Keion Henderson - A Lame Excuse

Anyone knows we were supposed to have our guest speaker today to teach Bible study. I couldn’t rest last night because I knew you and I had an appointment. I didn’t know how to tell a man who had gotten on a plane and had been looking forward to something for the last three months that all bets were off because God had called a revival. I called my wife on the phone, and she said to me, " I sure hate you aren 't preaching tonight.» I said I don’t because we’ve got a realm in the bush. Pastor Torrance walked into my office about 1:15 and said, «Reverend, I’m not trying to get in your business, but you know you’re supposed to be preaching tonight?» So, I called my bishop. I said, «Bishop, here are the circumstances, what should I do?» He told me what to do. I called the pastor on the phone and said, «Pastor, I know you’re in town, but God called a revival and I have an appointment with the people.» He said, «Reverend, my plane is stuck and I can’t even get out.» I came to tell you tonight that anything that is coming that isn 't supposed to is going to ground you. You and I have an appointment. Acts chapter 3, verse 1: Now Peter and John went up together, woo, Holy Ghost, into the temple at the hour of prayer, beginning at three o’clock in the afternoon. And a certain man, lame from his mother’s womb, was carried whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple, who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes on him with John, said, «Look on us.» And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive what he had been asking for. Then Peter said, «Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee: In the name of Jesus, rise up and walk.» He had been lame from birth. Some of you have used what happened to you earlier in life as an excuse to stay in your same position, which is why I want to talk about today: It’s a lame excuse. Touch three people on your way down and you’ll see to say, «It’s a lame excuse.» Peter was the focal point of our discussion last night. Before we know that when God began the church, there was a sound of a mighty rushing wind and the Holy Ghost, the third person of the Trinity, the Comforter left behind by God to be a helper. We don’t need biblical linguistic jargon to know that he is a helper, because one of the ways you know help in the English language is by the prefix " para.» When you jump out of a plane, you have the help of a parachute. If you were to get sick right now, we would call the paramedics. When you’re in trouble, you call the Paraclete, the name of the Holy Ghost. It’s a strong tower. Peter was the focal point of yesterday’s discussion, but just one chapter later, we see he has company now. From here on, you’re going to hear Peter and John. I wonder why God didn’t make John Peter’s assistant pastor at Pentecost, then I come to realize that the topic is getting ready to change from worship to wonders. This is the first miracle enacted upon humanity in the New Testament church, and the reason why John had to be present is because the Prophet said that whenever there was a testimony, it had to be established out of the mouths of two. And so we know a miracle is coming because now Peter, the lone wolf, now has company; he’s a pair, he’s got help. Peter and John are on their way up to the temple to pray. I wish I could just stay right there for a moment because people come to church for all kinds of reasons. They come for miracles; they come for fashion shows; they come for free dating services; they come to grow their network marketing companies. But I wish more people would come to pray. He did not say, «My house shall be called of all nations the house of business.» He did not say, «My house shall be called of all nations the house of the hookup.» He says, «My house shall be called of all nations the House of Prayer.» And you want to know how to get out of your situation? Praise is all right, but it doesn’t always do, because you don’t even have to be saved to praise Him. Psalms 150 said, «Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.» I feel glory. You don’t even have to be saved to praise Him; all you have to do is breathe. Even rocks will praise Him; the trees will wave their limbs and praise. The grass will sway and praise. You don’t need salvation to praise; praise and worship are two totally different things. There are some things that only come by fasting and praying. I want to tell you, you need to work on your prayer life. You need to learn that theology works for the theologian, but neology works for the garbage man. There 's somebody here who will tell you that when they lost their job, they went to the prayer closet. When the divorce came, they went to their knees. Do I have any prayer warriors who will say, «I might not be on the prayer team, but when I send one up, God has a history of sending something down?» Do I have any prayer warriors? Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread…