his disciples to, before you go, yes, go into the world.
07:09 Preach the gospel to every creature. Yes, go into the world and make disciples of nations.
07:13 But wait first. Wait for what? Wait for power from heaven to come on you.
07:19 Which was the Holy Spirit, the gift of the Holy Spirit.
07:23 And he said, it's the spirit of God who will open the eyes of your understanding.
07:29 And, and, and I don't know about you, but, but we, we had a pastor.
07:34 Our apostle was a teacher of teachers.
07:37 He was a master instructor when it came to the word of God.
07:43 And so I've made it my aim to, to as best as I can, following his footsteps in that specific arena, in that specific lane.
07:54 To the degree that I can, because as it was important for him to instruct believers in the word,
08:02 it's important to me to instruct believers in the word.
08:05 And one of the ways I do that is what I'm doing right now here on a Sunday morning.
08:08 Another way that I do that is by way of Bible study.
08:11 But the Lord's also given me vision for books and for resource material.
08:17 And, and, and environments like a school where, where I can, I can instruct those who will then go out.
08:26 And go and, and, and hit the field in whatever calling that the Lord has called them to.
08:33 And, and do their ministry.
08:36 I've been told by the Lord to teach teachers and teach ministry gifts.
08:43 So that's a part of my, that's a part of my assignment.
08:46 This is, this is a teaching ministry.
08:48 And, and in, in conjunction with that, we are to be educated in the full counsel of God.
08:59 The full counsel.
09:01 To the best of my ability, I don't intend to leave anything out.
09:05 I believe that the word of God was given to us for us to understand it.
09:10 And while we'll never fully understand it in our finite lives, because God is infinite and his word is infinite.
09:17 It should be our aim.
09:18 You know, just like you should make it your aim to be perfect.
09:21 You'll never be perfect.
09:23 But make it your aim.
09:25 If I have perfection in my crosshairs, there's a slimmer chance that I'll deviate to the left or to the right.
09:32 Because I'm making perfection my aim.
09:35 And so it's, it's, it's, it's my aim for us to understand as much of the word of God as we possibly can.
09:43 So that's my assignment.
09:45 And there may be an assignment that you have as it relates to Crenshaw Christian Center as well.
09:50 Because it is obvious we're about to go to the next level.
09:55 It's obvious. Many of you know I just came through a double attack.
09:59 And I was down for a lot of time.
10:01 I've never been down that long.
10:03 And, and it's, all I could do is just laugh at the timing of going from one pain to another in a matter of like four days.
10:13 I'm thinking, devil, what do you sense?
10:17 What do you sense that's on the horizon for me and not just me, but my family and not just my family, but this ministry.
10:27 All who are part of this ministry.
10:29 And what's in, what's funny is that while I was going through this attack, many of you were being attacked.
10:39 Devil trying to take us out.
10:42 But he can't.
10:45 Because he can't touch God's anointing.
10:48 And that's all of us.
10:50 In the name of Jesus.
10:51 Look at First Chronicles.
10:56 Look at First Chronicles chapter nine.
10:59 Go to First Chronicles chapter nine.
11:06 And find verse 22.
11:11 First Chronicles nine, verse 22.
11:16 Now, if we were to back up to verse 17, we would be reading about the Levite gatekeepers.
11:26 The Levite gatekeepers.
11:30 And we get to verse 22.
11:32 And it reads, "All those chosen as gatekeepers."
11:40 Which tells us all were not chosen as gatekeepers.
11:45 Not everyone was a gatekeeper.
11:48 Not everyone is a gatekeeper.
11:53 Some of you are assigned as gatekeepers for this local body of believers.
11:59 But not everyone's a gatekeeper.
12:02 Part of what gatekeepers do is protect.
12:06 It says, "All those chosen as gatekeepers were 212.
12:12 They were recorded by their genealogy in their villages.
12:17 David and Samuel the seer had appointed them to their," watch this, "trusted office."
12:26 Their trusted office.
12:30 David the king, Samuel the seer, the prophet, had appointed them.
12:42 And if David and Samuel are appointing them, because God's the one who appoints kings and prophets.
12:50 So if David and Samuel are appointing anything, it would be safe to assume that they have consulted with God or have been permitted by God to appoint whoever, to wherever.
13:04 David and Samuel the seer had appointed them to their, to their what office? Their trusted office.
