Song number two in your hymn book.
Song number two, glory to his name.
For the service, Lord, I thank you for giving us
the opportunity to be here today.
I pray that you could bless us for all these things
in Jesus' name.
Your hymn book's to song number 191.
Song number 191, in my heart there rings a melody.
Song number 191.
- They have to walk right up here like I'm special, amen.
If you need a bulletin, raise your hand.
The ushers will bring you one.
So if you have one, open it up.
Service times in the left upper corner.
Right below that, so many times.
Very bottom salvation and baptisms for the year.
Please speak to any of us if you wish to be baptized.
We can do something about that this afternoon
or this evening.
Welcome once again to our new facility.
In case you don't know,
we are excited to be celebrating this milestone
with our church family
and to continue serving the Lord together.
Parents, please note that due to safety precautions,
children are not allowed on the platform
or on the stairs leading to the Baptist street at any time.
And still please supervise your children.
We have some that were trying to climb into the baptism tub
just to check it out.
So please, for safety reasons, keep an eye on your children.
Congratulations to the young family
on the birth of Marcus Abram,
born on Friday, September 19th, 2.15 p.m.
Weighing nine pounds and nine ounces, measuring 23 inches.
Mother and baby are doing well.
And please speak to Mrs. Amanda Wright
if you would like to sign up to take the family a meal.
On the back of the bulletin,
we will begin taking 2025 yearbook photos
on Sunday, October 5th.
A sign up sheet is available.
This year's background color is dark brown.
Thank you to all who have been helping Lola and baby Phoebe
in the aftermath of the tragic passing
of brother Kevin two weeks ago.
Here are some ways in which you can be a blessing to them.
You can donate through the GoFundMe,
sign up for the meal train.
Ladies, please speak to Mrs. Amanda Wright
to sign up with help with childcare,
household other needs in upcoming weeks.
Men, please speak to Mrs. Amanda Wright
to sign up to help with things Kevin typically used
to take care of around the home,
such as yard works, more repairs, et cetera.
And please continue to pray for peace, provision,
and guidance through this tragedy.
And the upcoming events are right there.
Please take a look at those when you get a chance.
And a couple more things, hopefully I remember them.
One of this is parking.
Parking is by the water.
It's like some kind of water dispenser out there
that people go to to get water.
That's our parking.
They're already painted the spot
so we can all kind of know exactly how to park.
Right up front where you see the church van,
church van's not supposed to be there,
but at the time I forgot to move it.
But that is left for any customers
of these businesses that are here.
So this Sunday, please park by the water
or whatever that is down there
where you can get water if you want some.
That's our parking, so please park in that area.
Other than that, if you want any donations,
we still got food donations.
They're in that room next to the coffee station
where all the bookshelves, where Bibles and DVDs are at.
So if you want some donations, we still have those going on.
And before I get to the so many numbers,
did I miss anything, Mrs. Anderson?
We're good?
All right, besides those fancy pens that Mrs. A made,
if you haven't got one, they're right out there.
I was looking for mine.
I have to settle with the old zebra pen,
but these new ones are a whole lot better, amen?
All right, so besides that,
let's go over the so many numbers.
So if you got somebody saved this Monday, 9/22,
raise your hand, start on this side.
I see a hand up there, is that a one?
All right, she says yes.
Back there's a one?
All right, and I got a one up here.
Any other salvations?
We got one right down here.
Any other salvations?
That's seven, eight?
You got eight for Brother Matt.
Any other salvations?
Tuesday, salvations for Tuesday.
We got one up here.
Any other salvations for Tuesday?
Four, three?
Three for Brother Alex Larsen.
Any other salvations?
I see fingers going this way.
Two, right through that.
Anybody else? A one's going twice.
And today, any salvations?
One over here.
Any other salvations for today?
I see six.
Six over here with Brother Ramon.
And back there, I see one.
Is that a one?
Right.
Any other salvations?
Sorry, I'm like needing help over here.
One right there.
Great job, good teamwork.
They're all like, I'm like, where?
Oh, right there.
Any other salvations?
One's going twice.
All right, Brother Caleb,
lead us in the next song, please.
Bibles to Psalm 67.
Psalm 67 in your Bibles.
Psalm 67, just follow my lead
if you're not familiar with this song.
God be merciful on us.
To song number 357.
Song number 357.
This is, I believe, a new song.
Maybe we've sung it in the past,
but maybe a new song, so.
