What Sound Is Your Life Producing?

Cleaned from the live recording. Lightly edited for reading.

Opening (end of worship)

There's a holy fear, and there's also a fear of dread and terror that belongs to Him. In Revelation it says when He makes His appearance, the kings and the captains and the great men will run to the mountains and say, "Hide us from this great and terrible One." (Revelation 6:15-16) So even kings, captains and great men will flee from His presence trying to escape His judgment. Tell your neighbor, there'll be nowhere to run. It'll be better than that movie, Nowhere to Run. You may have your seat. Thank you very much, worshippers.

What sound are you producing?

We'll be jumping a few places this morning. Let's go to Philippians chapter 2. I'll read from verse 6, then I want to jump to 1 Kings chapter 10, and we may go some other places from there.

Good morning to each and every one of you. Good morning to those watching us online, Facebook, YouTube. Pray for us. We've been trying a little while to get the TikTok going. We'll get it going. Wherever you're watching us from, whatever part of the world, whatever time it is, greetings to you.

I listened to the keyboard this morning, and I heard the bass, and I said to myself, this is good. Do we need a bass player? If the player is multi-talented, we can get him on another instrument. That might not be the case. Let me ask you this question this morning. What sound are you producing? Ask your neighbor, what sound are you producing? That's the title for this message this morning.

Each instrument gets its importance and finds its place in an orchestra based upon the sound that it produces. And each musician finds themselves in an orchestra based upon the quality of sound they can make that instrument produce. So what sound are you producing?

Locate your mind

Let us start from verse 5, Philippians chapter 2. You have your physical Bible, you have your phone. It says, let what? (Philippians 2:5)

Hold on. God is concerned about the mind. He's concerned about your brain. Tell your neighbor, He's concerned about the quality up here. "Let this same mind be in you." Tell your neighbor, this verse is talking to you. It's about you. It's about me.

We'll do it like how we do a sound check, like how we do stock taking, like how we do inventory. I want each and every one of you to check to see if there's a mind there. Some of you are not too certain. Can you locate your mind? Where is it? I think Elder Jermaine just said, in the Spirit. Where's your mind? You're not too sure. You see, that's where the problem is. Tell somebody next to you, locate your mind. You need to know where it is.

Physically we know it's there. But the Bible is talking about a quality of thinking, a quality of faith, a quality of belief, and also expectation. Let the same quality be in you.

What mind is He talking about? When I asked you to locate your mind, it was difficult, because for some of you it was outside. Elder Jermaine was in heaven. It's okay. At least he knew where he was. The issue is when you don't know where you are. Some persons are home at the pot. Some persons are at the washing machine. We're in different places, but you still need to locate where you're at.

You ever have an argument with yourself, and it seems as though your mind took on a second person and you start arguing back? None of you never had that? You're not crazy. You're not insane. Sometimes you need to flesh it out. There's a lot going on inside, and you need to see it from different perspectives. Then you tell yourself, that's real foolish, you don't like that perspective, you change the narrative, and you say, that sounds better, we'll go along with that. Sometimes you just need to work it out. That's why you run simulations with certain programs. When you run certain applications on the computer, they give you back three or four ways to do something.

I was talking to my son yesterday morning and he said, "Daddy, I really love Gemini. I'm smart. I just put it in here and they give me back the answer. And you know what I do? I don't even write it like the other students. I just copy it, paste it in this folder and print it out for the teacher." I said, "Yes, son. You're smart." One teacher's listening now. My son is smart. He's making work easier for himself and the teacher. And I know why they complain about his handwriting. So it's typed now.

Why God exalted Him

I'm reading from The Passion: "And consider the example that Jesus the Anointed One has set before us." That's what "let the same mind be" means. Think about it. Process it. Run it through your brain over and over. This is what Jesus did. This is the example He set. "Let this mindset become your motivation." (Philippians 2:5)

This is not my message, but we'll circle here a little. "He existed in the form of God, yet He gave no thought to seizing equality with God as His supreme prize. Instead He emptied Himself of His outward glory by reducing Himself to the form of a lowly servant. He became human." (Philippians 2:6-7) Give me the ESV on the screen. I'll go back and forth between the two. "He humbled Himself and became vulnerable, choosing to be revealed as a man, and was obedient. He was a perfect example, even in His death, a criminal's death by crucifixion." (Philippians 2:8)

Verse nine. This is where I want to get to this morning. "Therefore God has highly exalted Him." (Philippians 2:9)

Why did the Father highly exalt Him? Talk with me. Church, we just read it. All right, let's go again. Please locate your mind. Bring it back to church. Now we're going to take it and apply it to these verses. It's saying, because of something. Why? Yes. Because of obedience. Obedience to what?

