WEBVTT 10:22.700 --> 10:26.700 Number 379 bringing in the sheaves. 10:28.700 --> 10:35.700 379, 379 bringing in the sheaves. 10:41.000 --> 10:44.000 379 let's sing it out. 10:44.000 --> 10:47.000 Sewing in the morning, 10:47.000 --> 10:49.000 Sewing to the grindin', 10:49.000 --> 10:51.000 Sewing in the new... 12:52.900 --> 12:57.780 this day just another opportunity again to gather together this evening. Lord I pray that you be 12:57.780 --> 13:03.380 with the salvations that were had this afternoon as well as the seeds that were planted for this 13:03.380 --> 13:08.500 service. Specifically Lord I pray that you would open our ears to the message as always and fill 13:08.500 --> 13:15.380 pasture with your spirit and be with the VRL family also just during this time and keep us all safe 13:15.380 --> 13:20.020 also as we go our separate ways after service this evening. These things we pray in Jesus name, Amen. 13:21.100 --> 13:29.260 For our next hymn, 405, the banner of the cross, 405. 13:29.260 --> 13:33.660 405, the banner of the cross. 13:44.300 --> 13:47.300 405, singing out. 13:47.300 --> 13:57.100 There's a royal band that live for this way to the soldiers of the King. 16:37.500 --> 16:42.420 didn't get one this morning, please raise your hand and in usher be glad to bring you one. 16:42.420 --> 16:47.700 If you have your bulletin there on the front is our Bible memory passage of the week and as a reminder 16:48.140 --> 16:54.740 those 18 and younger that can quote this after the service on Wednesday will receive an ice cream. 16:54.740 --> 16:57.340 We still got lots of Andes in there so keep up the Bible 16:57.580 --> 17:05.500 memorization. On the inside our service times are listed Sunday morning at 10 at 30, Sunday evening at 430 and our Bible 17:05.500 --> 17:10.220 Bible study through the Gospel of Mark on Wednesdays at 7. Below that we have all of 17:10.220 --> 17:15.180 our church-wide soul winning times. Make note of those and had a great day out soul winning 17:15.180 --> 17:20.380 today. Had five saved, so praise the Lord for that. Had a couple of Spanish salvations 17:20.380 --> 17:24.380 too. So if anyone wants to learn a second language, Spanish is definitely the one you 17:24.380 --> 17:29.540 want to learn. You have a great door of opportunity here in Oklahoma City to reach those people, 17:29.540 --> 17:32.900 so I definitely encourage you, if you want to learn a language, to learn Spanish. 17:33.500 --> 17:39.420 We also have our year-to-date, soul-winning statistics listed there, of course not including today. 17:39.420 --> 17:43.100 We have our online visitor card as well as our online giving information. 17:43.740 --> 17:47.820 We also have on the bottom right there our updated prayer list. 17:47.820 --> 17:50.540 Of course, please keep the Villarreal family in prayer. 17:51.420 --> 17:55.340 I was told that they're going to keep little Adam until through Tuesday. 17:55.900 --> 17:59.460 So we're gonna start a really impromptu meal train. 17:59.460 --> 18:04.180 My wife is gathering some information needed from them in order to set that up. 18:04.300 --> 18:08.920 My wife and I are gonna take care of this evening, but we're gonna just set up a meal train for them. 18:08.920 --> 18:12.300 We'll send some more information out in the signal group when we can. 18:12.640 --> 18:16.860 Tonight we'll be taking care of. Just make sure you keep them in prayer. Reach out to them. 18:17.340 --> 18:20.220 That meal train hopefully will be a blessing to them. 18:20.900 --> 18:24.580 Also on the back are upcoming events as a reminder in a couple of weeks 18:24.580 --> 18:27.440 We have our next soul winning marathon in Pawhuska, Oklahoma 18:28.160 --> 18:33.520 Just north of Tulsa and it's heavily the Osage Indian part of the state 18:33.520 --> 18:37.120 And so we're really excited to preach to them and see how that goes 18:37.580 --> 18:39.320 October 10th a little farther away 18:39.320 --> 18:44.920 We have the Joplin, Missouri soul winning marathon teaming up with Kansas City Baptist Church and 18:45.220 --> 18:48.880 Straight paths Baptist Church in st. Louis and so looking forward to that 18:48.900 --> 18:54.540 October 24th or Family Farm. It's a free fellowship event our church puts on. Make 18:54.540 --> 18:58.220 sure to attend and invite people. I already ordered a bunch of tickets. I 18:58.220 --> 19:02.180 just need to know if I need to order more. So please do sign up for you and 19:02.180 --> 19:05.460 all those you plan on bringing to that event. The sign-up sheet is right there 19:05.460 --> 19:06.300 in the back. 19:06.500 --> 19:11.000 Then we have our chili cook-off, our annual chili cook-off on the 31st. 19:11.000 --> 19:13.000 That's going to be a Saturday this year. 19:13.000 --> 19:16.500 And so bring a great chili to cook off there. 19:16.500 --> 19:17.500 November 7th. 19:18.100 --> 19:25.420 Enid Oklahoma soul winning marathon very receptive place make sure to join us for that and November 22nd 19:25.480 --> 19:31.380 Remember to invite people to pack this place out for pastor Bruce Mejia preaching for our two-year anniversary 19:31.620 --> 19:35.780 I want to say that the ordination service here. We had like 180 19:36.060 --> 19:41.880 It would be so cool if we just broke that record for pastor Mejia and so just invite everyone bring your grandma 19:41.880 --> 19:46.100 He'll just he'll preach the house down. It'll be great. They leave it is what it is, but we just got 19:46.100 --> 19:51.220 to preach hard right so please do invite people it's going to be great two-year anniversary 19:51.220 --> 19:56.660 went by fast but praise lord for our church here and we're reaching people for christ that's what 19:56.660 --> 20:01.380 matters and so looking forward to celebrating that that's it for announcements let's go and go 20:01.380 --> 20:03.000 to our third song together 20:05.700 --> 20:12.300 Our third song this evening, number 406-406. 20:15.000 --> 20:17.000 Who is on the Lord's side? 20:21.200 --> 20:23.200 406. 20:31.600 --> 20:33.600 400 takes let's sing it out 24:21.500 --> 24:24.340 Proverbs 24. 24:24.340 --> 24:26.860 Proverbs chapter number 24. 25:22.400 --> 25:24.800 Proverbs chapter 24 the Bible reads, 25:24.800 --> 25:26.640 be not thou envious against evil men, 25:26.640 --> 25:28.280 neither desire to be with them, 25:28.280 --> 25:30.040 for their heart studyeth destruction 25:30.040 --> 25:31.980 and their lips talk of mischief. 25:31.980 --> 25:34.140 Their wisdom is in a house builted, 25:34.140 --> 25:36.360 and by understanding it is established, 25:36.360 --> 25:38.360 and by the knowledge shall the chambers be filled 25:38.360 --> 25:40.640 with all precious and pleasant riches. 25:40.640 --> 25:42.360 A wise man is strong, yay, 25:42.360 --> 25:44.440 a man of knowledge increases strength. 25:44.440 --> 25:47.020 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war, 25:47.020 --> 25:49.400 and in a multitude of counselors there is safety. 