13:11 What does trusted office mean here in the Hebrew?
13:15 Fidelity. Faithfulness.
13:20 Verse 23, watch this, "So they and their children were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord."
13:29 In charge of the gates of the house of the Lord.
13:34 If they were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, can we deduce that part of their responsibility was to make sure the wrong something doesn't enter through those gates into the house of the Lord?
13:52 It says, it says, "They were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord."
13:56 The house of the tabernacle by what? By assignment.
14:02 By, this was their assignment. What does the word assignment mean?
14:06 Here in the Hebrew, it means this was their post.
14:13 This was their charge.
14:17 This was their watch.
14:21 Now I've taught this before. It bears repeating.
14:25 Every believer in the body of Christ, everyone who is called on the name of the Lord Jesus, everyone who has confessed with their mouth and believed in their heart, is a minister.
14:46 Diakonia or diakonis, a minister, specifically of what? A minister of reconciliation.
14:55 Every single believer, right? I'm not talking about, I'm not talking about the gifts of the Son.
15:02 I'm not, I'm not talking about the ministry offices. I'm just talking about being a minister of reconciliation.
15:08 Every single believer is a minister of reconciliation, which means it's our job and it's our responsibility.
15:15 Watch this. This is a part of our charge. This is a part of our watch as believers.
15:20 This is a part of our post as believers to spread the message of the King.
15:26 We're to go into the world wherever we are, maybe on the streets, maybe in the marketplace, wherever you are, you're to share the grace of our God.
15:39 You are to share the message of salvation.
15:42 You are to let unbelievers know you've been reconciled back to God through Jesus Christ.
15:49 All you have to do is by faith, speak it and believe.
15:53 That's all of us with that charge, with that watch and with that post.
16:01 But then comes the sum, just like these 212 gatekeepers. Were there only 212 Levites?
16:12 Were there only 212 Israelites? But these 212 were appointed for a specific assignment.
16:21 And so God will do just that. He will appoint each and every one of us.
16:26 Now, some of us may be in the same field, but he has appointed each and every one of us to do something specific in the earth realm,
16:36 within the kingdom of God, through the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
16:40 Sometimes that assignment may come through leadership, where you receive a specific charge or a specific watch or specific posts.
16:49 And I'm telling you right now, there's nothing like knowing what your charge is.
16:55 There's nothing like knowing what your post is.
16:59 There's nothing like knowing, "Oh, I don't have a rear gate. That's not me."
17:03 "Yeah, that's not. I got front gate. I know that. But rear gate, that's not me. I know my lane. I know my assignment."
17:10 No one knew that better than daddy.
17:13 He knew his assignment.
17:16 And that's why he never got caught up with this demonic pastoral competition that exists in the body of Christ.
17:27 Wasn't moved by anything going on around him. He was only moved by God.
17:32 What the Lord tell me to do? What the Lord tell you to do?
17:35 Watch this. We already know we all are supposed to preach the gospel.
17:38 We got that. But what are you specifically supposed to do?
17:42 See, not everyone is an apostle. Key word, some.
17:49 Not everyone is a prophet. Key word, some.
17:55 Just because the Spirit of God came upon you and you prophesied doesn't mean you're a prophet.
18:03 Just because an inspiring word came out of your spirit doesn't mean you're a prophet.
18:08 Not everyone is an evangelist. Key word, some. Now watch this.
18:12 All of us can do the work of an evangelist.
18:16 But not everyone is an evangelist. Key word, some. Not everyone is a pastor.
18:23 Now there are those who might be an assistant shepherd and then there might be those who assist the assistant shepherd.
18:34 But not everyone's been called to be a shepherd. Key word, some.
18:38 Not everyone has been called to be a teacher. You might have the gift of teaching.
18:43 It doesn't mean you're a teacher.
18:45 Listen, you're going to know what God has called you to either by audible voice or where your anointing compass points.
18:59 Which direction is it pointing in? What do you continuously lean towards?
19:04 I give you a clue as to what you're called to. In addition to that, as I've said before,
19:09 if you're passionate about something, then there's a high probability your purpose is tied to your passion.
19:16 Not what you're good at. Not what you may have talent in.
19:22 You might be good at something you despise.
19:26 Some of y'all have become masters at things you don't really like.
19:31 Some of you have worked jobs for years. You don't really like your job.
