["Pomp and Circumstance"]
Welcome to Straight Past Baptist Church.
Please find our seats, grab a hymnal, and turn that hymnal to song number 404.
We begin our Sunday evening service by singing song number 404.
When the battle is over, begin that song number 404.
Sing it out on the first.
By a soldier, God the cross would come from above.
And shall I fear to own his cause or watch to speak his name?
And when the battle's over, we shall wear a crown.
If we shall wear a crown, yes, we shall wear a crown.
When the battle's over, we shall wear a crown with you, Jerusalem.
Wear a crown, wear a crown, wear a bright and shining crown.
When the battle's over, we shall wear a crown with you, Jerusalem.
The sky we can't return, the skies are flat, we raise the views.
Our fathers fought to win the prizes, and nobody sees.
When the battle's over, we shall wear a crown.
Yes, we shall wear a crown.
When the battle's over, we shall wear a crown with you, Jerusalem.
Wear a crown, wear a crown, wear a bright and shining crown.
When the battle's over, we shall wear a crown with you, Jerusalem.
I was fighting fine, and the rain increased, my birth is gone.
I'll bear the toil in blood that leads the poor in our life.
And when the battle's over, we shall wear a crown.
Yes, we shall wear a crown.
When the battle's over, we shall wear a crown with you, Jerusalem.
Wear a crown, wear a crown, wear a bright and shining crown.
When the battle's over, we shall wear a crown with you, Jerusalem.
Amen.
Good singing, Brother Fagan.
Could you hear us?
I do, Lord, I thank you for this first word.
I thank you for the first word.
I thank you for this word.
I thank you for the first word.
Amen.
Right, please turn your hymnals to song number 343.
Singing song number 343, revive us again at a song number 343.
We praise thee, O God, O Son of our God,
for Jesus, whose diet is now come above.
Hallelujah, our glory, hallelujah, amen.
Hallelujah, our glory, we find us again.
We praise thee, O God, for thy spirit of light,
who has shown us thy Savior and scattered our night.
Hallelujah, thy glory, hallelujah, amen.
Hallelujah, thy glory, we find us again.
All glory and praise to the Lamb that was slain,
who hath borne all our sins and has plans at his name.
Hallelujah, thy glory, hallelujah, amen.
Hallelujah, thy glory, we find us again.
Revive us again, fill each heart with thy love.
May each soul be rekindled with heart from above.
Hallelujah, thy glory, hallelujah, amen.
Hallelujah, thy glory, we find us again.
We're happy to be singing at this time.
All right, it's great to see everybody out at Straight Past Baptist Church.
If you need a bulletin, you can always lift up your hand, one we brought to you.
As always, the service times there are there on the back.
Don't forget, we'll be back this Thursday at 7 for Genesis 43.
And also the Thanksgiving potluck dinner coming up on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 28th.
So I think it's pretty solid.
We're going to do this at 4.30, 5 o'clock right there.
We'd like to be eating at 5 o'clock, so folks that are going to be bringing food can get here about 4.30.
That'll give us time to kind of get everything set up.
And then we'll just have a dinner together.
And then, of course, we'll have the evening service at 7.
I know several of the ladies have already been talking, kind of working out who's bringing what.
But I'll have a sign up in the sheet back there this Thursday so we can kind of make that official.
But that'll be a good time to get together.
And then that's really it for announcements.
Let's just quickly count up the soul winning going back to Friday, if there's anything from Friday to report.
Or anything from Saturday. I know some folks don't know that the one's Saturday.
And then anything from today to praise the Lord.
All right, we'll keep up the great work slowly.
And then we'll go ahead and sing one more song before we get into the preaching tonight.
All right, if you could please turn your memos to song number 167.
We'll be singing song number 167, All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name.
And that is song number 167.
Sing out to the Lord on the first.
All hail the power of Jesus' name. Let angels prostrate all.
Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all.
In the chosen seed of His grace He ransomed from above.
Hail Him who saved you by His grace and crown Him Lord of all.
Let every kindred leg return on this perpetual fall.
To Him all majesty is worth and crown Him Lord of all.
Oh that with naught the sacred from the end is we may fall.
We'll join the everlasting song and crown Him Lord of all.
Remember we sing that this time the offering play will go around.
As the offering play goes around, please turn your Bibles to Psalm 107.
Follow over the baby that you read, so some Psalms 107.
Psalm 107, beginning at verse 1.
Oh, give thanks unto the Lord for His good, for His mercy and good forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.
They carry them out of the lands, from the east, from the west, from the north, from the south.
They wander in the wilderness in a solitary way.
They found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of the distress.
And He led them forth by the right way, that they may go into the city of habitation.
Oh that man would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men.
For He satisfied the law of His soul, and filled up a hungry soul with goodness.
Such as sit in darkness in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron.
Because they rebound against the words of God, and pretend the counsel of the Most High.
Therefore He brought down their heart with labor.
They fell down, and there was none to help.
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of the deep.
He is desperate.
He brought them out of darkness in the shadow of death, and break their bands of sundry.
Oh that man would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men.
For He had broken the gates of grass, and cut the bars of iron and sundry.
Fools because of their transgressions, and because of their iniquities are quickly.
Their soul and forth all matter of meat, and they draw near unto the gates of death.
Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and they saved them out of the deep.
He sent His word, and He healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
Oh that man would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men.
And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of things given, and declare His works to be rejoiced.
They that go down into the sea, in ships, that do business in great waters,
these see the works of the Lord and His wonders indeed.
For He commanded and raised a stormy wind, which lifted up their waves thereof.
They mount up to heaven, they go down against the depths, their souls melted before the truck.
They reel to and fro, and stagger throughout the drunken land, and are after wit's hand.
Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their discourses.
He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Then are they glad, because they replied, so He brings them unto the desired heaven.
Oh that man would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men.
Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the sentry of the others.
He turneth rivers into the wilderness, and the water springs into dry ground.
That fruitful land is the bareness, for the wickedness of none that followeth.
He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into the water springs.
And there He maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare the city for habitation.
And so live fields and plant vineyards, which may yield proof of increase.
He blessed them also, so that they knowed to thrive greatly, and suffered not for cattle to decrease.
Again they diminished, and brought low, through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
He poured content upon princes, and caused them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
Yet seteth the heat of the poor on high from affliction, and maketh them as families at the flock.
The righteous shall see and rejoice, and all iniquitous shall stop them now.
Whoso is wise, and deserves these things, even they shall understand the love and kindness of the Lord.
For that, we can break this.
Well Heavenly Father, just thank you for the goodness and mercy, Lord God.
Thank you for our church, Lord God. Thanks for the opportunity that we have here to serve, Lord God.
We ask and request that you bring us more labor, Lord God.
We give more work to conduct for you, Lord Father God.
Blessed are blessed preaching, and our God feel the pasture up at your holy stairs.
