Part Fifteen: Blessing
Pastor Aaron Batchelor Preached on 8/26/2026
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Summary
In the conclusion of the 'Keep Climbing' series, Pastor Aaron Batchelor explores Psalm 134, teaching that the destination of our spiritual journey is not a place or a blessing, but the very presence of God. He calls the church to express heartfelt worship even in the darkest 'night' seasons of life, shifting focus from what God does for us to who God is to us.
Key points
- •The ultimate goal of the Christian life is not personal achievement or even the destination of heaven, but the presence of Jesus himself.
- •True spiritual maturity is marked by 'night worship'-the ability to bless God when the crowd is gone, the miracle hasn't arrived, and the season is dark.
- •Biblical worship involves the body; lifting hands is a physical expression of surrender, desire, celebration, and welcome toward God.
- •Believers must guard against elevating the 'place' (the building or method) over the 'presence,' as God is not confined to specific environments.
- •The climb of faith concludes with 'Blessing the Lord,' which in turn invites God's blessing back upon His people out of Zion.
Scripture
Worship
Spiritual Growth
Faith
Perseverance
Life application
This week, practice 'night worship' by choosing to voice praise or lift your hands in a moment of frustration or waiting, focusing on who God is rather than what you need Him to do.
Reflection questions
- In my current season of life, am I more focused on the blessings I want from God or the presence of the Blesser himself?
- What are the 'hooks' or attachments in my life that make it difficult for me to say, 'Take this whole world, but give me Jesus'?
- How can I cultivate a heart that worships just as fervently in the 'night' as it does in the 'noon' of life?
- When I lift my hands in worship, what is my body communicating to God in that moment (surrender, need, or joy)?
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Full transcript
0:00>> Yes. Glory.
0:00>> Oh yes. Come on. If you're thankful for
0:00the cross and the blood of Calvary, why
0:03don't you give Jesus praise [music]
0:04tonight? Give your savior praise
0:07tonight. Hallelujah. Oh, thank you for
0:10taking my sins away. What a glorious
0:12day. [music]
0:13What a glorious day. Thank you for this
0:16freedom. Thank you for this freedom and
0:18this salvation and this hope.
0:21Hallelujah. [music]
0:26Praise God. Praise God.
0:33>> Praise God. I never want to lose the
0:36wonder of the cross. [snorts] I never
0:39want to lose my thanksgiving and
0:41gratitude for all that Jesus has done
0:44for me. When I think back to the burden
0:46of sin that we used to carry, the load
0:49that we were under, the shame that
0:52almost took us out. But Jesus stepped in
0:54and rescued me. Oh, when I think of the
0:57goodness of Jesus and all he's done for
1:00me. When I stand at the foot of the
1:02cross, I can't help but lift my hands
1:04and thank thank God for the blood. I
1:07just got to praise tonight. Thank you.
1:09Hallelujah. Come on. Can [music] we
1:11praise him one more time tonight? Come
1:13on. He that the son is set free is free
1:15indeed. If you got nothing else to thank
1:18him for, would you thank him for the
1:19great salvation? Would you thank him for
1:22eternal life tonight?
1:31Yes, Jesus. If you never did one more
1:33thing for me, I want to say thank you.
1:35If you never answered one more prayer, I
1:37want to say thank you. You've done
1:39already so much for me. I give you
1:42praise tonight. Hallelujah.
1:45Praise God. Praise God. Amen. Well, I
1:49feel a faith and a praise in the house
1:51tonight. Aren't you glad that you came
1:52to Bible study?
1:54>> Amen. Me, too. I'm glad to see your
1:57smiling faces. Glad that you're here
1:59tonight in the presence of the Lord.
2:00Could we give it up for our wonderful
2:02sages ministry and we thank the Lord for
2:04them. Thank you. Those that come early
2:08to practice and are giving of
2:09themselves. Thank God for your ministry.
2:12And thank you for taking us back every
2:14once in a while. We need to be taken
2:15back and to remember all the goodness of
2:18God and what he's done for us. Amen. In
2:20fact, it ties so beautifully into Psalm
2:23134, which is where we are concluding
2:26our 15week series. Keep climbing.
2:31Amen. Now, I don't know if you're
2:33clapping because we're finally done or
2:35if you're clapping because it blessed
2:36you. It doesn't matter. Either way,
2:38we're finishing tonight the series. Keep
2:41climbing. And I'm so glad that we've
2:43been on this journey together from Psalm
2:46120 to Psalm 134 through the songs of
2:49ascent as these pilgrims were singing
2:51making their way to Jerusalem. We've
2:54seen a journey of a disciple. And so
2:57we're going to begin in Psalm 134 and
3:00verse 1. How many love the word of the
3:02Lord tonight? Don't you just love the
3:04word? All scripture.
3:07All scripture. Somebody say all
3:09scripture.
3:10>> All scripture. Not just the favorite
3:12verses that I have, but all scripture is
3:16given by inspiration of God. In other
3:18words, God breathed it. God inspired
3:21them to write it. And it's amazing to me
3:23throughout the 66 books of your Bible,
3:26how God spoke to them one redemptive
3:28story all throughout prophecies that
3:30were fulfilled and are being fulfilled
3:32in our generation. I love his word
3:34because all scripture is given by
3:37inspiration of God. God breathed and is
3:39profitable. Somebody say it's
3:40profitable. It is profitable. Say it
3:43again. Say it's profitable. Touch
3:46somebody. Tell them it's profitable.
3:48You know, there's some things that we
3:50make investments in that we just hope
3:52are profitable. But the word of God is
3:55forever settled in heaven and it's
3:57profitable.
3:59>> It's profitable. Now, perhaps not in the
4:01way we always think or want because the
4:03scripture goes on to say it's profitable
4:06for doctrine. Oh, I love the doctrine. I
4:08love something that keeps me grounded
4:10for doctrine for reproof.
4:14That's not one of my favorites, [snorts]
4:17but it's profitable. Reproof is
4:19profitable. I had somebody, a young man
4:22I was so thankful for that was telling
4:23me just a few days ago how they were
4:25thanking the Lord for correcting them
4:27because the Bible says that the Lord
4:30corrects those whom he loves.