Song number 357, ask and seek in God's name.
As the offering place of being passed around,
please turn your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter number five.
2 Corinthians chapter number five.
For we know that if our earthly house
of this Tabernacle were dissolved,
we have a building of God,
and house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
For in this we groan,
earnestly desiring to be clothed upon
with our house which is from heaven.
If so be that being clothed,
we shall not be found naked.
For we that are in this tabernacle
do groan, being burdened.
Not for what we would be unclothed,
but clothed upon,
that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing as God,
who also hath given unto us the earnest of the spirit.
Therefore we are always confident,
knowing that whilst we are at home in the body,
we are absent from the Lord.
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
We are confident, I say,
and willing rather to be absent from the body
and to be present with the Lord.
Wherefore we labor, that whether present or absent,
we may be accepted of Him.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
that everyone may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done,
whether it be good or bad.
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord,
we persuade men.
But we are made manifest unto God,
and I trust also are made manifest in your consciousness.
For we commend not ourselves again unto you,
but give you occasion to glory on our behalf,
that ye may have somewhat to answer them
which glory in appearance and not in heart.
For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God,
or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
For the love of Christ constraineth us,
because we thus judge that if one died for all,
then we're all dead.
And that he died for all, that they which live
should not henceforth live unto themselves,
but unto him which died for them and rose again.
Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh,
yea though we have known Christ after the flesh,
yet now henceforth know we him no more.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.
Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.
And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself
by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us
the ministry of reconciliation, to wit that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them,
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,
as though God did beseech you by us.
We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God,
for ye hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin,
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
- Lord, thank you for this evening.
Thank you for this congregation.
Lord, I pray that you would fill Brother Segarro
with the Holy Ghost now as he preaches to us.
And I pray that you would make our hearts tender
and prepare us to hear your word now.
We love you and pray in Jesus' name, amen.
- I wanna start out by saying it's an honor and a privilege,
obviously to always preach to you guys.
And in case you're wondering,
Pastor Anderson is not here because he is sick.
You know, he's struggling with whatever's going around,
where he, you know, can't talk that well,
he coughs a lot, so he had a really hard time.
You know, this afternoon, trying to get better
and he couldn't make it, so he basically asked me to preach.
You know, so what I want you guys to do right now
is if you can, go to verse number,
1 Corinthians, verse number eight in chapter number five,
that says, "We are confident, I say,
"and willing rather to be absent from the body
"and to be present with the Lord."
And this evening I wanna preach about losing loved ones,
losing loved ones.
And here the Apostle Paul, he gives us comfort
and confidence about what happens when a believer dies.
But as you guys already know,
the Christian never truly dies.
They simply move out of their body
straight into the presence of God.
And how do we know?
Because of verses like Mark 16, 19.
So then after the Lord has spoken out to them,
he was received up into heaven
and sat on the right hand of God, amen?
Acts 1, 9 says this,
"And when he has spoken these things,
"while they beheld, he was taken up,
"and a cloud received them out of their sight.
"And while they looked deftly towards heaven as he went up,
"behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
"which also said, 'Ye men of Galilee,
"what stand ye gazing up into heaven?
"This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven,
"so shall come in like manner
"as ye have seen him go into heaven."
So it's clear that Jesus Christ is in heaven.
Acts 7, 55 says this,
"Steven, right before he was martyred,
"he saw Jesus in heaven.
"It says, 'But he, being full of the Holy Ghost,
"looked up steadfastly into heaven
"and saw the glory of God
"and Jesus standing on the right hand of God
"and said, 'Behold, I see the heavens open
"'and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.'"
Just a few more, Romans 8, 34.
"Who is he that condemneth?
"It is Christ that died,
"yea, rather, that is risen again.
"Who is living at the right hand of God,
"who also maketh intercession for us?"
Colossians 3, 1.
"If ye then be in risen with Christ,
"seek those things which are above,
"while Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."
1 Peter 3, 22.
"Who has gotten into heaven," talking about Christ,
"and is on the right hand of God,
"angels and authorities and powers
"being made subject unto him."
So I love this verse in 2 Corinthians 5, 8,
because Paul's saying, "Listen, heaven is a wonderful place."
Obviously, why?
Number one reason, 'cause Christ is there.
Why could it be better than that?
And so he says he's confident that he,
he'd rather be absent from the body
and to be present with the Lord.