Just give us wisdom and understanding, Lord.
In Jesus' holy name we pray. Amen. Amen.
So in Psalm 107, there's kind of a pattern here, if you noticed it during the reading,
of the children of Israel and those with whom God is dealing with,
of them getting themselves into trouble, and then God delivering them, and then them rejoicing.
And I won't take the time to go over all of it, but you might notice that,
that there's this pattern of them getting into stresses, and then them being delivered,
and then this phrase that's repeated several times throughout this psalm,
as in verse 8, where it says,
Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works towards the children of men.
That's the lesson that the Psalmist here, I believe, is trying to get across to us,
that man needs to realize that God is good and that His works are wonderful towards the children of men,
that God desires to pour out His blessing. God wants to work in the lives of His people.
God wants to see His people be blessed and to be fruitful and to prosper,
to multiply and to bring forth, obviously, both physically and spiritually,
that God desires to be able to bless the people that are called by His name.
But often, it's that when His people, those same people, they are getting themselves in trouble,
as it says in verse 11, because they rebelled against the words of God
and condemned the counsel of the Most High. Therefore, He brought down their heart with labor.
They fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble,
and He saved them out of their distresses.
And this is just kind of the synopsis of the entire history of the children of Israel,
and really, it's just a commentary on man's nature as it is,
that man, just by nature, goes through this cycle, where they're being blessed by God,
they rejoice over God's blessing, and then they get complacent, and then they get backslidden,
and then God has to judge them and bring them down, and then they cry unto the Lord,
and then God brings them back up again, and they rejoice and praise God for His goodness once more.
It just keeps happening over and over.
And again, verse 15, he says,
Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men.
This is kind of the theme verse through this psalm that he keeps bringing up.
He keeps repeating that cycle, keeps showing them, you know, going into distress, being delivered,
and then them rejoicing, and this phrase keeps coming back up.
Look at verse 31. Again, actually, it's there in 21.
Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men.
And again, in verse 31, it's repeated once more.
And it just is a cycle, and it keeps happening over and over again.
And what we can learn from this is that, as it says there in the end,
whoso is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.
So if we're wise and we understand that God is a God who judges and is a God who blesses,
that we will then, if we're wise and we understand that, then we'll experience the lovingkindness of the Lord.
Really, what he's saying is, you know, we have two options in life.
We can either serve God with our lives.
We can walk in His statutes, keep His commandments, and be blessed, and know the lovingkindness of God.
And if we're wise, that's what we'll do.
But there's even people that understand these things, might even agree with these things,
might even pay lip service to it, and maybe even sincerely believe it, and yet they disobey God.
They go against God's will. They don't keep His commandments.
And you know what? They don't know and understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.
They don't know what it's like to be blessed of God because they're actually on the chastening end of God's spectrum there, if you want to put it that way.
And again, we have to understand that God is a God who curses and a God who blesses.
Look at verse 33.
Here turneth rivers into a wilderness.
God brings drought. He'll just dry up everything.
The water springs into dry ground.
God can just turn off the tap anytime He wants.
He says in verse 34, He turneth what? A fruitful land into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
And of course, we can't help and kind of think about our own nation.
Of course, this is a commentary on Old Testament Israel, but we could just as easily apply this to our nation or any other nation on earth.
And we wonder sometimes where we're at on this cycle.
And to me, it seems like we're headed towards the judgment of God.
I don't think that I have to make a very strong case for that tonight.
You know, just here in Arizona, you know, the people of Arizona have decided that abortion is now a constitutionally protected right here in the state of Arizona.
There's no limits on it.
That they've said 65%, I think it was, or something like that, have said, hey, we're for killing babies.
We're here for slaughtering the unborn in Arizona.
And there's several other states that have adopted that same law.
So it seems to me like if that's what we're getting into, and of course that's been the case, you know, here in the United States for many decades now.
That, you know, many millions of innocents have been slaughtered in the womb.
It just seems to me that that's probably caused to think that we're headed towards the judgment and destruction of God.
And people can scoff at this and they can mock at it, but the fact is that God is a God who curses.
God is a God who can turn the rivers into a wilderness.
And what we see in this chapter is this pattern of things going well, they're being blessed, and they forsake the Lord.
Which is exactly what he warned them not to do.
When they went in, you know, when Moses was preaching in Deuteronomy, he's saying, don't forget the Lord.
When you go and dwell in houses that you have not built, when you eat of vineyards that you have not planted.
When you succeed and prosper in the land, don't forget the Lord your God and go into idolatry.
And that's exactly what they did.
And that's probably what we see, that's the pattern we're on in our nation.
Backwards slide, we're on that downhill slope towards the judgment of the nation.
And people, you know, and I don't say that flippantly, and I don't say that with any kind of glee, I don't say that happily.
I wish that weren't the case, sincerely.
You know, it grieves me to think that that's what we're headed to.
But that is a fact.
And, you know, God is a God who does curse and God is a God who also judges.
God who blesses.
That if people would get right and turn to the Lord.
When it comes to our nation in particular, I don't know that it's enough to, if we stopped all the abortion mills tomorrow.
You know, if there was a national abortion ban.
You know, then we would still have just all the millions that have already perished.
You know, through that wholesale slaughter of the innocent.
And we would still have to give an account for that as a nation.
But, you know, God is also a God who puts off his judgment.
God is the one who shows mercy and he'll give people space to repent.
But when people are spitting in the face of God.
When people are just committing abomination before the eyes of the Lord.
It should not surprise us when he decides to then turn and judge that nation.
It's just what the Bible warns us about repeatedly.
But, you know, God is also a God who blesses.
It says there in verse 35, he turneth the wilderness into a standing water and dry ground into water springs.
You know, a nation's prosperity is in the hand of God.
He's the one that's going to bless. He's the one that controls all these elements.
He's the one that can turn that wilderness into standing water.
The dry ground into water springs.
Look at verse 36, and there he maketh the hungry to dwell.
They stop wandering looking for food.
They find the blessing of God.
They dwell there that they may prepare a city for habitation.
God creates that wellspring.
God creates that standing water.
That water spring.
God feeds them and they say, we're going to dwell here where God is blessing.
Look at verse 37, and they sow fields and plant vineyards which may yield the fruits of increase.
He blesseth them also.
And so they are multiplied greatly and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
It's all in the hand of God.
God's blessing and curse is, you know, something that we as a people and as a nation and even as individuals have to choose.
What is it going to be?
Which one are we going to get at the hand of God?
They are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
Again, he's just repeating the pattern.
He poureth contempt upon princes that caused them water in the wilderness where there is no way.
Yet he seteth he the poor on high and from affliction.
And you know, even if our nation does and will, I believe, and when it does rather is what I should say,
does come under the judgment of God and is suffering at the hand of God,
you know, those that are poor among us, those that are serving God in spite of the wickedness that's around us,
the Bible says that he will set us on high from affliction and maketh them families like a flock.
The righteous shall see it and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
Who is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.
So again, it is God who turns the fruitful land into barrenness.
It is God that makes the wilderness into standing waters.
God curses and God blesses.
Our role in this, however, is that we work.
When we have the blessing of God and we have the ability, you know, it's our job to do the work that God has given us to do.
When we, and quite frankly, wherever we are on this cycle as a nation,
heading into the curse of God, which is most likely where we're at,
or if we're, you know, living in prosperity, which we also are, you know, it's our job to work.
And we're given such a great opportunity in this country, in this nation, and even in this world to be able to do great works for God.
We're not limited as in times past.
I mean, we can do so many great things here, locally, abroad.
We have such privilege and such an advantage, such an opportunity to work, right?
Because we have experienced the blessing of God. There is prosperity.
We're not wandering about looking for a city to even dwell in.
Even to dwell in, you know, whether we're going to be cursed or not.
The fact is that right now, the wilderness is a standing water.
That right now, as a nation, you know, the dry ground is a water spring.
It's flourishing, okay?
And we have the opportunity to work.
And that's exactly what we should be doing.
When the blessing is there, that's when they do what?
Verse 37, sow fields, plant vineyards, which may yield the fruits of increase.
He blesseth them also that they are multiplied greatly.
Now, obviously, this is speaking literally.
Back when they're living in, you know, an agrarian society where farming was a part of, you know, the vast majority of people's lives.
That's what they would do.
And today, you know, we can apply this spiritually.
You know, we're here to sow the fields that God has given us.
We're here to plant the vineyards that God has given us so that we may, what, yield fruits spiritually.
So that we can increase spiritually.
That we can multiply spiritually.
Look, that is an opportunity that we have.
And I'm talking about this church.
That we as this body here in this place.
We are at a time in history right now as a nation where we can go out and preach the gospel freely.
We can go out and knock the doors.
We can go out and we can invite people to church.
We can bring them in and we could see God increase and we could see the gospel go forth.
And we could see a great work done for God right here in Tucson.
Because we are in the blessing of God.
Now, I know sometimes we might feel like everything's dried up around here.
That we are in a wilderness, so to speak.
But, you know, we are under the great, obviously there's a great prosperity here.
There's a lot of blessing.
We don't worry about our day to day sustenance.
We don't worry about shelter.
We don't worry about if we're going to get enough calories.
We're worried about getting too many calories.
That's what we do.
You know, we got to limit the caloric intake.
We worry about, you know, that's a first world problem, my friend.
And what we should be doing when we're under the blessing of God.
Whether it's a residual blessing from generations that have gone on before us.
Or it's one that God is continuing to pour out upon us as a nation the prosperity that we have.
We should take advantage of that to sow the fields and to plant the vineyards.
And to increase and to multiply greatly.
That is what we are here to do.
And that leads to rejoicing.
Look at verse 42.
The righteous see it and rejoice.
In all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
You know, I'm looking forward to what God is going to do in the years, the months, years, and even the decades that are ahead of this church as a church body.
You know, we're far from throwing in the towel.
I know there's been a lot of chatter.
There's been a lot of people talking online about how it's all over.
Put the fork in them.
They're done.
We've only begun to labor.
We've only begun to work.
We've only begun to go out into that field and to sow in that field and to plant that vineyard and to see the increase.
It's coming.
I believe that.
I wholeheartedly believe that.
I'm not discouraged.
I am not down about it.
I'm not wondering whether or not God is going to bless us.
I'm fully convinced that as long as we do our part, as long as we're out sowing in the fields, as long as we're out planting and taking advantage of the blessing that God has given us,
we have the promise of God that God will build this church and that we will see great work done for God here and even abroad through this ministry.
I absolutely believe that.
Jesus said, I say unto thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
You know, I know everyone's kind of breathed a sigh of relief because of this recent election, right?
Because everyone's just going, oh, man, the right guy got it in, and I guess so.
I admit, you know, me too.
It could have been a lot worse.
The guy I wanted to get in got in, okay?
But here's the thing.
Even if he hadn't, you know, even if it had been, you know, that whore Kamala Harris that had gotten in there, you know, that would not have prevailed against the church.
And this is the thing that I keep, you know, several people bring this up.
They say, you know, you've got to be relieved as a preacher that you still have time to preach and not go to jail for it.
Look, I don't know that that day's ever going to come in my lifetime.
There could be, but it just seems like that's the threat, that, you know, we've got to vote Republicans, otherwise all the preachers are going to get locked up.
That's kind of a stretch.
You know, I can kind of see where people might think that, but here in the good old US of A, I think that's a long ways off.
Now, I could be wrong, and maybe that's just because I am a preacher.
I'm just wishful thinking.
I don't know.
But here's the thing, even if it was illegal, lock me up.
You know, it's not going to stop me.
But here's the thing, that's not the case.
Why are people so worried about what may or may not happen in the future?
The fact is that right now, at this moment, we can do whatever we want as Christians.
We can go out and serve God like never before, like any other duration has been before us.
And this is the case.
You know, I spent a little bit, I was able to go up and attend one of the services up there at the missions conference in Tempe.
And it's just amazing to hear about all the work that's being done.
Individuals that are just deciding to take it upon themselves to go to these foreign lands and to just go and preach the gospel and see great multitudes to be saved.
You know, and it's happened so many times.
You know, it's like, I think, the third conference.
And it's something that's just been going on in our church and churches like this that it's almost commonplace to hear about.
You know, hundreds of people getting saved in this Caribbean island.
Hundreds of people getting saved in this African country.
Hundreds of people saved getting saved here in Central America.
I mean, how many trips have been taken down to Belize?
You know, how many people have gone down there?
How many thousands have been saved through these, you know, relatively speaking, small churches that the world will look at and say they're nobody, they're nothing.
And yet, we are the ones, and I don't say this in a proud or boastful way.
It's just a fact that it's those that take advantage of the opportunity that God has given them to serve that are seeing, you know, the increase.
That are seeing the fruit spiritually.
And obviously that fruit is not just in terms of church attendance.
You know, that fruit is making our Father's house full.
That going out on the highways and byways so that His house may be full.
That's a harvest that we have yet to see fully come in.
But there will be a day when we fully realize the fruit of our labors in heaven.
And I'm telling you, it's going to be a great day.
But it's those that are taking advantage of this right now.
Those that are out in the field doing the work that can testify to this and can say that is indeed the case.
God is still on the throne.
It doesn't matter what color our state did or didn't turn in this last election.
God's still there. God still reigns.
God's still the one who dries up rivers.
God's still the one that makes the dry land a wellspring.
God is the one that blesses and God is the one that curses.
God is the one that raises up princes and brings them down.