25:49.500 --> 25:53.780 Wisdom is too high for a fool. He openeth not his mouth in the gate 25:54.500 --> 25:58.240 He that devises to do evil shall be called mischievous person 25:58.620 --> 26:02.220 The thought of foolishness is sin and the scorners an abomination to men 26:02.500 --> 26:05.480 If thou faint in the day of adversity that strength is small 26:05.820 --> 26:11.540 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death and those that are ready to be slain 26:12.180 --> 26:15.620 If thou sayeth behold we knew it not doeth not 26:16.300 --> 26:19.900 Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? 26:19.900 --> 26:22.860 And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? 26:22.860 --> 26:26.300 And shall not he render to every man according to his works? 26:26.300 --> 26:30.380 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good. 26:30.380 --> 26:35.020 And the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste, so shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto 26:35.020 --> 26:36.020 thy soul. 26:36.020 --> 26:37.020 When thou hast found it, 26:37.020 --> 26:37.400 Thank you. 26:37.400 --> 26:41.600 Then there shall be a reward, and thy expectations shall not be cut off. 26:41.600 --> 26:44.840 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwellings of the righteous, 26:44.840 --> 26:50.040 spoiling not his resting place. For a just man follows seven times and writhes up again, 26:50.040 --> 26:54.560 but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, 26:54.560 --> 26:57.080 and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth. 26:57.080 --> 27:01.080 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. 27:01.600 --> 27:06.240 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked. 27:06.240 --> 27:09.520 For there shall be no reward to the evil man. 27:09.520 --> 27:13.360 The candle of the wicked shall be put out. My son, fear thou the Lord 27:13.360 --> 27:17.200 and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change. 27:17.200 --> 27:21.760 For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knoweth the ruin of them both? 27:21.760 --> 27:24.200 These things also belong to the wise. 27:24.800 --> 27:27.280 It is not good to have respect to persons in judgment. 27:27.280 --> 27:29.960 He that saith unto the wicked, thou art righteous. 27:29.960 --> 27:31.300 Him shall the people curse. 27:31.300 --> 27:33.320 Nations shall abhor him. 27:33.320 --> 27:36.480 But to them that rebuke him shall be delight. 27:36.480 --> 27:39.080 And a good blessing shall come upon them. 27:39.080 --> 27:42.920 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth the right answer. 27:42.920 --> 27:45.840 Prepare thy work without and make it fit for thyself 27:45.840 --> 27:48.280 in the field and afterward build thine house. 27:48.500 --> 27:52.740 Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause, and deceive not with thy lips. 27:52.740 --> 27:56.100 Say not, I will do so to him as he had done to me. 27:56.100 --> 27:58.740 I will render to the man according to his work. 27:58.740 --> 28:03.540 I went by the field of the slothful and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding, 28:03.540 --> 28:09.220 and lo, it was all grown over with thorns and nettles, and had covered the face thereof, 28:09.220 --> 28:11.700 and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 28:12.000 --> 28:16.240 Then I saw and considered it well. I looked upon it and received instruction. 28:16.240 --> 28:20.080 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. 28:20.080 --> 28:24.400 So shall thy poverty come as one that travaileth and I want as an armed man. 28:25.280 --> 28:33.840 Lord, I just want to thank you for gathering us here today safely. I want to open our ears to understanding and feel a pass with your spirit. 28:36.100 --> 28:39.600 Amen. We are in Proverbs chapter number 24. 28:39.600 --> 28:41.700 And I want to start reading in verse number 15. 28:41.700 --> 28:47.800 I want you to notice who the audience is directing this verse right here to the wicked man. 28:47.800 --> 28:49.400 It says in verse 15, 28:49.400 --> 28:56.800 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting place. 28:56.800 --> 29:03.000 And so right off the bat, we could observe that the wicked are constantly plotting against the just. 29:03.300 --> 29:05.500 And they're doing so for no reason. 29:05.500 --> 29:08.600 Notice here that the righteous, he's just kind of chilling. 29:08.600 --> 29:12.000 He's just enjoying his life at his, what, resting place. 29:12.000 --> 29:15.400 So the idea here is that the wicked is plotting against the righteous, 29:15.400 --> 29:17.700 even when the righteous is just at home, 29:17.700 --> 29:20.500 minding their own business, doing their own thing. 29:20.500 --> 29:23.400 And the Bible's saying, hey, wicked person, don't do this. 29:23.400 --> 29:25.500 This is something that you should not be doing. 29:25.500 --> 29:28.400 Now the Bible tells us why that is in the next verse. 29:28.400 --> 29:31.000 Notice that word in verse 16, 4, right? 29:31.000 --> 29:31.300 Right, so. 29:31.300 --> 29:34.240 And because of what was just stated, he says, 29:34.240 --> 29:39.440 4, a just man falleth seven times and riseth up again, 29:39.440 --> 29:43.740 but the wicked shall fall into mischief. 29:43.740 --> 29:46.480 I think a lot of times when people quote verse 16, 29:46.480 --> 29:48.700 they quote out of context. 29:48.700 --> 29:50.940 But we need to remember that verse 16 does not just exist 29:50.940 --> 29:52.200 in a vacuum. 29:52.200 --> 29:54.840 That word there, 4, is referring to what he just said 29:54.840 --> 29:56.500 in verse number 15. 29:56.500 --> 30:00.580 Right? So what he's saying is that, hey, you know, it's a wasted effort for you, 30:00.580 --> 30:05.700 oh wicked man, to plot against the righteous, to try to attack the righteous, 30:05.700 --> 30:10.580 because of the fact that a righteous man, a just man, is going to fall seven times, 30:10.580 --> 30:15.700 but he's going to get back up again. Whereas the wicked are just going to fall into mischief. 30:15.700 --> 30:21.300 Right? So this idea here is that if you attack the righteous, if you conspire against the righteous, 30:21.300 --> 30:24.420 you're completely just wasting your efforts. Because yeah, you... 30:24.500 --> 30:29.640 know, he might fall. Yeah, he might stumble. Yeah, he might have a temporary setback, but 30:29.640 --> 30:34.320 the righteous are always going to win. We as God's people, we are always on the winning 30:34.320 --> 30:39.060 side and there could be times that we stumble, that we go through hard times, that we get 30:39.060 --> 30:43.940 setbacks, but we're always rising back up again. We're coming back and one day we're 30:43.940 --> 30:48.180 literally physically going to rise again someday. Even if someone goes as far as killing our 30:48.180 --> 30:51.940 bodies, we might fall, but we will get back up again someday. 