The Sifting of the Saints | Dr. Marcus Cosby | Luke 22:31 NIV

blessings my brothers and sisters we welcome you into the house of hope on this third sunday in august for this is the day that the lord has made and we shall rejoice and be glad in it i don't know about you but there's no god like our great god if you believe that i'm gonna ask you to go in prayer with me this hour lord god we make a public proclamation this hour that there is no god like our god there is no god like our great jehovah for you lord god are the savior of the world you are seated on the throne of glory crowned with all dominion and power lord god we acknowledge today that you alone are god and there is no god like you our lord what you alone father god move mountains you alone heal sickness lord god you alone can do the impossible so we shall glory to the lamb who is seated on the throne of our hearts from age to age you stand from everlasting to everlasting you alone are god you are all alone on your throne lord god nothing can be compared to you you are all alone on your throne lord god nothing can be your rival nothing can be your equal nothing is none like there's none like you lord god so as we gather together in this hour we asked and pray that you would manifest yourself like never before we need you in this hour lord god we glorify you in this hour lord god we will lift no other god higher we will bow before no other we will worship no other for you lord god are the undefeated champion of our lives you reign supreme you hold all power in your head you're sovereign in all of your ways great is the lord our god and you are worthy to be praised in christ jesus name we pray amen and amen our scripture reading for today will be coming from jude 24 and 25 and the word of the lord reads as follows now all glory to god who is able to keep you from falling away and bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault all glory to him who is god alone our savior through jesus christ our lord all glory majesty dominion and power and authority are healed before all time in the present and beyond all time i came as a messenger of hope to let you know this morning that can't nobody be our god and being god amen come on somebody shout unto god with the voice of triumph father we give you glory and honor for you our god and god alone and we know that whatever we need we can find in you somebody clap your hands right here [Music] [Applause] [Music] i am your son [Music] you are my father [Music] [Applause] me [Applause] [Music] i just really wanna tell you i love you lord [Music] i just really wanna tell you i need everybody [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] my is [Music] [Music] i just really wanna tell you i [Music] i just really want to tell you i need your help [Music] you are my choice and you are my peace and you are my strengths [Music] you are [Music] you are [Music] you are my strength whatever i'm indeed whatever i stand [Music] unconditional love [Music] oh [Music] [Music] i can depend on your [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] in your heart [Music] [Music] what's going do something great [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] precious shall be on your shoulders [Music] my [Music] my [Music] my life is in your hands my life is in your hand [Music] i get somebody to shut like you're giving it over to god my life is in your hands [Music] come on come on wherever you are in your kitchen in your living room [Applause] [Music] [Music] my [Music] oh [Music] wait a minute i just had a moment i just thought about where i was this time last year how he was food on my table how he was my mind regulator how he was my strong tower lord i thank him i thank you i thank you i thank you for being my [Music] [Music] you might as well praise him just one good time i dare you to give him a third [Music] listen we [Music] for the past year we've been at home with the lord and we've had some of our best church in our living room we've had some of our best church in the kitchen so why don't you just give him a little praise for everything he's been told everything he's done for you [Music] come on [Music] all the ways [Music] [Music] put your hands together [Music] that's it somebody's feeling better already did not tell you [Music] you told me [Music] [Music] dr e dewey smith jr now that you feel welcome on behalf of dr e dewey smith jr lady andrea smith and the entire house of hope atlanta family we welcome you into the presence of god listen if you're worshiping with us for the first time we want you to put in the comments where you are worshiping with us from we want to shout you out tell us where you are but then also because we miss your faces we miss your your hugs we miss all of what it meant to be together in this house and so what we want you to do we want you to take a selfie and post it with the hashtag hopegram again on behalf of dr e dewey smith jr lady andrea smith and the entire house of old family we welcome you into god's presence he is our everything [Music] we hope you feel welcome come on let's see it together this house shall be called [Music] mercy [Music] yes [Music] my spirits say the lord [Applause] [Music] is [Music] [Applause] well this is the day the lord has made and we're here to rejoice and be glad in it come on you all give god praise if he's your everything i'm still stuck right there he is my everything come on type that in the comments right now he's my everything he's jehovah jireh jehovah shama jovi rofi jova rafika jovan siskanu he's el elyon adonai he is everything you need our god is that and so we thank god for you you you and you and we appreciate you out of all the services that you could have attended virtually today for you'll be a part of our experience we are grateful and we're thankful to god for you you you and you wherever you are whatever you may be doing i want you know that god loves you and has a great plan for your life and certainly he's been our protector over the past 17 months it reminds me of the scriptures teach us that the sun won't smite us by day nor the moon by night but he's going to preserve our souls and certainly we thank god for that and thank god for being our keeper in court this is our communion sunday and i want you to make ready now uh to uh remember that at the conclusion of this service we're going to partake of the lord's table and i want you to get the elements together we have a moment of transubstantiation some of you may have the elements we're using here if not use what you have it's really more about what it represents it's a symbol of the body and blood of our lord so already in advance start thinking about uh the communion that's going to take place at the end of this service and we're praying that the blood of jesus will continue to protect you and be for you what it's been since it was uh instituted that passover that whatever shall come nigh your dwelling won't get to you because you're covered by the blood of jesus and certainly to those who are watching those who hospitalize those names are scrolling even now we're praying for you all of our members will convalesce those in home healthcare we want you to know that our prayers are with you i want to thank our deacon's ministry and congregational care team for taking care of our membership even throughout the pandemic and so those who are convalesced now those names are scrolling those who've been hospitalized and even those who face bereavement was still praying for the willard family uh deaconess annie willard one of our deacon's spouses passed away and i was a very special member here at our church and uh very special to pastor shepard and to me and we celebrated her home going a few days ago so please keep the willard family in your prayers and any other names that are on the sick list please keep them in your prayers because he can be our everything he can be our healer and our sustainer even in difficult