2nd Year Anniversary Morning
Good morning, UCS. Good morning. Such a blessing to see some new faces in the building or celebrating our 2nd year anniversary today. Welcome. Let's go ahead and stand and get started with praise and worship today.
a man a man how many we know that if his eyes on the sparrow that he for show is watching over each and everyone of us. undoubtedly
Luigi
where can I get a legendary?
and I know
9 he watches every single one of them.
When is the next song this is one of our anthems we've got two for UCS and just when you season so go ahead and send out this one is one that really speaks Bible and the cultural.
Far from God from our very own Elder Howard who has come to share with us this morning to give the pastor a little break. Yay. Okay. So let's hear from the phrase beam and from Elder Howard. God bless you.
How many olives are ready to go get your blessing? Let's go ahead and stand up so we can get our blessings today.
Forget what you know about that.
Come on, y'all. Let's give God a big hand of praise.
How many you ready to go? Get your blessing? Sometimes you got to fight for? Hey, man, it's there, but you got to fight for it. Amen. Amen. It's so good to see everybody. We been here 2 years 2 years. Come on. Let's give God some praise. Amen. We got a long way to go a man. So listen, I'm here to announce to you. You know that whole thing and resent the song and do something that other people, you know, you know how that go. Yeah, you know how that thing goes. I have an issue with kind of those opportunity to introduce my son in the ministry. Amen Elder Howard and I go way back, you know every time he's come I've not been here. So it's been it's a real pleasure to hear him Preach Today and I'm here amen. And so I just want to thank him cuz everytime I call on him. He's there we've been through the thick and thin down in Santa Cruz, you know, we don't cry together pray together. We went through a whole bunch of stuff together, but we're here and he man and I am so excited to to have him come in and give the word in and don't let him scare y'all. He's really a soft heart. Amen. Don't let him scare y'all. You know, he he got a large crowd but he's a soft. I just got say this. One thing and then I'mma bring him up. Come on up there. So back in the day. So Elder sings base, right? So my wife used to tease me because after I would say something then he'd come back behind me with this deep Barry White voice, you know, and so she would always tease me she was like, what's up what's wrong with you? You know, you need to get some bass in your voice, you know, and I would always feel bad every time I have to get up and say something and then Elder hardwood come with the Deep. Preacher voice amen, but I got over it a man. We we work together. So if one day I'm going to steal your voice, amen. I'm going to record it and then be preaching and y'all going to take out the hard you guys to bring the word. Amen.
Let the church say mad and I'm giving honor to God to my father in the ministry to Sister Williams, God bless you she's always sharp her schedule 96 the way she is shy
Deacon buys to you and to the rest of us ministration in the style. God bless you. I'm not going to be before you long this morning. Matter fact if I keep smelling that food. Imma, imma give you the shortest message in the Bible. Jesus wept
It is indeed an honor and a pleasure to be here I grateful. For my pasta and you know, it says something about me sometimes I just make things really personal and so when I say my past that I don't mean he's not yours. It just means he is mine. So I am grateful to him the absence of my wife will keep her in prayer as she had surgery on Thursday, but God is an awesome God. She's recovering well, and she wanted to come and I was like nah, I don't think so. Pastor want to see you but not that bad. So what we going to bring up our words but you this is not my first time preaching here. So some of you know me and some of you don't but those of you that don't trust me you'll be out of here in 15 minutes Don't Close Your Eyes don't go to sleep cuz you got to miss something. That's how quick it is. My pastor has taught me when the spirit get through using you you are to have a sick. So that's what I'm going to do and mine but don't close those doors because that food smells real good.
We're going to bring the message this morning from The Book of Proverbs in the 18th chapter.
Right at the 24th verse.
Proverbs the 18th chapter right at the 20
and if you will stand with me.
Where are there let's just say man and man. A man that hath friends must show himself friendly.
And there is a friend that sticketh closer. better brother
a man that having friends must show himself friendly. And there is a friend that sticketh closer. Baby, brother you may be seated in the presence of the Lord.