30:52.300 --> 30:56.100 Now here's the thing, let me show you some examples of this actually before I go to that 30:56.100 --> 30:57.100 next point. 30:57.100 --> 31:00.060 Go if you would, keep your place there and go to Acts chapter number 5. 31:00.060 --> 31:01.980 Acts chapter number 5. 31:01.980 --> 31:04.240 You can think of some examples like this. 31:04.240 --> 31:07.160 When Paul was Saul, what was he doing? 31:07.160 --> 31:12.380 He was attacking Christians, he was attacking the work of God, and when Jesus showed himself 31:12.380 --> 31:13.880 to Saul, what did he say? 31:13.880 --> 31:17.500 He said, hey, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 31:17.600 --> 31:21.760 It's not a very good idea to go find a cactus and just start kicking it. 31:21.760 --> 31:25.440 And it's like, yeah, you know, you might be able to do some damage to the cactus, 31:25.440 --> 31:28.560 but if you keep kicking that thing, you're just going to hurt yourself, right? 31:28.560 --> 31:31.600 It's not easy to kick against the pricks. 31:31.600 --> 31:33.760 Go if you would, look at Acts chapter five, verse 34. 31:34.600 --> 31:41.140 It says, Then stood thereup one in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of the 31:41.140 --> 31:46.200 law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a 31:46.200 --> 31:47.200 little space. 31:47.200 --> 31:52.620 And he said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as 31:52.620 --> 31:53.820 touching these men. 31:54.400 --> 32:01.120 For before these days rose up Theodos, boasting himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, 32:01.120 --> 32:07.200 about four hundred, joined themselves, who was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were 32:07.200 --> 32:12.640 scattered and brought to naught." So he's saying, hey, be careful how you're dealing with these guys, 32:12.640 --> 32:16.880 the disciples, the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. He says, because look, there is this one 32:16.880 --> 32:22.240 bozo who, you know, rose up one day, who got some sort of a following someday, even a pretty 32:22.400 --> 32:27.680 substantial following 400 people but hey eventually they all got destroyed they 32:27.680 --> 32:31.880 all got scattered they're nowhere to be found anymore you look at false 32:31.880 --> 32:36.400 religions of times past the Canaanites the Amorites the Hittites these people 32:36.400 --> 32:40.320 don't even exist anymore right they're gone they fail right so he's saying I 32:40.320 --> 32:43.800 want you to think about those people then it says in verse number 37 32:44.100 --> 32:51.300 after this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing and drew away much people after him, 32:51.460 --> 32:57.300 he also perished and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed." So there's a second example 32:57.300 --> 33:00.260 he's bringing up, verse 38, and now I say unto you, 33:00.700 --> 33:07.240 refrain from these men and let them alone, for if this counsel or this work be of men, 33:07.420 --> 33:09.540 it will come to naught, it'll be destroyed. 33:10.000 --> 33:18.440 But if it be of God, notice this, ye cannot overthrow it, lest happily or by chance ye 33:18.440 --> 33:21.680 be found even to fight against God. 33:21.680 --> 33:25.040 Now I know Gamaliel is a Pharisee, but what he's saying right here is actually true. 33:25.700 --> 33:30.860 He's saying, hey, we've had bozos rise up, we've had little sects rise up and try to 33:30.860 --> 33:34.900 create some sort of new following or something like that, but this one got destroyed, that 33:34.900 --> 33:39.860 one got destroyed, and he said, hey, if these guys, if this is just the work of men, if 33:39.860 --> 33:43.700 this is just a new fad or a new phase, hey, it's going to come to naught, it's going to 33:43.700 --> 33:48.340 be destroyed, but if this is of God, you can't fight against it. 33:48.340 --> 33:49.500 You'll be destroyed yourself. 33:49.800 --> 33:54.600 And what is that? It's like, hey, wicked man, lay not against the dwelling of the righteous. 33:54.600 --> 34:00.520 Don't spoil him in his resting place for a just man fall at seven times and get it up again, 34:00.520 --> 34:04.920 rise it back up again. Right? And look, people persecuted the apostles and yeah, 34:04.920 --> 34:09.800 they made them stumble at times. They went to prison at times. They received beatings at times. 34:09.800 --> 34:14.680 They received stonings at times. They received threatenings at time. But you know what never 34:14.680 --> 34:17.320 happened? The gospel of Jesus Christ never stopped. 34:17.800 --> 34:25.640 The work of the disciples never stop because they were just men because they were doing the work of the Lord with that in mind go back 34:26.280 --> 34:28.840 to Proverbs 24 Proverbs 24 34:30.880 --> 34:37.560 And it's the same thing for us we can receive persecution wicked people can conspire against us we could take our bruises 34:37.600 --> 34:42.900 We could take our cuts. We might bleed a little bit, but we're always getting back up because we're on the winning side 34:43.900 --> 34:46.900 Think about this, Proverbs 24 verse 15, 34:46.900 --> 34:49.640 lay not wait a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous, 34:49.640 --> 34:53.560 spoil not his resting place, for a just man 34:53.560 --> 34:56.940 falleth seven times and riseth up again, 34:56.940 --> 35:00.740 but the wicked shall fall into mischief. 35:00.740 --> 35:04.440 When most people read verse 16, they're usually talking about 35:04.440 --> 35:06.900 just people falling into sin. 35:07.000 --> 35:11.080 And you know what? That also is a valid interpretation of this verse 35:11.080 --> 35:14.840 because of the fact that this is how the devil persecutes us. 35:15.560 --> 35:20.200 The devil is lying weight against us, laying weight against the dwelling of the righteous. 35:20.200 --> 35:26.360 And how is it that the devil attacks God's people? Oftentimes it's by enticing them to sin. 35:26.360 --> 35:31.000 So that also is a valid interpretation of this. I'll read for you 1 Peter 5 verse 8. 35:31.600 --> 35:38.280 says, Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh 35:38.280 --> 35:44.640 about seeking whom he may devour, whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same 35:44.640 --> 35:48.160 afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 35:48.160 --> 35:52.360 So notice, there is a conspiracy in this world where the devil is constantly just roaming 35:52.360 --> 35:56.360 about, searching for ways to destroy God's people. 35:56.700 --> 35:58.760 And what do we see him doing in the Bible? 35:58.760 --> 36:01.100 We see him tempting people to sin. 36:01.100 --> 36:03.860 Back in the garden, he tempts Eve to sin. 36:03.860 --> 36:06.660 He tempts her to question God's word. 36:06.660 --> 36:08.980 When you see Jesus being tempted of the devil 36:08.980 --> 36:10.860 in the wilderness, what's he doing? 