And if you know the rest of the scriptures,
but he says it's more convenient for me to be here,
you know, with you guys and help you guys to continue
what God has put us here on earth to do.
So when it comes to losing loved ones,
it's never gonna be easy.
It's never gonna be easy,
but it should be a lot easier for the Christian
because of God's word, amen?
And of course tonight,
I just wanna talk about three things,
because eventually we're going to lose some loved ones.
We obviously, he loves brother Roe
and he is absent this evening,
but we know where he's at, where Christ is at.
He's absent here, but he's in the presence of the Lord.
You already saw all those verses
that clearly teaches that Christ is in heaven
on the right hand of the Father.
But we eventually going to lose some loved ones.
I think the closest person that I've lost in my life
was my father.
My father, he was taken away from me.
When I was back in California,
we just got done with the Sunday evening service.
I go home and my wife and my kids and my mom,
she just decided to just meet us in the parking.
So she comes out of the house, comes out,
and she's crying,
and I could clearly see that something is wrong.
So right away, naturally I asked,
what's going on, what's wrong?
And she said, your father.
I'm like, what about him?
He was kidnapped and he was murdered today.
So of course, the first thing I thought was, wow.
I was just kind of stunned.
But you know what was the first thing I thought of?
Well, I can't believe he's in heaven.
Because just to let you know what happened,
he went to prison, got out, I ran across him,
and I was able to give him the gospel,
and he was receptive, I guess kind of receptive,
after 10 years in prison,
and he wasn't fighting the gospel.
He received it.
He was joyful.
I prayed with him, me and him.
I helped him to call upon the name of the Lord.
And unfortunately, it was what it was.
A few, a couple years later, maybe,
he was taken home early.
It would have been great for him to see his grandkids
that are here in the auditorium.
You know, I wish they would have been able to see him,
or at least be able to talk to him.
You know, and of course I look forward
to spending more years with him after he got out.
You know, but hey, God had other plans.
And so God felt it was better for him to just be in heaven,
and not only imagine what's going on in heaven, amen.
But one of the things that helped me deal with this loss,
what I immediately thought that he was in heaven.
I just couldn't believe, like wow, I can't believe.
Obviously, yes, of course it was a shock that he was gone,
but to me it was like just, to me it was more amazing
that he was in the presence of God,
in the presence of Jesus Christ himself.
So one of the things that I recommend
when you finally have to have that conversation,
after you have that day that will come to everyone,
you know, when you finally lose that close person
that you love, you know, with all your heart,
it's just to remember where they are.
And this is why I wanted to point
to 2 Corinthians 5, 8, 'cause it's crystal clear.
You know, hey, we're confident.
We don't wonder, we're confident
that if you're absent from the body as a Christian,
you are present with the Lord.
And if you have your Bibles, go to John 14.
Go to John 14.
And just remembering where he is,
in a sense gave me joy.
I didn't mourn like I thought I would
if he was able to be taken away.
Why? Because it's kind of hard to be very upset
if you know that he's in heaven,
which according to Philippians,
you don't have to go there.
You guys go to John 14.
According to Philippians chapter number one, verse 23,
Paul say for I'm in a straight betwixt two,
having a desire to depart and to be with Christ,
which is far better.
Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
So Paul knew that being in heaven with Christ is far better.
Why?
Take a look right there at John 14.
May not be a big reason, but I think this is a cool reason.
And it says in John 14 too,
actually let's start with John 14 one.
Let me go there myself, John 14 one.
Because of course, when you lose a loved one,
you're gonna be in pain, it's going to hurt.
You will mourn, it's natural.
Nothing wrong with it.
And in fact, in the Bible,
people mourn for many, many, many days.
But we need to remember what Christ said
to not to let your heart get so troubled
that it's hard for you to understand that,
listen, yes, this person is gone.
But never forget, like it says right there in John 14.1,
it says, "Let not your heart be troubled.
"You believe in God, believe also in me.
"In my Father's house are many mansions.
"If it were not so, I would have told you.
"I go to prepare a place for you.
"And if I go and prepare a place for you,
"I will come again and receive you unto myself
"that where I am, there you may be also."
Maybe it's a small thing to you,
but to me, I think it's an amazing thing
that my father's in heaven, Kevin's in heaven,
and they get to have a big mansion in the sky.
I think that's something awesome
that I believe that when we all get there,
we're probably gonna rejoice and leave for joy
when you see that great is a reward in heaven.
And we know that that's not the only thing
that's gonna be up there in heaven.