4:33I'd be scared to death if God stopped
4:35correcting me because somewhere along
4:36the way I didn't pick up a teachable
4:38spirit. Somewhere along the way I
4:40stopped humbling myself under the mighty
4:41hand of God. I want God to correct me.
4:44Whatever he's got to do, he's already
4:46done so much for me. We just sang about
4:48called the cross of Calvary down at the
4:50cross that whatever he tells me, I know
4:52it's profitable. Somebody say it's
4:54profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
4:56for correction, and for instruction in
5:01righteousness. When you don't know what
5:03to do and how to do it, the word of God
5:06is instruction for righteousness. It
5:09helps us that the man of God may be
5:11perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all
5:13good works so we can be complete and
5:14whole so that we lack nothing. So, I'm
5:16thankful for the word of God tonight.
5:18I'm thankful that you're here and we
5:20want to dive right into what the spirit
5:22is saying to the church in these last
5:24days. Psalm 134, Behold, bless ye the
5:28Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which
5:32by night stand in the house of the Lord.
5:35Lift up your hands. We did some of that
5:37tonight. Lift up your hands in the
5:39sanctuary and bless the Lord. The Lord
5:42that made heaven and earth bless thee
5:45out of Zion. Praise God. Amen to the
5:48word of the Lord. Heavenly Father, I
5:50thank you for your wonderful people here
5:52tonight. I thank you for their hunger
5:54and desire to know you, to draw close to
5:56you. That's why we've gathered together.
5:57It's not mere ritual or duty that we are
6:00here, but it's because we love you and
6:02we love your word and we are desperate
6:04to know you. And I pray that you would
6:06speak to us, Lord. Whether or not it's
6:08something that I was hoping to hear, I
6:11pray that what I hear that I will also
6:13do no matter what it says because your
6:16word is forever settled and I need my
6:18life to be settled. So I pray that you
6:21would let the word be mixed with faith
6:23and those that hear it tonight and help
6:25us, oh Lord, to be attentive to your
6:27spirit. We give you all the glory and we
6:29will bless you at all times and your
6:33praise will forever be in our mouth. In
6:35Jesus name we pray. And everybody said,
6:37"Amen."
6:38>> You can be seated in the presence of the
6:40Lord. Well, concerning the series, we
6:43made it to the top.
6:46>> That's right.
6:48For several weeks, we've been climbing.
6:51Psalm 120 is where we started. It was a
6:53long way from Psalm 134. It started with
6:57a man saying, "In my distress, I cried
7:01unto the Lord." But Psalm 134, Jes we
7:04just read, doesn't sound distressed. It
7:06sounds like worship. Psalm 120 starts
7:10far away from Jerusalem, but Psalm 134
7:13ends up in the sanctuary. Psalm 120
7:16begins, as the psalmist wrote,
7:17surrounded by lying lips and people who
7:20hate peace. Psalm 134 ends surrounded by
7:24the servants of the Lord lifting up
7:27their hands in the sanctuary. And I
7:29think that speaks to us tonight that we
7:32shouldn't judge our journey by where we
7:34started. We just have to keep climbing.
7:38The enemy would love nothing more than
7:40to discourage us from where we started
7:43because of how we started and why we
7:45started and where we started. But if
7:47we'll make up our minds to just keep on
7:50climbing, then you and Jesus make a
7:53majority. As my prayer minister years
7:55ago used to say, you just got to keep
7:57climbing. Somebody say, keep climbing.
8:00>> You may have started distressed. You may
8:02have started confused or started
8:04surrounded by things that you needed to
8:06leave behind. But if you'll keep
8:08climbing, God can take you somewhere you
8:11couldn't see when you started. And last
8:14week we discussed Psalm 133 about unity.
8:17We parttook of communion together. What
8:19a beautiful presence of the Lord was
8:21here. Behold, how good and how pleasant
8:24it is for brethren to dwell together in
8:26unity. And we discovered there's
8:28blessings that God doesn't pour on just
8:31isolated individuals. There are
8:33blessings that God commands where people
8:36dwell together in unity. And so we've
8:39climbed through these different psalms.
8:42We've climbed through distress and
8:43danger and tears and waiting and
8:46obedience and conflict. And now we
8:49finally arrive at Psalm 134. And after
8:52everything we've learned, everything
8:54we've survived, everything that God has
8:56done, what do you do when you finally
8:59reach the top? The psalmist says, "Bless
9:04ye the Lord." You worship. When you
9:08reach the top, you worship. Because
9:11here's the point. The first point I want
9:13you us to remember tonight from this
9:14Psalm 134 is the climb was always about
9:19his presence.
9:22>> Bless ye the Lord in the house of the
9:24Lord. It was always about him. This is
9:27where the entire journey of a disciple
9:30of your life and mine is heading. The
9:34house of the Lord. Those Jewish
9:37pilgrims, they didn't climb just to see
9:39Jerusalem as some architectural marvel.
9:42They came because God's presence was
9:45associated with Jerusalem and with Zion.
9:49Or at least that's the way that it was
9:51supposed to always be. There did come a
9:54time when Jesus was walking here for
9:56three years on this earth during he as
9:59during his ministry. And there came a
10:01time whenever the Jewish people they
10:05became more attached to the place rather
10:07than to the presence of God. In fact,
10:10Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and in
10:13three days I'll raise it up up again."
10:15Of course, he was talking about his
10:17physical body, but they they they took
10:19exception to that. They said 46 years it
10:22took for this temple to be built and
10:24you're going to destroy it in three
10:25days. Jesus wasn't against the temple.
10:27In fact, he called the temple his
10:29father's house. He said, "My father's
10:32house shall be called a house of
10:34prayer." The problem was is that when
10:36they promoted the place over his
10:38presence, they did that until they
10:41didn't even recognize God's presence
10:43standing in human form in front of them.
10:46We've got to be careful, church of the
10:48living God, that we don't elevate the
10:50place over the presence.
10:54>> Otherwise, we may not even recognize if
10:56God ever leaves the building. We may
10:59never even recognize that the presence
11:01of God has even gone anywhere or is even
11:04present when we elevate the place over
11:07the building. And I believe another
11:08reason is because if the place ever
11:11becomes the focal point in our spiritual
11:13journey, if the place is ever disturbed
11:16or changed or shaken or even taken away,
11:20then we can mistakenly believe as I have
11:22heard in my office recently that the
11:24presence of God has left with it.