36:10.860 --> 36:13.700 Tempting the Lord Jesus Christ to sin. 36:13.700 --> 36:16.080 So these verses, you could absolutely still apply 36:16.080 --> 36:18.860 these verses in the idea of, hey, a just man falls, 36:18.860 --> 36:22.180 a just man sins seven times and gets up again. 36:22.180 --> 36:23.180 And the title of my sermon is this, 36:23.180 --> 36:24.700 Falling and Rising a- 36:24.700 --> 36:29.700 falling and rising again. Keep your place in Proverbs 24. 36:29.700 --> 36:34.700 Number one, let me say this, every righteous person is going to fall. 36:34.700 --> 36:37.700 Every righteous person is going to fall. Read it again, verse 16. 36:37.700 --> 36:43.700 For a what? Just man falleth seven times and riseth up again, 36:43.700 --> 36:46.700 but the wicked shall fall into mischief. 36:46.700 --> 36:50.700 Now let's think about this through both interpretations we're talking about. 36:51.500 --> 36:55.500 Every righteous person is going to receive what? 36:55.500 --> 36:56.500 Persecution. 36:56.500 --> 36:57.500 Tribulation. 36:57.500 --> 37:02.500 It's a promise from God that if you are righteous, you are going to receive persecution. 37:02.500 --> 37:06.500 Also, every single righteous person is going to sin. 37:06.500 --> 37:07.500 Why? 37:07.500 --> 37:08.500 Because we're sinners. 37:08.500 --> 37:10.500 Because we have the flesh. 37:10.500 --> 37:12.500 Both of these things are true. 37:12.500 --> 37:14.500 Now go to 2 Timothy chapter 3. 37:16.200 --> 37:21.580 Let's talk about the first one, about suffering persecution. 37:21.580 --> 37:24.580 Every righteous person is going to fall. 37:24.580 --> 37:28.000 Every righteous person is going to receive their bumps of persecution. 37:28.000 --> 37:32.720 Every righteous person may have a setback because of the persecution and lying in wait 37:32.720 --> 37:36.160 of the wicked and conspiring of the wicked. 37:36.160 --> 37:37.160 But we get back up. 37:37.160 --> 37:38.160 Timothy 3 verse 10. 37:38.600 --> 37:46.600 But that was fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, 37:46.600 --> 37:55.440 patience, notice this, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, 37:55.440 --> 37:56.160 at Lystra. 37:56.400 --> 38:02.800 Notice this what persecutions I endured but out of them all the Lord delivered me 38:02.800 --> 38:06.600 What is that a just man fall the seven times, but he gets back up 38:06.760 --> 38:11.360 He rises up again and the Apostle Paul didn't say he had one persecution 38:12.320 --> 38:13.600 persecutions plural 38:13.800 --> 38:17.000 He didn't have one affliction. Affliction's plural. 38:17.000 --> 38:22.760 He wasn't persecuted in one place. Notice. Antioch. Iconium. Lystra. 38:22.760 --> 38:27.000 His ministry was one characterized of just constant persecution. 38:27.500 --> 38:31.200 Constant battles, constant people attacking him, 38:31.200 --> 38:33.880 constant wicked people backstabbing him. 38:33.880 --> 38:35.740 And you know what a dumb person does? 38:35.740 --> 38:38.480 Is they see a man of God going through a hard time. 38:38.480 --> 38:41.720 Maybe he falls, maybe he falls in persecution. 38:41.720 --> 38:43.720 He receives some bumps, some bruises, 38:43.720 --> 38:46.280 some cuts, some scrapes of persecution. 38:46.280 --> 38:47.780 And they say, what are you doing 38:47.780 --> 38:49.360 to bring that upon yourself? 38:50.000 --> 38:52.000 Oh man, you guys are just asking for it. 38:52.000 --> 38:54.000 I mean, with the way you guys preach, 38:54.000 --> 38:56.000 you're just basically asking for persecution. 38:56.000 --> 38:58.000 Not necessarily. 38:58.000 --> 39:00.000 The Apostle Paul is just being a righteous man. 39:00.000 --> 39:02.000 The Apostle Paul is just preaching the Bible. 39:02.000 --> 39:04.000 And you know what he got for being a righteous man? 39:04.000 --> 39:06.000 Preaching the Gospel, 39:06.000 --> 39:08.000 starting churches, loving people, 39:08.000 --> 39:10.000 being a good spiritual leader. 39:10.000 --> 39:12.000 What did he get? Persecutions. 39:13.100 --> 39:15.100 What did he get? Afflictions. 39:15.100 --> 39:17.600 What did he get? People backstabbing him. 39:17.600 --> 39:20.600 People lying about him. People coming after him. 39:20.600 --> 39:24.100 That's not the Apostle Paul's fault. That's just how this world works. 39:24.400 --> 39:27.400 the wicked are lying in wait against the righteous, 39:27.400 --> 39:30.900 and a just man falleth seven times." 39:30.900 --> 39:32.700 You're going to receive persecution, 39:32.700 --> 39:34.500 and all the great men of God that I know, 39:34.500 --> 39:36.900 they've received a lot of persecution. 39:36.900 --> 39:39.300 And every time that they receive persecution, 39:39.300 --> 39:42.500 I see backslidden carnal Christians saying, 39:42.500 --> 39:44.500 oh, these guys are just bringing it on themselves. 39:45.000 --> 39:50.540 It's like these guys have a persecution complex. They just want it. Well, let me say this. We're not ashamed of persecution 39:50.840 --> 39:56.120 I'll tell you that right now. We're not afraid of persecution. We're not ashamed of persecution 39:56.120 --> 39:58.640 The Bible says we glory in tribulation also 39:58.960 --> 40:03.500 Why because it's a blessing and an honor to suffer shame for the name of Jesus Christ 40:03.800 --> 40:08.240 And you know if you receive persecution as a Christian you should not be ashamed of that 40:08.700 --> 40:14.140 If people despise you, if your family despises you, for the stand you take on the Bible, 40:14.140 --> 40:21.740 you should hold your head high, you should leap for joy, you should rejoice that you're counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus Christ, 40:21.740 --> 40:25.500 because a just man falls seven times. Look at verse 12. 40:26.000 --> 40:32.800 Ye and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 40:32.800 --> 40:36.400 There's the promise from God right there. A just man falled seven times. 40:36.400 --> 40:40.400 A righteous person will receive persecution. 40:40.800 --> 40:45.360 And so it is not a matter of if a righteous person will be persecuted. 40:45.360 --> 40:46.720 It's a matter of when. 40:46.720 --> 40:48.080 It's a matter of how often. 40:48.080 --> 40:50.240 It's a matter of how many battles you're going to go through. 40:50.240 --> 40:53.040 You know what? That's the price you pay to be righteous. 40:53.040 --> 40:54.080 You ought to count the costs. 40:54.080 --> 40:56.000 Hey, I want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. 40:56.000 --> 40:57.120 I want to be a soul winner. 40:57.120 --> 40:58.880 I want to take the things of God seriously. 40:58.880 --> 41:00.080 What's going to come from that? 41:00.080 --> 41:00.800 Persecution. 41:01.360 --> 41:05.920 People not liking you, people lying about you, the news articles, the protests, 41:05.920 --> 41:07.920 all of that stuff absolutely can happen. 41:08.700 --> 41:11.840 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, 41:11.840 --> 41:13.680 deceiving and being deceived. 