times amen and because he is a god who blesses us we're still doing ministry trying to provide for the needs of the ministry if you need something you can reach out our congregational care team is here to help you uh if you have a life crisis a transition hospitalization death please know we're here for you can just text the word care it's on the screen now c-a-r-e to the number 678-201-1351 so if you experience a life transition or crisis death bereave and hospitalization we want to serve you so please just text that word care to the number 67821 or you can call the church office and a member of our congregational care team will be there for you with that being said we're going to move quickly our media ministry has prepared our hope happenings and we're going to go quickly to see what course corey crystal have cooked up for us i'll be right back in a moment to continue in worship just check out hope happenings now [Music] greetings family corey and i are here again to get you all the information you need here at the house of hope atlanta you know it crystal and i want to start this thing off by welcoming all of our new members who just completed our virtual spiritual boot camp crystal did you i do you keep it pushing are you officially moving but to you guys we are so excited to have you as a part of our family welcome and i know we've said it many times before but i need all kids and youth to make sure you do not miss the sunday and wednesday zoom sessions there are two different sessions for k through 5th and 6 through 12. just go to hope youth now on all social media platforms for more information yes ma'am and in case you missed it before when we said it because we've said it plenty of times there is one convenient number for all of your needs now if you need prayer text the word prayer if you would like to be saved text the word salvation and if you want to become a member of the house of hope atlanta text the word connect to the number on the screen and no matter what you may be struggling with celebrate recovery is here to help to help you find healing through jesus christ join the thursday zoom sessions send an email to the address on the screen for more information and if you're experiencing bereavement if you're sick you're going through a life transition or crisis a member of our congregational care team is here to assist you just text the word care to the number right there on the screen now we have to leave you all for today but remember wait corey do you remember the message of course i i didn't write it but it's almost like i did because life with god is better in every way every day be blessed be blessed now chris i need for these people to make sure they remember some of these announcements because we've been saying them consistently for about a year and a half at least you can tell them a little nicer than that i'm not trying to be mean about it but some of y'all need to pay attention so you know what's going on because crystal halfway don't even know what's going on and she's giving the announcement so what does that tell you if she ain't paying attention why should you like it all right thank you corey thank you crystal for keeping us abreast and entertain all throughout the pandemic i want everybody to please make note of all of the things that are happening virtually the things that are online please keep these things and please lock in lock in lock in we're doing hybrid ministry now so while some are waiting to get back in the doors you can be connected to your life university group or to the ministry functions even from a virtual format so please take advantage of all of the great things that are happening here in terms of ministry and through our digital space i want to thank you we're getting ready to worship god through giving and before i do that i will be remiss if i did not express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to you for how you have served and been faithful uh we're getting ready to celebrate in two weeks our 12th year uh anniversary of our first service here on this campus and uh fifth sunday of august of 2009 was our first service and we are two weeks away from celebrating that we're going to do something special this time in two weeks uh in honor of our 12th year anniversary and those of you who know me know very well that while this campus has been a blessing to us it has been an achilles heel at the same time it has brought much joy and much pain uh this this campus has had words like hallelujah coming out of my mouth and had words like hennessy going in my mouth and so this has been uh a process to say the least and uh but i'm so thankful that god has kept us and is keeping us and we've been able to make some incredible strides uh over the past uh 16 months our mission 20 campaign because of your support we have we're finalizing the 10th phase we've gone through all 10 phases as you can see on the screens with new roofs on both the atrium the hf shepard multiplex the edgewood center all new office furniture we may be repair new ac units chiller unit on the smith center new chile unit on the in the cathedral as you can see right there 300 tons replacing all those ac units all 13 flat roofs on the cathedral that have been a problem for us we're getting ready to install the elevators parking lot everything that we have set out to do for the past seven years is finally coming to pass and that's because of the favor of god because of vision but because but most importantly because of people like you who have been faithful who love this ministry and so we want you to continue i need you to continue to do what you're doing uh we're making preparations to get back into worship all right with that being said we're getting ready to worship god through giving would you bow with me now for a word of prayer oh god you are mighty and you're awesome and we love you and bless you for being our everything and because you are everything we've come to honor you to give you a portion of that which you've entrusted to our hands lord receive these now our gifts bless and sanctify every gift and every giver let no one lack let no one have a need after giving these gifts on today multiply them and use them for your service lord i pray for those who without job without resource right now would you open up the wonders of heaven be jehovah gyra provide employment for them so they can take care of their families and then make a contribution for kingdom building receive these now our gifts let no one lack or have a need after giving these gifts bless us now in jesus name amen listen there are four ways you can give while you're watching first of all you can give by text to give text to give it's on your screen you can text the codes h-o-h-a-t that's eight houses for banana tithe to six seven eight two one thirteen fifty-one or h-o-h-a-o house of hope atlanta offering that same number six seven eight two one thirteen fifty-one if you want to give to the building campaign help us finish mission 2020 is now called god first so that's h-o-h-a-g-f i need every member of our church to give something after you've given your tithes please give to gf 20 50 100 give something and uh we're going to celebrate on the field sunday 12 years of being on this campus so you can text to give second if you want to give through cash app dollar sign hoh atl the information is on the screen thirdly if you want to get through the website you can give through the website while you're watching then if you want to give to the p.o box p.o box 361 499 decatur georgia 30036 or if you want to bring it by the church office as some of our members do our church office is open daily uh upon the regular office hours so please give right now don't give grudgingly or of necessity to give cheerfully text to give cash app to the website or send it through the po box uh please ma'am please sir uh so thank you for your gifts thank you for your gifts i'm so excited today uh i am