In school there's a purpose for repetition and a purpose for involvement, because as a teacher you want to gauge if the student is receiving what you're teaching. That's why I'm doing this this morning. Because sometimes you ask a member of the church, how was the service? They say it was powerful. Then you ask them which part, and they give you a whole different sermon. Nothing that was taught that day, that week, that month. So it's important that I engage you.

"Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name." (Philippians 2:9) It's saying because of something Jesus did, God responded. What are you doing that will make God respond to you? What are you doing that will make God give you something beyond the extraordinary?

God is a rewarder

Many tell you you're in a season of grace, and everybody talks about grace. The same people say grace is God's unmerited favor. But let me tell you, God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) There are certain principles that will not go away. When we stand before the throne of God, as Christians we will not be judged based upon sin or wrongdoing. We'll be judged as though we're standing at the Olympics, to determine the level of reward we will have. (2 Corinthians 5:10) And the level of reward you have in heaven will be proportional to what you do.

Have you ever seen an athlete just trot in at the back, and then they call him or her up to the podium and say, the gold medal belongs to you? And everybody in the stadium... give me that scream you normally give. Yes, thank you. Everyone is excited, because we just ran?

The Father gave His Son a name that is above every other name because of something He did. Tell your neighbor, you need to do something. Oh, you love Nike. This is not an advertisement. But just do it.

The long jump in a 100 metre race

But what you do matters. You can do a lot of things and not be rewarded. Tell your neighbor, we can do a lot of things and not be rewarded. Good things.

Imagine you are in a 100 metre sprint. Pow. And you run off at a tangent to the long jump arena and make a long jump. A record-breaking jump. Bam. The longest jump they've ever seen in history. But you started at the 100 metre sprint line. You get up, you're excited. They put up the world record for the distance you jumped. But then you get angry because you did not get the recognition. You get angry because you did not get a medal. Why is that? Talk to me.

Yes, you're supposed to run, not jump. Anyone else? They would not recognize you, because you did not do what you were asked to do.

Where are the evangelists?

And we have a lot of that happening in the kingdom of God. We have a lot of apostles turning into pastors and pastors turning into apostles, evangelists turning into apostles, prophets turning into pastors. Look at our nation right now. How many large crusades are we seeing? Where are the evangelists? Many of them are pastors now, and apostles, and they neglected their position. When is the last time we had a large crusade in this nation? Not by invited evangelists, but by an evangelist right here in Guyana.

How are we trying to evangelize? Now we have concerts at the stadium, and people sing and people dance and people jump up. I'm feeling the stones hitting me. Let me move on. You don't have to help me. Nothing is wrong with a concert. Those of you still holding your stones, let me say that again. Nothing is wrong with a concert. But where is the soul winning? The concerts entertain Christians while the unsaved are going to hell, and the church seems to be quite excited about it. So we're going to have another concert soon.

When we have our crusade, or let me say festival of harvest or celebration of harvest, somewhere in the community later this month, the same excitement I saw on social media and television, the dancing, the praising, I want the same excitement there. When you go to a home or you go to someone and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's what Jesus asked us to do.

It's like a piece of you got a heartache now. You're feeling it in your chest. Now you're ready to go and evangelize with that same energy? The church gets quiet now. This is the problem we're having in the church.

Find what the Lord wants you to do. What did Jesus say when He left? Did He say, call a party, call a church conference, and celebrate until I come back? Have prophetic conferences, talk about end time revelations and all the visions you're having? Or did He say go into all the world and do what? (Mark 16:15) Did He say go into all the world and tour, sightseeing, vacation?

Nothing is wrong with vacation. Nothing is wrong with sightseeing. I love sightseeing. I love to see new things. I love nature. I love to watch people and admire them. Fine, square, round, all kinds of sizes. Face big, so fine, so thin, and I'm amazed by God. Hair short, hair long, every kind of description, and I just take it in and look at the awesomeness of God. You can be so thin you can hardly move properly, but somebody loves you. You have a friend. There's something unique about you on this earth, and someone celebrates you, and I look at it and I'm amazed.

As Bishop Bloomer said, sometimes you look around and you wonder, how did he get that? Some of you have gone quiet now. How did she get that? But there's something about people that somebody likes and is attracted to.

And just for the men: when I say seeing and admiring, I'm not saying looking at other women and lusting after them. I need to qualify that, because one guy said to me when I confronted him about an issue, he was just admiring God's lovely creation. Full of lust. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about wholesome admiration for the creation of God.

So nothing is wrong with that. But we need to ensure that we're doing what we are required to do. Tell him, you need to ensure that you're doing what you are required to do.

He did what He was sent to do

"Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name." (Philippians 2:9) He did something. He wasn't given that name because He is the Son of God. He was rewarded and given that name because God gave Him a mission to come to earth, take on the form of man, take their sin upon Himself and die for them. And He left eternity, was born as a human, grew, and went through the same pain, the same growing process.

Mothers and fathers, give me a wave. Your baby ever had teething or growing pains or fever? Did that happen to Jesus? Of course He experienced those pains. The Bible says in every way He was tempted like we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

In the garden of Gethsemane He said, Father, if it's Your will, remove this cup from Me. Isn't there another way to fulfill what You sent Me to do? Can I reach Your requirement another way? Then He said, "Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done." (Matthew 26:39; Luke 22:42)

What is God's will for you? Is it a 100 metre dash? Is it high jump? Is it a distance run? Is it to be a lawyer, a doctor, an accountant, a sanitation person that keeps everything spic and span?

Every function matters

You know how important sanitation workers are when you walk around Georgetown and they haven't picked up garbage for a month or two. Even at your home, if they do not come to collect your garbage, imagine two, three, four months. It's chaos.

You also know the importance of those workers because God created the same system in your body. You ever get constipated and can't go to the toilet for days? It's a very nice feeling? No, it's not a very nice feeling. And then you understand the importance of. Excuse me. You may say you don't like how it smells, how it's shaped, where it's located. You can say everything you want about it. But if it's not working properly, you forget how nice your face looks. You forget how trim and shaped you are, how athletic, how buff you are. The plumbing system is not working properly, and no one is comfortable in this house. You sweat beads of perspiration without running. You start feeling like you're getting a heart attack. Your mind is confused. Every member is in disarray. You used to like your bed, but you can't lie down properly. You used to like sleeping on your belly, but because of this backup you can't even roll properly. Then you understand the importance of all of these functions.

So I don't want us to look down on anyone when I'm talking about finding your place and what you're asked to do in the kingdom. The Bible says when your little toe suffers, what happens? Your whole body suffers. (1 Corinthians 12:26)

I remember a time I was trying to drive a six-inch nail into some greenheart on a bridge. I looked at this nail and said to myself, this needs force. So I took the hammer, bang. But it didn't touch the nail. I felt no feeling, and then I felt all the feelings at once. It was my left thumb. My thumb got a heartbeat right away. It started beating. It swelled up. Blood rushed. That little finger caused me to sweat the whole night. The whole body wants to rest, but this one finger is disturbing the entire body. You can't sleep. And the finger you ignore day after day is just doing its purpose. That's what it's designed to do. You hold things, you do this, you do that. Suddenly you can't hold things properly.

What were you designed to do?

Because you can do it does not mean you should

How many of you ever drink from a bowl? Don't be shy. Some of you even put the tea in the bowl and drink it. I'm not talking about porridge. You put a drink in a bowl, you put a swank in the bowl, and you drink it. Was the bowl designed for that? But it serves a role.

And we can be operating like that in the kingdom of God, because it works. But you know it should not function that way, because if you pass by your door with a bowl, drinking, and you notice somebody passing in front, you duck and peep to see if they saw you. Even you know that's not what you should be doing, and you hope no one saw you.

We can be doing a lot of things we weren't meant to do because we can do it. Just say, I can do it. Because you can do it does not necessarily mean you should do it. Because you can do it does not mean it should be a permanent thing. When you drink from a bowl, is it a permanent habit? No. It's a temporary thing.

How many of you remember the days of enamel cups? Some of the young ones put up their hands. I'm glad you have smart parents. You're not going to break the utensils day after day. You put hot tea in it. You remember putting it to your mouth without checking properly? It serves its purpose. One, it keeps the tea hot. And two, the reason I told my wife we had to get some for our children: you come home, you go to take out food for them, and you realize, Sarah, last week didn't we have twelve plates? I'm only finding three now. They put them in the garbage bin quietly and discard them. So the purpose was to ensure we always have something for them. Then they start complaining, only dogs eat out of things like these. You know these young people now.

The right tool for the job

If you go and buy a certain type of mug or bottle, you want to know if it can retain heat or cold. With certain utensils you ask, is it microwave safe? If you're spending your money, the first thing you do is turn it upside down to make sure it's not made in China, because you know if it's made there and selling in Guyana it won't last very long. I'm saying we check the quality, we check the purpose, we check what it's intended for.