Oh God this week, before the throne this morning. With our hearts are with you. All right. Thanking you for yet another opportunity to share with your people. Use Me Lord for the glory of the Kingdom As we will continue to give you praise glory and honor for the great things that you have done will do. In our lives. Thank you again in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
That praise team. I came to pick them up Santa Cruz sent me to pick them up. Hey, Matt, Santa Cruz. Send me a pic of that praise team cuz those sisters are there. No, they are awesome bodies. we pray for That they praise him the way that they do.
So as we look at this particular text.
Which fits real well for?
Not just our pastor, but for each one of us.
I hear Brothers Solomon who is the writer of proverbs?
And this particular book compiles numerous short instructions for a living for living in an effective life here on Earth.
This book is a book of whist.
God knows I need twist. So I try to hang out with Solomon every now and then. Cuz I understand if I hang out with him, I just might not sin against God and man.
I want you to know this morning that there is two rules for friendship. Winans friends require friendliness Which means if you want a friend you must Show Yourself friendly. If you want a friend you must Show Yourself friendly. Another thing that I'm going to share with you before we get into the message. Is I was taught and trained by our pastor how important it is to never close your bike. How important it is to never close your Bible and as we go through this particular text, it's going to show us some other scriptures that is vitally important in this particular message.
The second thing I need you to know. Good friends sometime. I better than family.
Good friends are sometimes better than family. but the thing about a friend even though we're not in the same genealogy. They're still considered a part of our family. a good friend will go the mile with you. Weather brother will get fed up and say I told you. A good friend will hang in there with you.
What I need you to know today that many of us make excuses for not having friends or for a lot of friends. But the proper conduct conduct to get friends and keep them is not difficult. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave us a hint and Hebrews 13 5 through 6. Here we're talking about the Eternal friend of his people who will never leave you nor forsake you. What a friend we have in Jesus when I look at this particular message. friendly people always have what they want friendly people always have what they want and all they want. It's a relationship. with you with me with God because a friend in order for them to be a friend to you. They must know Jesus. Because a friend is going to tell you what that said Jesus. Can hear me? A friend will tell you you know what that's not right because that's no God in that. That's what a friend would do.
To make friends or keep friends a person has to be friendly. When there's a shortage of friends that prove a person is not friendly if you have a shortage of friends, it must mean you're not freely. I have more friends than I know what to do with it. It's not because of me. But it's because of the Jesus that lives in me.
I say to you a few years ago. You wouldn't want to know me. But I thank God that he is able to change us from the inside out.
and with that being said I'm always cleaning on to someone or someone's always cleaning on to me.
Let me help you to understand when there is a shortage of friends. Or when there's a shortage of friends in your life something somewhere is not right. Somebody said at that point we have to go and look in the mirror Michael Jackson said you are the look in the mirror Man in the Mirror. Those such persons may think and tell you that they are friendly they have character or personality traits that drives people's the other way.
Now listen to me cuz this may hurt but somebody said it's the truth that sets us free Ant-Man.
You need to know it is true as gravity. A lot of friends indicate. There is a problem getting along with others.
Don't run me out of here and don't say don't invite that brother back here again, cuz it's the trip. Truth will set you free.
A goal in Solomon's Proverbs is for us to grow in favor with God and with man. Which is a choice on our part to have a desirable character and conduct. character and kinda you ought to try looking at Proverbs 3 1 through 4. Even in the knees can be one by the khanda. So if you do not have many friends looking into Proverbs mirror. Proverbs mirror you might find your blemishes according to brother James won. 21 through 25. Let's open our Bibles and let's go there. James
1 21 25
cuz James will give us some insight. What it takes? to keep a friend
James 1:21 through 25
Where are for later part of filthiness naughtiness and receive with meekness and gratitude and gratified word, which is able to save your soul. But be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own self. For if any be a hearer of the word and not to do her is like unto a man beholding his natural face in the glass. Or even hold it himself and go up this way and straightway forget of what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of Liberty and continuing Burien, he being not a forgetful here, but I do work or after work. This man shall be blessed in his deeds this man shall be blessed in his thieves. So I'm here James is giving us confirmation. To truly what Proverbs is all about. Somebody talked us a long time ago. If a man lacks wisdom yada ask of God. It is God that grant us to wisdom to understand the importance of first loving God with all your heart with all your soul with all your strength. And second being like him into it that you love your neighbor as yourself.
