"And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." 
I Chronicles 4:9,10  KJV

We are praying the prayer of Jabez for our church. We are calling on God to enlarge our territory and grant increase both to individuals and to the church body as a whole. We know that it is God's will for us to prosper and be in health, even as our souls prosper.

Apostle Perry is teaching us to expect physical prosperity as a result of keeping our souls prosperous in the Word and in right relationship to our Heavenly Father. Prosperity is directly tied to both our relationship with God and our relationships with one another. 

Please go to www.youtube.com/lighthouseofworship to view clips from a recent sermon series dealing with how to receive increase from God. "Consider Your Ways", "Contend 4 the Faith", & "Send Prosperity". We have the full-length sermons available on DVD by request. Simply go to the Contact Us page and send us an e-mail.

Click on the following link to hear a portion of the praise and worship service. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlmwX0I4LGI&eurl=http://www.lighthouseofworship.com/3/myblog.htm&feature=player_embedded

Apostle Perry originally entitled this message: "The Expression of the Essence of God". The early part of the sermon dealt with God's love expressed through the giving of His only begotten Son. Pastor said that when you truly love, you will give.

As the service progressed, it was evident that the Holy Ghost had shown up and that many were being blessed by the Word of the Lord. Pastor continued on in the vein of God's love in us will cause us to give of ourselves in prayer for others.

We had an awesome time of prayer in the concluding moments of the service. Various leaders in the church were called forward for special prayers. Prayers were offered to cover them as they fulfill the calling of the Lord upon their lives. The following is a clip from the early part of the service.

Visit us at www.youtube.com/lighthouseofworship for additional clips of the service. Or you may order a DVD of the entire service by sending us an e-mail (use the contact us page) and donating $10.00 using PayPal (available on the Testimonies page)

Click here to view a clip from the service.

Sunday: Apostle Mark Perry kicked off conference week with a powerful message concerning women in the ministry. He refuted the myths that forbid women to be preachers, teachers, evangelists, and etc. He explained the difference between being called and being appointed to ministry.

Futhermore, he encouraged those who have been told that they couldn't possibly be used of God. He exhorted them to be obedient to the call of God and to go forth in the power of the Holy Ghost. To the single women in the house, he gave sound counsel concerning marriage. He explained how getting hooked up with the wrong mate can hinder them for going forth in the calling that God has placed on their lives.

Thursday: Co-Pastor Gail Perry explained the meaning of the number eight. She spoke of how it means "new beginning". Evangelist Perry made it clear that the chapter of 2007 had been closed and a season of freshness and revival has now arrived.

She reiterated that fact that some folks in your life are simply baggage. They are not interested in working for God, they just want to drain you of your resources. They have no initiative to go higher in God, so it is time to cut them loose. She used Noah and Abraham as examples of this principle.

Co-Pastor Perry prophesied to the body, "your past will not bind you this year!" As the service neared it's end, many came forward for prayer and received strength, healing, and restoration.

Friday: Co-Pastor Pearlie Hardin of Greater Deliverance Ministries Fulton, KY brought confirmation to the messages of Sunday and Thursday. She took Isaiah 43:19 and Luke 4:18,19 for her texts.

She exhorted the body to start over, but to do it differently. Co-Pastor Hardin said that too many times we start over, but we keep doing things the same old way. She said  it was time to forget the past and move forward in the work of the Lord.

"In the beginning" as found in Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1 points to the actions of God. She said that He is ready to propel the church in this year of new beginning. It is time to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Saturday: Psalmist Mary Shelton and band led the body in worship. Heavenly melodies poured from her as she sang in the Spirit. The Presence of the Lord filled the house. All were saturated in the anointing as they sang "Open the Flood gates of Heaven".

Co-Pastor Crystal Perry of New Life Christian Fellowship A/G Fulton, Ky preached like a woman on fire! She had been given the topic of "effectual ferverent prayer" and she bolstered that subject with the idea of repetitious faith. Alternately she referred to it as "echoes of faith".

She chose Mark 14:39 for her text. In this passage, Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane with Peter, James, and John. He told them to watch and pray. Finding them asleep, he went back into prayer again. And the text records that he spoke the same words. His circumstances had not changed, so Christ prayed the same prayer again. 

Co-Pastor Perry recalled the scriptures concerning Paul's thorn in the flesh. He said that he besought the Lord three times to remove it. Though his circumstances in the flesh did not change, his spirit cried out, "your grace is sufficient for me." He had repetitious faith.

She intertwined personal testimony of how faith has enabled her to continue in the ministry despite the loss of a child and the inability to conceive another. Additionally she offered this formula for operating in repetitous faith; "if you have a problem, find a promise in God's Word, and attach it in prayer."

Her message was punctuated with many examples from the Word of God. She mentioned that she had very little speaking experience, but she spoke as one seasoned in the Word and empowered by the Holy Ghost.

Saturday: "Contagious" (a group of young ladies/praise dancers) performed to CeCe Winnans "Alabaster Box" and to a song by Israel &New Breed.

Prophetess Charli Pickett of Shiloh Ministries Savannah, TN delivered a message about resurrecting our dreams. She talked of how we are just clay pots and how the dreams/desires within us have been put there by God. 