Brother Bevaughn, last week we couldn't find a chisel. The door was on and we couldn't open it properly because we put down the tile, and then we remembered we needed to take off the door. We couldn't open it wide enough to unscrew it. We couldn't find a chisel, so Bevaughn improvised. He used the putty knife and he pried and he pried. I was wondering how he's going to get this done. Then he found a piece of metal rod and he tried his stuff until the hammer could fit between it and remove it. It did the job. But was that the right tool for the job? If you see a worker show up day after day on a work site with those kinds of tools to work on doors, what would you say?

I want us to consider if God is saying the same thing right now about us. Does God look at your work and say what?

He asked you to share the gospel, and you do what? He asked you to heal the sick, and you do what? He asked you to worship or sing, and you do what? He called you to preach up here, and you do what? He asked you to represent Him, and you do what?

I want you to get it, because many times we feel that God rewards anything. But when we look at that scripture, He rewarded His Son based upon what He was asked to do and how He fulfilled it.

Is God pleased with what He's getting?

Imagine you go to the best restaurant in the world, a seven star hotel, and you ask for the meal they're known for, and you pay anything they ask. When they bring the meal out, you see two blades of grass sprinkled on a plate. It wasn't your expectation. Maybe you asked for a steak, but they decided steak is not good for you, you should be eating some herbs. You paid for a steak, they give you herbs. Will you be happy? No.

God created you for a function, for a task. Is He pleased with what He's getting from you?

You buy an iron to iron clothes. When you rest the iron on the clothes, the clothes are ironing the iron, because the clothes aren't getting smooth. You put water in the iron, and it's supposed to come out as steam. This one is just dropping out and wetting up the clothes. It's not producing the heat it should produce so you can get steam. Will you be satisfied?

That's why Jesus said we should be either hot or cold. (Revelation 3:15-16) In Middle Eastern countries where it's very hot, you come out of the sun, out of the desert, and you ask for a drink of water, and somebody brings you warm water that was sitting outside in the sun. You're thirsty. How will you feel? Grateful?

You go to Starbucks and ask for a coffee. What else do you ask for? Iced tea. Latte. You're expecting it to be hot so you can sit with your friends and chat, sip and chat. And the first sip you take, it's already room temperature. Will you be happy with what they sold you? Is God happy with what you're giving to Him?

What are you made of?

Paul said to Timothy there are some vessels unto honor and some unto dishonor. Some are made of gold, silver and precious stones, and some of wood and clay. (2 Timothy 2:20) And he's saying a day is coming when every man's work will be judged by what? Fire. (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) What we will be rewarded for will be because of what we offered Him. What was made of wood will burn up.

What type of material are you made of? Some persons are made of really inferior materials. You just talk to them and they fold up and cry. You challenge them on something and it's a mental disorder. They need a mental health day. You're not seeing them on the job. One problem today, you challenge them and ask them to fix it, three days sick leave, mental health issue. I hope you don't have people made of those kinds of materials in here.

Because God has made you to be an overcomer. He said you're more than a conqueror. (Romans 8:37) He said He overcame the world, and you should overcome it too. (John 16:33) That's the type of stuff you're made of. You're no mental health case. He gave you what? Power, love and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) The fruit of the Spirit: perseverance, longsuffering. I outlast anything. I'm made like those old time cars. You run into me, you crash me, you dent me, I am still going. I am still running. Made of strong stuff.

I remember a coworker was very angry with the director and he said, "Lambert, she know what I will do to her? I will jam her with my Morris Oxford. Some rust will drop off my car, but hers will dent up." What he was trying to say is his car might be old, but it was made with real stuff, strong material.

You're made with strong stuff. You're made with God-like stuff. You were recreated, born again into His image and likeness. Not just look like Him, but made like Him. The same substance. The same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in you. (Romans 8:11) We can outlast anything. That's what the Bible says. We're more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. You can withstand any storm. Whatever the enemy throws at you, you'll still be standing.

Made with excellence

You're also made with stuff that represents excellence. When God wanted to save humankind, when God wanted to buy us back, He sent the best price in heaven, the most precious thing from heaven. How do we know it was the most precious thing? In Revelation there was an issue. Different angels tried, different creatures tried, and none was able to open the scroll. And John cried his heart out. What a dilemma in heaven. And the angel touched him and said, cheer up. There is one here who is worthy, not just to open it, but to look inside of it. And the entire heavens rejoiced, because there is one who is worthy. (Revelation 5:1-5)

One time He looked like a Lamb that was slain. When they looked at Him again, they saw a Lion. A ferocious, conquering Lion that intimidates and scares the hell out of the pretender lion. There's a pretender lion walking about roaring to frighten people. (1 Peter 5:8) And there is One whose countenance causes kings and captains and all great men to flee in terror. That's the real Lion. And if you're made after His kind, you're no pretender. You're no impostor. When you open your mouth, demons flee. When you open your mouth, demons run. Hell is shaking. You are like your Master, the true Lion, a terrifying being.