19:36 But because of your integrity, you did that job you didn't like with excellence.
19:43 Because you understand authority. Because you understand order.
19:47 But you're waiting for that moment when the Lord removes you from that
19:52 and places you or points you in the direction of what you've actually been called to.
19:57 Assignment, charge, post, function, service, watch.
20:05 Do you know what yours is? I know what mine is.
20:09 I know why Jesus called me to his church.
20:14 I know exactly what I'm supposed to be doing.
20:17 And I thank God every day for wise counsel.
20:20 I thank God for the help needed to make that happen.
20:24 Okay, let's keep going.
20:27 Look at Galatians 2. Galatians chapter 2.
20:39 Find Galatians chapter 2. Look at verse 1.
20:47 Look at verse 1. When you have it, say, "I have it."
20:53 You guys excited about life? Excited to be alive?
20:58 Looking forward to what God's gonna do through you next?
21:03 Are you looking forward to what God's gonna do through Crenshaw Christian Center next?
21:09 Look at this. Galatians 2.
21:13 Verse 1. "Then after 14 years,"
21:17 "Then after 14 years,"
21:20 Obviously the "then" follows whatever he was saying in chapter 1.
21:24 "Then after 14 years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas,
21:31 and also took Titus with me, and I went up by revelation."
21:37 This is how Paul received his instructions from the Lord, the head of the church, by revelation.
21:42 "And I communicated to them that the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles,
21:49 but privately to those who are of reputation, lest by any means I might run or had run in vain."
21:57 "And I went up by revelation and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles,
22:04 but privately to those who are of reputation, lest by any means I might run or had run in vain.
22:09 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised."
22:19 Why wasn't Titus compelled to be circumcised?
22:23 It says, "And this occurred because of false brethren, secretly brought in."
22:32 False brethren.
22:36 So obviously they're not true brethren.
22:39 They're false.
22:42 And if they're false, then they must be like those who John spoke of in 1 John chapter 2,
22:48 when he said, "Although they were with us, they were never of us."
22:57 They were never really in us. They just looked like in us.
23:01 They sounded like in us, but they weren't in us.
23:06 And we're not talking about those who once believed and then ceased believing.
23:10 We're talking about those who never believed in the first place.
23:13 Jude says, "They were marked out for condemnation a long time ago."
23:20 They were never of false brethren.
23:25 We live in this day, and it's been like this for a while, someone is so quick to call out a false prophet,
23:32 a false teacher, a false apostle.
23:35 Old Bapaw called out false Christians, false believers.
23:42 Matter of fact, pay very close attention to the individual who's calling everybody else false.
23:51 You don't even have to speak to them, just pay attention to fruit or the lack thereof.
24:00 He said, "This occurred." Now look at this again.
24:03 "Titus, who was with me being a Greek," meaning what? Being a Gentile.
24:10 He wasn't. Titus wasn't compelled.
24:14 Were there others who had been compelled? Were there other Gentiles who had been compelled?
24:18 Is that what Paul is getting to?
24:20 Watch this, verse 4, again, "This occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in who came in by stealth to do what?
24:28 To spy out our liberty."
24:32 Oh, so these false brethren noticed that the true brethren were living in a particular kind of liberty and freedom.
24:43 Operating in this faith in which they're submitted to this one name, Jesus.
24:49 "Who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might," what?
24:57 "Bring us into bondage."
25:00 That they might bring us into bondage.
25:04 "To whom we did not yield submission even for an hour."
25:08 Did you catch that?
25:11 Sometimes we waste entirely too much time giving the wrong folk our attention.
25:22 I'm speaking to myself as well.
25:26 You don't even deserve a second.
25:32 Paul said, "We did not yield submission even for an hour."
25:36 It's like Paul is saying, "We gave them just enough time to show who they were so that they could fumble over their words and contradict themselves."
25:46 Just enough time to do that.
25:48 "To whom we did not yield submission even for an hour that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
25:54 But from those who seemed to be something, whatever they were, it makes no difference to me.
26:00 God shows personal favoritism to no man."
26:05 The Bible also words it this way, "God shows no partiality."
26:10 No favoritism.
26:12 It says, "For those who seem to be something, they added nothing to me."
26:16 You ever met somebody like that?
26:18 You ever been aware of somebody like that?
26:23 Okay, have you ever heard this before?