Obviously, the ultimate thing is Christ,
being able to be with Christ, not just Christ,
but the other people that have gone before us,
people from the Bible, you know, the apostle Paul,
you name your Bible hero, he's up there.
And I'm assuming that he's probably already spoken
to many of the guys that he loved, meaning Kevin.
I'm sure he's already got the tour of his mansion.
I'm sure he thinks it's awesome.
I'm sure he can't wait for you guys to see it,
but I'm sure he's hanging out with people
that he admired from the Bible.
And I'm sure he's hanging out with people
who've probably gone before him
that he probably was related to.
But in the end, we need to remember
that Kevin is in heaven, your loved one,
wherever you lose, when you lose them,
they're in heaven and that will help you rejoice
and it'll give you the strength, amen,
to be able to deal when you lose loved ones.
And of course, never forget that Kevin,
he's having a good time in heaven.
My father, he's having a good time in heaven.
Hopefully somebody that knows what's going on on earth
can introduce my father to Kevin
and they can talk about how great I was, amen.
But Luke 15, 10, I love this verse
because it reminds me of what's going on in heaven.
It says, "Likewise I say unto you,
there is joy in the presence of the angels of God
over one sinner that repents."
There is joy, joy in the presence of the angels.
Not the angels rejoicing, it's God's people rejoicing.
Why? 'Cause there's joy in the presence of the Lord.
And I believe in Psalm 16, 11 that says
that there's joy forevermore in the presence of the Lord.
And this is why even though it's hard to believe,
it's hard to accept because we sometimes forget
that this life, this life isn't it.
It's the next life.
It's the next life that matters the most.
But in Ecclesiastes it talks about things
that are better than others.
In Ecclesiastes 7, 1 it says the good name is better.
Better than what?
Precious ointment.
But that's not what the verse ends.
Then it says in the day of death,
then the day of one's birth.
What is Paul saying?
He's saying that the day of the death of a Christian
is better than the day of their birth.
Why?
Because they're in heaven.
Why?
Because they're rejoicing.
Why?
Because they're in the presence of God.
Why?
You name it, you fill in the blanks.
I can only imagine how great heaven is.
But our loved ones who died in Christ,
we know that they're not in hell.
We know that they're in heaven rejoicing,
and that's one of the things
that if I were to give advice to anyone who loves someone,
I would just constantly remind them,
hey, don't forget where he's at.
Don't forget who he's with.
Don't forget what he's doing.
But number two, don't forget what they want.
Don't forget what they want.
If you can't go to Luke 16, please go to Luke 16.
And what am I talking about?
They are loved ones, are loved ones that have gone before us,
that are in heaven right now.
Let's just never forget what they want.
And maybe you may be thinking, well, you know what?
What if you don't know?
What if you don't know if your loved one, whoever it may be,
your mother, your father, your brother, your sister,
your best friend, whoever, your child,
what if you're not sure if they're saved or not?
What if they're probably in hell?
Then you know what?
Let me just remind you, you guys are there in Luke 16.
I don't obviously have an answer whether your relative
is in heaven or not, 'cause I don't know them.
But one thing I can say is if they're saved,
remember what they want and what they want
is what God wants.
And let me remind you guys really quickly what he wants.
Forgiveness, for God sent to the world
to come then the world,
but that the world through him might be saved.
Matthew 28, 19, go ye therefore and teach all nations.
And of course talk about the gospel.
Romans 9, 1, I say the truth in Christ, I lie not.
My conscience will bear with me witness in the Holy Ghost
that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ
for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh.
Romans 10, brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God
for Israel is that they might be saved.
This is talking about the Apostle Paul, what he desires.
And he still desires it in heaven,
and not for people to be saved.
And maybe you may be thinking,
well, I don't know if my relative was saved.
Well, one thing I can guarantee you
is if your relative is not saved, it's unfortunate.
But if your relative is not saved, guess what?
He also wants, or she wants,
they also want others to be saved, amen?
It's unfortunate that people go to hell.
But I can tell you one thing, they're in hell.
They want others to be in heaven.
They don't want other people to join them in hell.
Let's take a look at Luke 16.
Go to verse number nine, 19.
This is the story of the rich man in Lazarus.
It says there was a certain rich man
which was clothed in purple and fine linen
and fair sumptuously every day.
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus
who was laid at his gate full of sores
and desiring to be favored with the crumbs
which fell from the rich man's table.
Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.
And it came to pass that the beggar died
and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom.
The rich man also died and was buried.
And in hell, talking about the rich man,
and in hell he looked up his eyes being in torment
since he and Abraham were far off in Lazarus in his bosom.
And he cried and said, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me."
And said in Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger
in water and cool my tongue,
for I am tormented in this flame.
It's unfortunate this rich man is in hell.
But Abraham said, "Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime
received thy good things,
and likewise Lazarus' evil things.
But now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
And besides all this, between us and you,
there is a great cult fixed,
so that they which will pass from him to you cannot,
neither can they pass to us that will come from them."
Then he said, "I pray thee therefore, Father,
that thou wouldest send him to my father's house,
for I have five brethren, that he may testify unto them,
lest they also come into this place of torment."
So what do we see?
An unsafe person, someone's relative,
someone who died and went to hell.
What is he wanting?
He wants people to be safe.
He wants his brethren to be saved.
So when it comes to your loved one, when you lose them,
hopefully you know that they're saved,
so you can have that peace that passes all understanding.
I hope there's no doubt in my kids' hearts
whenever I go that I will save.
For the record, I've never preached that noble heresy.
I've never said goofy stuff like you have to give your life
to Jesus, or you have to surrender, or any of that stuff.
You guys should know me well enough
that I'm hardcore, easy-believing.
That's what brought me to Faithful Word.
That's what convinced me that Pastor Anderson
was the real deal.
First time I heard it preached,
I'm sure it was similar to you guys,
where it's probably something you never heard before
and it might have offended you.
For me, it was about Bible college,
'cause I grew up old IFB, or I went to an old IFB church,
and they were all about Bible college.
Go to Bible college, oh man, you should give two years,
two years to the Lord.
Yes, I need to pay the building bills and all that,
but that has nothing to do with it.
Just give two years to the Lord
and come to my Bible college.
That's pretty much what I heard.
And to me, it seemed decent.
Okay, you go to Bible college, you meet your wife,
you get married, become a missionary or a pastor,
or whatever the case.
I just was never down charging kids $10,000
pretty much a semester to learn the word of God.
That just never sat well with me.
But the first sermon I ever heard from Pastor Anderson
was why Bible college is so scriptural.
And I'm thinking no way, there's no way I've been lied to
this entire time I've been going to church
for almost eight years.
It meant that he destroyed that whole system
where Bible colleges was basically told to young people
that it's what God wants you to do.
But he made it very clear through scriptures
that it's not.
But then of course I didn't know Pastor Anderson
was the real deal, I had no clue.
But I knew one thing, it's embarrassing eight years
into an old Ivy church, I didn't know the Bible
like I thought I should have.
But there was one thing I knew and that's what salvation was.
And there was one thing I knew that eternal life is a gift.
So I went and I went to see what this man believed
about salvation, and I couldn't believe
that he was more hardcore about easy believism than I was.
There was just no doubt in my mind that he was the real deal
once I listened to like the first sermon,
but then the second one confirmed it,
the third one confirmed it, and it was the same sermon
as you guys probably heard of before,
one, two, three, repent after me, easy believism.
Who's listening to those sermons?
From back in 2009 or seven or whatever.
But for me, it was like, man, this guy's the real deal.
There's no way.
And of course, things didn't work out with my old church,
and I decided to come to faithful work,
and I haven't regretted it since I came, amen?
But there's no doubt, God forbid a pastor were to go today.
No doubt in my heart he's saved.
Knowing that makes it easier, knowing that he's in heaven.
But I think Pastor Anderson's gonna live a very long time,
so his haters better stop waiting for something to happen,
'cause I don't think it's gonna happen.
But obviously, besides people in heaven,
we know from Luke, from Luke 16, that people in hell,
you know, they're probably humble now if they were arrogant.
Burning in hell would do that to you.
But what they want in hell is for us to go out there
and reach their relatives.
And that's one thing we can never lose focus,
that will help you, help you to stay focused
and continue the mission that God has here in your life.
Because we're here to do the same thing that Christ did,
and let me just go over a few verses.
Luke 19, 10 says, "For the Son of Man has come
"to seek and to save that which is lost."
And that's what we're here to do, God still wants that.
And yes, of course we know that the Apostle Paul
is in heaven, and I bet you he still wants Jews to be saved.
Same thing with people that are in heaven.
I bet they want their relatives here on earth to be saved.