so excited today i'm excited because it's the lord's day i'm excited because it's communion sunday one of my favorite sundays but i'm also excited because i don't have to work today i get a chance to be fed i keep telling you every pastor needs a pastor every leader needs a leader every mentor needs to be mentored and every every coach needs to be coached and i am so thankful that today we have brought uh in with us a native of chicago illinois graduate of fisk university and more high school religion and one of god's greatest preachers is going to be with us i'm not going to say much more we have a video introduction but i am in the words of my mother tickle pink that he's with us he's been a friend throughout the years i have a a great deal of respect and regard for him and uh and so we're gonna have a video introduction that our media minister has put together to introduce him formally and uh and so after the video introduction the next um of things that's gonna take place our praise team is gonna come back and bless us with another selection and then after the ministry of music from our praise team and music ministry the next speaking voice will be that of our preacher for today i'm not going to tell you who he is i want you to be surprised but you're in for a treat you're in for a treat do me a favor if you got something going too tight please loosen it hey man get yourself comfortable come on ladies you know you don't you listen if you got on spanx take them off if you got to tie on loosen it brothers because we're going to be in for a ride today and so the video introduction is next followed by our praise team and the next speaking voice will be that of our preacher today lift hand repeat at me and repeat this these words we need a word from the lord i'm not going to tell you who it is i want you to hear the video introduction and be blessed you're in for a treat go ahead and send this link to somebody share it right now because something great is going to happen on the day praise them come on back and bless us and the next speaking voice after the praise team will be the preacher of the hour amen so video introduction praise team and then the word of god god bless you the reverend dr marcus d cosby serves as the senior pastor of wheeler avenue baptist church in houston texas a proud native of chicago cosby received the bachelor of arts degree in religion and english from fisk university in nashville tennessee the master of divinity degree in homiletics and christian education from the morehouse school of religion at the interdenominational theological center itc in atlanta georgia and the doctor of ministry degree in homiletics from northern baptist theological seminary in lombard illinois as the successor to the founding pastor of wheeler avenue dr william a lawson pastor cosby has been blessed to continue the ministry of this intentionally intergenerational congregation in the inner city of houston texas since 2004 having served as associate pastor since 1998 with four sunday worship services and a membership of more than eighteen thousand in 2008 he was inducted into the martin luther king jr board of preachers at morehouse college in atlanta georgia and in 2013 he became the founder and ceo of preaching with power and authority ministries a corporation committed to the pedagogy and promotion of relevant biblical preaching for the 21st century among the gifts and talents with which god has blessed pastor cosby none are more meaningful and fulfilling to him than preaching and teaching dr cosby is married to his high school sweetheart miss audrey marie cosby and they have been blessed with three beautiful daughters adrienne marie ashley marie elia marie and two sons marcus d ii and matthew d cosby praise the lord everybody listen to me this morning that anything can happen when the presence of god is interjected into a situation when i want you to just start declaring that all over your home anything can happen with god hallelujah anything can happen i don't care what the doctor says i don't care what the what the creditors say anything can happen in the presence of god hallelujah [Music] with lifted hands we're ready for a brand new demonstration of your power we want more [Music] than stories so we're declaring and believing for it now we'll prepare the atmosphere [Music] so you can be [Music] anything can happen anything can happen the moment that you walk in anything can happen anything can happen anything can happen the moment that you walk into this room come on with lifted hairspray we're ready for a brand new demonstration how many are ready for something new we want more than stories so we're declaring and believing [Music] [Laughter] [Applause] so you can [Music] be on we'll pursue you without fear until every chain is broken victory is here [Applause] [Music] anything can happen anything can happen anything can happen hallelujah come on you want to be singing with or say anything anything can happen [Music] we declare your glory we declare your glory we declare your healing we declare you're here we declare your healing [Music] [Music] we declare your [Music] we declare your healing whatever the doctor said we declare your healing whatever the report was we declare you're [Music] we say anything can happen [Applause] anything can happen anything can happen the moment that you walk in anything can happen anything can happen anything can happen the moment that you walk into this room come on just invite him into wherever you are right now come on let's worship every believer under the sound of my voice lift up your voices and give him glory all across this room father we give you glory come on father we give you the honor we give you the praise lord [Music] anything [Applause] [Music] to god be the glory for the great things our god has done our god is great and greatly to be praised and on this third sunday the month of august we may as well give god the glory that is due unto his name wherever you are i want you to celebrate the fact that anything can happen the moment our god steps into a situation and to that god be all of the glory honor and praise on this sunday how we give god praise for the esteemed and honored pastor of the house of hope the reverend dr e dewey smith right where you are will you help me celebrate the man of god and how wonderful it is to be in your presence sir i thank god for you friend and brother for many years as he has already said and i'm so grateful to be here at the house of hope today and to share in this experience of worship as god continues to bless this great place called house of hope especially through the ministry of dr e dewey smith you are a blessed church you already know that but i'm so grateful that i have the opportunity to share with you just how blessed you are as the people of god dr smith has shared with our congregation on multiple occasions there in houston and has blessed us and i'm just delighted to be here with him today and with this great singing aggregation good lord god bless them thank you so much ladies and gentlemen for blessing us today and for lifting your voice in praise to our great god to all of the reverend clergy i thank god for you and all those who walk by faith and not by sight it's good to be alive on a sunday and to celebrate the great things that our god continues to do in each one of our lives to that god be all of the glory well there's a word from the lord today and if you have your bibles if you have that app ready i invite your attention to the new testament gospel as recorded by the writer luke the new testament gospel is recorded by the writer luke in chapter 22 and we'll begin our reading at verse 31. the new testament gospel is recorded by the writer luke in chapter 22 and we'll begin our reading at verse 31 and if you have that passage of scripture this is what the word of god says from the new international version simon simon satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat but i have prayed for you simon that your faith may not fail and when you have turned back strengthen your brothers that's enough amen praise god for his holy word simon simon satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat but i've prayed for you simon that your faith may not fail and when you have turned back strengthened your brothers when you are converted says the king james version when you get some something's settled when you fix some things when things get better strengthen your brothers the time that is out to share together on this sunday i want to talk from the subject the sifting of the saints the sifting of the saints as we share together on this sunday i submit and even suggest that every one of us who has an abiding relationship with the lord is grateful to god for the great things that he has done in our lives we celebrate the fact that god is always up to something on our behalf and as a consequence if we really have an abiding relationship with him all of us want to be used by god to make a difference in this world oh yes many people just soak up the goodness of the lord but those of us who've really been blessed by the lord and have an abiding relationship with him we don't just want the blessings of god only we likewise want to be a blessing because we've been so richly blessed those of us who know anything about the experience of walking with the lord you know that god keeps on doing great things for us and as a consequence when you've gotten close enough to him you just want to do great things for him somebody today understands that although we live in a christian consumer culture where folk are just soaking up soaking up soaking up there comes a time in each of our lives as we walk with the lord when we just want to return the favor and let the lord know just how grateful we are for everything that he's done somebody listening to me on this sunday truly wants to be used by the lord somebody wants to use your gifts to glorify god and to edify god's people somebody has a voice to sing like these singing saints today somebody has the desire to minister to god's people as pastor carner did today somebody wants to serve the lord with gladness because you recognize that god's been so good to you when the lord's been good to you when the lord has blessed you abundantly at some point along the journey you just ought to bless him back you ought to be used for his glory you ought to be used to ensure that somebody's life is made better can i go old school in a new school church if i can help somebody as i pass along if i can cheer somebody with a word or song if i can show somebody that he or she is traveling wrong then my living will not be in vain at some point you want to bless god and you want to bless god's people at some point you want to use what you've been given so that the world might be a better place somebody listening to me on this sunday ought to testify i really do want to be used by god well if you want to be used by god it will amaze you the things that god will do through you so that somebody else's life can be made better if you really want to be used by god if you truly yield yourselves if you surrender yourself if you present yourself as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto the lord which is your reasonable service when you do that your life will be made so much better your life will be blessed it's a blessing to be a blessing and somebody today really chooses desires earnestly wants to be used by god well if you want to be used by god i came to tell you it's a blessing to be used by god the lord will certainly lift you to places you never anticipated he will bless you in ways you never dreamed but if you truly want to be used by god it seems to me dr smith that luke chapter 22 suggests that in the same breath that you celebrate the utilization of by god you'll likewise be sifted in the process of being used by god that anybody who chooses to be used by the lord will undoubtedly have to go through a sifting season a sifting season that season where you are seemingly ripped tripped apart and separated so that that which god wants to use in your life might be developed and used for his glory sifting comes into every person's life as a matter of fact when we look at luke chapter 22 we are looking at the apostle peter who is told by the lord jesus that the enemy wants to sift him like wheat we're looking at one who is going to be used by god oh please no the story of the apostle peter does not begin in luke chapter 22 no you must understand the way back in matthew 16 the lord said listen here man i i'm going to use you to build my church i'm going to use you to ensure that people's lives are made better i'm going to use you to make a blessing become what you never anticipated because you have put your life in my hands it was in caesarea philippi when the lord jesus asked the disciples whom do men say that i the son of man am some said he was jeremiah some said he was elijah or john the baptist or one of the prophets at which point jesus said well since the folk around town don't know who i am who do you say that i am and only peter only peter was the one to respond he says oh i'm real clear on who you are thou art the christ he the son of the living god at which point jesus said blessed art thou simon son of john for flesh and blood did not reveal this unto you but my father which is in heaven and i'll give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven and i say also that thou art peter and upon this rock i will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it jesus has just told peter that he's going to use him to build the church he's going to use him to ensure that people's lives are made better he's going to use him to ensure that somebody is drawn closer to the lord jesus christ that's worthy of celebration that peter is going to be used by the lord only because simply because he knew who he was did you catch that he knew who jesus was he says i'm real clear that you are the christ the son of the living god and that alone qualified him to be used by the lord oh listen to me house of hope you don't have to have all these degrees some of these preachers have you don't have to know the hebrew from the greek you don't have to know chronicles from corinthians all you need to know is that man named jesus is the messiah the one sent to redeem and to save and based upon that he will use you to glorify his name he says i'm going to use you to build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it that's matthew chapter 20. that's matthew chapter 16. but our text this sunday is luke chapter 22 and in luke chapter 22 he says simon simon satan has asked to sift you like we he's trying to mess you up he's trying to rip you to shreds he's trying to mess up everything i just spent the last three years investing in you he's trying to rip you to shreds simon satan has asked to sift you like we what in the world is going on here how did we move from i'm going to use you to build my church till the enemy is trying to tear you apart how did we move from how i'm going to bless you to you and use you to ensure that people's lives are made better to all the way in luke chapter 22 he's trying to ensure that you have nothing left to give how do you move from i'm going to use you to ensure that nation shall be blessed i'm going to ensure that the enemy has an opportunity to tear you apart all of us have to wrestle with the tension don't we and at some point along our life's journey we have to be sifted these these folk in antiquity understood sifting there these agrarian people they understood that the harvesters the wheat harvesters would take that wheat onto the threshing floor they'd shake out the impurities they'd throw it up in the air the good wheat kernels would be gathered together in bundles and the chaff which was good for nothing would fly away you wouldn't have to be bothered with