26:26 "Where there's smoke, there's fire."
26:29 Sometimes that's not always the case though.
26:32 Because sometimes that's all a person is puffing or blowing out, smoke and no fire.
26:39 Look what he said.
26:41 He said, "For those who seem to be something, yeah, they didn't add nothing to me.
26:47 But on the contrary, when they saw the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me."
26:55 All right, I'm about to show you assignment right now.
27:00 "As the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter."
27:03 Let's stop right there. What did Paul just say?
27:05 He said, "The gospel to the uncircumcised was committed to me, Paul.
27:10 But the gospel to the circumcised was committed to who?
27:13 Peter." Meaning what?
27:14 Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles.
27:17 Peter was the apostle to the Jews.
27:21 That was their given assignments from the Lord.
27:24 Now, even though those were their assignments, we have biblical evidence of Peter preaching to Gentiles and Paul preaching to Jews.
27:33 But what was Paul's assignment?
27:35 Apostle, messenger, or sent one to the Gentiles.
27:40 What was Peter's assignment?
27:41 Apostle, sent one, or messenger to the Jews.
27:46 That's assignment right there.
27:48 Verse 8, "For he who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me for apostleship toward the Gentiles."
28:02 Watch this.
28:03 "And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, other pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised."
28:20 So now we're seeing those aiding or partnering with Peter in the message to the Jews or the circumcised.
28:30 And then we see an individual like Barnabas who was an aid or partner with Paul as an apostle to the Gentiles.
28:39 It said, "They desired that we should only remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do."
28:46 When it talks about these false brethren, come to find out there were Jews who were spying out the liberty and freedom that New Testament believers had.
28:56 And were attempting to then preach a doctrine that would redirect saved Jews back to Judaism and Gentiles out of that belief system.
29:07 That belief in Jesus Christ, the freedom and liberty that come with believing in Jesus Christ.
29:12 But we see right here, Paul was very clear about his assignment.
29:15 He said, "I'm an apostle to the uncircumcised, to the Gentiles."
29:18 He said, "Peter, his assignment is what? His assignment is apostle or messenger to the Jews."
29:24 Do you know your assignment? Do you know your charge? Do you know your post? Do you know your watch? Do you know your service?
29:34 Let's keep going. Look here. Look at Acts. Acts chapter 20.
29:41 Acts chapter 20.
29:45 And we're going to focus on one verse here, but let me set the scene.
29:55 20-24.
30:04 Now, Paul sends to Ephesus for the elders of the church and he lets them know. He says, "You all know what I'm about.
30:16 You know how me, Paul, gets down.
30:20 You know my rep. You know what I stand for.
30:25 You know how I've served the Lord. You know about my trials and my tears.
30:33 You know how I didn't keep back anything. I proclaimed everything."
30:38 And then he gets here to verse 24 and he says this.
30:41 He says, and he's talking about how he's preaching to Jews, he's preaching to Gentiles.
30:46 And he gets to verse 24 and he says this. He says, and this is after,
30:52 he highlights that the Holy Spirit has shown him that persecutions are awaiting him.
30:58 That trials and tribulations are awaiting him because trials and tribulations come with this life.
31:05 Persecutions come with this life.
31:10 It sounds harsh. My dad used to say it. I've said it frequently.
31:14 Listen, if you don't want to be persecuted, you just don't need to die.
31:18 You know what? You can't even, you can't even, you can't even stay at home and not expose yourself to other people because you'll be persecuted for that.
31:27 So no, no, no. Let me say it like this.
31:31 If if you don't want to be persecuted and know about it because they've persecuted the dead.
31:39 Dead folk get persecuted, but dead folk don't care.
31:46 Persecution comes with life. Trials come with life, comes with it.
31:51 Chains, pain, suffering, it comes with life.
31:55 Adam let it all in. So we deal, we navigate.
31:58 We counted all joy because we know it's coming.
32:00 We don't count it all joy if it comes.
32:03 Or we don't count it all joy if we fall into divers kinds of temptations and trials.
32:08 We counted all joy when?
32:11 When? Not if the enemy comes in, when he comes in.
32:15 I already know he's on his way. I already know what he's trying. I'm not ignorant of his devices.
32:20 So I prep myself in advance for when he comes.
32:23 I prep myself in advance for when I come against something.
32:28 What does Paul say here? He says, he says, look at verse 24.
