When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
count your many blessings, think them one by one.
Hang in the surprise, you love the Lord at night.
Count your blessings, think them one by one.
Count your blessings, see what God has found.
Count your blessings.
Think them one by one.
Count your many blessings, see what God has found.
Are you ever burning in the wall of air?
Does the cross in heavy you not call to bear?
Count your many blessings, then bring down the fire.
God is singing as the Creed would climb.
Count your blessings, think them one by one.
Count your blessings, see what God has found.
Count your blessings, think them one by one.
Count your many blessings, see what God has found.
Take a look at others with their hands any more.
Think that Christ has promised you his wealth and your soul.
Capture many blessings one he cannot buy.
You'll be rewarded having more hope for God.
Count your blessings.
Give them one timeline.
Count your blessings.
See what God has done.
Count your blessings.
Make them one by one.
Count your many blessings.
See what God has done.
So what, big and humble, whether plain or small.
You might be discouraged, but it's all your fault.
Count your many blessings.
Give them one by one.
Help him come forgive you to the journey's end.
Count your blessings.
Give them one by one.
Count your blessings.
See what God has done.
Count your blessings.
Make them one by one.
Count your many blessings.
See what God has done.
Song number 97, I Need Thee Every Hour.
Song number 97.
I need Thee, now I need Thee.
Let me out, I need Thee.
Oh, bless me now, I see Thee.
I come to Thee.
I need Thee every hour.
Stay now, here I am.
Temptations lose their power.
When thou art not, I need Thee.
Oh, I need Thee.
Every hour I need Thee.
Oh, bless me now, I see Thee.
I come to Thee.
I need Thee every hour.
Enjoy all things.
I need Thee.
Oh, I need Thee.
Every hour I need Thee.
Oh, bless me now, I see Thee.
I come to Thee.
I need Thee every hour.
I need Thee.
Oh, bless me now, I see Thee.
I need Thee every hour.
I need Thee.
Oh, bless me now, I see Thee.
I come to Thee.
Hey man, at this time we'll open the announcements. If you follow me, we will sing the song of your choice.
Alright, if you need a bulletin, go ahead and slip up your hand. Brother Fabian will bring you one. Just keep it up there.
And of course we've got our service times listed there on the upper left hand side.
Every Sunday at 10 30 a.m. again at 5 30 p.m.
Thursdays at 7. We're going through the
Book of 2 Kings being chapter 4 this week.
And we've got the salvation, the baptisms, as well as the offering totals for the month and year.
Listed below that.
And then also, happy birthday to everybody celebrating
in the month of September. Either a birthday and or a wedding anniversary.
So be sure to congratulate everybody listed there. Wish them happy birthday.
Don't forget the weekly Bible memory project that we're working on.
Memorizing the books of the Bible as well as their respective
number of chapters. And then on the back,
don't forget the baby shower coming up, ladies, on Saturday.
So come on out for that. And from 2 to 5.
I guess typically at these ladies functions what I would get is Panera.
However, word has gotten back to me that
Juanitos is what is preferred. So unless
I hear differently, that's the route I'm going to go.
It's a Panera thing, but you can't get away from Juanitos.
In fact, we're going to have some Juanitos tonight after church.
We're going to try and warm up. We've got an Amen there.
Let's keep that going through the sermon.
You can say that while I'm preaching too, by the way, if you agree.
We're warming up the leftovers from the graduation. Thanks to everybody coming out for the graduation yesterday.
And we'll have some chocolate cake that's leftover as well as some leftover
Juanitos and things like that. But that's going to be for sure
fresh Juanitos this Saturday for the ladies at the baby shower.
So come on out for that. And then also just a quick
memorial of Mrs. Grace Cuevas there.
Of course, Adam's mother passed away just this last Monday.
Thankfully she went, from what I understand, very peacefully there at the end.
She had peace in her heart. She wasn't in a great deal of pain, from what I understand.
Brother Adam is certainly taking it as well as anybody can.
And he's trying to be, and is being rather, a light
for the Gospel there with his family. I know his brother's gotten saved already.
And he's planning on preaching the Gospel at her funeral this Thursday.
So if you could keep that in mind and pray for him that God gives him boldness
and also softens the hearts of those that are there.
Sometimes this is the only opportunity that people might have to hear the Gospel.
Or they'll actually sit and listen rather, I should say.
We're thinking about the mortality, life, death, all of that.
It is a good opportunity to preach that.
So pray that God works in the hearts of those people.
And we of course will miss Mrs. Cuevas there.
And then we've also got the Sunday morning series which we kicked off this morning about our vision
for 2023 kind of leading into that. Don't forget that's going to be taking place also
on Sunday. So please come on back out for that.
We've got the song lists listed there for Thursday and next week.
So if you need to practice those throughout the week you can do that.
Let's go ahead and count up the soul winning very quickly going back to Friday the 9th.
Does anybody have anything to report for the 9th? And then I don't think there was a group that went out Saturday.
Anybody have anything Saturday? And then was there anything for the group today?
Amen. Alright, well we'll keep up the good work soul winning.
Let's get into the preaching tonight.
So what level is it?
309.
Alright, let's turn our handles to some of those we haven't tonight.
Here we go.
Standing by the prophet's truth
leading us to them. Honor them the
faithful, we all have to stand those men.
There to be a dangle, there to stand alone.
There to help the purpose stand,
there to make it known.
Many mighty men are lost, staring us to stand.
Who are God hath been the host by joining
Daniel's band. There to be a dangle,
there to stand alone.
There to help the purpose burn,
there to make it known.
There to be a dangle,
there to stand alone.
There to help the purpose burn,
there to make it known.
There to be a dangle,
there to make it known.
There to be a dangle,
there to make it known.
There to be a dangle,
there to stand alone.
There to help the purpose burn,
there to make it known.
As the plate goes around, let's turn our Bibles to James chapter 1.
James chapter 1, that's James chapter 1.
As always, we'll read the entire chapter. Please follow along with us.
James chapter 1.
James chapter number 1 tonight.
James chapter number 1,
the Bible reads, James the servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ to the
tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted with the rich and that he is made
low, because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
For the sun is no sooner risen with the burning heat, but it withered the grass, and the flower thereof
falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth. So also shall the rich man
fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he
is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Let no man say, When he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted
with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away
of his own lust, and enticed. Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin,
and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brother,
every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,
with whom is no variableness, nor neither shadow of turning.
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift,
to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness
the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man
beholding his natural face in a glass, for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way,
and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, being not a forgetful hearer,
but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
If any man among you seemeth to be religious, and brighteth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart,
this man's religion is vain. Pure religion, and undefiled before God the Father is this,
to visit the Father, listen to widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Let's go ahead and pray. Dear Lord, again, thank you again for the time that we have to come together
in your house for the preaching of your word, and Lord, I pray you'd help me to edify your people
by your spirit, we ask in Christ's name, amen.
So in James chapter 1, I really just want to focus on the verse 16 there, where he says,
Do not err, my beloved brethren, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness,
nor neither shadow of turning. What I'd like to point out there is the fact
that the Bible's saying that every good and every perfect gift is from above.
You know, all the things that we receive that are good, all the many blessings
that we have in our life are things that we receive from God.
They're actually things that come down from heaven, that God in heaven gives unto us.
That's where all the good things in our life come from.
You know, a great example of this would be, of course, salvation.
I mean, think about the fact that heaven is something that came down from, or excuse me,
salvation is something that came down from heaven.
You know, Jesus said that he which came down from heaven and giveth his life unto the world
So again, even just, you know, that, of course, the greatest blessing of all that any of us
is ever going to receive, salvation is something, is a good gift, is a perfect gift
that came down from the Father which is in heaven.
You know, and that's, of course, something that we would think of very readily when we think about
good gifts that God has given us from heaven, but also we might take for granted
and not think about the fact that even, you know, our daily bread, the things that God gives us,
even the breath that is in our lungs, is given to us by our daily bread.
The breath that is in our lungs is given to us from the Father who is in heaven
and he holds our breath in his hand. So even the things that God has given to us
for our sustenance, things that sustain us, things that keep us alive, things that
keep us strong, things that keep us productive, those are things that have come down
from heaven. Those are things that God has given to men on earth.
That's why it says that every good gift and every perfect gift is
from above. Every good thing, every blessing that we have in this life
has come at the hand of God. He has given it unto us. Now if you would, turn over to
2 Peter chapter 1. You don't have to keep anything in James. Go to 2 Peter chapter 1.
The Bible says in Acts chapter 14, nevertheless, he left not himself without witness
and that he gave us, and that he did good and gave us rain from
heaven and fruitful seasons, what? Filling our hearts with joy and gladness.
Even the fruitful seasons are brought to us by what? The rain from heaven.
Even those things that we consume, those things that we eat to keep us strong,
to keep us healthy, to keep us alive, those are things that ultimately have come
down from heaven literally when God has sent his rain upon the earth
but also that God is the one that sends that rain. Those are things
that are coming from God in heaven.
One thing we might not think about that comes from heaven but is a
blessing in itself is the doctrine of God. The doctrine of God.
The doctrines that God gives us. The Bible. The Holy Bible is something
that God has given to us from heaven. If we were to turn to James 1
where we just were and I said, hey, name a good gift, name a perfect gift that God has given us from
heaven, we might instantly think, oh, Jesus Christ, salvation, and amen,
you'd be right. We might think, oh, God's the one that gives us our breath.
God's the one that gives us food. God's the one that sends the rain and the sun and God
takes care of man on this earth. He causes the rain to shine, or the sun to shine upon the just
and on the unjust. He sent this rain upon the just and upon the unjust.
But one thing we might not think of or one thing we might take for
granted is the fact that doctrine, the Bible, the word of God
is something that also has been given to us from heaven.
You're there in 2 Peter 1, look at verse 16, it says, For we have not followed
cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. Peter's saying,
look, we didn't just make this up. This is something that we've seen with our eyes.
This is something that we are eyewitnesses of. These are things that we have beheld with our own eyes.
We didn't just make this up. This isn't some cunningly devised fable.
This is something that we're testifying of that came from God from heaven.
And he's saying there in verse 17, For he received from God the Father honor
and glory, when there came from such a voice from his excellent glory, This is my
beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven
we heard when we were with him in the holy mount. We also have a more
sure word of prophecy, Where unto ye do well that ye take heed,
as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn
and the day star arise in your hearts. Knowing this, that no prophecy
of the scripture is of any private interpretation, for the prophecy came
not in old time by the will of man, but how did it come? By
the holy men of God, spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
So even the Bible itself, the doctrine of the word of God
is something that God has given us from heaven.
It's interesting also that in the scripture God likens
doctrine or his word unto literal moisture from heaven.
Rain from heaven or dew from heaven. If you would go to Deuteronomy chapter number 32.
Deuteronomy chapter number 32. Jesus of course said
that he was that bread which came down from heaven and he was referring back to
Exodus where God gave them literal manna in the wilderness when he fed
the children of Israel. But that was also something that God gave from heaven which is a picture
of the word of God. Look the word of God is something that has been given
to us from God. The word of God, the Bible
that you hold in your hands is a good and perfect gift
which has come down from the father of lights. That's what we have in
the Bible, in the King James Bible.
The Bible says there in Deuteronomy 32 verse 1, the song of Moses
give ear O ye heavens and I will speak and hear O earth the words
of my mouth. My doctrine shall drop as the rain.
My speech shall distill as the dew.
As the small rain upon the tender herb and as the showers upon
the grass. So what is he saying that his doctrine is something
that is going to what? Drop his rain. It's something that is coming down
from heaven. It's something that is coming from above us that is descending and
coming to us. That is what God's doctrine is like. It is like rain
from heaven. He says that his speech shall distill as the dew.
That when we wake up in the morning we go out and we see that dew out upon
the grass. That which has been left behind
in the night. Something that's fresh, something that's waiting there for us
in the morning. That's what the doctrine of God is like. That's what the Bible is like.
It is like dew from heaven. His speech shall distill as dew.
It is as the small rain upon the tender herb. That's really what caught
my attention when I read this earlier this week is that his doctrine is like
the small rain upon the tender herb.
The Bible is so deep. The Bible is so rich and there's so many
great truths. There's so many things that we need to learn. There are many things that
are difficult to understand. There are many things that are very plain and simple to understand
but God gives it to us like he would give it dew upon tender herb.
God doesn't just pour out everything upon us
in just one giant bucket of water. God
knows that we are many times like that tender herb.
If you were just some gentle frail plant you could over water
that thing. If you were to take a 55 gallon drum and just pour it
on a sapling you could potentially kill that thing. You could crush it
with the force of water alone. God is saying here that his
doctrine, his speech, it distills as dew. Meaning it's something that comes
down and is gently placed upon us. It's something that we receive
very simply. He says it has
the showers upon the grass. God's word
his doctrine that dew from heaven is what's going to
provide for and sustain our spiritual needs.
I read some verses earlier about how God has given us rain from
heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with joy and gladness. We might think
about that in the physical aspects, the things that we
receive of God. But what about the spiritual things? What about the fact that
God has provided for us spiritually in the Bible? God has given
to us every single day, day by day, through every day of our life
spiritual sustenance in the word of God. Every morning there is dew
there is dew upon the tender herb waiting for you.
And so many people are living their lives, even their Christian lives
parched. They're going through, they're parched
they're not refreshed, they don't have any vigor, they don't have
any strength, and they wonder why they're wasting away spiritually. It's because
well, hey, have you gotten with the word of God? Did you get out there and get the dew
this morning? Did you get out there and let God distill upon you some of his
doctrine? You know, God's word will provide and sustain
for our spiritual needs. And the Bible tells us that we should desire that. I won't take the time
to turn us to 1 Peter, go to Isaiah 28. It says in 1 Peter
as newborn babes desire what? The sincere milk
of the word. You know, God's word is likened unto dew, God's word is
likened unto water, God's word is likened unto rain.
And it's likened unto milk, like mother's milk.
And again, it's this idea that it falls, what, it
goes gently upon the tender herb. You know, a child gently
receives mother's milk, and receives it a little bit at a time.
You know, we don't just walk up to a newborn and
just pour all the milk out it's going to ever drink all at once and say, there you go.
You got it, everything you need. No, that's something that's received very
in small portions, very slowly, over time
and as it's received, that child begins to grow and get stronger and
take on more. If we're going to grow, if we're going to be
sustained through our spiritual life, we have to get with the milk.
We have to get with the word of God. We have to be there where the dew
is. We have to let that tender, or be that tender herb that
lets that dew fall upon it. We have to be there to receive it, folks.
Or else we're going to, we're not going to grow.
And I want to just very quickly tonight preach a sermon entitled Dew Drops.
Dew Drops this morning, or this evening, and just make a couple of points,
just a few points about how God's word is likened unto
the drops of dew that distill in the morning.
And as I just mentioned, you know, it's something that is given over time.
It's something that isn't just poured out all at once. It's not
something that you just read the Bible one time and suddenly you know all the deep things of God.
No, it's something that you have to read and reread and read
again and go back and try to understand that. And when you find yourself zoning
out, maybe you should go back and read that chapter again. It has to be memorized.
It has to be thought upon. You have to hear it preached. You have to have it explained.
That is how you grow in the Christian life.
That's what Isaiah explains here in Isaiah 28 verse 9. I know we know it says there
in verse 9 of Isaiah 28, whom shall he teach knowledge?
So it's not that God doesn't want people to understand. It's not
that God doesn't want people to gain wisdom and instruction
and knowledge. He's just asking like, who's it going to be? Who's going to be the
person that receives knowledge, that receives instruction? Whom shall he
make to understand doctrine? Who is it that's going to know what the Bible says?
Them that are weaned from the milk and drawn
from the breast that have been there, meaning that they have had to have been there to receive
that milk. They didn't just, you know, we're not just going to
be saved, born again as newborn creatures in Christ.
As a new creature in Christ, we're not just going to be eating the
meat of the word of God. We have to take in the milk first. You don't immediately
feed a newborn a T-bone steak. You're going to have to
develop the teeth, the jaws, you know, everything that goes involved
the digestive system to be able to even handle something like that.
So look, if you're not there for the dew drops, if you're not there for
the mother's milk, if you're not there for the simple things of the word of God,
don't expect to be able to understand or comprehend or receive
the deep things of God. He says he's going to teach those
and he's going to make those to understand that have been weaned from the milk.
Meaning they've been there to receive the milk and drawn
from the breast. Why? For precept must be upon precept.
Line upon line, here a little, there a little.
We don't learn everything all at once, do we?
And that's how God's word is likened unto dew. That's why his doctrine
and his word is likened unto dew. You know, a little bit comes out every morning.
There's a little bit, there's fresh dew every morning on the grass.
It nourishes that tender herb that morning and then it's dried up.
And if it doesn't receive more, you know, it's going to die. But God faithfully
day in, day out sends that dew, sends that milk
on, you know, literally on this earth, but spiritually
to you and I. To where we can go from being, you know, that
stripling, that sapling, that tender herb, that newborn babe into somebody
who has had their senses exercised. To be able to discern
good and evil. To be able to handle the strong meat of the word of God.
When we've been drawn from the breast. We've been weaned from the milk.
This is why, you know, I go to Acts 17, we're going to spend a few
a little bit of time in Acts.
And this is why, you know, your Bible reading must be ongoing.
I know we're coming into the last quarter of the year
and all the Bible reading sermons are going to get preached toward the end of the year
trying to encourage you to read Bibles. I'm just, this is preemptive.