And let's never forget that, because that's what they want,
whether you're in heaven or hell,
these people is what they want.
And so when it comes to losing loved ones,
hey, remember where they're at, they're in heaven,
they're having a joyful time in heaven.
They have their mansion to enjoy.
Other things I'm sure are in heaven.
Besides that, remember what they want.
Do you think heaven wants us to stop going soul winning
or do more soul winning?
Absolutely.
I guarantee you, my father never went one day soul winning,
which I wish he would at least gone once,
but he never did.
I bet you he's in heaven looking down like,
hey, keep doing what you're doing, son.
I didn't understand it, but I understand it now.
And I look forward to seeing him again.
It helps to cope with it,
'cause sometimes they can get depressed and like,
man, when I see my kids growing up,
man, I wish my dad was here
to just see his grandkids grow up.
But you know what, can't do anything about that.
But I know one thing, he's in a better place, amen,
which is far better than being here.
So besides that verse, Mark 16, 15,
go and preach the gospel to every creature.
We all know this is what God wants,
but it's also what our loved ones want,
to keep pushing forward, keep getting people saved.
That's what they want us to continue to do.
And that's what I'm here to remind you guys that,
hey, this is what we ought to do.
But you guys are faithful work.
You guys already know that.
So besides knowing that our loved ones are gone
and they're in a better place,
besides remembering that, hey, even though they're gone,
they still want us to go out there and continue the mission
to win souls, get people saved, get them baptized,
help them grow.
Besides that, I think what'll help you,
what'll help you when you lose your loved one
is to remember why you're here.
It's to remember why you're here.
Because when you lose that loved one,
thoughts can start creeping into your heart.
When you lose that loved one, it is what it is,
the heart of the deceiver above all things
and desperately wicked who can know it.
You can start thinking things
that you shouldn't be thinking.
And I'll give you an example, suicide.
Suicide is something that crosses people's minds
when they lose a loved one.
Someone that they looked up to
or somebody that they had in their lives
that they end up losing.
I remember I was in the academy
and my TO, my training officer, TO Dean,
he warned us, he's like, guys, you're in a profession
where you're gonna get close to people.
You're in a profession where something might happen
but I'm here to warn you.
God forbid you would ever lose a partner
out there in the streets.
Make sure you do everything in your power
to get help if you start getting suicidal
because that's what he did.
He got suicidal when he lost his partner.
His partner got shot on the freeway.
Back in California, there's this part of the freeway
in Northern California named after the guy who got killed
who my TO was friends with, close friends with.
And he told us a story that he was upstairs,
depressed, crying, and he took his gun.
He took his gun and he loaded it
and he put it on his head
and he was going to squeeze the trigger
because he couldn't handle that his best friend
is no longer with him,
that he lost his best friend in the line of fire.
And he said, the only thing that kept me,
that kept me from shooting myself in the head
was when I heard my kids moving around downstairs.
As soon as I heard them, I cracked
and I just put the gun down.
And then I realized, what am I thinking?
He was this close from taking his own life upstairs.
And when he heard his kids moving around,
he stopped himself from doing that
because he realized, what am I doing?
This is not what he would want me to do.
I'm still here, I'm still here,
but I haven't even finished raising my kids.
You know, that's why I'm still here.
That's my purpose, to still raise my kids.
And I'm not saying that everyone's gonna struggle
the way that my TO did, but it can happen.
Because he lost focus as to why we are here.
Now, he had a different idea of why he was here.
He felt like, I could never do this,
I should never do this 'cause I'm here for my kids.
I can only imagine my kids coming upstairs
to see him on the ground in a pool of blood.
Those thoughts made him stop from taking his own life.
And he went, of course, and got therapy, fought it,
dealt with it, and told us the story.
It's like, hey, this can happen.
Don't lose focus.
You guys have a purpose.
God gave you life.
And of course, what is our purpose?
We all know why we're here.
If you're right there, can you go back
to 2 Corinthians chapter number five?
You can go back to 2 Corinthians chapter number five.
Go ahead and meet me in verse 18.
Let's face it, people in the Bible, they got the press.
People in the Bible felt it was best if they were God.
I'm not gonna say who it was,
but I remember talking to a church member
on the way to Mexico, we were having a trip one day,
and they're like, you know what?
I'm glad that God doesn't always answer our prayers.
And we're thinking, what do you mean?
'Cause many times I've asked God to just take me home
and I'm glad he didn't listen.