God is in control.
Our job is just to work.
Just to do the work that God has given us.
To obey His commandments.
To keep His commandments.
To walk in His statutes and to do the work that He's given us.
And we have the promise that God will bless those efforts.
Go to Proverbs chapter 24.
Proverbs chapter 24.
God curses. God blesses.
Either way we work.
We do the work in the vineyard.
And I'm just saying tonight we have a great opportunity.
I mean good night.
I was just talking to brother Adam about you know what the testimony that I heard up there on Friday night about the cruise ship missions.
I mean think about that.
Now we're talking about going on cruises to go soul winning in different Caribbean countries.
I'm soul.
I mean sign me up.
You know I heard brother Rowe get up give his testimony.
I mean he went and did it with the Johnson family.
And I'm thinking I mean it was all about the souls folks.
I'm telling you.
It was all about you know.
I'll admit you know even carnally I was like second dessert.
You know like post dessert dessert.
Like and soul winning in the tropics.
You know but and you say oh that's such a you know carnal thing.
That's not real.
That's not a real mission strip.
Yes it is.
I mean it's just a big rolling hotel which is what you're going to need anyway.
It's just a big not rolling.
Good night floating hotel.
Right.
If that ships a roll in.
You got problems.
OK.
But it's a big floating hotel.
It's just going to take you from one port to another.
And you know you just.
And I can you know corroborate his witness that because I lived in a port like that in St.
Croix in Frederiksted St. Croix in the U.S.
VI.
And I used to tie up those cruise ships I've never been on them.
But I've drug those ropes in and put them over the mooring on the docks.
And seen all those tourists come off.
And it's true you go about one or two blocks into the nearest town and it's just all merchants.
It's just all people selling their wares and this that and all their knickknacks and stuff like that.
But if you just go a little bit further in the island you're in shantytown.
You know you're there preaching to the poor.
Look that's and that's the that's where we're at.
That's the prosperity that we're experiencing right now.
As a nation in this world.
Where we can just you know and it's not even that expensive you know just for a few thousand dollars just go somewhere hop on a ship for like a week.
And just be fed steak lobster you know ice cream all this food just all these delicacies that that I mean kings and princes would have.
You know had to bring from foreign countries that are just they're just out there floating on the ocean with us.
You know that's where we're at.
And all I'm saying tonight is you know I am kind of promoting the cruise ship thing because it'd be great to have a big crew go.
But even that even right here at home even right here in Tucson we have a field that God has given us.
And you know it God has made it so easy through the prosperity that we have in this country to do great works.
Hop on planes hop on cruise ships whatever and just go and preach abroad the gospel as we ought to take advantage of it.
When God is blessing that's the time to work.
Obviously we should always be working for God.
But when God is blessing when God is not judging a nation even a nation that deserves God's judgment.
Which no doubt this nation does and God is staying off his judgment take advantage of that.
Take advantage of that and serve God work in the field.
Look at Proverbs 24 verse 27 prepare thy work without and make it fit for thyself in the field and afterwards build thine house.
Be not a witness against thy neighbor without a cause and deceive not with thy lips say not to him that I will actually just jump down to verse 30.
Well before we get to verse 30 just just look at verse 27 again.
Prepare thy work without and make it fit for thyself in the field and afterwards build thine house.
I believe what he's getting at here is you know you have to have the right priorities right.
And obviously Proverbs you can take a lot of these different problems they're just these maxims that you can apply in many different ways.
I mean you could take this quite literally.
You know before you start a house young man maybe you should worry about your work.
Get your career in line be able to provide for that family and then go build your house.
Make sure that you can provide for your wife and children and then you know make it fit make it fit for thyself in the field and after we'll build thine house.
That's a great practical application.
But you know we can also apply that spiritually to us as soul winners.
You know we need to make sure as God's people that we're putting God's work first.
And I'm not saying that we put God's work first to the degree that we neglect all of our other responsibilities.
Obviously we have to take care of that we're no good to anybody.
If you know we're unemployed and begging and everything like that we've got to take care of our earthly business.
But that should not become all that our life is about.
Our life is just about making money just about our careers.
Just about our hobbies the things that we enjoy you know our we ought to put the things of God first.
We ought to prepare our work without first and make it fit for ourselves where in the field.
And we got to go out there and do God's work and then you know worry about these other things.
Look at verse 30.
I went by the field of the slothful by the vineyard of the man void of understanding and lo it was all grown over with thorns and nettles had covered the face thereof and a stone wall thereof was broken down.
Then I saw and considered it well I looked upon it received instruction.
This is a this is a great example here too of learning from the mistakes of others.
You don't have to go experience everything to know that's not a good idea.
You can just look at what somebody else is doing and the way they're suffering you say well I don't want to be like that guy.
But he's saying I went and I saw that and I received instruction and I said this is what this is the lesson he learned.
Verse 33 yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep right a little putting them under there and rested up.
So shall thy poverty come as one that travaileth and they want as an armed man.
You know if we're not doing the work that we're needing to be doing if we're lazy if we're neglecting our responsibilities.
Practically speaking you know we're going to suffer even financially.
But we can apply this also even spiritually.
You know people that just keep putting off serving God that don't want to get involved in the work of God they don't want to go out in the field and do the work.
They don't want to make their work fit for themselves in the spiritual field that God has given us.
They are going to want and maybe not in this life they might not ever realize it in this life but when they stand before God before the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who said behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according to his works to reward every man according to his works.
That's when the want is going to come when they stand before God he says give an account of the things which have been done whether good or bad your body.
Show me how you served where is your throng where are the sheaves that you brought with you.
What work have you accomplished in the field for me my son.
I want to say I was too busy.
I was too lazy.
You know that's when our want is going to come.
That's when we're going to experience a shame like no other.
So we don't but it doesn't have to be that way.
That's the beautiful thing.
It doesn't have to be that way for the Christian.
It doesn't have to be that way especially for those of us that are living in the day and age and in the place that we're living right now where we just have such an abundant prosperity such a great opportunity to serve God in all manners of different ways.
I mean you could get creative about it when it comes to mission fields.
I mean maybe we should talk about you know hopping on that Amtrak that goes from one side of the country to the other and just go do Amtrak soul winning and just go win souls in every place where it stops.
Go hop on a cruise ship.
Go join a missions trip to some exotic location.
You know or just get involved in the work right here at the local church.
You know we find the you know the little pockets of around town here where it's like you stepped into a foreign mission field.
Right and you guys just go to a place.
The apartment was like everyone was from like Sudan or something like that.
Right.
Not to mention a place you know there's a foreign country an hour away from here called Mexico.
You know where there's a great work that could be done there.
I mean so many souls that could be saved just over that border.
I mean the sky's the limit.
We could do whatever we want.
And again and that's why I'm not down.
That's why I'm not worried.