You know, your Bible reading must be ongoing. Why? Because every
day there's fresh dew, there's milk in the word of God, there's meat
for those that have been weaned waiting for you. Every day it's there.
Notice in Acts 17 verse 11
it says, these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, talking about the
Bereans. In that they received the word with all readiness of mind
and searched the scriptures once. One time.
They read the New Testament one time. They read through
their Bible one time. That's what made them so noble.
You know, they read the verse of the day.
You know, they had the verse of the day sent to them in their inbox.
You know, they read through their devotional
and they got the thoughts of some weirdo.
Some heretic. They read their, you know, they read something
from Spurgeon. You know, they got their little verse
of the day. Is that what made these people noble? You know, it says that they
searched the scriptures daily. Daily.
Every day they were in their Bibles reading.
And what were they doing? Searching whether those things
must be so. Look, the Bible is likened unto dew in the sense that
it's fresh every morning. It's always there
waiting for us. The question is, are we going to be there to receive it?
Not just your Bible reading, but also go to Acts
chapter 5. Preaching must be received continually.
You know, I was thinking about this. I think brother Oliver
mentioned it in one of his sermons when he was here this last Sunday about how, you know, those
that have been in the Christian life, those that have been attending church for a long time,
you know, we really can't point to, hey, there was
just one sermon that just changed my whole life. And that's true.
You know, preaching is something that is compounded over time.
You learn things slowly over time. And a lot of times you're just relearning the same material.
But preaching is something, the preaching of the word of God is something
that you have to give attendance to continually. Just like your Bible reading.
You say daily? Well, you know, look at Acts 5.42. And daily
in the temple in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
And this is talking about the apostles after they had just been beaten for speaking in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ. For performing a miracle. And it says
they got, they were beaten, they were commanded not to teach or preach anymore in that name.
And you know what they went? They went and daily they taught in the temple and in every house.
They ceased not to teach and preach daily. You know, I was thinking about this
and don't worry, I'm not ever going to do it because it would be a complete failure.
But I thought about, you know, what if we did meet every day?
What if instead of three times a week it was like, hey, seven, instead of three to thrive
it was seven to succeed. Or whatever, you know,
clever acronym or whatever you want to put on that. Alliteration rather.
You know, what if we did do that? People go, oh, that's insane.
I mean, people think three is asking too much.
Three services a week? Bible says these guys met daily.
And you wonder why, what changed? What happened? I'll tell you what
changed in my opinion is that, you know, things got easy. Things got
comfortable. Say, why was the early church meeting daily? Because
they were being beaten? Because they were being persecuted? Because they were having to
flee and being scattered and they were meeting together and
exhorting one another and they were encouraging one another and edifying
one another? You know, I don't know, but I'd imagine
that if anything like that ever happened in our country, if it got to the point where all of a sudden
we were being persecuted in our faith, you know, it would probably be pretty easy to get people to come to church
more than once. It might even get to the point where people are like, yeah, we need to meet every day
and read the Bible. They say, are you going to preach seven times a week?
You know, and then I thought, well, how would that work? I've
pulled off four sermons this week, you know, three and a half, you know, really.
I was like, man, that took a little bit of work. How could you pull off seven? Well, you know what,
there would be other people that could get up and preach, other men who would be, what, daily
in their Bible, daily showing up to get the Word of God, daily
meditating and thinking about the Word of God, daily searching the Scriptures. No doubt
they would have something to share day in and day out. It's just a thought I had.
You know, and they were meeting daily. They were tending under the preaching of the
Word of God daily back then. You know, and it's just
funny to me today that you can't get people to come out to church maybe more than once. And I
understand that things come up and schedules change and people go through seasons,
but sometimes, you know, I know for a fact, I'm almost, well, I can't say I know for a fact,
but it wouldn't surprise me, I guess you could say, if there's people that sat out of church
just because they don't want to be there. Just because they don't feel like it.
And they don't really have an excuse. I mean, sometimes
I imagine how crazy it would sound to go to the apostles
like this who are meeting daily, go to the early church who's meeting daily
and explain to them why I wasn't in church.
And say, oh, I couldn't make it because, you know, I was tired.
I had a long week. Oh, really? So
you were tired because you were beaten?
Someone beat you or threw you in prison? I mean, what's your excuse, early church, for not being there?
Oh, well, we were literally in prison. But then we got out and
immediately went to church.
I mean, it's just funny to think, imagine repeating some of our excuses
to the early church of why we couldn't meet. And again,
I'm not introducing any new doctrine here. We're not going to start meeting seven times a week.