Prophetess Pickett exhorted the audience to recall those dreams and begin to pray about how to walk in their fulfillment. One of the first steps to resurrecting the dreams is to ignore the discouragement of the enemy. Then it is an absolute that we listen to the voice of the Holy Ghost prompting us to go forward.
 
She explained how the devil speaks to people in ways that are similar to the ways in which God speaks to them. This is because the devil was created as an angel of light and once was a servant of God. She said that you can identify the voice of the devil by taking note of what is being said. If it does not line up with the Word of God, if it is negative, if it is without any hope, it is not from God. 

It is the lies of the enemy that must be taken captive. It is his strongholds that must be pulled down. It is his influences that have to be avoided. 

IICorinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

She concluded her message with a call to repentance and the Lord's Prayer....."Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven....." The conference ended with everyone singing, "Victory is Mine".

Message by: Co-Pastor Evangelist Gail Perry
Scripture Texts: John 6:27, Matthew 6:25-33, John 17:3, II Timothy 1:1
Hint: click on the hightlighted scripture references to read full texts.

Opening remarks included : Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

She also spoke about the rich man in Luke12:16-21 and how he had so much and his barns were so full. He said he would tear down his barns and build bigger ones. But the Lord required his soul that night.

Co-Pastor asked these questions; "What will you give in exchange for your soul? What are you laboring for? What is more important to you, having things or having the One who gives you life?

She closed with this statement: "Don't go outside of Jesus for your answer!"
Click here to view a clip of the service.

Hint: click on the words in red to see full reference texts.

March 16,2008      Speaker: Apostle Mark Perry

Texts: Luke 12:15, Job 13:15, Daniel 3:13-25

Man's life does not consist of the things that he has. There is nothing wrong with having things. It becomes an issue when the things have you. Things can't give you life. You can lose things and still have your health. If you lose your health, of what benefit are things. Job lost family, things, and his health. On top of that, his wife encouraged him to curse the One that had the power to heal him and restore his goods.

The 3 Hebrew boys could have said, “ oh King, what do you need to know? What can we do for you?” But they did not compromise. They did not bow to the king's idol. They had their minds made up. They were convinced that God would deliver them. But if not, He was still God.

Just as He got in the fire with them, He will get in the fire with you. They came out without even the smell of smoke. When He brings you through there will be no evidence of where you have been. If you serve God, He will give you things. He will bless you in the city. He will bless you in the field. He will take sickness away from you. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land. It is a package deal. You can't separate God from His blessings. God is a God of relationship.

Things got so bad that Job asked, “if a man dies, can he live again?”Yet he did not denounce God. We must be willing to praise Him in spite of our troubles. When we are mature we will know that He is able to do exceedingly above and beyond all we can ask or think.

 

February 24, 2008  "Celebrating the Legacy of Black History in 2008" The written program included a paragraph stating why we should celebrate Black History Month. In short, we need to celebrate it to affirm African Americans and provide education regarding the global contributions made by  Blacks. 

The service began with a call to worship with music by the Lighthouse Praise Team. This set the tone for positive reflection upon the accomplishments of our forefathers and praise to God who enabled and led them.

Each pioneer was represented by someone who would declare their birth, accomplishments, and date of death or current endeavors. We heard the bios of spiritual leaders, community activists, civil rights leaders, presidents/political leaders, and educators.

A skit was also presented. A field scene of a master and his slaves was portrayed by several of the members. It was also a display of the power of prayer as it related to many slaves escaping to freedom.

Throughout the program it was evident that we were thankful for our hertiage. Many amens were offered as the contributions of each character were voiced.  There was also a narrative given that brought some lesser known inventors to light.

The Praise Team was to close out the program with a song. As they began to sing, the Holy Ghost began to settle in the place. The atmosphere of thankfulness took a turn to heartfelt worship unto the Lord. Apostle Perry took the platform and exhorted the body to enjoin themselves with the moving of the Spirit.

Several of the saints came forward for prayer. Many wept in God's presence and waited for the fresh oil of the Spirit to saturate their lives.  Others prayed and praised from their seats. A prophetic Word was delivered by the Apostle concerning both individuals and the corporate body. He exhorted the body to step into the flow of the Holy Ghost.

Truly this is the year of new beginnings! Who would have thought that the Holy Ghost would show up at Black History program? He will honor those who honor Him. 

Apostle Mark Perry brought forth an encouraging message at a pre-anniversary service for Bishop Carlos Shutes. Texts: Nehemiah 4:1-5, Nehemiah 6:1-3, and 
II Corinthians 10:12-15
The following are some nuggets that can be applied to all wall-builders.

Don't give beyond your measure. Don't get stretched beyond your abilities or resources. 

Wall-builders will have to endure criticism. If they can not, they will not last.

Numbers do not define your ministry.

The church is the pastor's vineyard. If he works it, it will produce.
Rewards are not in what you have, but in what you do with what you have.

People are depending on the church. The work is too great. You have to stay on the wall.

Not everyone that is "with" you is "for" you.