When you can grab hold to those two commands. You can have as many friends as you want. matter fact You'll probably be saying Lord. Why are you sending me all these friends? Yeah, you'll get it when you go home tonight. You going to get this?
What I need you to know is friends love all time. Not just in Good Times. They're not fair weather friends. Friends are friends indeed when the pastor used to call me in the office to shake me up a little bit. I never said to my wife that's not my friend. I said, you know where Pastor took me in the office and I got a little spanking, but I'm alright. And I love him just like I did before he had to chastise me see the problem with us folks as church-going folks. As long as the pastor is saying what we want to hear. He's our friend. But when the time come when he got the rider was shaky with the word of God, which is the gospel, which is the truth. He's not my friend now all who he think he is. I'm trying to tell you about a friend but a friend will stick with you to the end. most friends most friends give more than they take. You got to get this cuz this is vitally important most friends will give more than they take. Don't get me wrong. There's some takers out there and have nothing to give you. But a hard time. But when you have someone who genuinely cares about your soul. About your testing me from here cuz that's what it's about. It's not about him. It's about the destiny.
When. Stand here don't play houses real we're going to a home and in order to get to that home. We must know Jesus is our friend.
Sometimes he won't give us what we want. But he's still our friend.
When we look at 1st, Samuel 18 3/4, we remember Jonathan and David who made the Covenant. I think you familiar with this particular book. Because Jonathan Love David, so even in the times when there had to be some disagreement. David was always protecting Jonathan song. Cuz he was his friend.
Today the church at is two years ought to be glad and grateful that all that you've been through in these two years your friend. Stay with you.
I should say this before we move on because I'm I'm really jealous of you brothers and sisters over here that y'all took my friend.
That's my friend. But I'm loving it that my friend is here because he's able to share the truth. The gospel to disciple you to teach you how to go out and be strong disciples. That's what he's called to do. That's what your friend is charged to do to teach you how to go out and be disciples that you might make friends with someone that way whether they hear you or not. You can still be there friend.
Whether they hear you or not, you can still be there for you. Sometime I say Jesus. Do you hear me?
And he say I'm still your friend. I'm still your friend with your hard-headed self.
So Jonathan heeee proves today that that that that he's really is Freddy you take that. I'm still your friend.
Friends think the best of people's not the worst. Friends are always gracious. What I believe is truly true like I used to hit a pastor say this all the time. iron sharpens iron friends sharpen friends
I believe that when you have a friend, so I thought about it. I think I hear the scripture say about if a man is overtaken in the far you are to reach down there and get him and bring him back up with you because that's what a friend dies.
That's what a friend. and here on this day 2 years. Our friend has picked you up and walk with you cry with you praise with you worked with you held you laid in his bed couldn't sleep at night wrestling Lord. How we going here? How we going to do this? What's next? Because he's a friend. And you got to hear me is it is a good thing. When you have a friend that would work with you. That will pray for you. See the most important thing about a relationship with Jesus. I don't know if you noticed or not but it's called communication and how do you communicate except you pray?
Communication. How do you communicate except you? Come to Bible study and learn some good Samaritan you
God will send you a friend. Help you. on your way I promised you I wouldn't stand before you long don't get mad. You getting ready to go home.
communicating with friends should be an open honest. communication they should communicate openly with you with each other. some friends show pity in affliction
They trust each other and at least that's what I learned from reading Psalms. friendship tree choice in being friends haha, I remember Jesus gave this Parable in Luke 15 6 A man had a hundred sheep and lost the one. But what that man did was left the 99. To go get the one. And when he had to come back with the one he lost he he called up his friend. He called up his friends him and he said to his friends. You know that she power loss. You ought to Rejoice with me cuz I found him.
I told him there's some ship out that have yet to have been called. But you ought to go out there and find them because you can't wait on the pasta to go get them. Just got a lot of our job cichic beget sheep. I don't know if you know that or not. She gets eat.