Just say it: I am a terrifying being. My Father put me on the earth and He said, subdue and conquer. (Genesis 1:28) He didn't tell the lions that. He didn't tell the serpents that. He didn't tell the tigers that. He told us to subdue and to conquer.

Some of you look frightened to say that. I'm a terror to the enemies of God. My name, my presence terrifies them. My words terrify them. Your words terrify them. That's why they try to keep you from speaking. But you need to open your mouth and speak. It says my God is a terrible God. (Psalm 47:2) And if I'm made in His image and likeness, that terror must be shown and felt in and through me. Not a terror of the bad kind, where people say, she's a terror, that's a terrorist. No. I'm talking about demons, workers of iniquity, satanists, warlocks, witches. They must know you as a terror.

The Queen of Sheba and Solomon

I need to wrap up. Let us read 1 Kings 10:1. We're going to about verse 12. This is actually where I wanted to minister from this morning. So you won't stay another hour, I'll wrap up with this.

"When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord..." (1 Kings 10:1)

What are you known for in Guyana? What are you known for in this church? What are you known for on your job? What are you known for in your school? You must be known for something.

In 1 Corinthians 12:28 and Ephesians 4:11 it says God has set in the church some apostles, prophets, and it mentions different offices, different types of giftings, different types of grace. When the apostle Paul was called and sent out, it says in the church there were teachers and prophets fasting. (Acts 13:1-2) It qualified them. You knew who was there, the type of grace, the type of giftings, the type of material that was there. And God said, separate for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work I've called them to. He called them to do a work, but they were made of certain material, certain substance. They were known for something.

The Queen of Sheba came to see Solomon not because Solomon was king. She came to see him because she heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord. What will people come to see in you?

People came to see Jesus because they said He spoke with authority like no other man ever did. (John 7:46; Matthew 7:29) They came to see Him because when Jesus is there, there's a party. You could go hungry and come back home with a basket. He multiplied bread and fishes. You could go limping, crawling, being carried, and come back home healed, well, delivered, walking, leaping. Every time they met Him, something happened. So people just showed up. The children showed up and sat on His lap and He laid His hands on them and blessed them. Whether you're sick, whether you're dead, whether you just need a blessing, Jesus had something to give. What do you have to give? Let me say it this way: what do we have to give?

"She came to test him with hard questions." (1 Kings 10:1) Imagine. She went to test Solomon with hard questions. And the first time we walk out on the road and somebody says, you're serving Jesus, the white man's religion, we get angry. We can't give an answer. Somebody asks you, tell me about Jesus, why should I become a Christian, when I'm serving these idols and I'm getting rich? Look at you. I'm richer than you. And you can't give an answer. And this was a king being tested by another queen.

Verse two. "She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. And Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing hidden from the king which he could not explain to her." (1 Kings 10:2-3)

Gifts that function

Solomon was exercising the gift that was given to him by God. And when she tested that gift, it functioned.

We need people who, when you test the gift of healing, it functions. When you test the gift of prophecy, it functions. When you test the gift of power, it functions. We have too many Christians in church where, when you test the gifts, nothing happens. And we're comfortable. Oh, I have the gift of prophecy. When we test the gift, it just backfires. You get prophetic words that make no sense.

Some prophetic words are like those vehicles you hear coming, the engine roaring, and you're looking for the vehicle. You expect speed, you expect power, but where is it? It's like a turtle with power. Or some ambulances: siren going, you expect speed, you pull your car aside, and it's crawling. That's how some of the prophetic operates. Lovely, but no substance. Plenty words and no power. A lot of talking, but the creative element to bring change is not there. And the church is content to have people giving long, glorious prophecies, but nothing ever comes to pass, because it was just exciting words.

The ambulance is going so slow, sometimes I say to myself, if that's how they're transporting the patient to the hospital, you wonder if they really like that person. Let me stop. I know it may not be that way.

Some places they send you into a line and they know you'll be in that line till four o'clock. Some places you go into, you should walk with your stove, take out your provision, cook a pot, pull out a chair and eat. Especially some banks in Guyana. You've got to walk with your KFC package so while you're in the line you just pull out and eat. You see three persons ahead of you, and I'm not exaggerating. There's a bank at, I won't say which one. You see three or four persons at nine o'clock. Twelve, one, she decides she's going to lunch. And you're standing there in the line with the same three or four persons. That's like the ambulance. You think you're moving. You're stuck. Let me come off of that.