32:31 He says, but none of these things move me.
32:36 None of these things move me. Talking about trials and persecutions and sufferings.
32:42 He says, he says, none of these things move me,
32:46 nor do I count my life dear to myself so that I may do what? Finish my race.
32:54 Which is your course or your assignment.
32:57 I'm going to finish my charge.
33:00 None of these things move me, nor do I count my life dear to myself so that I may finish my race with what?
33:06 With joy.
33:11 Too many believers have left here with assignments incomplete.
33:18 I didn't finish their race. I didn't finish their course.
33:22 I didn't finish their charge.
33:25 He says that I may finish my race with joy and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
33:36 He knew his charge. He knew his assignment.
33:39 And he said, I'm doing it until I finish it.
33:43 Until I complete it.
33:47 Now, our matriarch has let us know on more than one occasion that her prayer is that this ministry remains until the Lord appears.
34:01 So basically what Dr. Betty is saying is that if the Lord doesn't appear for another 250 years,
34:08 Crenshaw Christian Center is going to be here for another 250 years.
34:12 That's her prayer.
34:15 So, you know what I say? Why not get into agreement with the matriarchs prayer?
34:22 That Crenshaw Christian Center is going to be here is going to remain until the appearing of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
34:31 OK, well, if you can get behind that, then you need to get behind that.
34:37 If you like how that sounds, then there are some things that are required of us all.
34:45 It's going to require some finances.
34:49 It's going to require some above and beyond.
34:51 It's going to acquire some service.
34:53 It's going to require, not acquire, require some some finances, require some service, require some help.
35:01 Now, I asked my sister, now I'm going to mention some numbers.
35:07 And you know, some people, they have this view, and to a degree I get it, but in most cases their view is perverted.
35:14 It's not really a purity of heart.
35:16 It's a perversion because they just they don't like any kind of leadership.
35:24 They don't like any kind of, they just they just view leadership as corruption.
35:30 They equate that word with leadership.
35:33 Doesn't matter what kind of leadership it is.
35:35 Doesn't matter what kind of institution it is.
35:37 That's just how they see it.
35:40 And so they may hear certain numbers and say, "Y'all don't need to be doing that.
35:44 You can take that money and do something else with it."
35:47 But couldn't you take your own personal money and do something else with it?
35:53 I mean, I mean, when it comes to money, isn't there always something else you could do with it?
36:01 I don't feel like paying no bills. I want to do something else with that.
36:05 I can think of a number of things that I could do with bill money.
36:10 Now, I won't be driving a car. I won't be living in a house.
36:17 But I could think of some things to do.
36:19 We can all think of some other things to do with money. Sure.
36:24 But for Crenshaw to do what Crenshaw needs to do, it's going to require some finances.
36:31 I asked my sister to, and this just shows you how time, I'm going to say some numbers.
36:40 When I say this first number, I mean, apart from anything else, that's pretty impressive when you hear it.
36:48 And related to the next number that I share with you.
36:52 So in 2022, we had 14 million in revenue. I mean, that's that's that's not.
37:02 That's not a sneeze. Watch this.
37:09 Some of you know, basic math, you know, basic business, 14 million in revenue, but it cost us 13 million to run the ministry.
37:16 So what's our profit? Now, one million ain't nothing to sneeze at.
37:22 Would anyone like a million dollars? I'd like a million dollars.
37:27 Can I watch this? You ready for this?
37:33 20 years ago, 14 million in revenue in 2022, in 2002, 34 million.
37:47 Is that the highest number around there? Almost 35.
37:53 At one point, 40 million in assets, right? More. Yeah.
37:59 And once again, you got to think about why. First off, when did Dr. Price arrive on the scene?
38:06 He arrived on the scene, Christian Center wise, in 1973.
38:12 Who was doing what he was doing before 1973? Nobody.
38:18 Nobody was. And so and so some of you stood in those lines.
38:23 You remember vividly, clearly we don't have those lines today.
38:31 That's just the reality of it. Now, there are some some logistic reasons to consider as to why we don't.
38:42 For one, there weren't as many ministries flourishing in 1973 like there are now.
38:50 50 years later, this is the reality of it. And I don't mean I don't mean nationwide.
38:56 I mean, citywide. My dear brother, Pastor J.P. Foster, the new pastor of Faithful Central,
39:06 they have a thriving ministry. That's right down the street.