You got to go out there and get there. So I understand this Parable where we're at with this brother was happy. He was overjoyed that that that that he eat the Cog on his friends. And his friends would come and they would pray with him and they would Rejoice with him and be glad. That just that one. Wells Fargo
We all understand it. Bye. Bye. songwriter say
the Bible says he rejoice and finding the one. But he quickly called his friends and ask them to Rejoice with you. I say to you that likewise. There will be more joy in heaven. When we go out these doors and get the worm.
and if we trust our friend if we trust our friend he's going to lead us to the wine.
He will lead us to the wine see everybody that we run up into a run to. They haven't been called yet. Sober don't feel threatened by the rejection you be obedient and get the one because the friend will touch the ones heart. That you trying to reach. I understand the scripture that said you don't choose me. I Choose You
when we look back at some David and Jonathan were such friends as we're speaking about. David value Jonathan's love and more than that. He cared for Jonathan. He was a friend. He was honest he was true to his friend. We have to be true. To our friends because again the truth is what sets us free.
When you find such a friend, you'll do all you can to hold on. I'm telling you today. Jesus is a friend. And whatever you do grab hold don't let go the script to say don't look back. And look forward look up towards the heavens from which cometh your help. Cuz it's your friend that helps you in the time of need.
Christians should make the best friends among themselves.
But blood is thicker than blood.
Jesus Christ blood is thicker than any family blood you can find. Consider the lie about the spirit of God and asked to 42 through 47.
If agreement is necessary. Friends will walk together. A green that the gospel is the truth. In my closing right now.
of us though we make excuses for the friends or the lack of should remember this one thing and if I can just have your attention if you just been asleep just wake up for one moment because I'm getting ready to share them with you. it ought to make you shy
the true friend the true friend that you have die for you
Because he loves you so because he loves you so because he loves you song. He didn't stay dead.
Arosa with all power sitting at the right hand of the father. He is your friend.
With that being said we going to take this opportunity.
To open the doors of the church.
When we do this, we're not open the building doors. We're opening the Kingdom. Hearts. You're not going to join the building. You're going to join the kingdom. You going to join up a body of believers who will be a friend to you. at all times
somebody said long time ago. You are a trust in Jesus.
trusting in Him The Ford that's an opportunity to have a friend like none other. By your head for Mama just by your head just by your head. Close your eyes just And be honest with yourself.
Be honest with yourself.
You don't know Jesus by the part of your C. Just raise your hand. Nobody's looking just raise your hand that in mind sister. I see amen. God bless you. We don't pray for you. If you don't know Jesus by the pardon of your saying raise your hand. Don't be ashamed.
Because we got to get you introduced to somebody that loves you more than your brother sister mother father.
Alright young brother. I see you he loves you too. And we going to get you and we go get you introduced the day it is we cannot let you leave out of here like you came in here. It's important for us to introduce you to Christ.
if you want if you want keep your head star keep your eyes closed. If you raise your hand just come to the front just come to the front. We're not here to put you on blast. We are here to introduce you to somebody. That's going to love you. No matter what you do. You ought to come now, if you raise your hand y'all to come it's the grave opportunity for you. To get to know Jesus. Friends at your school. They're not your friends. Peoples on your job. They're not your friend. Jesus is your friend.
Jesus is your friend.
Thank God that he sent me to witness. The great things that he has done is doing the candle you all to open your eyes and look up what Jesus have done.
Bless you. God bless you. God bless you.
All the time God is good. Amen. So I sister hear something. She want to share with the congregation. I don't want to focus too much on the wreckage. or the damage Vaughn Road, you guys
wherever she is in the kitchen.
Pretty much my whole life. She would always tell me God will never give you more than you can.
That was selfish. I was calloused. And no compassion or remorse?
But she stood by me.
You should never left.
Drugs are part of my story drug-dealing. Is it out there on the streets?
Not today.
Could you bring me to church to take me to church Take Me to Church by Hozier Take Me To Church bring me. I was standing right there. It was going off about obedience obedience.