Solomon answered all her questions. His gift was speaking. We need gifts that speak in the church. We need people who, when they come into the church for deliverance, get deliverance. Not a deliverance ministry where we're shouting and shouting and people are rolling and nobody is being delivered. His gift spoke. He was able to answer her. It met her need.

God placed you here and He wants your gifts to speak. He wants your gifts to make you relevant. Solomon was known because of what God had blessed him with.

Where would you go?

Let me put it in contemporary terms. If there is a murder charge, which lawyer will you call? You'd call Nigel Hughes. Yes, thank you. If you're sick and you have the money, which doctor will you go to? What I'm trying to say is that instinctively you know those who are gifted in a particular field, who are excellent in a particular field. If you find yourself needing a particular type of service, you know exactly where to go.

If you have a certain issue, you know you're not going to a certain hospital. Instinctively you know they will butcher you. I didn't call any name, so I can't be sued. And you have to pay for recovery time, rooms and medication whether you need it or not. Rooms have to be paid for, hospitals need to be paid for, and you end up spending a whole set of money. Leave that there. But on the flip side, if you need a certain type of care, you know instinctively where you will go.

We need to start asking ourselves some questions. What are we known for? Why should people come here? Those are hard questions. I don't just need to ask you. I need to ask myself too. Why should people come here? What do we have to offer that we should invite people here?

If you want nice ice cream, do you stop the van that drives around the road playing its song? No. But sometimes that's what some churches have become. We advertise nice, and all we attract is little children. Let me stop there.

I want us this morning to seriously consider what we have to offer as a church. Don't tell me Jesus, because they'll tell you all the other churches are offering Jesus too. What makes you different or special?

All the utensils in the house, you can use them to drink tea. I've seen my children use a fork. So it's possible. And you could say it's effective, because drop by drop the cup will get empty eventually. I've tried pot covers before, too. If you had a childhood, you know what I'm talking about. We do the most crazy things. The cup is right there, and we take a pot cover and try drinking from it. A bottle cap. Some of you tried a leaf. You try crazy stuff when you're a child and it works. But is it effective? Is it the best thing to do?

Wisdom builds things

Verse four. "And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built..." (1 Kings 10:4)

Tell your neighbor, wisdom builds things. We have too many persons who talk about wisdom, and all you hear is what comes out of their mouth. They think it's wisdom. Wisdom builds things. You can build a legacy. You can build wealth. You can build people. You can build buildings, projects, bridges, something that says to the world, this person existed and did this, achieved this, did something with their life. What are you building?

Some of us built houses, some built schools, some built machinery or something useful for others. I want to encourage you also to build yourself.

As a church we're building something beautiful. But at the same time, as a pastor, I need to build myself, because I can become useless in a beautiful building. I can become like some equipment we have. It's shining. Some of it is still brand new. But it has outlived its purpose. It's packed away in a corner because something new was added, upgraded, more relevant to what we have now. It served its time. If we don't build ourselves, we can become useless, not just in the church, but useless on our job, useless in our school.

You know, you can become useless in school. Your parents might be paying money, but you're always in Form Three, because they didn't believe in that foolishness of no child left behind. You needed to pass to go. I used to see some guys in our school with beards, two and three years older than you, in the same class. Taller than you, with sharp pants. You used to try to figure out how they have such a big child in this class. Then you realize their grades were useless. They couldn't qualify them to go higher.

In this church we have no useless people. I declare that you're being qualified to go higher in Jesus' name. You're even qualifying yourself to go higher.

Make yourself valuable where you are

Stop blaming the people on the job. It's not the people. It's not your boss. If you're not qualified for the position, you can cry as much as you want, abuse as many persons as you want, complain that everybody is working obeah on you. It's just you working obeah on yourself. Get yourself qualified. Make yourself useful, and you'll see you're promoted.

Many times it's not the qualifications. It's being able to serve a particular need, do a particular job, be useful. What need are you serving? Sometimes you're sitting in a meeting and the company is supposed to be working on a project, and as you open your mouth and speak, you bring useful information and knowledge and expertise to the room, and you're given the project. You become the project lead.

Make yourself valuable where you are. So the question I need to ask you now is, are you valuable where you are?

Solomon could have complained, I am valuable but no one recognized my value. You ever hear that?

Imagine you wake up at night and it's a blackout. If you have a bright flashlight and a phone, which will you use? Doesn't the phone have a flashlight? Why would you use the flashlight? It's brighter, it was designed for that, and it's available. If it's not available, I'll use my phone. So we need to talk about availability too. That's another message. You can go home and develop this message further.