11:27Sometimes God will allow the place to be
11:31shaken because we have become too
11:33dependent upon the place where we're at
11:36and we start thinking God has to do it
11:39this way and God has to move in this
11:41environment and God has to use this
11:43person and God has to work through this
11:45method. It has to feel like it used to
11:48feel. But God says I'm not confined to
11:52the place where you first encountered
11:54me. Which is why I want to admonish you
11:56tonight. Don't confuse a change in the
11:59place with a departure of the presence
12:03of God.
12:04>> The room may change, the season may
12:07change, the people around you may
12:09change, and the method may change, and
12:11what foods familiar to you may be
12:13disturbed, but God has not moved on.
12:16Just because something around you has
12:19moved. The absence of feeling the
12:22presence of God does not mean that God
12:24is absent. And so tonight, I want to
12:27reiterate whatever you do, don't miss
12:30the point of the climb. Cause the point
12:33of this journey, the point of coming to
12:35church, the point of reading your Bible,
12:38the point of fasting, the point of all
12:40that you do in your spiritual endeavors
12:43to pursue on this climb that we're on is
12:46the presence of God. We can become so
12:50focused on climbing that climbing itself
12:54becomes the goal.
12:56So we endeavor to get better. We
12:58endeavor to grow. We endeavor to
13:00accomplish and build and advance and
13:02become successful and reach another
13:04level. There's nothing like that. I I
13:06there nothing wrong with that rather.
13:08But following Jesus is not just about
13:11becoming a better version of yourself.
13:16Well, the goal is God.
13:20>> Oh Lord, help me tonight. The goal is
13:22the presence of Jesus.
13:25>> The goal is not for us to even feel
13:28better.
13:30>> Oh Lord, help us right now. last chapter
13:32and I'm having to bust up some old
13:34mindsets and theology that we have
13:36sucked ourselves into believing because
13:38we've read all the self-help books and
13:40we have swallowed the pill into
13:42believing that this Christianity is
13:44about us when in fact it is not and
13:46we've got to crucify our flesh every
13:48single day cuz my flesh like your flesh
13:51gets up every day and just is concerned
13:54about feeding itself. But whenever
13:56you're following after Jesus, the goal
13:59is always been about God. Psalm 73 says,
14:03"Whom have I in heaven but thee, and
14:06there is none upon the earth that I
14:10desire beside thee? God is the strength
14:13of my heart and my portion forever." In
14:16other words, the psalmist said, "Even
14:17heaven wouldn't be heaven without your
14:20presence." In John 17, Jesus defines
14:24eternal life that he shed his blood to
14:27purchase for us. And he said, "This is
14:29what eternal life is, that they might
14:31know thee, the only true God and Jesus
14:35Christ, whom thou hast sent." Eternal
14:38life is not just this endless existence
14:41that after we die, our physical death,
14:44that we just endlessly exist. Eternal
14:47life itself is knowing God. That's
14:51eternal life. Revelation 21 at the end
14:55of the entire biblical story says,
14:57"Behold, the tabernacle of God is with
15:01men, and he will dwell with them."
15:04Genesis that begins with humanity losing
15:07intimate fellowship with God. And
15:09Revelation ends with God dwelling with
15:12humanity again because it's all about
15:16him.
15:17Revelation 22 might be the ultimate
15:20scripture for this point. His servants
15:23shall serve him and they shall see his
15:27face. Somebody say, "They shall see his
15:29face."
15:30>> Say it again. They shall see his face.
15:34>> After everything in Revelation, after
15:37the new Jerusalem, after the gates of
15:39pearl, after the streets of gold, after
15:42the river of life, the climax is not
15:45they saw the city. That's not the climax
15:47of heaven. The climax of heaven is they
15:50shall see his face. Woo! I want to see
15:55my savior's face. I want to look in his
15:57face. I want to see his eyes and then
16:01we'll be like him. And then we'll be
16:04completely transformed and changed. And
16:07I think that's why Moses understood
16:09that. He said in Exodus 33, "If thy
16:12presence does not go with me, carry us
16:16not up hence." In other words, Moses
16:18said, "God, I don't want the destination
16:21without your presence. I don't just want
16:23the blessing. I want the blesser. I
16:26don't just want healing. I want Jesus. I
16:29don't just want provision. I want the
16:31provider. I don't just want the marriage
16:34or better finances or better
16:36circumstances or better life. I want
16:39Jesus. Mama, they used to sing the old
16:42song, take this whole world, but give me
16:45Jesus. But I got to confess something to
16:47you tonight. I don't think old Aaron
16:49self would really like to sing that
16:52song. Cuz there's a whole lot of things
16:53in this world that glitter that Aaron's
16:56flesh would still like to have. But when
16:58you're following after Jesus, when your
17:00whole heart is after his presence,
17:02there's something that dig deeps within
17:04you. Even if it is through tears and
17:06even if it is through pain, even if it
17:08is through some things that you don't
17:10get and you say, "I just want his
17:12presence. I just want Jesus."
17:18>> I'm not sure we believe that yet or uh
17:21tonight or not. We've been growing up in
17:22a westernized culture of materialism
17:25that talks about all the things. Even
17:27within the church, we grow up thinking
17:30that we've got to have all of these
17:31certain things and experiences in life
17:33in order to be complete. But what did
17:36Jesus tell that rich young ruler that
17:38had everything going for him in his
17:40life? And he had followed all the ten
17:42commandments. But Jesus looked at him
17:43and said, "One thing thou lackest. One
17:45thing you're going to miss, bud. One
17:47thing that if you don't get this right,
17:49it's not going to be worth it following
17:50me because you're going to leave
17:51disappointed and frustrated." But Jesus
17:54looked at him and said, "Sell everything
17:55that you've got and then come follow
17:57me." He found the one thing that was
17:59still the hook in that young man's life.
18:02And I've got more than one hook that
18:04Jesus has in me right now that he's
18:06saying, "Aaron, I still need you to give
18:07up some things. I still need you to
18:09follow after me." And the point that
18:11Jesus was trying to make to that rich
18:13young ruler was this life is not about
18:16what you get out of it. It's about me.