39:10 Let's go west on Manchester. It's not going to take it long to get there.
39:13 If you hit Crenshaw and you go north, my good buddy, Charles Blake, the second,
39:18 who just became pastor of West Angeles Church of God in Christ,
39:22 they got a thriving ministry there, too. We're not the only three games in town.
39:29 Watch this. There were there were individuals who loved Crenshaw Christian Center,
39:35 loved Dr. Price, and drove from where? San Diego.
39:46 They drove from the Inland Empire, San Bernardino County, to come to Crenshaw Christian Center.
39:54 But now, listen, I could tell you about 10 excellent ministries in the Inland Empire right now.
40:01 And some of those individuals said, you know what? I love Dr. Price.
40:05 I love Crenshaw Christian Center. I'll continue to watch.
40:09 But there's a church right down the street from me now.
40:12 I think I'm going to pay them a visit. Now, now, multiply this.
40:21 A number of factors. And then we also live in a climate, a climate, a climate.
40:28 It's these braces. I'm telling you, these braces are the devil.
40:36 Curse these braces in the name of Jesus.
40:41 Can't stand them. I don't know how some of y'all did it. I'm serious. I don't know how you did it.
40:49 We live in a climate now where less people are going to church, are leaving their homes and entering into an edifice.
40:58 Right. These are the things that we're dealing with. So the best thing for Crenshaw Christian Center to do is to focus on our core competencies.
41:05 What is it that we do best? This is this is why I don't believe we need to get in other lanes because it's the thing to do.
41:14 I don't believe that we as a ministry need another 48 ministries under us or within Crenshaw Christian Center doing all of these different things specifically.
41:25 Whereas we can find a ministry that that that is an expert in said field and we support them while we focus on core competencies.
41:38 So so. There are a number of other costs. I remember that he's always talk about how it costs 300000 to carpet this place.
41:48 300000 right. Last time. 300000 for. What's the numbers for for our air conditioning units?
41:57 What what what do we need to. Oh a half of a half of what. Not a half a dollar.
42:07 Generator half a million. Right. Some might say just close calls the thing down.
42:12 You don't need to do all that. You can take that 300000 and do something else with it. You can take that 500000 and do something else with it.
42:18 You're right. Technically we could. But but those of us who are locked into this place believe this place has a purpose.
42:26 And so because it has a purpose. Well something's going to cost money for this place to keep running.
42:32 That's just the reality of it. Ecclesiastes one of my favorite books of wisdom.
42:38 You all know the scripture Ecclesiastes 10 19. What does it tell us. A wine makes Mary.
42:45 And a feast produces laughter. Anyone looking forward to feasting at Thanksgiving or feast feasting at Christmas over the holidays.
42:55 Just sitting at the table or however you sit and feasting on good food and what comes with good food.
43:02 Laughter. What comes with whatever it is you're drinking. What comes with it.
43:11 Listen if if juice makes Mary. If water makes Mary whatever it is.
43:19 If it's wine for you. No problem. Self-control. Apply that to the wine.
43:26 If it's if it's sparkling apple cider whatever makes Mary. Do you.
43:33 But watch this. But at the end of that verse it says what. It says but money answers everything.
43:40 You ain't got no money. You ain't got no feast. And if you ain't got no feast evidently you don't have no laughter.
43:47 You ain't got no money. You ain't got no wine. And if you ain't got no wine you ain't got no Mary.
43:53 Because wine makes Mary and feast makes laughter and you need money to get the wine and the feast.
43:59 In other words there is a very important purpose that money plays.
44:06 Even those who talk foolishly out of the side of their neck talking about what else you could do with that money.
44:12 The gospel can't go anywhere without money.
44:16 Oh I can go to the corners and preach from the corners. Who paid for the clothes you're wearing? You gonna do it naked?
44:24 That's what we don't think about. We don't think about the the the the lesser items on the agenda that actually cost money.
44:35 People have microphones on the corner proclaiming the gospel.
44:39 And I salute them. But somebody pay for that mic. Somebody pay for those speakers.
44:47 Those are the things that money answers.
44:51 Okay. Look here. Go to 2 Timothy.
45:01 2 Timothy chapter 4.
45:10 We know that we know that every day is a day closer to the appearing of the Lord.
45:23 Every day is a day. When's he gonna appear? I don't know. You don't know.