This is my standard

Verse five. "The food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attendance of his servants and their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings which he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her." (1 Kings 10:5) One translation says she was overwhelmed. We talked about being overwhelmed last week. Her mind was blown. When did somebody last say that when they saw what you're doing?

I prophesy over this church that these things will be your testimonies. When people see the food on your table, you're not cooking to show off, but you'll be able to say, this is my normal diet. I cook to enjoy, not endure. I buy and I eat not to impress. This is my standard. This is my new level.

I remember last year we went to a particular place and bought just a tin of cookies. And when we ate the cookies, what did you say? She's not eating those other cookies again. I said to my wife, this is what a cookie should taste like, not that foolishness on the road. I am never buying that again in my life. This is my standard. That's what I'm talking about. God bringing you to a place where you're saying, this is my standard. You're not trying and talking it up by faith. He has elevated you to that level where you can enjoy things at will.

The seating of his officials. Protocol. Even I have to upgrade myself. I'm trying. My wife is trying. We're working. We're getting there. We've discussed some clothes and we're getting rid of them. Not because they're not good, but they don't suit where we're at and where we want to go.

A few years ago I was talking to Apostle about something along this line, and he said a lawyer friend of his told him he dressed a certain way and went to some place and they just looked at him and minded their own business. When he went back dressed as a lawyer in a suit, you could see the type of attention he got. How you dress, how you carry yourself, speaks a lot. This is an area we need to work on. One thing I've discovered: how we dress and carry ourselves many times is not determined by the amount of money we have. It's determined by here, the mind. That's why we constantly need to have our minds renewed. (Romans 12:2)

God is a God of excellence. Imagine when you go to heaven and you look down and say, wow, He prepared this for me and gave me gold to walk upon. (Revelation 21:21) Are you ready for heaven? Some people are thinking which piece they can dig out.

There are stars that are made of diamonds. Scientists are saying the most valuable resource in the universe, other than us, is timber, trees, because they haven't located that on other planets so far. They've located some made of diamonds and different minerals. That's why they want to mine asteroids to bring minerals to earth. But they can't find timber.

"His cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord." What are we offering in this house? Burnt offering speaks of sacrifice. What are we giving to the Lord? Not just our money. Our time, different things.

The report was true

Verse six. "And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom." (1 Kings 10:6)

Tell them the report is true. We say Throne Room is a place of His presence. The report must be true. Throne Room is a place of healing. The report must be true. Whatever we say we're known by, whatever God gave us, the report must be true. And how do we know the report is true? Because you say it? Because you said God told you? No. You know the report is true when other people can testify. When people come from far and near and receive what they came for. When they can come to Throne Room and experience the presence of God and get healing. Not because we advertise it or put it on social media or on a business card or say it over and over. Whatever the Lord has given to us, people must experience it.

Let us stand.

So you say you can sing. How do we know you can sing? Because you said you're an anointed singer? You know you can sing when people keep asking you to sing. When they enjoy your voice and the melody, and it brings joy to them.

The book standard

Something surprised us when we were talking to Bishop Bloomer about a book. He was asked about the number of pages, and he mentioned that anything under about 160 pages is not a book. Then we realized many people in Guyana are writing and selling books. It wasn't meant to be like that. I'm just sharing. He called it a booklet or something like that, by the international standard. When you place it in Barnes & Noble and those places, it's not considered a book if it doesn't reach a certain number of pages. It may be considered certain things in certain places, but measured to certain standards, it's not a book.

So even myself, I had to go back to the writing desk. We were going to split it in half, in two parts. Then we realized it has to be one book. After that, God started pulling some stuff out of me. There's a chapter, I'm not too sure if it'll be in that book, titled The Worm on the Floor. There's a chapter titled The Trojan Leader. That sounds like another book. There's one we were thinking about releasing first, on the soulless creatures. That's something the Lord impressed in my spirit last year, and I kept asking myself what it could mean, until I started to write and realized what it was speaking about. You have Mountains Are My Floor. That's another book. We're not too sure which will be released first. But there are some interesting chapters that even blew my mind. You'll hear a lot more at the gala. I'm just teasing your mind.

Some of these chapters, like The Trojan Pastor or The Trojan Leader, and one on the leader who refused to swim. Not just teaching, not just revelation, but how it applies to us as individuals, churches and organizations, because some of it addresses organizations also. You'll be hearing more.

Tell your neighbor, the book launch will be on June the 5th. There's a team working on the gala, because it will be launched differently. It will be launched in a big way.