that no more look let me give it to you again i was talking too fast i said when they wanted to harvest the wheat they take it out onto the threshing floor they shake out the impurities they throw it up in the air they they'd make sure that the good wheat kernels got harvested in bundles and the chaff which was good for nothing would just fly away wouldn't have to be worried about that no more they tell me the third time is the charm let me try it one more time when they wanted to sift the wheat they take it out onto the threshing floor shake out the impurities they throw it up in the air and the good wheat kernels been harvested in bundles and the chef which was good for nothing would just fly away wouldn't have to be worried about that no more come here come here cause somebody in this church somebody at the house of hope somebody listening to me understands exactly how it feels to feel like your life is being shaken and you don't have any idea when this shaking is gonna stop somebody knows what it means to seemingly be tossed about not knowing how in the world you're gonna get your bearings straight if you'll ever recover from the challenges you're dealing with somebody knows what it means to be sifted but please don't miss the whole process because the good wheat kernels will be gathered together in bundles and the chaff which was good for nothing would be separated wouldn't have to deal with that no more will you hear me when i tell you that all of us have to go through a sifting season but don't you give up on the sifting season because it's harvesting some good stuff in your life so that when god gets ready to use you that which was good for nothing will no longer be found and god will be able to take what he has invested in you and make you a blessing to somebody else simon simon satan has asked to shift you like wheat it was on thursday night wasn't it that thursday night in that upper room with the lord jesus he had just instituted the last supper we call it the lord's supper he had just taken the bread and the wine giving it to his disciples said take eat this is my body broken for you do this in remembrance of me likewise gave them the cup said drink all of it it's the new covenant in my blood and immediately thereafter he turns his gates to simon peter and shifts from this meal that they had just had and tells him in no uncertain terms simon hey simon satan has asked to sift all y'all like we yes if sift you like wheat his ass that's what new international version says um uh the the king james version says he has desired but the new revised standard version says he has demanded he demanded to sift you like wheat and by contextual implication we can deduce that he has not only asked demand or desire he's been granted permission that that god has literally through jesus christ set him up for satanic devastation he's put him out there for satanic agitation similar to that old testament brother by the name of job isn't it yeah he just put him out to have you considered my servant job he just puts him out there and says have at him see what you can do to him and just as it was with job in the old testament is likewise with luke in the new testament that the enemy has desired demand it asked to shift him like weak but may i please suggest in the first part of this little message that um uh that that the sifting season comes not just for a few of us not just one or two of us but uh every saint is gonna have to deal with a shifting season um uh uh sifting shows up watch this despite your placement in the congregation yeah yeah yeah everybody's got to be sick and despite your placement in the congregation simon simon watch the text satan has asked during the national version to sift all of you like we no don't miss it he's looking at simon but he's talking to all the disciples who are still remaining at that table he literally says that he's trying to separate all y'all he's trying to rip all of you to shreds he's trying to reduce everything i have placed in you to absolutely nothing he's trying to take all y'all out and let's be clear it doesn't matter who you are doesn't matter how spiritual you profess to be it doesn't matter how save folks think you are it doesn't matter how many bible verses you can quote doesn't matter how many times you pray on any given day toward the east all of us are gonna have to be shifted at some point in this journey i need two or three people who know something about the sifting season to testify i know what it feels like to seemingly be ripped to shreds stripped apart of everything that was close to me everything that i thought was near and dear to me somebody can testify you know something about a sifting season we can't look down on people when we're getting sifted that don't mean that they they did anything wrong you just got to deal with it it's just going to come in everybody's life i need to talk to the super spiritual people who think you live above a sifting season i need to help you understand what the bible says the bible says many are the afflictions come here of the righteous but don't stop there because the rest of the verse says but the lord delivers him out of them all can i find somebody in here who's ever been through a sifting season you watch the lord bring you through pull you out somebody can testify jesus said in this world you will have tribulation but don't stop reading right there because the next part of the verse ever be of good cheer that means go ahead and shout right there in your bedroom because i have overcome the world is there anybody listening to me who can testify that all of us are gonna have to deal with some sifting seasons but james says even while you're going through it count it all joy count it all joy when you deal with various kinds of trials and tribulations because the trying of your faith is working patience yeah we all got to do we all got to beat safety we all we all got to go through it despite your placement in the congregation praise team you got to be sifted yeah ushers yeah you you're going to be sipping yes yes media team yep yep yep with all the wonderful things you're doing you're gonna have to be sifted yes yes yes preacher you already know you already know you're gonna have to be sifted all of us have to go through a sifting season there's some people listening to me right now who know what i'm talking about because all of us are at home right now all of us are watching church because we had to be city this is a sifting season all of it ain't nobody not going through this pandemic everybody is dealing with it seemingly getting worse very into variant it's always getting worse not getting better somebody knows what shifting feels like yeah don't mean you don't love the lord doesn't mean you're not anointed no no doesn't mean you're not in his will doesn't mean he doesn't have his hands on you it just means you're alive it means you're in the family and when you're in the family sifting seasons show up he says simon satan has asked to sift all y'all everlast one of you every last one of you in the crew he's trying to take you out simon and we have to be sifted watch despite our placement in the congregation but can i push it a bit further i submit that you and i have to be shifted watch this despite our penchant towards supplication our pension just despite our pension our leaning our inclination despite our penchant p-e-n-c-h-a-n-d are penchant towards supplication um i read verses 31 32 jump down to verse 39 because you'll find out that when they left that table they went to jesus praying ground they went to the mount of olives in the garden of gethsemane and when they go there jesus asks them to pray with him because he uh he has to deal with now what he came to the world to deal with he has to go through one of the roughest pieces of of time that he's ever gonna have to deal with he has to endure the reason for which he came into the world and the rubber is now about to