When you get off the wall, where will you go? If there is a problem below the wall, don't get off the wall. Keep on working and pray for God to fix it.

Apostle Perry exhorted the body to love and do for the pastor's wife and family the same as they do the pastor. When the body has a  problem with the  pastor's family (pulls them off the wall), they cause the pastor to have to come down off of the wall to see about his family.  



The body will need to watch and pray as they build; just like Nehemiah held a tool in one hand and a weapon in the other.

Sermon Title: When everything else fails, go back to what you know. Highlights from 01/13/08  Apostle Mark Perry
Texts: I Samuel 17:32 and following and Luke 15:14-

Hint: click on highlighted words/references to be linked to the full texts.

Apostle Perry paraphrased the account of David and Saul discussing the battle with Goliath. Saul was sure that David was no match for the giant. David testified to him about his encounters with the lion and the bear. Then Saul became willing to let David go meet Goliath. But he insisted that David wear his armor. David refused the armor by saying that it had not been proven. Actually, it had covered a man of disobedience.

David wanted no part of it. He had to go with what and who he knew; and that was God. He was totally dependant on the Deliverer who had proven himself time and time again. Though he wore no armor and his weapon was a simple sling, he defeated Goliath with one stone slung in the power of the Almighty.

Turning to Luke chapter 15, Apostle Perry recounted the story of the prodigal son. He emphasized the part about him feeding the swine and "coming to himself". The prodigal had tried everything he wanted to try. He had lost everything. When it seemed all his hope was gone, he remembered how life was back in his father's home.

Pastor likened this account to how troubled folks can remember back to their days in the church and find strength to come out of their mess. If they will just remember the times when they sang, "Father, I stretch my hand to thee" they will find hope and reach out to the Lord again.

At this point, he injected Romans 8:38,39. He elaborated on them saying, "nothing will keep the love of God from you." Then he quoted a portion of Psalm 139; saying there was no pit too deep that God could not find those that had fallen into it.

He put forth the challenge to all who were present: When you have tried everything, go back to what you know.

Hint: click on highlighted words or reference to read full scripture texts.

Message delivered by Apostle Mark Perry  Watch Night Service at Liberty Hall Full Gospel Church on 12/31/07.

Text Scriptures: Proverbs 14:12, John 14:6, Revelation 2:1-5
                                             Part One

    Apostle Perry asked the congregation, how many of you have done what you have been called to do in 2007? Then asked, how many of you have fallen short in 2007? He compared that to being on the right track but on the wrong train.
    Speaking of John 14:6 he said, Jesus did not deny the fact that there is a way that seems right to man, but He said, "I am the Way." Then he shared a paraphrase of Matthew 25:33-46. With that, he said folks are caught up in the mechanics of church, but not doing church work.
    Referring to the church of Ephesus, he said the church has gotten caught up in protocol and lost focus on what church work is supposed to be. True church work is to win souls and meet the needs of others. Jesus commended the church on their works, but still had somewhat against them. Apostle Perry said that the church that has lost its first love (agape) therefore it is without brotherly love (phileo). And this loss is because it is too caught up in lover's love/lust (eros). 
    Jesus presented it in very clear terms in Matthew 7:22-24. Then Apostle Perry added that there are some folks that can feed the hungry and clothe the naked yet despise the church. On the right track but on the wrong train. From there he cited IIChronicles 7:14 and reminded the congregation that the scriptures were referring to the God's people not the dope dealer, the harlot, or thug.
    He exhorted the body to be real. He said that we could do more than what we have been doing. For example, we can call and check on absentees. We are wrong when we think Jesus can't have anything against us. We are much like the church of Ephesus. We do some good works, but we can do more. We can get back to the real church work of winning souls.
     Citing Romans 8:22, he said the whole world is waiting for the church to get it right. Then he went to James 1:13-15 and elaborated on the fact that lust is birthed, then matures, and then brings forth death. He followed that with a powerful statement: "between birth and full grown, you can kill it."
     Countering the essay on lust, he began to talk about how man can flourish again after he has been cut down. He quoted Job 14:7-9 and elaborated on it a bit more. Continuing on the 'men are styled as trees' motif, he cited Psalm1:3. Then he talked about being pruned so we can bear more fruit. Again, IJohn 3:16-18 exposes those who call themselves Christians but fail to do church work.

God gave you what you can handle. Handling what He gave you is your business.

Ability will get you the job, but it will take character to keep it.

Get Christ's mind in you, first, then be humbled.

When folks follow your music, they cause your head to swell.

Elijah prayed and the heavens were shut. He prayed again and the rains came. Then....he had to deal with his flesh.

A humble person knows when they need help.

The spirit of the devil will cause you to do things of your own motivation.

Proverbs 11:12  Pride brings shame, but humility brings God's blessings.

If you have ability but no character, no one can work with you.

When you follow, you are being taught. If you are in the lead, who is teaching you? Follow Christ. Follow His path.

Some are ordained to lead. They are called trailblazers. The majority are called to follow. If you don't follow the program, you alter the path. Those following you will follow the wrong way.

If you get out of position, you will miss your promotion.

Too many visions equals division.