41:13.680 --> 41:16.940 Notice verse 14, but, continue thou. 41:17.300 --> 41:20.200 in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, 41:20.200 --> 41:23.380 knowing of whom thou hast learned them." 41:23.380 --> 41:24.280 So what do we see? 41:24.280 --> 41:27.480 Hey, the Apostle Paul, he suffered persecution, 41:27.480 --> 41:28.380 but what did he say? 41:28.380 --> 41:30.980 He said, out of them all the Lord delivered me. 41:30.980 --> 41:32.720 That's rising back up again. 41:32.720 --> 41:35.180 He says, hey, you that want to live godly, 41:35.180 --> 41:38.860 you will receive persecution, but continue thou, 41:38.860 --> 41:40.060 but keep going. 41:40.060 --> 41:41.800 And what have I seen in my personal life? 41:41.800 --> 41:45.260 I've seen persecution and tribulation of great men. 41:45.300 --> 41:49.780 that I know and I've always seen God deliver us through it. I've seen the 41:49.780 --> 41:54.340 evictions, I've seen the lawsuits, I've seen the three years of protests, I've 41:54.340 --> 41:58.020 seen the news articles, I've seen the doxing, but you know what I've always 41:58.020 --> 42:03.200 seen is those who remain steadfast are delivered from persecution. 42:03.400 --> 42:06.640 those who don't cower, those who don't apologize 42:06.640 --> 42:08.240 for preaching against the sodomites, 42:08.240 --> 42:10.360 God always comes through for them. 42:10.360 --> 42:12.840 And so we should not fear persecution, 42:12.840 --> 42:15.440 we should fear compromise. 42:15.440 --> 42:17.680 We should fear cowardice. 42:17.680 --> 42:19.920 We should fear complacency. 42:19.920 --> 42:22.920 We should not fear the persecution that we receive. 42:22.920 --> 42:26.640 You look at men of God that compromise, like Jeff Owens, 42:26.640 --> 42:28.720 and we see his life ends in turmoil. 42:29.000 --> 42:34.600 We see him getting divorced and being disgraced and being disqualified from the ministry. 42:34.600 --> 42:40.360 Okay, you got Pastor Bruce Mejia. He goes through persecution. His church literally gets bombed. 42:41.240 --> 42:47.640 The FBI literally investigates. It's a nationwide case. Faggots literally bomb his church. But you 42:47.640 --> 42:50.840 know what? First Works Baptist Church is the bomb because they're blowing up. 42:51.500 --> 42:53.500 I mean, they're just growing like crazy. 42:53.500 --> 42:56.900 They're just baptizing just crazy amounts of people. 42:56.900 --> 43:00.400 People from all over the world are hearing about Pastor Mejia's ministry. 43:00.400 --> 43:04.400 We got someone here tonight who found Pastor Bruce Mejia online. 43:04.400 --> 43:05.700 You know, praise God for that. 43:05.700 --> 43:07.100 But here's the thing. Let me tell you what. 43:07.100 --> 43:10.600 If Pastor Mejia would have apologized, if you would have backed up, 43:10.600 --> 43:13.900 if he would have quit, First Works would not be the place that it is today. 43:14.700 --> 43:18.300 And I'm preparing you right now because look right now I don't think we're going to persecution. 43:18.300 --> 43:20.300 Things are easy at our church right now. 43:20.300 --> 43:24.460 But I'm preparing you right now because if we take a stand for Jesus Christ, 43:24.460 --> 43:29.820 yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 43:29.820 --> 43:34.620 And here's what I know is if we keep going we someday will receive persecution. 43:34.620 --> 43:36.940 And look at the time it's not fun. 43:37.600 --> 43:40.480 And especially when you're the leader and you're the one that has to like, 43:40.480 --> 43:43.520 where are we having church? How are we getting a new building? 43:43.520 --> 43:47.120 How are we dealing with having no money? How do we deal with these lawsuits? 43:47.120 --> 43:50.560 That's not fun. That's stressful. But we need to remind ourselves, hey, 43:50.560 --> 43:55.520 a just man falls seven times, but he gets back up. He rises up again. 43:55.520 --> 43:59.600 And the Lord is going to deliver those who are persecuted. Go to Job chapter four. 44:00.400 --> 44:02.400 You know, don't be surprised if this happens to you. 44:02.400 --> 44:04.800 Don't be surprised if this happens to our church. 44:04.800 --> 44:07.280 And let me say this, when it happens to others, 44:07.280 --> 44:08.960 don't assume the worst in people 44:08.960 --> 44:10.560 when they're going through a hard time. 44:11.360 --> 44:14.320 When you see fellow pastors, fellow churches, 44:14.320 --> 44:16.080 your brothers and sisters in Christ, 44:16.080 --> 44:18.320 when you see them going through something hard, 44:18.320 --> 44:20.480 when you see them suffering persecution, 44:20.480 --> 44:21.280 don't sit here and be like, 44:21.280 --> 44:22.640 oh, it must be because they're sinful. 44:23.200 --> 44:26.160 Oh, they must be asking for this. They must be begging for this. 44:26.160 --> 44:28.880 They must have done something wrong to bring this upon themselves. 44:28.880 --> 44:30.480 You know, this is what Job's friends did. 44:31.200 --> 44:32.560 And this is a wicked attitude. 44:33.440 --> 44:35.440 Notice Job 4 verse 1. 44:35.440 --> 44:38.160 Then Eliaphaz the teamanite answered and said, 44:38.160 --> 44:41.600 If we say to commune with thee, would thou be grieved? 44:41.600 --> 44:44.080 But who can withhold himself from speaking? 44:44.500 --> 44:52.340 Behold thou has instructed many and thou has strengthened the weak hands thy words have uphold in him that were falling and thou 44:52.340 --> 44:58.180 Has strengthened strengthened the feeble knees notice, but now it has come upon thee and thou faintest 44:58.380 --> 45:05.580 It touches thee and thou art troubled is not this thy fear thy confidence thy hope and the uprightness 45:05.940 --> 45:09.580 Of thy ways he's basically saying like hey, aren't you reaping what you've sown? 45:10.100 --> 45:16.380 Oh, you sat here and you instructed others and you comforted others, but now it's coming on you and now you're distressed 45:16.700 --> 45:19.340 Now you're having a hard time boy. What a great friend this guy is 45:20.060 --> 45:24.660 How not to be a friend job chapter 4 if you ever need to know how not to be a friend 45:24.660 --> 45:27.280 This is it right here, but man you see people that are like this 45:28.020 --> 45:32.580 We see this all the time look at verse 7. This is crazy remember 45:32.580 --> 45:35.960 I pray thee whoever perished being innocent 45:37.000 --> 45:38.800 Or where were the righteous cut off? 45:38.800 --> 45:40.880 It's like, tell me you know nothing about the Bible 45:40.880 --> 45:42.280 without telling me. 45:42.280 --> 45:45.640 What innocent person ever suffered persecution? 45:45.640 --> 45:48.960 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus 45:48.960 --> 45:51.560 shall suffer persecution, the Bible says. 45:51.560 --> 45:55.680 People who are innocent suffer hardship all the time. 45:55.680 --> 45:57.880 How about the Lord Jesus Christ? 45:57.880 --> 46:00.800 Whoever perished being innocent, I don't know, our savior? 