meet the road and so he has to pray and when he prays he tells the big three peter james and john to go a little farther with him he goes a stone's throw away from them and when he goes the stones throw away he falls down on his face and the bible says sweat like drops of blood uh pouring from his breath yeah he goes into that place he falls on his face and this is what he says father if it's possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not my will but thy will be done did you catch it here's his prayer he says father if it's possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not my will but thy will be done he prays for an hour he prays and then he goes back matthew tells the story in chapter 26 mark tells the story in chapter 14 and here in luke chapter 22 after he prays he goes back to the brothers and finds them asleep they're asleep but you would be asleep too had you heard what happened in the upper room they had the passover meal and after they had the passover meal gay jesus gave him some more bread and wine you know how you feel after you've had your wine and so they've gone to sleep they're asleep there in the garden he says wake up come on spirit the willing but the flesh is weak i need you to pray with me as you fall into temptation the bible says according to these three gospel writers he goes back a second time and he prays the exact same prayer father if it's possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not my will but thy will be done he prays that prayer and the bible says it's in agony hey he's in a place where he does not want to be seemingly the same reality that is the disciples is likewise the divine he is not just dealing with the reality that simon has shifted and the other brothers have been are going to be sifted but it seems like even the savior is being sifted and here he is in the garden seemingly being ripped to shreds in agony so says your bible and the bible says he goes back the third time and prays father hey if it's possible let this cup pass for me never that's not my will but thy will be done this speaks to me doesn't it speak to you dr smith about the reality that there are some things that happen in our lives that will make us go back to god over and over and over again praying the exact same thing i don't know who it was who started that rumor in the church that you never supposed to pray about the same thing over and over again and seemingly you seemingly lack faith that is not the bible if jesus prayed about the same thing three times surely you and i are gonna have to pray about the same thing over and over again come here mama go ahead and pray for them children over and over and over come here daddy go ahead and pray for that boy over and over and over again come on spouse pray for your spouse over and over and over again if my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray seek my face turn from their wicked ways then will i hear from heaven forgive their sin and heal their land house of hope we need to keep praying for the cessation of this virus we need to keep praying that political leaders will keep their acts together we need to keep praying that this world will find his senses and begin to call on god we need to keep praying jesus said ask and it shall begin seek and ye shall find not and the door will be open these great scholars already know that those words are in the repetitive tense literally saying ask and keep on asking seek and keep on seeking knock and keep on knocking until you get an answer well i need to tell you that just cause you pray don't mean you're gonna have your way because although he prayed the same prayer repeatedly the response is still the same you got to go to the cross cup cannot this cup of agony cup of death cup of sorrow cannot pass from you but don't give up the fight don't stop praying cause your bible says right there in luke chapter 22 after he prayed the angels came and strengthened him oh child of god did you hear what i just said even if the answer is not what you expected can i find 10 people who can testify god still knows how to dispatch angels to strengthen you in the midst of the struggle is there anybody who can testify he still gives me power to endure everything i've got to go through somebody ought to thank god that he keeps on giving you strength in the midst of the struggle somebody ought to be grateful that you still alive even though you had to deal with some frustrating realities somebody ought to thank god that you're still surviving in the midst of all the agony and the depression and the frustration is there anybody who can still say i'm still here anybody who can still say i'm still alive anybody can testify after all i've been through i still have joy yes lord yes lord yes lord he prays hey sweat like drops of blood pouring from his breath he prays in agony and sorrow he prays to the father and please let this bitter cup pass from me but nevertheless oh thank god for that word not my will but thy will be done can i find six people who can testify with those sisters that is still the safest place in the whole wide world is in the will of god the safest place in the whole wide world is in the will of god and god says listen i have not changed the plane but i will give you power to go through it i have not changed my strategy but i will give you strength to endure is there anybody who can testify even if he doesn't take the thorn he still gives us grace hey that is sufficient for us and somebody ought to just go ahead and glory in your infirmity and the bible says when i'm weak then i'm strong [Music] yeah yeah and so we got to be simple yeah got to deal with it every now and then hey some symptoms gonna show up don't run away from the church because you're getting sifted don't give up on god because of your sifting season you're not the only one going to be shifted or am doctor going to be sifted too don't don't give up on god all the saints are going to be sick disseminate the sifting of simon it ain't just the simply of the savior it's the sifting of the saints despite your placement in the congregation you're going to be shifted despite your pension for supplication some stuff you can't pray your way out of yeah some stuff you can't praise your way out of come on grow up grow up grow up grow up some stuff you can't pay your way out of some stuff you just gotta go through i asked you can i go old school in a new school church through it all through it all i've learned to trust in jesus i learned to trust in god through it all i learned to depend upon his word yes lord i gotta close i'm gonna close a little message can i find 10 people in here who are still grateful for the fact that god teaches you some stuff in the sifting season you would never learn when the sun would shine well you got to be stiff you got to be simple despite your placement in the congregation in fact you'll pinch it or supplication but can i close because i've been giving you some rough news here so i need to give you some good news i'm a good news preacher i'm a gospel preacher gospel means good news i got to give you some good news and the good news is what's this every sifting season has a point of termination there are three of us shouting in this room others of us just felt something right there and somebody put a smile on their face come here lean in real close get close to your device because i need you to understand every sifting season has a point of termination can i take you back to the table can i take it back to the table because jesus said simon hey man satan is asked desired no demanded to sift all y'all like weak but don't stress don't trip i prayed for you and i pray that your faith would not fail so when you have turned back when you get converted you can strengthen your brothers you missed it rewind press play uh he said listen satan's trying to take you all out don't stress don't trip don't jump out the window come on down off that ledge