The Truth Church

Pastor Hilton preaches from Exodus 1:7, where the children of Israel were fruitful, multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty. He draws a parallel to the church's spiritual growth, noting that as the church multiplies, the enemy becomes insecure and attacks. He recounts how Pharaoh tried to oppress the Hebrews through slavery, instructing midwives to kill male infants, and finally commanding all Egyptians to throw Hebrew boys into the Nile. Pastor Hilton declares he is preaching 'in defense of the unborn,' both physically and spiritually. He connects this to the new birth described in John 3, where Jesus says one must be born of water and the Spirit to enter God's kingdom. The church, as the bride of Christ, is called to be a spiritual mother, bringing promised children to birth through prayer, fasting, and burden-bearing. He emphasizes that these spiritual babies are not viable on their own; they need mothers who will nurture them, protect them from the enemy's attacks, and pray them through to receiving the Holy Ghost. Pastor Hilton urges the congregation to take up the burden of intercession, referencing Rachel who cried to Jacob, 'Give me children or else I die.' He challenges the church to be willing to sacrifice time, comfort, and personal agendas to see souls born into the kingdom. He reminds them that the enemy is actively seeking to abort these spiritual births, and calls for a holy desperation and commitment to defend and deliver the unborn in the spirit.

Out of the Mouth

Bishop Riggen continues a series on outward adorning, grounding the message in 1 Timothy 2:8-10. He reviews that God cares about outward appearance, refuting the misuse of 1 Samuel 16:7. The sermon focuses on cosmetics and costly array (jewelry). Regarding cosmetics, he explains that the Greek word 'cosmetic' derives from 'cosmos' (world), asserting its worldly nature. He argues that makeup is worn only for pride or flirtation, citing biblical passages where painted faces are linked with harlotry—2 Kings 9:30 (Jezebel), Ezekiel 23:40, and Jeremiah 4:30. He prohibits all makeup, including foundation, powder, and lip gloss. For costly array, Bishop Riggen equates jewelry with idolatry, citing Genesis 35:1-5, where Jacob's household removes earrings alongside idols. He references Exodus 33:3-6, where God commands Israel to strip ornaments after the golden calf incident. He connects jewelry to harlotry in Hosea 2:13 and Revelation 17:4-5. He stresses that God abhors jewelry as an abomination (Deuteronomy 7:25-26) and that 1 Timothy 2:9 and 1 Peter 3:3 explicitly forbid wearing gold. The prodigal son's ring is reinterpreted not as ornament but as a signet of authority. Bishop Riggen urges believers to be a frame for Christ, not a fashion show, warning against pride and expensive accessories that distract from the gospel.

Reverend Hall preaches from John 5:1-9, focusing on the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda who had an infirmity for 38 years. The preacher emphasizes that when Jesus asks the man, 'Wilt thou be made whole?', the man does not simply answer 'yes' but instead offers excuses, blaming others for always stepping into the pool before him. Reverend Hall teaches that bitterness and blame prevent people from recognizing Jesus, the true healer standing right before them. The man's fixation on others cutting in line kept him from seeing his opportunity for immediate healing. The sermon stresses that believers must avoid letting a root of bitterness poison their hearts against others — whether at work, in church, or in daily life. Citing Ephesians 4:26-32 and Hebrews 12:14-15, Reverend Hall exhorts the congregation to follow peace with all men, to forgive as Christ forgave, and to love their enemies. He illustrates this through personal stories of praying for and befriending a coworker who tried to get him fired, and of overcoming resentment when his own father denied him work. The spiritual purpose is to urge hearers to reject the poison of bitterness, to pray for those who mistreat them, and to trust God with vengeance, being peacemakers who reflect Christ's love to a watching world. The preacher concludes with 2 Corinthians 6:3-6, calling believers to give no offense and to approve themselves as ministers of God through patience, kindness, and unfeigned love.

Pastor Hilton uses Psalm 51:12—'Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation'—to declare that God is a God of restoration. He introduces the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold, becoming more valuable than before. This illustrates that God does not merely return us to our original state but makes us greater through our brokenness. The sermon traces restoration as a central biblical theme. Pastor Hilton suggests the creation account in Genesis may itself be a restoration from a prior judgment, and then points to Noah's flood as a clear act of divine restoration through complete submersion and cleansing. He emphasizes that the Word of God—made flesh in Jesus Christ—is the agent of this restoration, sent to heal, deliver, and bring us back to the relationship Adam had with God in the garden. Citing Acts 3:20-21, he shows that Jesus remains in heaven until the 'restitution of all things.' Using the law of double restitution from Exodus 22, and promises from Haggai and Joel about a greater latter glory, Pastor Hilton argues that God's restored work surpasses the original. He offers three biblical examples: Joseph, betrayed and imprisoned, was elevated to second-in-command of Egypt; Job, after losing everything, received double; and David, despite his sin with Bathsheba, fathered Solomon, a greater king. The spiritual purpose is to assure the congregation that no matter their brokenness, God can restore them to a purpose and value far exceeding their past, and invites them to pray for that restoration at the altar.