Right there and I could not lift my hands. My hands were anchored down. I could not live there. That's because I had drugs on my body. African was looking at me like he knows I got a couple warrants. I have to have these drugs on my my my person cuz I'm taking them in if I go in and y'all and then there, you know how it goes, but I got up and I ran to the bathroom and I flush what I had and I came out here.
I want more.
I'm not crying because I'm sad. I'm alive.
Just let me know if anybody else.
And she never she never left me. I want to know Jesus more than she brings me.
Pastor can thank you. Thank you.
God love me cuz that's what I thought out of me.
Manaphy, come on y'all. Let's give God a big hand of Praise. Amen. This is what Ministry is all about. This is what Ministry is all about a man. When one sheep is lost and he goes back to get that one. That's when we Rejoice a man. That's when we Rejoice. Amen. That's what a friend is and soul. For my sister. We just going to make this official. I know we do it all the time. But let me let me. You love the Lord. You want to live with him for the rest of your life you've accepted him as your personal to me, then you know, what we going to do. We going to schedule a time for you to be baptized backpack. Amen. Amen. We going to schedule a time so deacons and leaders y'all get ready. We going to have a baptism in might be cold in the pool, but we going down a Mets. Amen. We going to go down and so we we welcome you as a member of United Christian Fellowship. You are a member here. This is church. This is home in this is your family. So you reach out whenever you need it and it's just your daughter right here. Come here Jasmine come in and she just the cutest little thing.
So Jasmine because your mom is a member here now. Guess what that makes you Yes, that's right you a member here as well. He meant so we going to take care of you. You going to get part of kids world. We going to make sure that we we teach her and train her and bring her up in the admonition and understanding of the Bible in the of the Lord amen. So we just thank both of you guys for being here. No, here's what I tell everybody. the devil in happy So let me tell all of us we have to keep this family in prayer because it is about to go down. She just claim Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior self. He's not mad. So we we need to keep her covered in the blood of Jesus. We need to keep her daughter covered in the blood of Jesus. We need to make sure her going out and coming in as covered in the blood of Jesus because any one thing and just like a pinhole a devil will sneak in and so we going to pray I need everybody to reach your hands towards this family. father we just think because you are a healing God. You are delivering guy. You can take away make something out of nothing. You can take the shackles off. Set us free. And we just thank you for that now Lord in the name of Jesus from the crown of her head. To the silver feed we cover her in your blood. No weapon formed against her will prosper. She will have the wisdom to know where to go. And when to be there she'll know who to avoid and why to avoid it and Lord when they when they leave her or she'll know that you're always with her. You always be her friend when everyone else turns her back on that but let her know and let her be reminded that she's got a church family now that will never leave her nor forsake her and so we cover her and we stand with her as she walks this walk of faith. We pray for her daughter Lord, and we ask for her protection God and she's going to school devil take your hands off of this family and we claim the blood of Jesus in her finances in her health in her career loading and being a mom we claim that in the blood of Jesus. So we thank you for all that you've done and all that you will do in her life in Jesus name we pray that everybody say man. Hey man, come on. Let's give God a big hand of praise.
Elder God bless you Son. Thank you. I really appreciate that. That word was from the Lord. Amen. It reminds all of us how important it is. How important it is for us to have true friends. It's a lot of people out there want to be around you when you got something. But a true friend I'll be around you when you ain't got nothing. Amen. Amen. So we need to know okay housekeeping things. Yeah, we going to guess we going to do that. We going to get ready for our tithe and offering amen. We going to do that. So let let's D. Come on up here and then bless this this offering handyman. Let us pray father we come now, and we come thanking you for. This often even before we receive it original father. We know that it's just a reality and giving the stuff you will bless if we do what you asked us to do. So now we ask everyone to just such a hard right now in and do what God would appreciate you doing. Give your 10% bless it in a special way in Jesus name in for his sex I meant
Now father we come and we thank you for this offering. Oh gracious father. We thank the givers. Those that had a desire to give but have not but father. We thank you that you would bless them. The next time that they would be able to participate in giving not father. We ask you to bless this often in a special way to uplift and build your kingdom here on Earth for you father. We praise you and we love you in Jesus name and for his sake amen.