18:19It's about him. It's about his presence.
18:22It's about Jesus.
18:26That's what the life is all about. Maybe
18:28we've done a disservice. I don't know,
18:29Bishop. Not in your generation, but
18:31perhaps my generation has done a
18:33disservice from the pulpit whenever we
18:35preached, which I believe is biblical
18:37about blessings. And we preach about God
18:39wanting to bless your life and give you
18:41things. And we're going to talk a little
18:42bit about that. But you can't understand
18:44those things until you first understand
18:46the cost. As Jesus said, you got to
18:48count the cost. If you're going to
18:50follow him, you got to look at your life
18:52and say, "Is it worth it? Everything
18:53that I'm giving up, is it worth it?" And
18:56I would tell you that if you only look
18:58at the list like I have of things that
19:00you get out of living for God versus
19:02what you give up, it's not going to look
19:04fair.
19:06>> Oh, I I know that's not a shouting
19:08point. And I know some believers, it
19:10sucks the room out of the air for them
19:11to think, "Well, my God, if it's not
19:13fair, then what do we do?" You know what
19:15we do is what we sang about tonight. You
19:17know what causes that that the balances
19:19to tip in in favor of following after
19:21Jesus is when I look at the cross.
19:25>> Yeah. Well, yeah. Well, Lord, when I
19:26look at the cross and everything that he
19:28could have and and all the things that
19:30he could have called down from heaven to
19:32save him and everything that he could
19:34have done to wear the earthly crown and
19:36set himself up an earthly kingdom at
19:38that time and Jesus didn't. But when I
19:40look at the cross and how he died and
19:42how he suffered and how he bled and how
19:45he gave everything for love, how he gave
19:47everything for me, how can I simply come
19:50to him with a Santa Claus list and say,
19:52"Unless you do this for me, I can't
19:54follow after you." And yet I find Aaron
19:56Bachelor come to the prayer closet
19:59sometimes and all. I'm I'm speaking
20:01about myself because I don't want to
20:02step on your toes tonight. So, let me
20:04just talk about Aaron when he comes to
20:06the prayer closet and says, "God, unless
20:07you do these three things, I'm not sure
20:09my faith is really going to stand. I
20:11know that I've gotten my eyes off the
20:13cross.
20:15I know I've gotten my eyes off the
20:16sacrifice. I know I've gotten my eyes
20:19off of what Jesus paid the price cuz
20:22he's a high priest that has been touched
20:24with the feelings of my infirmities. He
20:26understands my pain. He understands my
20:28frustration. He understands my hurt. He
20:31understands my dark days, my light days,
20:33my happy days, my sad days better than
20:36anybody else. And if I get my eyes off
20:39of all of those things and just simply
20:41look at him, I'll I'll realize that this
20:43whole climb wasn't about what I could
20:45get out of it. The climb was always
20:48about Jesus.
20:51>> It is possible. I've been here. As
20:54embarrassing as it is to confess to you
20:57tonight, it's possible to become so
21:00consumed with what God is doing for us
21:03that we lose our hunger for God himself.
21:07After 14 psalms, the pilgrims arrive and
21:10there's no trophy ceremony. Nobody says,
21:12"Well, look how far we climb." Nobody's
21:14slapping each other on the back. They
21:16say, "Bless ye the Lord."
21:19The greatest thing waiting for you at
21:21the top is not achievement. It is his
21:24presence.
21:28>> So that brings us to the second point
21:30that the psalmist showed us and that's
21:32this. Worship God even in the night.
21:36There's an easily overlooked phrase in
21:38verse one. Which by night stand in the
21:42house of the Lord. The temple could
21:44close to the public. But the ministry of
21:47the temple never stopped.
21:49The flame, the candles were to continue
21:52to burn. The guards were to continue to
21:54stand. The pilgrims would go home. The
21:57crowds would disappear. The gates would
21:58shut. But somebody was still there. And
22:01the psalmist said, "Behold, bless ye the
22:03Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
22:05which stand by night in the house of the
22:07Lord." Somebody had to keep the fire
22:10burning when everybody else goes home.
22:14The mark of spiritual maturity isn't
22:18only that you can worship when the house
22:20is full. It's when the crowd is gone.
22:23It's when the excitement is over. It's
22:26when nobody is watching you, that you're
22:29still at your post, which by night stand
22:33in the house of the Lord. The psalmist
22:35says, "When it comes nighttime, in the
22:38night, bless him there, too." There is a
22:41worship that only happens at night.
22:46It's easy to worship at noon when you
22:50can see,
22:52when everything makes sense, when the
22:55answer comes, when the prayer was
22:57answered, and when everybody is
22:59celebrating around you. But there is a
23:01another kind of worship. It's called
23:03night worship.
23:05It's called night worship. Job had it.
23:08He lost all of his children. He lost all
23:11of his possessions. His world collapsed
23:14around him. And Job 1:20 says that he
23:18arose, rent his mantle, shaved his head,
23:22fell down upon the ground, and
23:25worshiped. He did not worship because it
23:28didn't hurt. He worshiped while it was
23:32hurting. It was a night worship for Job.
23:35It was a night season where he said,
23:37"Though he slay me, yet will I trust
23:39him." In Acts 16, Paul and Silas are
23:42beaten. They're bleeding. Their feet are
23:44locked in stocks. And at midnight,
23:47somebody say midnight. It was at
23:49midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and they
23:52sang praises unto God. It was midnight.
23:55Cuz some worship can only be learned in
23:58darkness. There's a praise that you give
24:01God because he brought you out. But
24:03there's another praise that before you
24:06know whether he's going to bring you
24:07out. That's a different kind of praise.
24:10That's a different kind of worship.
24:12That's a Lord gave me and the Lord had
24:14taken away, but blessed be the name of
24:17the Lord type of worship. That's Habach
24:20saying, "Even if the fig tree doesn't
24:22blossom and even if there's nothing in
24:24the fields and even if the stalls are
24:26empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord."
24:30You got to make up your mind, church.