But we do meet three times a week.
And here's the point, is that every time the word of God is being preached,
you know what, there's a little bit of dew coming down from heaven.
There's some dew that's descending from heaven. His doctrine is distilling His dew.
It's going to fall as the gentle rain upon the tender herb every time the word of God
is preached. But if you're not there to receive it, you know what, you're not going to get that nourishment.
You're not going to get that sustenance that you might need.
You know, the preaching the word of God is like dew in the sense that it, what, adds up.
You know, that's why it's so important to be there daily reading your Bible.
Being there when the word of God is being preached. Because it's adding up.
You know, obviously sometimes things are being repeated.
I'm sure you've probably heard me preach a sermon about Bible reading before.
I'm sure you've probably heard me preach a sermon about church attendance before.
But you know what, these are the things that need to be repeated
because what's not repeated is eventually forgotten.
You say, why would you repeat yourself? Why would you preach on the same subjects?
You got nothing else to talk about? No, it's because
what is not repeated is forgotten.
Go to Acts chapter 20, Acts chapter number 20. You know, I'm not worried about
re-preaching things either. I mean, Paul said,
I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this.
How that the Lord, having saved people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believe not.
He's saying, look, I'm going to put you in remembrance, though you once knew this.
Let me remind you again of something from the Bible.
He said to the Philippians, finally my brethren, to rejoice in the Lord, to write the same things to you
to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
Paul, you know, I read your epistles, it sounds like you kind of have the same message for different churches.
It sounds like you repeat yourself a lot, Paul.
It sounds like you keep saying some of the same things over and over in your epistles.
Yeah, because it's not grievous for Paul, but for us it is safe to hear these things.
But look, if we're not there to hear them, they will be forgotten.
Even things that we have heard before,
let alone the things that are new, the things that are going to be a help to us
and things that are refreshing to us and things that are going to renew us
and things that are going to inspire us and encourage us and cause us to move forward in the Christian life,
let alone those things, look, the things you've already heard will be forgotten
if you're not there to receive what? The dew from heaven when it's given.
You know, it's like an adieu in the sense that in one way it adds up.
It builds up is my next point. Not only does it add up,
but it will build you up. That's what the word of God will do.
Look at Acts 20. Acts 20, look at verse 32.
This is of course, you know, Paul giving his farewell speech to the elders in Ephesus
and he says in verse 32, and now brethren, Acts 20, 32, I commend you to God
and to the word of his grace, which is what? Able to build you up.
Paul's saying here, look, I've taught you everything I know how to teach you.
I'm going away. You're not going to see my face anymore.
But I'm going to commend you to God. And more specifically, not just commend you to God,
but to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up.
You know who you don't have to worry about in the Christian life?
Is the person who reads their Bible. I'm not saying they're never going to have problems.
I'm not saying they're never going to have issues.
But you know who's going to be the steady, stable Christian that's going to make it there for the long haul?
The person who's there daily receiving the dew from heaven in their daily Bible reading.
The person who's faithfully there as much as is possible receiving the preaching of the word of God.
You don't worry about those people. They're getting the nourishment that they need.
That's why Paul's saying, look, I'm not worried about you guys in Ephesus.
I'm commending you under the word of his grace, which is able to build you up.
It's the word of God that is going to build us.
You know, it's the word of God that is going to strengthen us.
It's the word of God that is going to settle us over time.
He told Timothy, continue thou in the things which thou hast learned.
He's saying continue in the things which you have learned.
And has what? Been assured of. Knowing of whom thou hast learned them.
You know, the things that he was taught from the word of God.
The word of God that he received as a young child, which was able to make him wise unto salvation.
The scriptures that he knew of a child.
Paul's saying, look, continue in those things that you've learned.
Those things that you have been assured of and have learned.
Those are the things that you need to continue in.
Those are the things that are going to strengthen you.
Those are the things that are going to settle you.
The things you have already learned.
The things that you have to continually remind yourself of.
Remind us again of what it says in Isaiah chapter 28, verse 10, for what?
Precept must be upon precept, line upon line, line upon line.
Whenever I read that line upon line, it always makes me think of brick laying.
You know, I'm not a mason. I don't think I've ever laid brick.
I've poured concrete walls and footers, but you know, that's different.
But, correct me if I'm wrong, but I know I've never done it,
but I'm pretty sure that when you lay brick, you start at the bottom.
You don't put a brick here and then try to put one underneath it.