46:00.800 --> 46:02.900 It's kind of the basis of our whole religion? 46:02.900 --> 46:06.500 And so what we should not do is every time we see someone going through a hard time, 46:06.500 --> 46:11.300 assume, oh, secret sin. Oh, they're doing something bad. Oh, they deserve this. 46:11.300 --> 46:16.500 Boy, didn't we see this with our friend Pastor Anderson? He's going through such a hard time 46:16.500 --> 46:20.900 going through like the worst persecution I've ever seen of any person in my life, 46:20.900 --> 46:24.580 going through just unimaginable hell that I would never want to go through myself. 46:24.580 --> 46:27.060 Then on top of it, you got friends turning on him. 46:27.600 --> 46:30.800 Then on top of it, it's, oh yeah, you must be guilty. 46:30.800 --> 46:33.540 Oh, you know, my wife first hand or second hand 46:33.540 --> 46:35.540 heard something, saw something from someone, 46:35.540 --> 46:37.000 and yeah, I think that's true. 46:37.000 --> 46:39.480 It's just like, what a terrible friend. 46:39.480 --> 46:41.880 Right, when we are going through a hard time, 46:41.880 --> 46:43.580 when you are going through a hard time, 46:43.580 --> 46:45.240 don't you want your brothers in Christ 46:45.240 --> 46:47.820 to come alongside you and comfort you? 46:47.820 --> 46:49.580 Say, hey, I'm praying for you. 46:49.580 --> 46:51.480 Hey, you know what, I'm on your side. 46:51.480 --> 46:53.220 Hey, we're on the Lord's side together. 46:53.220 --> 46:55.320 You know, that's what I want if I'm going through a hard time. 46:55.800 --> 47:00.440 It's hard enough to go through a hard time without everyone just forsaking you and turning 47:00.440 --> 47:01.440 your back on you. 47:01.440 --> 47:05.620 But you don't remember this, that a just man falleth seven times. 47:05.620 --> 47:08.420 Righteous people are going to suffer persecution. 47:08.420 --> 47:10.860 Now let's talk about sin. 47:10.860 --> 47:15.900 Another interpretation of our anchor text is that a just man falleth seven times. 47:15.900 --> 47:18.000 A righteous person is going to sin. 47:18.000 --> 47:19.000 Go to Roman 7. 47:19.600 --> 47:25.040 Romans chapter 7 while you're turning their first John 1 8 says if we say that we have no sin 47:25.280 --> 47:28.860 We deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us 47:29.300 --> 47:32.040 There is no person in this world that is without sin 47:32.440 --> 47:36.720 Whoever the most righteous man in this world is right now that person is a sinner 47:37.300 --> 47:39.780 And no matter how long you've been a Christian, 47:39.780 --> 47:41.620 and how long you've been walking with Christ, 47:41.620 --> 47:44.420 and how hard you try to sanctify yourself, 47:44.420 --> 47:46.180 you will always be a sinner. 47:46.180 --> 47:47.540 I will always be a sinner. 47:47.540 --> 47:48.420 So guess what? 47:48.420 --> 47:50.260 Don't be surprised when someone sins. 47:51.140 --> 47:52.740 Don't be surprised when you sin. 47:53.000 --> 47:59.240 I'm not saying make light of it. I'm not saying excuse sin, but stop having this unrealistic expectation 47:59.240 --> 48:04.120 that the people you love in your life and your friends that they're just never going to do wrong. 48:04.120 --> 48:08.680 No one in this church is ever going to do wrong. You're never going to do wrong. That's an unrealistic 48:08.680 --> 48:15.160 expectation because the Bible says that a just man falls seven times. Romans seven verse 12, 48:15.160 --> 48:19.880 wherefore the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good. 48:20.400 --> 48:23.740 Was then that which is good made death unto me? 48:23.740 --> 48:25.040 God forbid. 48:25.040 --> 48:27.840 But sin, that it might appear sin, 48:27.840 --> 48:30.580 working death in me by that which is good, 48:30.580 --> 48:35.720 that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 48:35.720 --> 48:38.320 For we know that the law is spiritual. 48:38.320 --> 48:42.660 Notice this, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 48:42.660 --> 48:44.500 This is the Apostle Paul. 48:44.700 --> 48:47.340 This is one of the greatest Christians to have ever lived. 48:47.340 --> 48:49.980 Probably the greatest evangelist to have ever lived. 48:49.980 --> 48:51.500 And what does he say about himself? 48:51.500 --> 48:52.780 What's his tagline? 48:52.780 --> 48:54.940 Hashtag, I am carnal. 48:54.940 --> 48:56.860 There's his Instagram bio for you. 48:56.860 --> 48:58.620 I am carnal. 48:58.620 --> 49:01.340 It's like, look, if the apostle Paul has enough humility 49:01.340 --> 49:03.100 to admit that he is carnal, 49:03.100 --> 49:05.180 why would we act like we're so special? 49:06.000 --> 49:09.400 Why would Christians today act like they've just arrived in their righteousness? 49:09.400 --> 49:12.900 Why do people just act so shocked and so surprised 49:12.900 --> 49:16.100 if their brother in Christ sins isn't perfect, 49:16.100 --> 49:18.100 makes a mistake, messes up? 49:18.100 --> 49:20.000 Look, we're all carnal. 49:20.000 --> 49:22.400 And if we're walking in the flesh, you know what we're gonna do? 49:22.400 --> 49:24.500 We're gonna fulfill the lust of the flesh. 49:24.500 --> 49:26.800 And it does not matter how long you've been saved, 49:26.800 --> 49:28.100 we all have the flesh, 49:28.100 --> 49:31.200 and the flesh is capable of any natural sin. 49:31.800 --> 49:33.800 and someone just gets back into the world, 49:33.800 --> 49:35.800 they just start walking back in the flesh, 49:35.800 --> 49:38.800 you could be capable of all the sins that you were into 49:38.800 --> 49:40.800 a decade ago, two decades ago, 49:40.800 --> 49:43.800 you can get back to that stuff if you're not careful. 49:43.800 --> 49:45.800 We should take sin very seriously, 49:45.800 --> 49:48.800 but we should also realize, hey, this is a condition that we have. 49:48.800 --> 49:50.800 He says, I am carnal, sold under sin. 49:50.800 --> 49:55.800 Verse 15, for that which I do, I allow not. 49:56.400 --> 49:59.640 He's saying, I tell people, no, don't do this. 49:59.640 --> 50:01.440 And then I do it. 50:01.440 --> 50:03.640 Oh, just, you can't follow the Apostle Paul 50:03.640 --> 50:04.760 because he's a hypocrite. 50:04.760 --> 50:06.280 We got to stop going to church. 50:06.280 --> 50:08.400 Oh, I could never follow a man because he's a hypocrite. 50:08.400 --> 50:10.500 Well, then you couldn't have followed the Apostle Paul. 50:11.000 --> 50:13.000 Look, people are going to be flawed. 50:13.000 --> 50:15.000 People are going to be making mistakes. 50:15.000 --> 50:19.800 Now, I don't believe that the Apostle Paul's entire life was just characterized by just 50:19.800 --> 50:24.000 blatant hypocrisy or something like that, but he's just saying, like, man, I've said 50:24.000 --> 50:26.920 that things shouldn't be done and then I've done those things. 50:26.920 --> 50:30.400 That's bad, but he's just being honest with himself. 50:30.400 --> 50:32.800 He says, for what I would... 