I'm not gonna say who it is, but I will say this,
they're not in this room right now, amen?
They moved on to another state to bigger and better things.
So don't be looking around like, is it you, is it you?
No, it's not.
Nobody in this room.
I haven't gone through a church in a couple years,
but they said that, and I was like,
amen, and in my heart, 'cause I've had those thoughts,
but I don't even have the guts to say it out loud, amen.
It can happen if it happened to great men of God,
where they're like, Lord, I'm not even worthy to live.
Just take me home.
God's like, no, I got work for you to do.
It's just human to have those thoughts.
Man, I'm struggling with this.
Man, I'm struggling with that.
Lord, just take me home.
Why you got me here all miserable?
Is that what you want me to do, just be here, be miserable?
Person that thinks like that has forgotten why they're here.
Amen?
And if you're right there in 1 Corinthians 5, 18,
it says that all things are of God,
who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ
and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.
The ministry of reconciliation.
That's why we're here.
We're here to go out there.
And like it says in Luke 19, 10,
"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save
that which was lost."
So when you're dealing with losing loved ones,
I can only imagine the pain,
the pain you're gonna go through.
For me, I had pain when my father was taken away,
but it wasn't as painful as I thought it was gonna be,
probably because at that time,
I'd already been going to church
for about seven or eight years.
I already had a strong foundation.
And the first thing that popped in my mind was,
wow, I can't believe he's gone in heaven.
That helped me to cope with it.
And it will help you as well.
And even if my father wasn't saved, you know what?
Luke 16 continues if he were to not be in heaven.
And my grandfather died, I believe, a month ago.
He died at 106 years old.
But one thing I knew about that man is that he was not saved.
The last time I saw him was maybe six months ago.
I haven't seen him in years.
Somehow, my uncle got a hold of me.
And he's like, hey, just so you know.
You know, it's like we're over here in this part of Mexico.
You know, your grandpa's here.
Your uncle's here, et cetera, et cetera.
He's like, hey, we're just letting you know,
'cause he's gonna go back to, you know,
another state in Mexico that's a lot further
from what I hear.
You're in Arizona, you're in Phoenix, right?
I'm like, I am.
He's like, hey, you wanna come down?
We're like about maybe three and a half,
four hours away from you.
I'm like, absolutely.
Because guess what I wanted to do right away?
I wanted to give him the gospel.
So I told my wife, hey, guess where we're going right now?
Mexico.
Grab the passports, we gotta go.
Where's my wife at?
Remember that?
Less than 24 hour notice.
Just one call, hey, guess where we're going?
Mexico, we're going now.
What what's going on?
Just start finding the passports, we're going.
Grandpa is like four hours away.
I don't know how much time he has left.
He's over 100 years old.
So I got that 100 year old gene, amen.
So I ain't going nowhere.
I got that 100, 100 year old gene.
So those haters, hey, keep hating.
You're gonna die 80, 90, I'm going to 100.
And if not, oh well.
Yeah, I know where I'm gonna be if I leave soon.
That's what I kept telling my wife.
Hey, we gotta go talk to grandpa.
We gotta go talk to grandpa.
It's like, I don't care.
Just get in the car.
We'll get there.
Four hours, five hours later, cross Mexico, ran into my uncle I haven't seen in a while,
ran into everybody else I haven't seen in a while, went to the house, and there's grandpa.
Can't see, blind as blind can be, but he can hear.
He can hear pretty well.
Then sure enough, I'm like, grandpa, it's me.
You know, it's Chris.
You know, your son, Nano's a son.
He's like, I know, I know.
And the first thing he says is, I heard you switched religions.
Oh, who told this man that?
I'm like, well, grandpa, have you ever been to a Baptist church?
Maybe that conversation, Joe, he's like, uh-uh, let me tell you the difference.
Most important thing to us is making sure people go to heaven, grandpa, because if you
die right now, Gramps, where are you going to go?
Where are you going to go?
And my uncles are there, my aunt is there, and I'm giving the gospel to them in Spanish.
And I'm like, here we go.
They made it easy.
In the next 20 minutes, hey, the gospel was presented nice and clear, and I was like,
hey, that's what I believe, Grandpa.
Does it make sense?
But do you believe it, too?
He's like, well, son, I don't think I'm going to change, but my uncles, they were a little
bit more receptive.
At that point, all I can do is just say, Grandpa, well, here's what the Bible says.