That's why I'm not you know biting my nails about what's going to happen to the new IFB because I know this much.
We still have an opportunity to serve God right here in this church.
That's what I'm intending to do.
And whatever happens to the rest of everybody else I mean I pray everything works out and God blesses them.
But whatever happens I'm going to keep serving God.
You know the whole reason I'm even moved out here was to win souls.
You know I was already in a church.
I was already serving God for 11 years back in Michigan.
In an old IFB church and an old IFB pastor.
And I learned many great things and I said you know what I learned a lot of great things there.
But I want to learn this thing called door to door soul winning.
I want to learn this thing called going out in the highways and hedges.
I want to go out there and learn how to actually preach the gospel as I ought to.
To open my mouth boldly and make known the mystery of the gospel.
That's why I came out to Phoenix Arizona you know 11 or so years ago or whatever it's been.
That's why I moved out there.
It wasn't just to follow a man or just be part of a church.
I mean obviously those are things that I did and I'm grateful for them.
But I'm here now and I'm saying you know I'm here to do the work that I want to do.
That God wants us to do.
And whatever happens to anybody else God is still on the throne.
God is still going to work and God will still bless those and use those that put him first and serve him with their lives.
I still believe that.
If you would go over to John chapter 4 John chapter 4.
And look I understand there's been a lot of turmoil lately amongst friends of our church.
And you know relationships have been damaged and friendships have been broken.
People have gone their own ways and things like that.
And there's all this criticism and there's all this just exaggeration and everything.
You know what I found is amazing is it gets the noise gets really turned down if you just stop listening all the crap online.
Just do what I did and look I'm not saying you have to do this.
Just delete your Facebook account and you'll all of a sudden you realize how small your world really is.
You'll realize like the people that matter most everyone you're good.
The people that have the most influence on your life that you have the most influence upon you're good.
I mean it was a great thing to be able to talk to some people over the last couple of days up there in Tempe at this conference.
And be asked the question did you lose anybody and say nope.
Nope not a one.
In fact we've seen you know some new people show up.
It's been good.
What we need to do is to focus on the field.
Focus on the field you know get distracted by all these other things in life.
Whether it's you know the drama of everything that's going online.
Or maybe it's just having misplaced priorities just getting you know caught up in whatever else you know going on the world.
Politics our careers our hobbies whatever it is just you know our time getting taken up our focus getting taken away from what matters most.
Let me tell you what matters most in this life.
The unsaved.
Souls.
You wonder why some people why some men of God stay in it.
Why some guys keep fighting.
Why some guys keep making the sacrifices and taking it on the chin the way they do.
I'll tell you why.
Souls.
That's it.
The unsaved.
Because they actually have a burden to reach as many people as they can with the gospel.
That's why they keep going.
They are focused on the field and that's what we need to do.
And look I'm not saying we haven't.
That has been the mission right.
Everyone's excited about you know all the counties that turned red right.
This last election.
You know and I'm looking at the map out there and I've said I've been turning a map out there red for the last six months or six years.
That's the red I'm excited about.
That red marker filling in those lines and the doors getting knocked that red marker.
And I like that it's red because you know it reminds me of it reminds me of the blood.
The blood has been preached here the blood has been preached there the blood has been preached on this corner.
The blood has been preached on this street this avenue.
The blood has been preached on this road this block this community.
This neighborhood.
All of these people have been at least had an opportunity to hear about that red crimson blood of Christ.
That's what I get excited about.
That's the red I'm excited about.
Not not you know the red of the Republican Party.
Although I'll admit you know I was excited to see it okay.
I watched the results roll in.
You know I nodded off listening to the live stream of the results.
And I when I heard that Pennsylvania was called for Trump.
You know I woke up a little bit and raised my hand in the air and said.
Bless God that we don't have that whore in the White House.
But that's you know that that that came and went friends.
You know that came and went.
And my my happiness is not dependent upon who's sitting.
You know on Pennsylvania in the House of Pennsylvania Avenue.
My happiness is really not even a priority.
But you know we have joy and peace and happiness when we serve God.
What I get excited about is the field that's given us here.
Turning that map red.
That represents Tucson if you look at John Chapter 4 verse 34.
Jesus saith and of course this is just after he's the woman at the well has gotten saved.
That Samaritan woman.
And she's gone a witness to others and they brought the whole town came out and a multitude of people got saved.
And the disciples afterwards are telling him hey master eat.
Jesus saith and in my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work.
Say not there are yet four months and then come at the harvest.
Behold I say unto you lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white already to harvest.
And look I think this is a trap that sometimes we can get lulled into.
Because we you know we just hear about you know there'll be another missions conference.
There'll be another missions trip.
There'll be another soul winning time.
People don't realize when you're in a church like this you know they see the soul winning times.
All the opportunities for soul winning and say I'll get to it eventually.
Well say not to yourselves there are yet four months.
We don't know what will be on tomorrow.
Take advantage of the opportunity that you have right now.
The fields are already white.
The fields are white unto harvest.
Lift up your eyes and look on the fields for they are white already to harvest.
They're already ready to be brought in.
But here's what you have to do to realize that you have to look on the fields.
And really that's all I'm trying to do tonight is get people to just turn their focus upon the field.
To turn their gaze upon the work of God that is set before them.
The opportunity that we have to preach the gospel.
Look I believe this book.
I believe in hell.
I believe in heaven.
I believe in eternal security.
I believe in Jesus Christ.
I believe in a gospel of grace.
I believe in the gift of God of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
I believe these things.
And if we believe these things in our hearts you know of course we're going to want to go out and share that with others.
And we're going to want to see other people come to a saving knowledge of Christ.
You have to look on these fields my friend.
They are white already to harvest.
Verse 36.
And he that reapeth receiveth wages and gathereth fruit unto life eternal.
It's not us just doing our duty folks.
It's not just us punching you know the spiritual soul winning clock in and out.
It's not us just you know turning in our time slip at the end of the week for the Lord.
We're going out and yes we are receiving wages.
But here's the thing God could just say go do it because it's your duty to do it.
But bless God you know he actually rewards us for our labors.
We reap wages for the work that we do.
We gather fruit unto eternal life.
But you don't gather fruit you know you don't gather bring in a harvest you know sitting on your butt somewhere.
You got to go into the field to do the work.
That's where the fruit is.
That's where the harvest is.
It's out in the highways and byways.
It's out in the streets and lanes.
It's out there in this city.
You have to go to where they are and bring it in.
And you know it's unfortunate a lot of even Baptist churches have seemed to have lost sight of this.
They want to be seeker friendly.
They just want it.
They're the only people they're going to preach to the people that are willing to show up in the church.
The only people they're going to lead the Lord in prayer are those that are willing to walk down an aisle.
You know at an invitation at the end of a sermon.
Look that you know that's fine and great.
Go ahead and do that.
