The Truth Church

Pastor Hilton opens with Matthew 7:7-8, focusing on "seek and ye shall find." He distinguishes seeking from mere looking—just as one can hear without listening, one can look without truly seeing. Seeking requires intentionality and purpose, not passive observation. Drawing from Jeremiah 29:13, he emphasizes that wholehearted seeking is essential. He references Jesus' question to the crowds about John the Baptist: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see?" underscoring that entering the wilderness demands a purpose. Pastor Hilton applies Matthew 6:33, urging the congregation to seek first God's kingdom, not temporal needs. He illustrates true seeking with the parable of the lost sheep and the woman with the lost coin—both actively search until they find. He warns against becoming content with past spiritual experiences, citing examples of those who once were on fire but stopped seeking and drifted away. The merchant seeking goodly pearls shows the value of the kingdom: selling all to obtain it. Pastor Hilton then connects seeking to the Great Commission—Jesus told the disciples to go, not just gaze at his ascension. He challenges the church to be seekers of the lost, sharing stories of coworkers and a Bible study group as evidence of hungry hearts. He concludes that the Son of Man came to seek, and believers are called to join that mission with holy boldness, trusting the Holy Spirit to give words in the moment.

Bishop Riggen examines Romans 11:29, focusing on the distinction between gifts and callings. He emphasizes that while gifts are given to serve the calling, the calling itself is higher. Every believer is called to be a saint, a calling with four parts: salvation, separation, stewardship, and service. He reviews service gifts like helps and governments, which are distinct from the nine spiritual gifts. Ministry itself has a dual nature: it is a calling to the one asked to serve and a gift to those served. Using Jeremiah 1:5 and Romans 1:1, he shows that God separates and calls individuals to ministry, but they must obey. He warns against mistaking a gift for a calling, urging those who sense a call to confirm it with their pastor, as God works through a chain of command. The purpose of ministry is threefold: to project vision, to perfect the saints, and to protect the flock. From Proverbs 29:18 and Ephesians 4:11-15, he argues that without prophetic vision, the people perish, and that ministry equips believers for maturity, preventing them from being tossed by false doctrine. He notes that two-thirds of Paul's definition of preaching in 2 Timothy 4:2 involves reproof and rebuke, which are necessary for spiritual growth. The shepherd protects the sheep from wolves, as Jesus taught in John 10. God gives pastors according to His heart, and what He joins together should not be put asunder.

The minister examines Psalm 127, arguing that it is often misapplied because readers ignore its context. He explains that the psalm is not about the church but about building a family, or 'a house,' with God at the center. The passage emphasizes that children are a heritage and gift from the Lord, given with a divine purpose. Drawing from his studies of the Hebrew Bible, the minister identifies a recurring Old Testament theme: passing faith and godly instruction to the next generation. He cites Genesis 18:19, where God chose Abraham because he would command his children to keep the way of the Lord. The minister stresses that parenthood is not merely for personal joy but for raising a 'godly seed,' as stated in Malachi 2:15. He illustrates this with Moses, who, after only a few years with his mother, retained his identity as a Hebrew despite decades of Egyptian influence. The minister warns against a Western mindset that treats children as independent decision-makers; instead, parents must intentionally shape their children's spiritual appetites, as suggested by Proverbs 22:6. He ties this to the New Testament, showing that the promise of salvation in Acts 2:39 is for 'you and your children,' and that the Philippian jailer was commanded to have his whole household baptized. Every child in a believer's life is an opportunity to transfer a relationship with God to the next generation, ensuring the message endures.

Pastor Hilton preaches from Mark 5:1-6, the story of the demoniac of the Gadarenes, and from Judges 13-16, the life of Samson. He identifies a person living on 'the wild side'—one whose life trajectory was set with divine promise but has been derailed by compromise and sin. Using Samson as a case study, he shows how God set Samson apart as a Nazarite with a holy purpose, yet Samson repeatedly ventured into forbidden areas: the vineyards of Timnath (violating his vow), touching a dead lion's carcass, and ultimately entangling himself with Delilah. Despite God's continued empowerment, Samson justified his disobedience, believing his victories proved God's approval. The enemy's goal, Pastor Hilton argues, is not merely to entice but to 'afflict'—to humble, bind, and strip away spiritual strength. Delilah's repeated question 'wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee' reveals hell's strategy: find a person's weakness, lure them into compromise, and torment them into ineffectiveness. Pastor Hilton illustrates this with the lion's stalking technique: the devil only needs a short burst of speed, so believers must remain sober and vigilant to detect the crouching enemy before he springs. The sermon climaxes with the demoniac who, though possessed, ran to Jesus and worshipped Him. Pastor Hilton insists that no devil can keep a person bound when they truly encounter Christ. He calls the listener to stop playing into Delilah's hands, shake off complacency, and let Jesus deliver them from torment and restore their purpose.

Bishop Riggen continues his study on gifts and callings from Romans 11:29-32, clarifying that gifts and callings are distinct. He emphasizes that all gifts, whether spiritual or service-oriented, are given to help fulfill one's calling, whether the universal call to be a saint or the selective call to ministry. Using 1 Corinthians 12:28, he identifies two service gifts—helps and governments—which differ from the nine supernatural spiritual gifts taught previously. The gift of helps, derived from the Levitical duties of the Gershonites and Merarites who supported the Kohathite priests, involves supporting, steadying, and lightening the load of the ministry. Bishop Riggen warns against confusing a gift of service, such as teaching or preaching ability, with a call to ministry; misidentifying a gift as a calling leads to frustration and failure. He illustrates this with examples of individuals who excelled as helpers but failed as pastors. The gift of governments, from the Greek word used in the Septuagint for wise counsel, is not about ruling but about offering timely, fitly spoken words that encourage and strengthen others. Those with this gift provide spiritual guidance and upliftment, often preventing pastors from bearing undue burdens. Both gifts are unsung but carry great heavenly reward. Bishop Riggen urges believers to stir up these gifts, discerning their role as helpers rather than mistaking them for a ministerial calling.