24:32You got to make up your mind that I'm
24:33going to bless the Lord at all times,
24:35and his praise shall continually be in
24:38my mouth. You got to make up your mind
24:39like Paul commended the church and said,
24:41"Rejoice in the Lord always." And again,
24:44I say, I just got to repeat it. Paul
24:46wrote, "And again I say, rejoice." You
24:48got to rejoice in the Lord.
24:51>> Anybody can worship when the miracle
24:53happens, but can you worship while
24:56you're waiting? Can you worship when the
24:58problem isn't fixed yet? When the child
25:00hasn't come home yet? When the prayer
25:02hasn't been answered? When you don't
25:03understand what God is doing. Psalm 134
25:07says, "It's in the night. And if it's in
25:09the night, keep on worshiping." Can I
25:12help somebody tonight and say this?
25:14Don't let the darkness determine whether
25:18God deserves your worship.
25:23>> Oh, I'm thankful cuz the scripture says
25:25that when he was hanging on the cross,
25:27night fell across that entire city. A
25:29time whenever it wasn't supposed to be
25:30dark, but the sun was darken in the
25:33middle of that cross. I'm glad that
25:34Jesus didn't hop down off the cross and
25:36go, "You know what? This is a little bit
25:37too dark for me." I'm so glad that he
25:39stood there faithfully. I'm so glad that
25:42he gave his spirit. I'm so glad he gave
25:44his blood. I'm so glad that he stayed on
25:47the cross. And I will grow weary. I will
25:49grow faint in my mind unless I keep my
25:52eyes on Jesus. And if I keep my eyes on
25:55Jesus, I can worship in the night.
25:59>> Oh yes, I can worship in the night.
26:00Lord, help us right now. I can worship
26:02in the night. You got to shake yourself.
26:04Sometimes you got to shake yourself like
26:07Samson shook himself. Sometimes you get
26:09yourself in the mess and sometimes other
26:11people get you in the mess and sometimes
26:13life just happens like it's a mess. But
26:15sometimes you got to just shake yourself
26:17and say, "I will bless the Lord. I'm
26:19still going to keep on trusting God. I'm
26:21still going to keep on believing in the
26:22night. Ye servants of the Lord which by
26:25night lift up your hands in the
26:27sanctuary."
26:29>> Which brings us to the next point in the
26:31psalm. Don't just feel worship, express
26:34it. Amen.
26:36>> Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and
26:39bless the Lord.
26:42>> Lift up your hands.
26:44>> Biblical worship is not something that
26:47merely happens internally.
26:50There are moments when what is happening
26:53inside of me ought to become visible
26:56outside of me.
26:58The Bible talks about clapping your
27:00hands and shouting unto God and singing
27:02and dancing and bowing and kneeling and
27:06standing and lifting your hands. We lift
27:08our hands.
27:11>> You know why we lift our hands? Why?
27:13What's such a strange thing? Why do we
27:14lift our hands? Because our bodies
27:17communicate.
27:19>> Your bodies are communicating right now.
27:22Good things. Good things. But they're
27:23communicating.
27:26When a teacher in school asked a
27:28question, if you knew the answer, what
27:29would you do?
27:31>> Anybody know the answer tonight?
27:34>> If somebody points a gun at you,
27:38>> that's called surrender.
27:41If a child wants their auntie or their
27:44mother or their father, hands go up.
27:48>> That's called desire.
27:50When a team scores with just seconds
27:53left on the clock, hands go up. That's
27:56called a celebration.
27:58>> When somebody that you love walks
28:01through the airport after being gone a
28:03long while, the arms go out cuz that's
28:05called a welcome. So when I lift up my
28:08hands towards God, those hands can say,
28:10"I surrender or I welcome you or I need
28:14you or I receive you or you're my answer
28:17or I celebrate you or I belong to you."
28:20There's a reason we express our worship
28:22with lifted hands. There's a reason why
28:25we close our eyes or cry. There's a
28:27reason why we sing. It's in the
28:29sanctuary.
28:33>> We let worship express itself. There
28:36ought to be something about God's people
28:38gathering together that gives us
28:39permission to worship without
28:41embarrassment.
28:44>> Nobody
28:46Nobody should have to apologize for
28:49worshiping Jesus in this house.
28:53I know I said it strong and I said it
28:55fierce cuz I believe it with every core
28:57of my being. But nobody should have to
29:00apologize
29:01for getting with Jesus in worship.
29:05[cheering]
29:07>> Oh God help us if we ever become like
29:10the crowd who just pressed in on Jesus,
29:13but we ignored the woman that needed
29:15something from Jesus and pressed her way
29:17through. God forgive us if we become so
29:20accustomed to the presence of God that
29:23we ignore the people who are crying out
29:25like Bararddmus Jesus thou son of David
29:28nobody should have to apologize for
29:31worshiping nobody should have to
29:33apologize for crying out and getting
29:35noisy and raising their hand oh I'm
29:38coming against that spirit right now not
29:40in this I'm just telling you the spirit
29:42of the antichrist is working in these
29:44latter days that is trying to silence
29:46the church and silence against the
29:48worshippers and keep us in shame and to
29:50keep us quiet. But all the worshiper
29:53going to worship in spirit. And we're
29:55going to worship in truth. And we're
29:57going to love the Lord our God with all
29:59our heart and with all our soul and with
30:02all our mind and with all our strength.
30:07>> If he's worthy in your heart, don't be
30:10ashamed to make him worthy with your
30:13hands. [snorts]
30:16Oh, I know we're accustomed to it, but
30:18just go ahead and practice it right now
30:19and lift up those hands and lift up your
30:22voice while you're seated. And why don't
30:23you just bless you the Lord, all ye
30:25servants of the Lord. You're watching
30:27online right now, raise those hands in
30:29the hospital room. Raise those hands in
30:31the living room and bless you the Lord.
30:33Come on, that's it. Just go ahead and
30:35express your worship. Express your
30:37praise and thanksgiving to him. I want
30:39you. I need you. I celebrate you. I love
30:43you. You still matter more to me than
30:45anything in this world. Jesus.
30:51>> Oh yes, God.