Don't stop doing that.
Please especially if that's all you're doing.
Keep doing that.
But all I'm saying is that the work is on the field.
You need to turn your focus on the field.
You need to go out where the people are and preach to them there.
Reach them where they are.
And you will gather fruit unto eternal life.
Both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
If you would go over to Psalm 126.
I know I'm kind of having you turning everywhere tonight.
We'll be back in the Gospels in a minute if you want to keep something in that area.
The Bible says in Proverbs 20 verse 4.
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold.
Therefore he shall beg and harvest and have nothing.
And again these are very practical proverbs.
These are things that you can apply to just.
Hey don't be a lazy person.
Don't make excuses for not working.
It's too cold.
What's the other one.
You know there's a lion in the streets.
I should be slain without.
There's no lion you liar.
But we know we're trying.
I'm applying this to us spiritually.
You know and if we're spiritually a sluggard.
If we're spiritually not willing to go out in the field.
We shall beg in the harvest.
We'll have nothing to show at the end.
We'll have no sheaves to bring to God.
We'll have no souls to present to the Lord.
There will be.
Will there be anybody in heaven that could say I'm here because of you.
I mean that's a reality.
You know and praise God I can say that there will be people in heaven.
That are there because of me.
And people go oh don't you mean because of Christ.
Of course I do.
But we are laborers together with God.
We are ambassadors for Christ.
As though God did beseech you by us.
Paul said I become all things to all men that I by all means might save some.
You know there's nothing wrong with the phrase that I got someone saved.
There's nothing wrong with saying that someone's in heaven because of my efforts.
There's someone that's in heaven because of your efforts.
Because you went out in the field to preach the gospel.
There's someone in heaven because of you.
And again we understand it's because of Christ.
But what good does it do if Jesus died on the cross was buried and rose again.
And no one goes and preaches that gospel.
He's done all the hard work.
He's just saying go tell him.
Go tell him the good news of salvation my grace through faith.
Go out and bring the gospel to the lost and dying world.
That's all he's telling us to do.
Meaning that's what we have to do.
We have to go out and bring in this harvest.
And it was Jesus that said it.
He that reapeth receiveth wages and gathers fruit unto eternal life.
You know there's nothing wrong with me showing up in heaven saying,
Lord this is what I gathered for you.
Don't you mean that's what I gathered?
You think that's what his response is going to be?
No that he's the one that said this.
He's the one that said that you can reap.
You're the one that can receive wages.
You're the one that can gather fruit unto eternal life.
What's he talking about?
He's talking about souls in heaven.
Look at Luke chapter 10 verse 1.
Isn't that where I had you go?
Oh Psalm, sorry.
Psalm 126 verse 5.
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed
shall doubtless come again with rejoicing
bringing his sheaves with him.
This is a promise that we can either fail or succeed as soul winners.
You know if we're sluggards, if we don't want to plow by reason of the cold,
if we're too busy with other things in this life,
we never make any time to go out and win souls,
you know we shall reap nothing
when it comes to eternal glory, eternal souls,
the rewards in heaven,
the eternal wages that we can be rewarded with.
We'll have nothing to show for it.
That's what, you know, just like as we read in Psalms,
you're guaranteed as nation, as individuals,
as a people to either be cursed by God or blessed by God based upon our behavior.
And we can either fail or succeed as soul winners.
The promise is that those that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
And I think this is why so many don't sow.
Because they have no tears.
Because they have no burden.
Because they say, they believe, they know hell is a real place,
they know heaven is a real place,
but they don't see people spiritually.
They don't see people as souls that are on a precipice,
ready to fall off into the chasm of hell
or fall safely into the security of heaven.
And look, that's where every single person is in this world.
I mean, and anyone that's been saved for any length of time,
our hearts can grow cold and wax cold
and our fervor needs to be renewed.
We need to be revived from time to time.
Sometimes we're on fire for the things of God and sometimes we're not.
I understand that.
I remember first getting saved and understanding the gospel
and just sitting at a stoplight in my pickup as a single young man
and just watching people going through the intersection
and just thinking about all these people need to hear the gospel.
How many of them know God?
How many of them are saved or on their way to heaven?
How many of them are a breath away from a literal, eternal hell?
Maybe sometimes we need to stop focusing on the field
and just meditate upon hell.
Maybe we need to ask God to turn our gaze into hell.
Maybe we ought to think about the terrors and the horrors of hell.
Maybe that would give us the tear that we need.
The tear when we go out and sow.
Look, when we go sow, when we go out there and preach the gospel,
we go, as he said, bearing that precious seed which is the word of God.
Maybe we ought to make sure that we also have the tear with us.
Make sure that we're actually burdened for the people that we're preaching to
and not just going through things.
And look, I'm not saying this is the case here.
I don't know. I don't believe that it is.
But it certainly could be.
It's certainly a possibility.
If not now, sometime in the future, our hearts will wax cold.
We'll start just doing things out of just routine.
It's just what we do.
Never lose your burden.
And maybe we would actually get started soul winning if we had the tear.
But either way, whatever it is, the promise is,
is that if we go, if we go in that field,
if we'll turn our focus on it and actually go out there,
we shall reap in joy.
There's joy in heaven over one sin that repenteth.
The angels rejoice.
You know, they're never going to bring us on the late night program.
They're never going to write a news article about us.
We're never going to be on some radio show or podcast somewhere
telling them we got somebody saved.
But I'm telling you, it's noticed in heaven.
It's published in heaven.
When a soul gets saved, God knows about it.
Go to Luke chapter number 10.
He that goeth forth, it goes on to say, go to Luke 10,
and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again,
with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Oh man, I don't know about this soul or anything.
It sounds like a lot of work.
It sounds awkward.
And, you know, it is at first.
Look, I don't know that it ever stops being awkward
for the person we're preaching to.
It's probably always awkward for them.
We just kind of get numb to it.
But, you know, even when you're starting out,
yeah, it's a little awkward.
But anyone that's done it for any length of time,
man, it's like breathing.
You just get to the point where it's like,
you might as well be talking about the weather.
You might, you know, preach in the gospel,
now you're just ready to make chitchat.
You've done it so many times where it's just like,
you know, even if that person seems nervous
or a little off, you know, or a little put out
or awkward or whatever, you're just ready to preach
because you've just done it.
And it just comes so naturally once you've done it
and gotten over that.
The thing is, if you'll just go
and you focus on the field and you go,
the Bible says you will come again with rejoicing.
With rejoicing.
You'll get over the awkwardness,
you'll get over the nervousness,
you'll get over all of that
and you'll find yourself coming back rejoicing.
I've experienced it,
I've watched other people experience it
and share their testimonies about how they went out
and this happened and that happened,
this person got saved and they're excited
and they're rejoicing and I rejoice with them
and they'll rejoice again
because they're going to be bringing their sheaves with him.