cause i prayed for you and i prayed that your faith would not fail so when you turn back you will strengthen your brothers okay they tell me the third time is the charm i got to preach until everybody gets it bible says simon ah he's trying to take all y'all out he's trying to strike the sheep so the check the shepherd so the sheep will stop he's trying to sift all y'all like we bought i prayed for you oh you need to hear that because i did not pray watch this i did not pray you wouldn't have a bad day i did not pray that folks wouldn't get on your nerves even church folk i did not pray that you wouldn't struggle every now and then i pray that while you're in the struggle your faith won't fade is there anybody listening to me on this sunday who can testify i've been through the storm and rain but i still got faith in the lord jesus i still believe he's a waymaker i still believe he's a stormtamer i still believe he's a provider i still believe he is my everything yeah yeah i i still have faith oh child of god we're in a pandemic now we're in a problematic circumstance now but i wonder if there's anybody who's still got your faith i know you may have lost some stuff along the way some of us have lost some loved ones in this time some of us have lost some finances in this time some of us have lost some of our joy it seems during this time but is there anybody who can still testify i still trust god i still believe god i still believe he's a waymaker i still believe he's a bad election battle i still believe there is nothing too hard for him i still believe that he is able to do achieving abundantly above all we ask for a thing he says listen in the midst of all this don't you lose your faith last time i checked your bible faith is still the substance of things hoped for it's still the evidence of things not seen last time i checked your bible the bible says that the just shall live by their faith last time i checked your bible the bible says we walk by faith and not by sight the bible says that without faith it's impossible to please him and i wonder if i got some faith walkers at the house of hope who can testify i still believe god i still know he can do what nobody else can do i need some people who got enough faith to believe that this pandemic will come to an end and we will be able to get back together and we will celebrate god together and we will worship god together and we will bless god together and we will praise god together i need somebody who's got enough faith to believe that your child will get off drugs that your children will be saved that your loved ones will be restored i need somebody to believe that he's still a healer he's still a waymaker he's still a provider is there a faith walker somewhere who can testify that there is absolutely nothing too hard for our god the bible says i prayed for you and i pray that your faith may not fail but that's not the end of the story dr smith the bible says that when you are converted when you are turned back when you get your act together i want you to look back and strengthen your brothers and sisters that's the final word for you today because somebody ought to begin to testify that sifting seasons come to an end i need somebody to look with the eyes of faith and believe that since trump didn't last always trouble won't last always is there anybody listening to me on this third sunday who can testify i still believe that god is able to do what nobody else can do i need some warriors now to get about your bed push back from that kitchen table begin to lift your hands and thank your god that sifting season to come to an end i need you to praise your god that god is working all things together for your good can i find somebody who will help me celebrate on this third sunday that he is still working a work in my life that nobody can conclude until he says it's over the bible says he that have begun a good work in you shall perform it until the day of jesus christ so be not dismayed what hair be tied in the [Music] take care of you and i find 10 witnesses who know he's been taking care of you can i find somebody who can testify if it had not been for the lord who was on my side i don't know where i would be but i feel like lifting him up because he promised me that this too shall pass be not weary in well doing those in due season you shall reap if you faint not that i find somebody who'll help me close this message and begin to testify this shifting season shall come to an end this sifting season shall have a point of termination and when it happens i'm going to lift up my hands in celebration to the god who worked it all together for my good i'm sorry y'all i just messed up you ain't got to wait till the battle is over shall now [Music] did i find somebody who'll lift up your hands while you're in your bedroom and begin to thank god that everything is going to be all right i'm going to my seat y'all but is there anybody listening who can testify we serve a god who is still able to work all things together for your good i feel like sitting down but i feel like shouting a while so if you don't mind can i go higher and celebrate the fact that god is still at work in our lives is there anybody listening to me this sunday who can testify our god is able to keep you from falling and present you faultless before his presence with exceeding great joy and since i know he's able to do all of that it just makes sense for me to open up my mouth and give him glory is there anybody listen to me this sunday who can testify my god is worthy i said he's worthy he wanted all of my praise so i feel like lifting him up on this third sunday but it doesn't make sense that i'm still in my right mind after all the hell i've been through it after all the shifting i've been doing after all the trouble i've experienced but since i'm here and since i'm alive and since you're here and since you are alive i need to find a redeemed folk i need to find the same folks i need to find the restored folk let the redeemed of the lord say so i did not say look so i didn't say klepso i said let the name of the lord say so open up your mouth lift up your voice and shine [Music] give him glory give him glory give him glory [Music] that have breasts [Music] here [Music] you may have felt like giving up because you didn't expect it to last this long you didn't expect protracted predicaments but i came to tell you that the one who prayed for you has never left you [Music] he never leaves us nor forsakes us don't you give up child of god this season's gonna come to an end it's ugly now doesn't make sense right now and i hear the lord saying i know the plans i have and those plans are to prosper you not to harm you to give you a future and a hope if you can't shout out anything else house of hope you want to shout on that there's a future coming for you future and the hope and he says that to people who are in exile for 70 years he says that to people who can't get to the house of god he says that to the people who are being ripped apart who feel like they can't even sing the lord's song because they're in a strange lane on this sunday child of god you hear me when i tell you you do not have to throw in the towel the lord jesus himself sitting at the right hand of the father right now praying for us lord bless my baby lord keep my child don't let him go too far don't let him lose her mind he prays for you and when we come out of this we're going to look back and strengthen our brothers and sisters we're going to encourage somebody we're going to let somebody know if god brought me through some stuff he can do the same thing for you anybody recognize it today anybody believe it today if you believe it give him the glory that is due unto his name even though we sometimes have to deal with the sifting of the saints oh my god my god [Music] satan has desired satan has demanded but i pray for you doesn't matter about your placement in the congregation your pension