30:55[applause]
31:04[cheering]
31:06>> Yes. [screaming]
31:07God, you know what's sometimes I get a
31:09little noisy. Not for anybody else
31:10around me to stir you up. Sometimes I
31:13got to awaken Aaron's soul. I got to
31:15awaken praise within me. Sometimes I got
31:17to wake myself up and say, "Get out of
31:19the funk you've been in and bless ye the
31:21Lord." Get up out of the funk you've
31:23been in and stop believing the lies of
31:25yourself and the lies of your enemy and
31:28trust in the name of the Lord again. And
31:30sometimes I just got to
31:34I know it's crazy. It's loud. I know it
31:37disturbs people's peace, but I just got
31:40to lift him up. I got to bless him at
31:42all [screaming]
31:43times.
31:45Go ahead and bless him for a moment
31:47right now. Come on. If you got it in
31:49you, go ahead and stir it up. Stir it up
31:51within you and bless him right now. In
31:54the night, worship him in the day.
31:56Worship him when it's good. Worship him
31:59when it's dark. Worship him.
32:02[cheering]
32:03>> I will bless you, Lord.
32:09>> [applause]
32:11>> Come on, friends. Walk away, but I'm
32:13still going to bless you, Lord. It ain't
32:15working out right like the way I thought
32:17it was going to work out, but I'm going
32:18to bless you, Lord. I'm going to lift up
32:21my heavy hands, and I'm going to bless
32:22your name. You are the strength of my
32:25life. Your grace is sufficient for me. I
32:28will bless you.
32:31[cheering and applause]
32:38>> [applause and cheering]
32:40>> Come on. Go ahead. Come on. It may not
32:42fix your situation tonight, but it'll
32:44sure fix you. Come on. It'll fix you.
32:46It'll put you back into alignment so
32:48that the joy of the Lord is your
32:51strength.
32:57[cheering and applause]
33:02>> [cheering]
33:03[applause]
33:06>> Oh,
33:09>> I want to sing. [cheering]
33:14[applause]
33:16[cheering]
33:19[applause]
33:21>> Oh.
33:24[cheering]
33:25[applause]
33:33>> [cheering]
33:36>> Oh, it's about him, church. I said it's
33:39all about him. It's always been about
33:40his presence.
33:42Come on, take your heart back right now.
33:45Take your mind back to the altar. Take
33:47your heart back to the altar. Take your
33:49heart back to his presence. It's always
33:52been about Jesus. [cheering]
33:57>> [applause]
34:01[cheering]
34:18>> Oh, I will bless you, Lord.
34:26Oh, I will bless you, Lord.
34:41[snorts]
34:43>> That's why the songs like this mean so
34:45much to me. That's why the songs like
34:48this help center me and bring me back.
34:51I' I've asked God to forgive me. I know
34:53I've been a little transparent and I
34:54just asked God to forgive me, Bishop,
34:56cuz you understand. You know, you
34:58[snorts] get so busy and caught up with
35:00church work and church things and good
35:04things
35:06that you forget, Sister Sheny, you you
35:09forget your first love.
35:14My first love.
35:18I realize Aaron has trouble, brother
35:20level, loving other people
35:23when I've lost my first love.
35:29I went back. I don't know what I don't
35:32know what you have to do tonight,
35:35but I'll tell you where Aaron Batshaw
35:37went back. I take myself back to times
35:40when I put on my cassette tapes. Yeah,
35:42I'm that old. Put cassette tapes on. And
35:45I listen to worship songs when nobody
35:47else was around and I just worship and I
35:50just sing
35:52and I just I just try to get lost in his
35:55presence.
35:57And these songs like this,
36:00falling in love
36:04with Jesus.
36:10Falling in love
36:13with Jesus.
36:15[singing]
36:19>> Falling in love
36:22with [singing] Jesus.
36:25[music]
36:25>> Listen, is the best thing I've ever
36:29[singing]
36:31>> ever done.
36:32>> I have to take myself back to those
36:34words. is the best thing.
36:36>> I have to remind myself that the best
36:38thing about this life, it's not the
36:41stuff that I accumulate. It's not even
36:43all the prayers that God has answered.
36:45The best thing about living for the Lord
36:48is the Lord himself.
36:52>> The best thing about living for Jesus is
36:56Jesus himself. I wonder if you just
36:58close your eyes, servants of the Lord. I
37:01wonder if just standing, sitting,
37:02wherever you need to do, kneeling, just
37:05get lost in his presence right now. Come
37:07on. I'm watching the clock. We got time.
37:09I wonder if you just take a moment right
37:10now to just find you a place with Jesus
37:15>> and fall back in love.
37:18>> Falling in love. Hey,
37:22>> with Jesus.
37:26Oh,
37:27>> falling in love. Come on, reach for him.
37:30Call on him. Lay aside every weight and
37:34sin that does so easily beset us
37:38and
37:39>> fall in love with Jesus
37:43cuz it's the best thing. Come on right
37:47there. Wherever you're watching from,
37:48whatever room you're in, it's just you
37:51and Jesus right now. Come on, sing to
37:53him.
37:55Oh, falling in love
37:58with Jesus. I'm sorry I distanced myself
38:02from you. I'm sorry I doubted you. I'm
38:06sorry I got lost in the busyiness of it
38:08all. I'm sorry, Lord, I made it about my
38:11position and not about your presence.
38:14I'm sorry that I elevated the place I
38:18was in above the presence that I've got.
38:21He's the best thing I've ever
38:26>> I've ever done
38:28in his arms.
38:31I remind myself in his arms.
38:35>> Oh, I feel
38:38protected
38:40in his arms.
38:42>> In his arms. [singing]
38:44>> Oh, never disconnected.
38:48Connected. Oh, I got [crying] to keep
38:50myself in his arms.
38:51>> In his arms.
38:53>> Yes, I feel
38:57protected.
38:59There's no place I'd rather
39:03be in his arms. Oh, come on. Think about
39:06it. Think about it. Call his name.
39:09>> In his arms,
39:12I feel
39:15protected.
39:18Oh, in his arms.
39:21Never did
39:24connected [singing and music]
39:27in his arms.
39:30Oh, I feel
39:33protected. [singing]
39:35There's no place I'd rather
39:39be. Come on, fall in love with him
39:41tonight. Fall in love.
39:46Lord, [crying] I'm sorry that I doubted.
39:49I I got far from Calvary.
39:53>> I'm sorry, Lord,
39:55>> but I'm thankful that you never left me.