Look at Luke 10 verse 1, it says,
After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also
and sent them two by two before his face
in every city and place whether he himself would come.
I love that phrase,
every city and place,
every city and place.
God wants us preaching everywhere to everyone.
And I know I've preached this before.
He sends them two by two before his face
in every city and place.
Don't you just love how the Bible reads sometimes?
It's just got like a rhythm to it.
Whether he himself would come.
Look, God has sent us before him today.
We weren't part of the seventy,
but we are part of those that have come after
and God has given, you know,
Christ gave the great commission,
go and preach the gospel to every creature,
that befalls upon us today.
We are to bring that gospel.
We've been in a sense sent before his face
and I'm saying if you'll go into that field,
if you'll turn your focus on it
and you go in that field,
what you're going to find out is
God is going to show up with you.
He sent them whether he himself would come.
He sent them before his face
and then he followed them.
And that obviously at this time
was talking physically, literally,
when he showed up there.
But the same thing can happen today
spiritually speaking.
You could be knocking at that door
preaching the gospel
and whether you realize it or not,
the Spirit of God is there.
The Holy Spirit is ministering to that person's heart.
God is blessing your effort.
God is working in an individual.
It's an amazing thing.
It's a spiritual thing.
It's supernatural.
How can we not get excited about that?
How can that not compel us
to want to continue to do this work,
to get started in this work
and to do more of it?
How can that not compel us?
How does that not drive us into that field?
You're telling me if I go out there
and preach the gospel,
if I just learn some verses
and how to briefly explain them
and find somebody that's willing
to listen, that they'll listen
and that God will show up
and God will move on their hearts?
How can that not get us excited?
Look, if you can't get excited about that,
I don't know what to do for you.
I'm about ready to break out the paddles.
Clear.
You must be dead.
Something's wrong.
They always want to see God
do all these great works.
They want this revival to show up.
They want to see some miracle.
They want to see something miraculous.
They want to see some great supernatural thing,
and they go their whole lives without seeing it,
and yet there's nothing preventing
any child of God from seeing that happen
six ways to Sunday.
You can see it time and time and time and time again,
that God's showing up and moving supernaturally
and seeing God move spiritually upon a person.
And be there with God,
because he said,
I'm sending you before my face
to every city and place
where I myself shall come.
God is there with us, laboring with us.
Whether it's here in Tucson,
whether it's in some city out here in Arizona,
whether it's in some island in the Caribbean,
whether it's some part of Africa,
wherever we go,
wherever we take the gospel,
if it's at work,
if it's at some dedicated soul-winning time,
wherever it is,
if we're preaching the gospel,
we're in that field,
God's there with us.
That's an amazing thing.
Go to 1 Corinthians chapter number 3.
I already kind of quoted this,
but we'll look at it again.
1 Corinthians chapter number 3.
We need to focus on the field.
Everything that's going on,
all this stuff,
the election,
this new IFB drama,
whatever else is going on in your life,
your own personal life,
whatever turmoils you're having,
whatever problems you're going through,
don't let it take your focus off the field.
That field that is white already under harvest,
that field that is just waiting to be harvested,
that field of reward,
that field of a spiritual inheritance,
that field of fruitfulness,
that field of souls that are going to be gathered
and spared from eternal hell,
don't let anything take your focus off that.
And I understand that we go through different seasons in life,
that we're all in different places,
and some people can dedicate more time
and more energy into those things than others.
And there's seasons in life,
and I say seasons,
which can last really years.
Okay, I get it.
But don't let it turn your focus completely away from these things.
In fact, you know,
a lot of times when we're going through personal hardships
and we're dwelling on all our own problems
or the problems of others and everything that's going on
and we're just fraught with worry and distress,
sometimes the best thing to do is just go preach to somebody.
Go on to the Tohono O'odham.
Go to somewhere in South Tucson.
Go find, you know, someone that's suffering
even more greatly than you are in this world.
Go find someone who's lost a loved one to gang violence.
Go find someone who's lost a loved one
or they themselves has been taken in by addiction.
Go find that person who's hopeless
and has nothing in this world
and doesn't know the meaning of life
and doesn't understand why they're there,
what the purpose or what any of it means.
Go find that person.
Say, I know what it means.
I can show you.
There is a God.
God loves you.
Go show them that.
You know how quickly you forget about your problems?
Like that.
When you're done, they'll come back.
But it's like a little spirit.
It's like a vacation.
It's like a little mini vacay for the Lord.
I'm taking some time off for my own problems,
taking some time off for my own worries
and go think about somebody else.
And look, it's out there, friend.
Anybody that's done it.
And even here in Tucson,
I'm not saying you have to go to some war-torn country
to hear some horror story.
You just need to go walk down some of these streets
and talk to people.
Their life is a nightmare.
And they're hopeless.
I mean, think about that.
Their life is just in shambles.
And you know what they have to look forward to?
Hell.
Oh, don't worry.
It gets worse.
That's the message of the world.
That's all they have to look forward to.
And here we are with the glorious light of the gospel.
Here we are with this insurmountable gift
just in our palms.
Here we are with this great opportunity
and just this field laid out before us.
Why wouldn't we go?
Why wouldn't we do it?
And God is saying, I'll meet you there.
I'll meet you there.
Look at 1 Corinthians 3, verse 8.
And every man shall receive his own reward
according to his own labor.
There is a reward for the work that we do.
For we are laborers together with God.
Jesus sent those 72 by 2 before his face
in every city and place
whether he himself would come.
He showed up with them.
He caught up with them.
And today we are laborers together
not just with your soul-willing partner,
not just with the people that you carpooled with,
not just with the people that are out there,
the friends, the fellowship that you can have
with God's own people.
When you're laboring alongside them,
you're laborers together with them, too.
But you know who else you're a laborer with?
You're a laborer with God.
With God.
It says with God, not just for God.
I mean, even if it said for God,
I mean, that should be enough.
Like, do we want to let God down?
Do we want to disemploy or disappoint that employer?
What the beauty of it is,
is that we are laborers together with God.
God says, I'll help you.
I'll give you the strength.
I'll give you the wisdom.
I'll give you the words.
In fact, he's given us the words.
Just go preach it.
Just go tell them what I've already done.
Go tell them about the free gift of God's love.
Go tell them about the free gift of salvation
and they'll believe,
and I'll be there laboring with you.
And I'll work on their heart.
You just preach the words.
You don't have to be some slick salesman out there.
You don't have to be some charismatic,
outgoing, energetic person who just knows how to say
just the right thing the right way.
We're not spiritual salesmen, folks.
We're just vessels.
We're just laborers that are just out here
with the spiritual sickle.
They're out there just out there reaping a harvest.
Go over to Matthew 6 and we'll close there.
Matthew chapter number 6.