for supplication that's gonna be a point of termination he's prayed for us and now as he prayed for us he's allowing us to pray for each other and if you need prayer right now i want you to get your phone and text the word prayer to the number 678 201 1351 hallelujah our prayer team is waiting you're going to get through this child of god it's go that's gonna that's gonna be a point of termination listen you won't pray i want you to text their word prayer maybe you want to connect with some other saints it's the sifting of the saints not the sifting of the individual all of us got to go through and that's why you got to be around others who've been through it to help you get through it and you want to be a part of connected to this adventure i want you to text the word connect to 6782-1351 whether you're in georgia or ghana atlanta alaska text that word connected 67821-1351 maybe you want to be saved he he he went and died he jesus was sifted so you and i could be saved and if you're not sure if you die heaven is going to be your home takes the word salvation to 6721 1351 you you want prayer connection to salvation and last if you miss the first offering but you are blessed you want to sow a seed you can give right now by text to give or cash out through the website or you can get right now through the p.o box the preacher said that's going to come to end god's got a purpose for it and a plan for it listen what you're going through now can't compare to the glory that's going to be revealed in you god's got something great for you the sith is going to be over soon and so right now would you take a moment just tell just tell god say whatever you do for me you and god whatever my mind [Music] however yeah when i'm being sifted [Music] hello [Music] my my my my plane hallelujah now so your troubles and trials are going to come to make you strong even the septic everybody your troubles do you all believe that do y'all believe that why do they come say they only come [Music] and even when you be accepted i reckon that your presence suffering listen up [Music] can't be compared [Applause] [Music] [Music] is gonna work together he's gonna work together come on [Music] [Music] [Applause] i believe it's gonna work together [Music] yes believe it's gonna work together [Music] i believe that god he's [Music] every single situation [Music] [Music] is [Music] it's gonna work together [Music] [Applause] [Music] has [Music] as you're in control [Music] it will work out for me [Music] [Applause] [Music] i know it's gonna work out yeah oh yes it will he won't leave us here [Music] [Music] it's gonna work i out somebody to just start typing it's gonna work out i need you to start typing it's gonna work out i tell you to start typing it's gonna work out with exclamation marks [Music] i know it's gonna work out [Music] [Applause] it's gonna work out [Music] [Applause] [Music] somebody put your hand together somebody give god praise right there if you believe it's going to work out come on tight that department come on my face says it's going to work out now some of this type of type of the coverage is already right now [Music] as a matter of fact while you were trying to figure it out he already [Music] already already already [Music] somebody give them praise like it's already worked out something open up your mouth and shout like it's already [Music] it's over [Music] yes [Applause] [Music] it's already working for me it's already working for me it's already working for me it's already working just for me whatever i need is that the works just for me [Music] it's already working just it's already working just already [Music] somebody shall weep at me weeping [Music] [Applause] in the morning [Music] in the [Music] morning ah [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] somebody [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] didn't i tell y'all [Music] [Music] oh yes [Music] um [Music] yes [Music] i know it will be all right [Music] [Music] yes [Music] dr cosby talked about that night in that room how he took bread off the table and shared communion with them before he was crucified [Music] he told us as often as we do it just do this in remembrance of me and because of his blood you can handle the sifting i want you to go ahead and gather your elements for this moment of communion [Music] the bible says oh we like sheep have gone astray we've turned everyone to his own way god laid upon him the iniquity of us all for he was wounded our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him because of him we're healed i don't care who you are where you are god loves you it's an unconditional love and i want you to get what represents the body of jesus the bible bible says he break it and he blessed it god bless this symbol of your the body of your son which is given and broken for us we take nine remembrance of him you all of it represents our lord and then he took the cup through the vine representing his blood that was going to be shed for the remissions of sin father thank you for this symbol of the blood of jesus and we know it's going to work out for us because of the blood drink y'all let me represent the blood [Music] [Music] yeah yeah yeah i thank god for the blood [Music] that came streaming down for me [Music] the blood that made the difference at calvary [Music] i'm gonna say it again i thank god for the blood yeah that came streaming down for me it was the blood that's an old song y'all that made the difference at calvary [Music] come on help me say it somebody said i thank god i thank god come on i thank god for the blood come on that came stream that came streaming down for me it was the love that made the difference at calvary [Music] just one more time just one more time somebody say say i thank god i think [Music] down for that made a difference [Music] just one more last time just last time everybody say i thank god everybody come on [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] father i thank you [Music] thank you for sifting [Music] the sipping of simon the sifting of the savior and for letting us know that that will be the sipping of the saints but we give you praise that you've already prayed for us that when we get converted when we find our bearings we're going to go back and have strength because it's working out for our goods so as we close this service on this third sun in august thank you for everything you're perfecting in our lives even now now cover your people with your blood cover your people with the blood cover us that even when the sifting season comes we have strength in knowing that there's a point of termination on this thing and when it's all over we're gonna come out with our hands lifted giving you the glory giving you the honor giving you the praise and we thank you for it now in jesus name amen amen i love you everything's going to be all right give god praise for dr marcus cosby who blessed our souls my god what a word god sickness man of god come on come on type in the comments thank you dr cosby thank you dr confident for that word it's going to be all right i love you have a great week y'all show dr cosby some love as we close this service i love you have a great week i love you it's going to be all right i love you it's going to be all right i love you it's going to be all right i love you it's gonna be all right i love you it's gonna be all right hallelujah [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you

Channel: The House of Hope

Views: 20,059

Rating: 4.8613334 out of 5

Keywords: e dewey smith, jennifer carner, greg kirkland, e dewey smith preaching, i am alive, impeachment, breaking news, ask the pastor, td jakes, youth sunday, house party, house of hope atlanta, 2021, e dewey smith teaching, worship celebration, alfred street baptist church, new birth mbc, fathers day, The Sifting of the Saints | Dr. Marcus Cosby

Id: AChor6Ywi_g

Length: 105min 36sec (6336 seconds)

Published: Sun Aug 15 2021