Because physics, because gravity, you have to start at the bottom and work your way up.
And it's got to be right at the bottom, doesn't it?
You've got to have the string line, it's got to be level.
You've got to stack it just right so that otherwise, you know, if it's a little bit off down here,
it's going to be way off down there.
And that's the way it is in the Christian life.
Say, why do I need to be at church on a regular basis?
Why do I need to read my Bible every day?
Why do I have to learn the milk of the word of God?
Why do I have to be like that tender herb that receives the dew daily?
Why can't I just be that great mighty oak right out of the gate?
Because line must be upon line.
And precept must be upon precept.
Here a little, there a little.
You have to be drawn from the breast, you have to be weaned from the milk.
So again, you know, why is the word of God like dew drops?
Well, you know, because it's something that's given slowly over time.
It's something that's given daily.
It's something that's given to us fresh every day.
And it's this, it's this over, it adds up over time.
It builds up over time.
And as enough time goes by, and if we're faithful to the word of God,
if we're faithful to the preaching God, word of God,
if we're there to receive daily the things that God has for us in the Bible,
eventually it will culminate.
It adds up, it builds up, and it culminates.
What do you mean it culminates?
It culminates simply means to reach the highest point of development.
It peaks, it climaxes.
It's the highest point of development.
You know, we will go from pupil to teacher.
You know, the things that we've learned, the things that we have received,
just like Timothy, those things which he had been assured of,
those things that he had learned, he eventually went on to what?
Teach them.
That's what 1 and 2 Timothy is all about.
Telling them to put the brethren in remembrance of these things.
To be a good minister of Jesus Christ, what?
Nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine,
whereunto thou hast attained.
You know, that's how the word of God works.
That's how it works in a Christian life.
You're there daily receiving that dew.
You're there daily receiving that milk.
You're there, you know, weekly, week in, week out, service in, service out.
Slowly, line upon line, being built up in your faith.
And then years will go by.
And then you will become the teacher.
You will go from being the pupil to being the one who is teaching.
Maybe not necessarily behind a pulpit.
Maybe it will be in your home.
Maybe it will be out there teaching and preaching the gospel.
Maybe it will be some new Christian in your local church
that you will take under your wing and explain.
I mean, I see it all the time now with my wife.
You know, she's had five children and now these young ladies come around
who are having their first child, she's able to give them advice.
Now, she doesn't hold a medical degree.
But you know, she has the experience.
And even my wife, there's other ladies in this church who have raised children,
godly children.
And she's able to go to them and receive instruction from them.
Look, if we are faithful to the word of God,
if we go through these seasons of just being faithful to receiving
what those little dew drops that just come a little bit at a time
as that gentle rain upon the earth,
just a little bit at a time, day in and day out,
eventually we will grow strong.
We will be able to handle the strong things of the meat of the word of God.
And eventually we will actually be feeding others and helping others.
That's how it culminates.
It adds up, it builds up, and then it culminates.
You know, and here's the thing.
This is something I think about.
Go to 1 Corinthians 3. We'll close there.
Is that, you know, the word of God is going to be with us for eternity.
You know, at the very least in the form of the Lord Jesus Christ,
who is the word of God.
But I believe that even in heaven, we'll still have the Bible.
We'll still have the word of God.
The Bible says in Revelation 20, verse 11,
And I saw a great white throne, of course this is the end of the millennium,
and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away,
and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened.
See, what are those books?
And another book was opened, which is the book of life.
So there's one book called the book of life, but then there's this other book.
These books, plural. And that's all that Bible means, books.
You know, I believe it's referring to the Bible.
That people are going to be judged out of the word of God itself.
And God's going to show them, people that are trusting in their works,
and say, well I showed you, I wrote it right here, that's not by works.
It's not by works of righteousness which we have done, but by his mercy he saved us.
That we're saved through the blood of Christ.
He's going to judge people out of those books that were written.
All the things in Moses and the prophets that spake concerning Christ.
All of it.
And I believe we're going to have the word of God with us eternally.
How are we going to spend heaven?
I think we're still going to be learning and receiving things from the Bible.
We're going to be receiving teaching from Christ himself.
And he's going to, I believe, preach to us from the word of God.
And when we see it here in Revelation 20, it's there.
And I want to drive home this last point, I know this is nothing new.
You know, but to teach the same thing again is not grievous.
And for us it is safe.
It says in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 9,
For we are laborers together with God.
Ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
According the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder,
I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.
But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon.
There it goes back into that idea of the fact that it has to be, what, line upon line.