45:30 Paul didn't know. You want to know who knows when Jesus is gonna appear? Jesus.
45:37 I'm not talking about the coming of the Lord. That's different.
45:41 I'm talking about the appearing of the Lord to receive the church.
45:44 See when it comes to the coming of the Lord that's in the very end.
45:47 Jesus was very clear. Only my Father in heaven knows the day and hour that the Lord will come or return.
45:53 But as far as his appearing, right, that's his stealth mission to extract his ecclesia from out of the world before judgment and tribulation hits it.
46:07 Devil doesn't know. All of a sudden the church is closed.
46:15 Why? Because we ain't here. We are not here when he appears.
46:22 And Paul said Jesus will manifest that in his own time.
46:28 According to his clock. But we don't know when it is.
46:32 We just know obviously every day or every new day is a day closer to whenever that is.
46:42 The apostles were very clear. They didn't know when but they knew we were in the last days, the last hour, the last time.
46:49 They knew that we were close. So if they were close then, how close are we now?
46:55 Gotta be closer. So as the days get closer to the appearing of the Lord, you are going to see you've already seen wickedness increase in the world.
47:10 You're already seeing it. And we have all these platforms and ways for news to go forth.
47:17 And it's purposely done. Bad news circulates on purpose.
47:24 To create what? To create fear.
47:30 Trepidation, apprehension.
47:34 Because it's the system of the adversary. He runs it.
47:38 And so as wickedness increases in the world, what should be increasing in the church?
47:46 If unrighteousness is amplified in the world in the hour we live in now, what should be amplified in the church?
47:57 Righteousness.
48:00 If out there is bad, in here it should be good.
48:04 If out there is worse, in here it should be better.
48:09 If out there is the worse, in here it should be the best.
48:13 Here meaning the church, the Lord's church in the earth.
48:18 And so as righteousness increases in the church, as unrighteousness increases in the world, we're getting closer to that moment where we're going to have to overcome.
48:36 And those who don't, Jesus gave us the consequences for those who do not overcome.
48:42 Those who don't overcome, they're going to be the ones who depart.
48:46 I don't mean they're departing Crenshaw Christian Center, they're departing the faith.
48:51 Those are the ones who don't overcome.
48:53 Because the peer pressure of the system of the world is so heavy on them that they cave in.
49:00 Acting as if the system of God or the kingdom of God doesn't work anymore.
49:06 And so what happens? Well Paul tells us here, and he gives us this charge.
49:10 He's given Timothy actually this charge. We have to actually remember that.
49:14 If we understand that the epistles to Timothy and Titus were epistles to Timothy and Titus, we have to remember that.
49:23 Not everything you read in these epistles was Paul talking to you.
49:27 He was talking to Timothy. He was talking to Titus. And we being nosy.
49:34 We're peeking in on the letter that he wrote to them.
49:38 Now there are some things in there that can apply to us.
49:41 But there's some stuff he was just telling Timothy.
49:44 So he charges Timothy because Timothy, like Titus, these were his sons in the faith.
49:48 They were pastors. They were elders.
49:52 They were ministry gifts in the Lord's church.
49:55 So Paul charges Timothy. He says, "Okay, be ready always. In season and out of season."
50:05 In season and out of--that's why the fig got cursed.
50:08 The fig tree wasn't ready both in season and out of season.
50:12 We as trees in the body of Christ, the tree, should be ready in season and out of season.
50:20 And he gives us these us as ministry gifts, talking to Timothy specifically, gives us charges.
50:29 Convince, rebuke, exhort, all of these things.
50:32 And he says, "Because the time is coming when the audience who has itching ears, they want to heap on themselves teachers to scratch those itches."
50:44 Meaning we're entering into this time where we're believers only want to find teachers that tell them what they want to hear.
50:52 Not tell them what they need to hear.
50:55 You also have to consider that some of you--we have some ministry gifts here.
51:00 Part of the decrease in your numbers might be because you're preaching the truth.
51:07 It might be because you're telling the truth.
51:10 And folk don't want to be told the truth.
51:12 Folk want to be told what they want to hear.
51:17 Folk want to find out, "What can I do?" Not, "What can't I do?"
51:21 Even though Paul never made it his aim to tell you what you couldn't do.
51:25 Paul made it his aim to tell you about your new nature.
51:28 That's what he did.