39:58>> Thank you that you didn't give up on me.
40:01>> Thank you that you're not so easily
40:03offended by my disobedience and by my
40:05doubt.
40:07>> Thank you that you care for me, God,
40:08when other people don't understand me.
40:10You know me. You know my thoughts from a
40:13far off, oh God. You see, you love me,
40:17Lord.
40:21>> Falling in love
40:24with Jesus. [screaming]
40:30>> Falling in [singing] love
40:32with Jesus.
40:35>> Oh, I bless you.
40:37>> I bless you, Jesus.
40:39>> Falling in love.
40:40>> I bless you, Jesus. with you.
40:43>> I honor you. Jesus said,
40:45>> "It's the best thing [singing and music]
40:47I've ever
40:50ever done."
40:51>> And it is ours. It is ours. [singing]
40:56>> In his arms.
40:58>> Oh, I feel
41:01protected.
41:05>> In his arms, never disconnected.
41:09Jesus
41:14[music]
41:16I feel
41:19protected. [singing]
41:21There's no place I'd ra
41:25be in his arms. Oh hold me Jesus. Draw
41:31me back to you, Lord.
41:34I feel
41:36protected
41:39[music] in his arms.
41:42Never disconnected.
41:48In his arms,
41:51a
41:54protected.
41:56There's no place I'd rather
42:00be.
42:05>> Come on, that's it. Just you and Jesus
42:06right now. Come on, that's it. Reach out
42:09to him. Reach out to him, oh Lord. Oh
42:13Lord.
42:19[snorts]
42:20Oh Jesus.
42:23Oh Jesus.
42:36Oh yes, God.
42:53Oh Jesus.
42:55Take me back. Take me back, Lord.
42:59Take me back.
43:02Take me back to my first love.
43:05Take me back, Lord.
43:10Take me back to my first love.
43:14Take me back.
43:33Oh yes, God.
43:46Fore! Foreign! Foreign!
43:57Saturn. We are so mercy.
44:14>> [singing]
44:15>> Austia.
44:51Thank you.
45:44There's a sweet presence of the Lord
45:46that is here right now
45:49and he's speaking to somebody.
45:54He's speaking to somebody right now.
46:10>> [screaming]
46:25>> The hours have come. There's no turning
46:29back.
46:30You must go. You must walk.
46:34I am standing right here. I am before
46:37you.
46:39I have not left you.
46:41>> The hour has come. You must go. No
46:45turning back. I have not left you. I'm
46:50standing right here before you. You
46:53know, I answer. Don't turn your ear.
46:57Don't turn back. Walk. Come forth.
47:02I have not left you. I'm standing right
47:05here. The hour is now.
47:09Yes Lord. Hallelujah.
47:22>> We are standing.
47:31Jesus.
47:48We are
48:14Haraboko shut your mind.
48:31We are standing
48:40on the holy [singing]
48:44ground.
48:51>> And I [singing]
48:52know
48:54that there
48:56are angels
48:59[singing and music]
49:01all around.
49:08[snorts]
49:09Let us pray.
49:15>> [singing]
49:18>> Jesus
49:20now
49:26for we [singing]
49:28are standing
49:31in
49:34his presence
49:36on hold
49:40they
49:43You know, we haven't done this in a long
49:45time, but we're going to do this right
49:47now in these two aisles, this aisle and
49:52this aisle right here. If you need a
49:54touch from God, I don't care what it is.
49:56It doesn't matter if you just need hands
49:58laid on you tonight. You just need the
50:00Lord to touch your life in some
50:02supernatural special way. If you want
50:04the Lord to touch you, we're going to
50:05take time to do this. I want you to line
50:07up just right here at this front line.
50:10Just right here all the way to the back.
50:12Just one right after the other. I'm
50:13going to ask brother Levelville, Bishop,
50:16Dad. I'm going to ask you, my
50:17father-in-law, I just want you to come.
50:20We're going to lay hands on you and just
50:22when when you get done praying, just
50:23walk through so others can come through.
50:25But I want you to line up. If you It
50:26doesn't matter what it is. Don't be
50:28bashful. Don't be ashamed. This aisle
50:30and this aisle. We're going to do two
50:31aisles tonight. If you need it, just
50:33line up one right after another all the
50:35way to the back door right here. Just
50:37one right after another. We're going to
50:38lay hands on you. There's anointing oil.
50:40[music] We're going to pray over you in
50:42the name of Jesus.
50:45There's going to come a fresh anointing
50:47upon you. There's going to come a wisdom
50:49and a peace. I feel the Holy Ghost.
50:52Let's sing, ladies. Can we sing that
50:54tonight?
50:58We are standing.
51:03>> Come on. We're going to take time in his
51:04presence
51:06>> on holy
51:10ground.
51:12So be it unto you in the name of Jesus.
51:16And I know
51:19that there
51:22are angels.
51:25all around. Whatever you have need of,
51:30it's coming your way. It's coming your
51:32way. Let us praise. Bless ye the Lord,
51:38all ye servants of the Lord.
51:41Oh Jesus.
51:44Now, come on. That's it. Focus all of
51:47our attention on him tonight. Focus all
51:49of our praise and affections on him
51:52tonight. We're standing in
51:56his presence. So I feel the Holy Ghost
51:59in him.
52:00>> Come on. We're making room for the Holy
52:02Ghost tonight. We're making room for
52:03you, Jesus. Whatever you want to do.
52:06Whatever you want to do tonight, we are
52:13we are sing
52:16on holy
52:19ground in the name of Jesus. So be
52:23[music] it unto you.
52:26Health and strength and peace and
52:30blessing on your life in the name of
52:32Jesus.
52:35all around.
52:39[singing]
52:42Let us praise.
52:44>> Let us praise
52:51Jesus.
52:54Now, there it is. Thank you, Lord, for
52:56the anointing that destroys the yoke.
52:58Thank you for the increase of your
53:00presence. We're making room for you,
53:02God. capacity for you, Lord. We're
53:05magnifying you tonight.
53:13>> Yes, Jesus. Yes, Jesus. Let there be
53:16fresh oil and anointing tonight, Lord.
53:21Oh yes, Jesus.
53:28[singing]
53:30Oh yes, Jesus.