If you die, guess what?
You're not going to go to heaven.
It's 100% a gift.
It's all by faith.
The Catholic Church teaches something totally different.
And I'm sorry, but that's what it takes to go to heaven.
That's what I believe, and if that makes you mad at me, then so be it.
But he was cool.
He didn't really think much of it, but I don't know why that was in his heart to bring up
right away.
I heard you switched religions on, "How dare you leave the Catholic Church, boy?"
I'm like, "I did what I did because it is what it is.
It's the truth."
Amen?
But I knew, hey, this is why I'm here.
It's like, "Joan, we got to go."
This is why he called me.
I don't know how they got my cell number, but we're going.
I was able to give my uncles, my aunts, all the gospel clear.
They had questions.
There weren't many questions I could.
And I don't know.
Maybe they believed it.
Maybe they didn't.
But if I have to say, what do you think?
I think he's in hell.
Sad.
I could just imagine what he's going through right now.
One thing I know for sure is that, hey, he wants me to keep going, and he wants me to
keep preaching, and he wants me to get people safe because the rich men also wanted that
as well.
And I can't just focus all on myself when I lose loved ones because it is what it is.
We have to put God first.
But the good thing is, what God wants is what our loved ones also wants, like I said earlier.
And so of course we're here.
God has given us the ministry of reconciliation.
You have a purpose.
Why do I bring it up?
Because we're human.
And if T.O.
Dean, after losing his best friend, having kids, having a wife, goes upstairs, grabs
his service pistol, puts it on his head, ready to squeeze the trigger, if he can get suicidal
like that, I think that's a sin common to men.
Amen?
And just because we're saved doesn't mean that we are not able to do such a thing.
By knowing that your loved ones are in a better place, knowing that your loved ones want you
to go keep people safe, knowing that your loved ones want you to remember why you're
here.
We're ambassadors of Christ.
We're here.
We have the ministry of reconciliation.
Go out there and reconcile people to Christ.
Never give up.
Let God decide when it's time for you to go, not you.
And that's why I bring these verses up, because it's crystal clear that it's painful when
we lose people.
Just look at scripture.
Even when Jacob died, his son Joseph was gone.
Look how he was just destroyed pretty much his whole life.
And besides that, I just want you guys tonight to remember that we just have to, when we
lose people, just honor them in the best way we can.
You know, briefing is one of the ways to honor them, but not just that.
You guys just gotta remember, like I said earlier, just remember where they are.
You know, remember what they want.
Remember why you're here.
And one day, us who are saved, we will be reunited, amen?
We will be reunited with them.
Until then, let's just keep honoring the memory of Brother Kevin, you know, by living faithfully.
I'm pretty sure that's what he wants us to do, by continuing to win souls.
I'm glad that you guys got together in honor of Brother Kevin to go out there and win souls.
That was something that I thought was amazing.
And we may never understand exactly what happened.
We can all speculate.
But at the end of the day, I think faithful word because of Kevin is the most humble has
ever been.
That's what I believe is more God-fearing than it's ever been.
And at the end of the day, all the rewards you guys get when you get to heaven, let's
give Kevin some of them.
Amen.
Here you go, bro.
These rewards are for you.
I don't know if that's possible.
Probably not.
Knowing Kevin, he's like, "Hey, keep your own.
I got my own, bro."
But of course, let's honor those that we love, not by giving up, but by living faithfully,
living in souls, and just continue to look forward to that glorious day where we'll be
united in the presence of the Lord.
First Thessalonians 4:13.
I'm 32 minutes in, probably one of the shortest messages I've ever preached.
You guys are probably saying, "Amen."
I know.
"But I will not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you
saw or not, even as others which have no hope.
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will
God bring with Him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto
the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel
with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, and we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so shall we ever be with the Lord, wherefore comfort one another with these words.
And I want to end it with that verse, let's pray.
Dear Father we thank you so much for all the great things you've done for us, for this
amazing building Lord that you've given us. Father we just can never thank you enough,
but help us Lord to honor you and honor the loved ones that have gone before us Lord by
continuing to stay faithful until the very end until we're finally gone as well from
this earth. And Lord always help our loved ones that are left behind to remember that
we are in a better place. We are with Christ which is far better and we are in joy Lord.
And Lord just help us all to be able to deal you know with the death of loved ones and
losing loved ones when it comes. And we ask you to do all this for your honor and glory
in Jesus name. Amen.