50:33.300 --> 50:35.000 That do I not? 50:35.000 --> 50:37.100 There's things that I'm like, man, I want to do this. 50:37.100 --> 50:38.800 I want to memorize the scripture. 50:38.800 --> 50:40.500 I want to go on this soul-winning trip. 50:40.500 --> 50:41.900 Man, I want to be free to thrive. 50:41.900 --> 50:42.700 I want to do that. 50:42.700 --> 50:44.300 And then I just don't do it. 50:44.300 --> 50:47.000 That's the Apostle Paul, right? 50:47.000 --> 50:49.700 He says, but what I hate, that do I. 50:49.700 --> 50:51.800 That's pretty intense language right there. 50:51.800 --> 50:56.100 That there's sins that he just hates, he detests, he despises, 50:56.100 --> 50:58.900 and then he himself ends up falling and doing that. 50:58.900 --> 50:59.500 What is this? 50:59.500 --> 51:00.300 A just man. 51:00.600 --> 51:06.680 a righteous man, the Apostle Paul. If then I do that which I would not, notice this, 51:06.680 --> 51:12.440 I consent unto the law that it is good. But here's a big difference between the Apostle Paul 51:12.440 --> 51:17.240 and many Christians. It's not that one sins and one doesn't. Everyone sins, right? But I like that 51:17.240 --> 51:22.680 the Apostle Paul does not make excuses for his sin. He just says, hey, the Bible's always right. 51:23.100 --> 51:26.100 I consent under the law that it is good. 51:26.100 --> 51:30.600 If we find that our life or our actions don't match with what the Bible says, 51:30.600 --> 51:34.100 we shouldn't be like, well, you've got to understand my circumstance. 51:34.100 --> 51:36.100 Well, you just, you weren't in my marriage. 51:36.100 --> 51:40.100 If you were married to my husband, if you were married to my wife, 51:40.100 --> 51:42.600 you would have understood why I had to get a divorce. 51:42.600 --> 51:45.100 He just says, hey, the law is always good. 51:45.100 --> 51:47.100 If I sin, it's always my fault. 51:47.500 --> 51:49.700 If I'm wrong, it's always my fault. 51:49.700 --> 51:51.200 It's never God's fault. 51:51.200 --> 51:52.500 It's never the Bible's fault. 51:52.500 --> 51:54.300 You know, this is the right attitude to have. 51:54.300 --> 51:56.300 This isn't an attitude of excusing sin. 51:56.300 --> 51:59.300 This is an attitude of exalting God's Word and saying, 51:59.300 --> 52:01.200 hey, we are not righteous. 52:01.200 --> 52:03.200 We cannot attain to God's law. 52:03.200 --> 52:06.500 So every time we fall short, that's our fault, not God's. 52:06.500 --> 52:07.500 The law is good. 52:07.500 --> 52:08.900 The law is righteous. 52:09.300 --> 52:15.180 Notice, now then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 52:15.180 --> 52:18.480 Of course, because we have the new man as Christians, we have the old man. 52:18.480 --> 52:21.380 The new man is not who is sinning, it's the old man. 52:21.380 --> 52:22.380 Sin that dwells in us. 52:22.380 --> 52:28.460 It says in verse 18, for I know that in me, now he's going to specify, that is in my flesh, 52:28.460 --> 52:29.780 that's the old man. 52:29.780 --> 52:33.260 Notice, dwelleth no good thing. 52:33.900 --> 52:39.100 For to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. 52:39.100 --> 52:45.260 So notice just in the old man strictly speaking our old man there is nothing different about us 52:45.260 --> 52:52.300 from the rest of this world. In our flesh the Bible says dwells no good thing and the drunk out 52:52.300 --> 52:58.380 there today the derelict the drug addicts in their flesh their flesh is absolutely no different than ours. 52:58.700 --> 53:05.900 there hath no temptation taken you but that which is common to man the Bible says and any sin that is a natural sin you know 53:05.900 --> 53:09.880 What that is all on the table for Christians as long as they are in this flesh 53:10.340 --> 53:16.020 Because in this flesh dwells no good thing. There is no such thing as a good person 53:16.980 --> 53:19.080 There is no such thing as a pure heart 53:19.300 --> 53:24.900 The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked the Bible says who can know it 53:25.500 --> 53:29.600 It says in verse 19, for the good that I would, I do not, 53:29.600 --> 53:33.340 but the evil which I would not, that I do. 53:33.340 --> 53:37.040 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, 53:37.040 --> 53:38.740 but sin that dwelleth in me. 53:38.740 --> 53:42.280 I find then a law that when I would do good, 53:42.280 --> 53:44.640 evil is present with me. 53:44.640 --> 53:47.220 He goes on, he talks about, oh wretched man that I am, 53:47.220 --> 53:49.960 who shall deliver me from the body of this death. 53:49.960 --> 53:50.980 You know, what's the lesson here? 53:50.980 --> 53:52.620 Don't be a holier than now. 53:53.500 --> 53:58.340 Don't look down on people for being at a different level of growth in their Christian life, 53:58.340 --> 54:01.020 because you know what? Every Christian we have the same flesh. 54:01.300 --> 54:04.660 And we don't want to have this Pharisaical, holier-than-thou attitude 54:04.660 --> 54:08.580 that, oh, you're somehow better than other people because you've been saved longer, 54:08.580 --> 54:12.580 walking with God for longer. You know what? If you're not careful, you could end up back in 54:12.580 --> 54:17.380 sin as well. You could end up living a terrible life as well. And you know what? We need hard 54:17.380 --> 54:22.100 preaching. We need to not excuse sin. We need to call out sin. We need to take accountability 54:22.100 --> 54:25.620 for sin in our own life. But let me tell you what, sin does not surprise me. 54:26.500 --> 54:30.820 Look, if you're going through something in your life and you need help from your pastor, 54:30.820 --> 54:33.540 don't think like the pastor needs to be the person that you need to impress. 54:34.660 --> 54:37.220 The pastor needs to be the person that you could go to to get help. 54:37.780 --> 54:41.380 And I'm not going to judge you. I'm not going to cast you out as some horrible person. 54:41.380 --> 54:45.300 Unless someone's like a pedophile or something or doing some sort of unnatural sin. 54:45.300 --> 54:48.180 But if the pastor's there to help, and look, I'm not going to sit here and be like, 54:48.180 --> 54:52.020 oh, you wicked heathen, how could you possibly sin? I already know you're a sinner. 54:52.580 --> 54:53.540 I already know I'm a sinner. 54:54.200 --> 54:57.440 And you know, I've had people have this attitude where they, 54:57.440 --> 55:00.240 for example, I've had people have marriage problems, 55:00.240 --> 55:03.480 but they've expressed to me that they don't want to go to their pastor. 55:03.480 --> 55:05.880 They don't want to get advice from their pastor 55:05.880 --> 55:07.760 because like they know their pastor. 55:07.760 --> 55:09.520 And so like they want to go to some other pastor. 