Whatever happens in this country,
whatever happens with our friends in other churches,
whatever happens in your own personal life,
don't let it take your focus off the field.
Everybody else can fail.
Every other church can close its door.
Every single seat in the Congress
can be filled by some baby-murdering Democrat.
Don't let it take your focus off the field.
That's where God will meet you.
God will meet you in the prayer closet.
Wherever two or three are gathered together in my name,
there I am in the midst of them.
God will meet with you in your devotions
and speak you through his word.
But you know where else God will meet you?
You'll see God work right alongside you?
Out there in that field of his.
That's white already in the harvest.
We need to just make sure that's what our priority is,
that we understand the importance of it.
Look at Matthew chapter 6 verse 33.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things shall be added unto you.
What are all those things in the preceding verses?
The worrying about food and clothing, all these things.
God, you know, he closed the field, he feeds the sparrow.
You're of much more value than they.
So seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
These things will take care of themselves.
Take no thought from the...
And look, that's true.
I've tested that verse.
I know for a fact that that's true.
You say, you know what?
I don't have much, but I want to go serve God.
I want to learn a soul winning.
We got two grand in the bank, honey.
Put everything in that Camry.
I know you're six months pregnant with our second.
We're going to Phoenix,
and we're going to learn how to do this thing called soul winning.
And that old clunker got all the way there.
And you know what?
And God had the job waiting.
God had the housing waiting.
God had everything there.
You know, and I'm just saying it's not because of me.
It's because this promise is true.
Well, I just can't make time.
I don't know if I can do it.
Make the time.
These other things are going to take care of themselves.
God will bless it.
Look at verse 34.
Take therefore no thought for the morrow.
That's what Jesus said.
Take no thought for the morrow.
Well, you know, I just don't know what's going to happen in this country.
You know, who's going to end up in the house here in Arizona?
You know, when they finally tally up the votes, you know, who's going to win?
What about this proposal?
What about that proposal?
Look, I'm not against participating in those things.
You know, I should probably take a long, hard look at my political philosophy, to be perfectly honest.
But, you know, I'm not going to say, even if I do that and come around on some of these things,
I'm not going to worry about it.
It's going to keep me up at night.
I'm sure not going to make a TikTok video or everything like that.
No!
Grown man crying because of an election.
Dude, get it together.
Okay.
Take no thought for the morrow.
For the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
You know what?
We as God's people, we've got enough on our plate spiritually as it is every single day.
And tomorrow we have to say, okay, tomorrow I need to wake up.
Tomorrow I need to get up and read my Bible.
Tomorrow I need to get up and pray.
Tomorrow I need to make sure that I don't give in to temptation.
Tomorrow I need to make sure I'm walking in the Spirit.
Tomorrow I need to make sure, you know, maybe it's a midweek service.
Maybe it's something.
I've got to be in God's house.
And at some point in this week I need to get out there and tell somebody about Jesus.
At some point I need to start preaching this gospel.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Don't let these things take your focus off the field.
Because they will.
Look, there's probably people that are already sweating the next presidential election.
There's probably a whole bunch of Republicans right now that are already thinking,
okay, what are we going to do in four years?
What are we going to do in two years?
You know, that stuff's never going to, it's always going to be there.
There's always going to be something to worry about.
Look, if you need something to worry about, it's there.
And people spend their whole lives just taking thought for tomorrow, taking thought for tomorrow,
taking thought for tomorrow.
And they're not doing what's right in front of them.
They overlook the field.
There's this gleaming white field that's white unto harvest.
You know, we just drove up to that missions conference in Tempe and we went through Marana
and all the cotton's coming in.
You know, right there off the 10.
And it's all white unto harvest.
You know, and you can't miss it.
You drive by it.
You look out there.
You can't miss it.
It's right there.
If you just look.
But, you know, if I turned on the talk radio and I'm just intently listening or I'm worried
about, you know, and you probably should worry about the way people drive around here.
You know, you're just worried about traffic.
You know, you're worried about all these things.
You're going to go right by those fields and they're right off the freeway and you just
not even know they're there.
There's probably some of you didn't even know there were cotton fields up there.
They're there.
They're up there.
And all I'm saying, that's just an analogy.
That's how it is in the spiritual life.
That if we don't focus on that field, our focus will drift and go elsewhere and we'll
forget about it.
And we might even become cynical.
We might even become despondent.
Ah, what's the point?
Whole world's going to hell.
You know, that's the wrong attitude.
God will work.
If we turn our focus on that field and we go out on that field, God will meet you there.
And God will help.
And you'll pull souls out of the fire.
And you know what the Bible says?
You go out on that field, weeping, bearing precious seed, you shall doubtless come again,
rejoicing, doing what?
Bringing your sheaves with you.
People will get saved.
It will happen.
You know, we have a field here in Tucson that is unique to us.
I'm all for missions.
Believe me, I'm all for that cruise ship trip.
It's happening.
I want to do it.
Sold, right?
But I'm not going to forget about the field that's right here at our doorstep.
I'm not going to forget about the field that's laid out right here before us.
You know, I'd love to do more in Mexico.
I'd love to see stuff happen down there.
But you know what?
There's a field right here that's unique to us.
And I'm not saying we're the only ones in town.
Hopefully there's other soul-winning churches.
But a lot of times their philosophy is just preach their zip code.
Preach to everybody within driving distance of the church.
Which is fine.
Don't stop doing that.
I'm glad.
But I want to reach as many people as I can.
Because I'm not just trying to get people in church.
We want to try and get people into heaven.
And they will.
That field is there.
It's unique to us.
We just have to keep our focus on that field and not get distracted.
Let's go ahead and close in a word of prayer.
Lord, again, thank you for the labors that you have already given us in this church.
The people that are faithful to preaching the gospel.
Lord, the people that love you, that love the lost, that believe these things.
Lord, are compelled to go out in the highways and hedges, Lord.
Go out and preach the gospel to a lost and dying world.
Thank you for the folks that are here right now.
And Lord, we do pray and ask that you would send forth labors in the harvest, Lord.
But before we pray that prayer, Lord, to send others.
Lord, help us to understand that we should be praying that in the field already.
Lord, help us to be found faithful in going out and preaching the glorious gospel of Christ.
The riches of eternal life through Christ.
We ask it in his name. Amen.
Alright, we'll go ahead and sing one more song before we're dismissed.
Would you please grab your handles and turn to the song number 30?
We'll be singing the song number 30, Nothing But the Blood.
And that is song number 30.
Let's sing it on and off for sure.
O Father, fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
For our Lord in this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
For my cleansing is my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
O precious is the throne,
That makes me white as snow.
O mother, fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
That we can pursue the tomb,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
O good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
O precious is the throne,
That makes me white as snow.
O mother, fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
O precious is the throne,
That makes me white as snow.
O mother, fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Thank you.
.