51:29 So he gets here to verse 7.
51:34 At the end of verse 6 he says, "My departure is at hand."
51:36 And this is what he says in verse 7.
51:38 He says, "I fought the good fight."
51:42 I fought it.
51:44 Now this is in his second epistle to Timothy.
51:46 Remember in his first epistle to Timothy, he tells Timothy to fight the good fight.
51:52 But in the second epistle he says, "I fought my good fight."
51:58 I fought my good fight.
52:00 I kid you not.
52:02 It's such a blessing to be able to talk about this and not cry about it and feel horrific pain.
52:07 But I'm fully convinced.
52:09 Watch this.
52:10 My daddy died three times.
52:14 He flatlined three--what's flatline mean?
52:20 We know for a fact that the first two times he flatlined for eight minutes apiece.
52:26 And he came back.
52:28 He flatlined a third time.
52:29 I don't know if that was eight minutes.
52:31 But I made an assumption that maybe it was about eight minutes as well.
52:35 So about 24 minutes.
52:37 And what's 24 minutes to God?
52:39 If a day is like a thousand years--I did the math.
52:41 I don't remember what I came up with.
52:43 But yeah, it was like 30-something years.
52:46 Like.
52:47 Not that it was, but like.
52:48 Because what's time to God?
52:49 When you enter into God's realm, you enter into a different realm of time governed by a different set of rules.
52:59 And I'm convinced.
53:00 He and God, they must have got to talking.
53:03 Must have got to talking about some stuff.
53:05 He saw some stuff.
53:07 He saw his firstborn son.
53:11 Doesn't he earn some time with his firstborn son?
53:15 Who he lost at the tender age of eight?
53:18 I mean, as selfish as we are, he done had us for 44 to 67 years.
53:24 Why can't he spend a little time with his firstborn?
53:27 See some of his--he saw his spiritual father.
53:31 Didn't he earn a conversation with him?
53:33 A little bit of time with him?
53:35 He saw some of his pastoral aides that had passed on before him.
53:39 Didn't he earn a little time to send some hard letters to Pastor Landry and hear a prophecy from Pastor Reed?
53:44 Didn't he earn a little time to do that?
53:48 He earned a little time.
53:49 And so I'm convinced he and God got to talking and he realized, shoot, I don't finish my course.
53:56 No, I'm telling you right now, I'm telling you, this is what this is what daddy has got.
54:00 He said, I'm really concerned about the kids, but it's Betty going to be good.
54:08 Betty's good, right?
54:10 OK, I'm out.
54:12 He said, I'm out.
54:14 So he finished his course.
54:16 And so look at Paul.
54:17 Paul said, listen, I done fought.
54:19 It's your time to fight.
54:21 I fought the good fight.
54:22 I finished my race.
54:23 You still in your race.
54:25 I finished my race.
54:26 I finished my course.
54:27 I finished my post.
54:28 I finished my charge.
54:29 I finished my service.
54:35 He said, I've kept the faith.
54:37 I've kept it.
54:38 It's your turn to keep it.
54:40 What does he mean when he says he kept the faith?
54:43 Daddy's taught it one way, but I want to I want to add to it.
54:46 He kept the he kept what we call Christianity.
54:51 Right. This thing we walk by and we live by.
54:54 He kept it intact.
54:55 He kept it as pure as he possibly could.
54:57 But I also believe he may have been hinting that I live the life of faith.
55:01 I stayed in faith.
55:03 I kept myself in faith.
55:06 I kept my crown of righteousness.
55:10 None of us should exit this place until we finish our course.
55:14 And going back to the matriarchs prayer, apparently Crenshaw as a ministry, its course is not finished.
55:22 Its course is not complete.
55:24 So I need all of y'all's help in whatever way, shape, form or fashion.
55:28 You can get at help.
55:30 So this ministry can continue to watch this to blaze trails.
55:39 Amen.
55:41 Father, we thank you for your word.
55:42 Your word is life and truth.
55:44 It will not it cannot return to you void, but it will accomplish what it's set out to do will prosper where it's sent.
55:56 Hallelujah.
56:00 Hallelujah.
56:04 We thank you for your word.
56:10 Word that is seed incorruptible.
56:17 Word sown in the good ground.
56:22 Word sown into the hearts.
56:28 Because we called early on these to be not just hearers of the word, but doers as well.