You have to start at the bottom. You have to start at the base.
You have to begin with the foundation that has been laid.
And for other foundation can no man lay that is laid which is Jesus Christ.
Look, the foundation of our faith is Jesus Christ.
You're saved. That foundation is laid. It's there.
You have something to build on in the Christian life if you're saved.
Which I assume is everybody in the building.
Has accepted Christ as their Savior.
That foundation has been built and no other foundation can be laid.
But, he says there at the end of verse 10,
Let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon.
Take heed how you build upon that foundation of your salvation.
Look at verse 12. He says,
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble,
every man's work shall be made manifest.
For the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire.
And the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
You know, we're all going to give an account.
We always like to think about how the unsaved are going to give an account to God.
And they are. We just read it in Revelation 20.
But the Bible says that we shall all give an account to Christ.
The things that are done in our body, whether good or bad.
That all of our work is going to be made manifest.
How we built upon the foundation is going to be revealed.
What we did with the time that we had.
The day shall declare it.
If any man's work abide where he hath buildeth there upon,
he shall receive a reward.
This is the culmination of the word of God.
When you are there daily receiving the dew from heaven.
When you are there daily in your Bible.
When you are there week in, week out for the preaching word of God.
When you are building faithfully, consistently upon that foundation,
eventually it culminates on that great day.
Where Christ rewards us for our works.
That's the culmination of the word of God.
Of our works, our efforts.
Where we will hear those words,
Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter thou in the joy of thy Lord.
Be thou over ten cities, be thou over five cities.
Thou hast been faithful in that which is little, be thou also over much.
That's the culmination of our faith.
But you know what, does that come all at once?
Do we just automatically, oh I'm saved, I get that, that's what I got, that's what I'm destined for? No.
That's something that adds up slowly, that's something that we build up to.
Or we don't. Or we don't.
Or we build wood, hay, stubble.
And all of it just burns up.
If any man's works shall be burned, he shall suffer loss.
But he himself shall be saved, yet so as, by fire.
So again, God's word is likened, his doctrine, his speech, it distills as the dew.
It's likened unto that gentle rain that comes from heaven.
And slowly builds us up, slowly nourishes us over time.
And you know, it's there every day waiting for us.
That refreshing that you need to keep living the Christian life, it's there every day, it's there every morning, it's on that grass.
You say, where is it? It's in the word of God.
It's that 15 minutes of prayer, it's that 15 minutes of Bible reading.
Where the Holy Spirit is going to come and commune with you and speak to you out of his word.
Some verse that you've read before, maybe a dozen times, is going to pop out and stand out in a new light.
That's the ministry of the Holy Ghost. That's amazing, supernatural.
And you're going to be able to go in that strength for that day.
And then the next day you're going to need another refreshing.
And the next day you're going to need another refreshing.
And that dew is going to have to drop every day for you.
And the good news is that, you know, God's dew, that doctrine, it drops daily.
It's always there. It's a fountain that never fails.
The question is, are we there to receive it?
Let's go ahead and pray.
Dear Lord, again, thank you for the unsearchable riches in Christ.
Thank you for the power of the word of God.
Thank you for its ability to refresh us, to renew us, Lord, to give us fresh oil,
to give us the nourishment that we need day by day, week in, week out for our lives,
Lord, that will ultimately culminate in our rewards in heaven.
Lord, I pray you'd help us to be faithful to it, to be found daily in it,
reading it, studying it, knowing it, and living it.
We ask these things in Christ's name. Amen.
All right, we'll go ahead and sing one more song before we go.
Turn our windows to a song of 260.
A song of 268 is in its validity.
You know, 260.
Tis the grandest thing that the world has sung.
Tis the grandest thing for a mortal tongue.
Tis the grandest thing that the world has sung.
Our God is able to deliver thee.
He is able to deliver thee.
Though I sleep, I'm restful to thee.
Rest, our God is able to deliver thee.
Tis the grandest thing in the earth for me.
Tis the grandest thing for a mortal string.
Tis the grandest thing that the world has sung.
And our God is able to deliver thee.
He is able to deliver thee.
Though I sleep, I'm restful to thee.
Rest, our God is able to deliver thee.
Tis the grandest thing that the tidings hold.
To the guilty heart, to the sinful soul.
Look to God in faith.
He will make me whole.
Our God is able to deliver thee.
He is able to deliver thee.
Though I sleep, I'm restful to thee.
Though I rest, our God is able to deliver thee.
Thanks be to God.