The Truth Church

Pastor Hilton preaches from Genesis 18:24-32 on the word 'peradventure,' meaning 'through what must happen' or considering unforeseen scenarios. Abraham intercedes for Sodom, negotiating with God from 50 down to 10 righteous, yet God remembers Abraham's heart and rescues Lot. The message contrasts human uncertainty with divine certainty: while we exhaust possibilities and worry, God declares 'verily, verily'—absolute truth. Citing Genesis 42:4 (Jacob fearing for Benjamin), Exodus 32:30 (Moses seeking atonement), and 1 Kings 18:27 (Elijah mocking Baal), Pastor Hilton shows peradventure reflects our limited plans. But Romans 5:7-8 reveals Christ died for sinners, not just the righteous, surpassing all scenarios. He warns against predestination that denies God's omniscience over every choice. Matthew 6:25-34 commands believers to stop worrying, trust God who clothes the grass, and seek His kingdom. Jesus in Gethsemane modeled submission: 'Not my will, but Thine.' Altars are open for those burdened by life's uncertainties; God hears imperfect prayers and rescues the perishing. The sermon urges persistent prayer for lost loved ones, faith that God answers beyond our limited understanding, and assurance that He who knows every outcome will deliver.

Pastor Hilton preaches from James 2:17-24, emphasizing that faith without works is dead. He clarifies that James is not teaching salvation by works but that genuine faith is demonstrated and perfected through actions. Using the example of Abraham, who was justified by his completed faith—shown when he offered Isaac—Pastor Hilton stresses that works are the evidence of faith, not the basis of salvation. He warns that if our faith does not produce works, it is no better than the devils' belief, which causes them to tremble but not obey. The sermon moves into the concept of covenant, highlighting that when we say 'amen' to God's Word, we are signing a contract that requires our commitment and action. Pastor Hilton uses the illustration of a marriage covenant to show that our commitment to God must be even deeper—a foundational promise that defines our lives. He traces God's covenants with Noah, Abraham, and Moses, noting that God persistently keeps His promises across generations. The promise of the Holy Spirit, given in Luke 24 and Acts 1-2, is the ultimate fulfillment of God's covenant through Christ. Pastor Hilton appeals to the congregation to make a reciprocal promise to God—to tarry, wait, and respond with obedience, not just verbal agreement. He insists that our faith must be internal, shaping our decisions, speech, and walk, or it is merely empty words. The spiritual purpose is to call believers to a living, active faith that enters into covenant with God and upholds its terms through transformed lives.

The minister uses Ecclesiastes 4:12 as his text — 'a threefold cord is not quickly broken' — to launch a teaching on the unity of the Spirit. He brings out a physical rope to illustrate that the three strands, though distinct, are twisted together for a single purpose. He then turns to John 17, where Jesus prays four times that believers 'may be one,' emphasizing that this oneness is not optional but essential for the world to believe that the Father sent the Son. The minister argues that the same mind that was in Christ — who humbled himself from the form of God to take the form of a servant — must be in us. Unity requires humility, the laying down of personal reputation and distractions. The key to this unity is the Holy Spirit. He points to Acts 2, where the 120 were in one accord before the Spirit fell, and insists that when we are all filled with the same Spirit, we are automatically united. He identifies three 'strands' that protect the unity of the Spirit: the bond of truth, the bond of peace, and the bond of love. Focusing on truth, he reads Ephesians 4:13-15, calling the church to come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God. The truth of God's word is non-negotiable; it sanctifies and binds believers together. The minister closes with an urgent call from Jude to earnestly contend for the faith, warning that if any strand — especially truth — is compromised, the threefold cord becomes weak and revival is hindered.

Bishop Riggen teaches from 1 Timothy 2:1-2, emphasizing that prayer must be "first of all" in the believer's life and that those in authority should be a primary focus of prayer. He urges the congregation to pray for the nation's leaders gathering that afternoon, not as a political statement but as a biblical command, that believers may lead quiet and peaceable lives. Using Esther 4:11 and Psalm 65:4, he illustrates that even the queen could not approach the king unbidden, reminding that God is King and we must come to Him on His terms, not our own. He then details four methods of approach to God found in 1 Timothy 2:1: prayer (simple conversation, often shallow), supplication (deeper, with emotion and the Spirit's involvement), intercession (deep travail like a woman in labor, urgent and for others), and giving of thanks. He explains that these are not a fixed order but different channels; believers must be sensitive to which channel God is on. Intercession is the deepest place of prayer, requiring desperation, immediacy, and a willingness to be interrupted, even in the middle of the night. He challenges the congregation to become dependable intercessors whom God can call upon at any moment, noting that revival often hinges on finding even one true intercessor in a church.

Pastor Hilton opens Acts 8:1-4, where persecution scatters the Jerusalem church except for the apostles. He emphasizes that those scattered 'went everywhere preaching the word,' turning suffering into gospel advance. The sermon centers on the legacy of a martyr, drawing first from the early church's first martyr, Stephen. Stephen is introduced in Acts 6 as full of faith and the Holy Ghost, and in Acts 7, as he is stoned, he remains full of the Holy Ghost. This consistency defines his legacy—not a single act but a life repeatedly filled with the Spirit. Pastor Hilton argues that a true legacy is built not by one dramatic moment but by what one does most: praying in the Holy Ghost, speaking truth in love, and forgiving enemies. Stephen's boldness before the Sanhedrin, his wisdom, and his final prayer—'Lord, lay not this sin to their charge'—all flow from his constant fullness of the Spirit. The sermon contrasts this with a worldly legacy and calls believers to prioritize prayer over all else, so that like Stephen, they are filled with the Holy Ghost at every moment. The ultimate example is Christ, whose martyrdom secured repentance and remission of sins. Pastor Hilton urges hearers to become 'spiritual martyrs'—willingly laying down their old identity, taking up their cross, and following Jesus all the way to their own Calvary. The message's purpose is to awaken a generation to build a legacy of Spirit-filled faithfulness that will seed the church, even through persecution.