We will not be leaders who refuse to swim. We'll be leaders who swim.

The best in his arena

When the Queen of Sheba went to Solomon, he was a Michael Phelps in his arena. He was a Usain Bolt in his arena. He was a LeBron or a Michael Jordan in his arena. The best of the best. There were many kings, but she chose to go and see Solomon, because there was something about Solomon that spread throughout the world. There's something about you and me that the world needs to see, that the world needs to hear. And we need to find what that is.

International Women's Day

Look at Minister Tracy. Isn't she looking elegant? Look at the Prophetess. Look at Elder Esther. Look at all of these women as we celebrate International Women's Day. Sister Claudette. Put your hands together for all the women in the church. We celebrate you. You're known for your excellent and unending contribution to the world, so that you've been given a whole day. And not just a day. You're always celebrated in the home. We'd love to have a beautiful photo with all of you ladies at the end of the service so we can put it up. We cherish you. We celebrate you.

And if you didn't remember: when God chose to create somebody that looks like Him, walks like Him, talks like Him, He created male and female. (Genesis 1:27) Saying to the males, you could never fully comprehend what I am without the females. You could never really express and enjoy all that I am without a woman.

So you're special. What makes you a woman? It's not a difficult question, even in today's world. When Adam saw Eve he knew she was bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. (Genesis 2:23) But she had certain characteristics he did not have, and one was a womb. She's able to incubate, birth and bring things to life. I carry a seed, but I need a womb. There must be a place that can produce life. That's why they say Mother Earth. That's why certain things are named with feminine characteristics. So we can say all of what a woman is, but if you can't bring things to birth, you are an impostor.

Learn to use AI

Huh? AI generated. Let me just tell you about AI. You better learn to use AI. What the internet was twenty, twenty five years ago, AI is today. Remember when you were doing Excel with macros, setting certain things to automate? Right now you can run those things through Claude or Gemini and paste it into Excel, or have them do it themselves, and you have your reports. I remember fighting with Power BI, business intelligence. Now with AI, even PowerPoints are so simple. You can bring your art to life. We need to learn how to use it, because you'll be left behind. But you also need to learn how to keep certain things offline, or else you'll be in trouble later. Let me leave that there. Some other time I'll do some teaching on that.

You were made for more

You were made for more. That's what I hear God saying to this church. You are made for more. Tell your neighbor, you are made for more. Some of you are not too certain.

Have you ever wondered why there are so many planets? I personally believe I am made to govern one. You look at me strange. How can you be kings and priests? (Revelation 1:6; 5:10) Kings and priests of what? Kings have territories. Domains.

Let me give you a secret that is not a secret. Read about the talents. Those who were given talents and were faithful, when the master returned, what did he say to them? Because you were faithful with this amount, take these cities. (Luke 19:17-19; Matthew 25:21) You'll not be floating in heaven with a harp. God is a creator, and there are things for you to create. When He placed Adam and Eve in the garden, He told them, be fruitful, multiply, subdue. (Genesis 1:28) There are things for you to do, things for you to beautify, things for you to fill.

You are made for more. I still believe I'll see you in Greece, you and your wife, on that vacation.

Come on, prophesy like you believe it to yourself. I was made for more. You haven't seen ten percent of what I'm capable of doing yet. I haven't achieved ten percent of what I will achieve on this earth. You are capable of much, much more.

Some of these young people you're watching, you'll see them in Parliament. Some you'll see in executive offices with their glass corner offices.

When we were in a restaurant in New York, a young woman was watching Pastor Underwood, and she came up and said, "Are you Pastor Underwood? Do you remember me from Sunday school on Lane Avenue? You used to come and pick us up and take us to Sunday school." And now she is a grown woman.

Elder, when we went up there, we stayed in Georgia and travelled to Florida. A beautiful road trip. The young woman who hosted us in her home was somebody Elder taught in Sunday school. So when our first pastor spoke about how many students she had in Sunday school and her faithfulness, I could testify of it, because we spent time with one of those children who is now an adult.

One time she may have been running around in the morning, playing in the mud. Now she has her own beautiful home, paid off. She may not have envisioned driving the vehicle she's driving now, living in the home she's living in now. But she was made for more. And you are made for more.

You will become more than what you are now. I prophesy that over your life. In the next year you will be more. Not just achieve more, but be more. Your own capacity will have increased. Your thinking, your comprehension, your knowledge, and how you see and think of yourself will have drastically changed for the better. Because you weren't just made for more. You have become more.

(Worship: "I Was Made to Worship." Tithes and offering.)