53:33Oh, and I [singing] know
53:37that there, oh, our angels and they're
53:41going home with me tonight. Come on.
53:42There's angels coming to my house.
53:45[screaming] Angels that encamp around
53:47about them that fear the Lord.
53:49Hallelujah. [music]
53:50So let
53:52us praise [singing]
53:59Jesus
54:02now
54:05[music and singing]
54:06for we are standing with
54:10standing
54:12in
54:14his presence
54:16>> on holy
54:18ground.
54:22Oh yes, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank
54:24you, Lord. He's here tonight. He's here
54:28tonight.
54:33So, be it unto my brothers and sisters,
54:35Lord, that are home tonight, that are
54:37traveling tonight with the extension of
54:40new life, Lord. We speak the name of
54:42Jesus over them tonight, over their
54:44body, soul, and spirit. I speak mercy. I
54:48speak grace, Lord. I speak a healing
54:50touch over their mind, over their
54:52emotions, over their spirit right now.
54:55Oh yes, God. Guard and guide [music] and
54:58keep them by your grace.
55:11[singing]
55:15Yes Jesus.
55:20Yes Jesus.
55:26>> Oh, yes, Jesus. Come on. Keep reaching
55:29for him if you need him tonight. We are
55:34standing.
55:36We got time. We're making room for you,
55:38Lord.
55:40>> On holy
55:42ground. Oh, on hold
55:46holy ground. Oh, and I [singing] know
55:52that there
55:54are angels.
55:57>> Oh, they're all around. [singing]
56:03So, I tell you what we're going to do.
56:05Let us praise
56:13Jesus
56:16now. [singing]
56:18Yes, you're worthy, [music] Jesus. For
56:21we [singing] are standing
56:26in
56:27his [music] presence [singing]
56:29on holy
56:32ground.
56:35For we are standing
56:37>> for we [music]
56:39are standing
56:42in
56:44his presence
56:46on holy
56:48ground.
56:53[singing]
56:56[music]
57:02>> Oh yes. Let's give him praise tonight.
57:04Let's bless you the Lord. Bless you the
57:07Lord. Thank you Lord.
57:10Thank you Lord.
57:12[music] Thank you Lord.
57:16Thank you Lord. Hallelujah.
57:24Oh yes Lord.
57:32He's the goal.
57:35His presence is the prize.
57:40He's the treasure.
57:44He He's the Levitical inheritance.
57:49He told him, he said, "I'm going to be
57:51your inheritance."
57:54He's He's the pursuit of it all.
57:58It's Jesus.
58:01So, I may walk out of here tonight not
58:03have everything that I hoped I would
58:06have, that I wished I could have, but my
58:10whole goal and aim, my purpose is now be
58:13realigned.
58:14I'm keeping my eyes on Jesus. It's all
58:17about him. It's all for him. He is above
58:20all things, through all things, and in
58:22all things. He It's him. It's Jesus that
58:24we're after. And if we'll keep our eyes
58:27on him, we won't lose our faith.
58:31Now, the scripture said in Psalm
58:34134, it began with, "Bless ye the Lord."
58:37Which I think is interesting because
58:40we normally think about God blessing us.
58:44But twice it says, "Bless ye the Lord.
58:48Bless ye the Lord. Lift up your hands in
58:50the sanctuary and bless ye the Lord." to
58:53ascribe praise, to magnify him,
58:57to speak well of him, to bless him.
59:01But just notice that in Psalm 134,
59:04after we bless him, the Bible says, "The
59:09Lord that made heaven and earth bless
59:12thee out of Zion." When you begin to
59:15bless the Lord, God shows himself up and
59:20he opens up the windows of heaven and he
59:23blesses his people. It's God's good
59:26desire to bless his children. So, I want
59:28you to lift your hands right now. I'm
59:30going to speak this this verse was
59:32spoken over God's people. I'm going to
59:34speak a blessing over you tonight.
59:36Whatever you need from the Lord, I want
59:38you to believe that God is going to
59:41bless you in the name of Jesus. [music]
59:44Now, heavenly father, I bless your
59:46people. I call your name over them right
59:50now. I speak the wonderful name of
59:53Jesus. I speak peace over them. I speak
59:56health over them. I speak strength over
59:59them. I speak mercy over them in the
60:03name of Jesus. I speak a blessing going
60:06in and coming out. I speak a blessing
60:09over finances. I speak a blessing over
60:12relationships. I speak a blessing over
60:14their ministry and their calling in the
60:17name of Jesus. We receive it right now.
60:21You're the blesser and we receive it
60:23right now. He that called us, he that's
60:25begun a good work in us, uh you're going
60:27to complete it, oh Lord, and we give you
60:30praise tonight in the name of Jesus. One
60:33more time, servants of the Lord, would
60:35you bless him tonight? Would you bless
60:37him [music] tonight? We receive and we
60:41believe and we give you the glory
60:44tonight Lord.
60:52[music]
61:13And let the church say, "Amen."
61:16Amen. Keep climbing. New life.
61:21Keep climbing. Somebody say, "Keep
61:23climbing."
61:25>> Turn to one on your right. Turn to
61:27somebody on your left. Tell them, "Keep
61:28climbing.
61:30Don't stop.
61:32There's more of Jesus that he wants for
61:34you. I believe we found a place in his
61:37presence [music] tonight. If you want to
61:38keep on seeking and want to keep on
61:40praying right here in this place, this
61:42altar, this place, this whole house is
61:44going to be open for the next little
61:45while. You just find that place. If
61:47you've got to go, God bless you. Thank
61:48you so much for being here tonight.
61:50Don't forget Friends Day is coming up.
61:52Bring a friend. Bring a friend with you
61:54to the house of the Lord and watch God
61:56do something amazing. be praying for
61:57every team member, every dream team
61:59volunteer, every everything that's going
62:02to happen on that day and God's going to
62:03meet with us in Jesus' name. Pray for
62:06your pastor that the word of the Lord
62:07will come through clearly and
62:09powerfully. God bless you. You're
62:10dismissed in the name of the Lord
62:12tonight.
62:53Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
63:06We are
63:09free.
63:11We are free.
64:26Heat. Heat.
65:46Heat. Heat.