55:09.520 --> 55:12.520 But it's like the pastor is there to help you. 55:12.520 --> 55:14.280 And the pastor that knows you 55:14.280 --> 55:16.920 is probably the most qualified person to help you. 55:17.300 --> 55:22.760 Like my policy is I don't I don't counsel people that don't go to this church because you know what God's given them a pastor 55:23.060 --> 55:24.460 That's their pastor's job 55:24.460 --> 55:28.840 I would find it to be actually inappropriate if someone's church members are coming to me 55:28.840 --> 55:31.460 And I'm just like counseling them and like their pastor doesn't even know 55:31.940 --> 55:37.320 It's like that pastor has been given to you to help you and you know what don't worry about trying to impress your pastor 55:37.540 --> 55:40.720 Looking like you're some sort of special no no no I already know your cardinal 55:41.100 --> 55:46.300 And I'm carnal and the apostle Paul's carnal. So can we just stop playing games here and just realize we're all sinners 55:46.780 --> 55:51.820 Trying to serve god the best we can together, right? We don't have to put on a show. We know that we're sinners again 55:51.820 --> 55:56.700 I'm not saying make light of sin excuse sin. No, we're going to preach hard against it. We're going to call it out 55:57.020 --> 55:59.100 You know, there's some sins that we can't tolerate in church 55:59.980 --> 56:04.300 There's some sins that are worthy of being kicked out of church, but let me tell you what I know that a just man 56:04.620 --> 56:05.500 seven times 56:05.700 --> 56:07.700 I know that good people are going to sin. 56:07.700 --> 56:10.700 Number two, let me say this, go to 1 John 2. 56:10.700 --> 56:13.700 Don't fall, but if you fall, get back up. 56:13.700 --> 56:18.700 Don't fall, but if you fall, get back up. 56:18.700 --> 56:20.700 You know this is exactly what the Bible says. 56:20.700 --> 56:22.700 1 John 2, 1. 56:22.700 --> 56:25.700 My little children, these things ride I unto you, 56:25.700 --> 56:27.700 that ye sin not. 56:27.700 --> 56:29.400 And if any man sin... 56:29.400 --> 56:33.400 We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. 56:33.400 --> 56:39.560 Here's what I'm telling you. Don't fall. Don't sin. But if you sin, get back up. 56:40.280 --> 56:45.400 One of the worst things that people do is they sin and then they just wallow in sorrow and 56:45.400 --> 56:50.760 self-pity and in the mire and then they never get back up. That's the worst thing you could do. 56:51.000 --> 56:55.000 There's not this unicorn Christian that just never sins. 56:55.000 --> 57:00.000 There's not this unicorn Christian where God just uses the non-sinful Christian. 57:00.000 --> 57:03.000 Every person God uses is a sinful Christian. 57:03.000 --> 57:06.000 Every great man of God in this world is a sinful person. 57:06.000 --> 57:10.000 Every great man of God in the Bible was a sinful person. 57:10.000 --> 57:12.900 But here's what the just man does. He rises up again. 57:13.200 --> 57:18.620 And right here John saying hey don't sin but here's the good news if you sit because he knows you're going to sin if you sin 57:18.620 --> 57:22.980 Guess what we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous 57:23.580 --> 57:26.500 What is it we should do when we sin you ought to not lie to yourself 57:27.220 --> 57:31.080 You ought not to lie to God you should be very transparent with God 57:31.460 --> 57:36.920 Openly confess it to God and ask for his forgiveness, and then you know you should do you should move on with your life 57:37.800 --> 57:39.480 You ask for forgiveness. 57:39.480 --> 57:41.340 You say, God, I'm being frank with you. 57:41.340 --> 57:42.440 I struggle with this. 57:42.440 --> 57:43.200 I sinned. 57:43.200 --> 57:44.100 I'm sorry. 57:44.100 --> 57:45.100 I messed up. 57:45.100 --> 57:47.980 Lord, renew the joy of thy salvation. 57:47.980 --> 57:49.180 Fill me with the Holy Ghost. 57:49.180 --> 57:50.440 Use me again, God. 57:50.440 --> 57:51.280 And you know what? 57:51.280 --> 57:52.120 God forgives you, 57:52.120 --> 57:53.180 and you should just forgive yourself too. 57:53.180 --> 57:55.180 You should move on and not just hold guilt 57:55.180 --> 57:56.620 over your head the rest of your life. 57:56.620 --> 57:58.160 1 John 1, 8 says this. 57:58.160 --> 58:01.160 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, 58:01.160 --> 58:02.860 and the truth is not in us. 58:02.860 --> 58:05.360 Notice verse nine, if we confess our sins, 58:05.900 --> 58:10.200 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 58:10.200 --> 58:13.600 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 58:13.600 --> 58:17.200 This is what's so great about going to God for forgiveness, 58:17.200 --> 58:19.400 is there's not even a question mark in your mind 58:19.400 --> 58:21.400 of whether or not God's gonna forgive you. 58:21.800 --> 58:24.200 It's not like, man, I really did it this time. 58:24.200 --> 58:26.080 You know, God's just done with me. 58:26.080 --> 58:27.460 He's not going to forgive me this time. 58:27.460 --> 58:29.600 No, no, no, if you confess your sins, he's faithful. 58:29.600 --> 58:30.240 What does that mean? 58:30.240 --> 58:32.000 Reliable, trustworthy. 58:32.000 --> 58:34.320 He's faithful to forgive us our sins 58:34.320 --> 58:36.940 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 58:36.940 --> 58:40.240 The problem is oftentimes many people sin, and then they what? 58:40.240 --> 58:41.080 Hide from God. 58:41.800 --> 58:44.300 Isn't that what Adam and Eve did when they sinned? 58:44.300 --> 58:46.300 They're trying to hide from the presence of the Lord. 58:46.300 --> 58:50.000 What did Jonah do when he was backslidden and had a wicked heart? 58:50.000 --> 58:53.400 He was trying to hide from the presence of God, run away from the presence of God. 58:53.400 --> 58:57.300 Look, that may be how we feel sometimes, but that is the wrong answer. 58:57.800 --> 59:01.880 Look, if you have sinned, the answer is not getting out of church. 59:01.880 --> 59:05.920 Unless obviously it's the 1st Corinthians 5 sin that we're commanded to cast someone out for, 59:05.920 --> 59:09.940 and you're unrepented. But even those sins, there's this great thing you can do called 59:09.940 --> 59:14.260 REPENT! Say you're sorry! Take accountability! 59:14.260 --> 59:18.260 Actually be contrite and change, and guess what? Then you don't have to get kicked out. 59:18.600 --> 59:24.540 And often times, you know why God has to come down on someone and punish someone so severely 59:24.540 --> 59:27.760 is because they are so stubborn. 59:27.760 --> 59:30.060 Just be honest with yourself. 59:30.060 --> 59:31.780 Stop pretending like you're perfect. 59:31.780 --> 59:35.100 Be honest with God because God knows you. 59:35.100 --> 59:36.920 God sees through the facade. 59:36.920 --> 59:38.260 God sees your heart. 59:38.260 --> 59:39.900 He knows that we are just dust. 59:39.900 --> 59:40.900 And you know what? 59:40.900 --> 59:42.380 We should go to Him transparently. 59:42.800 --> 59:52.800 God, I'm just a sinner. God, I'm no one. But will you forgive me and use me? Will you allow me to do something great despite me? Lord, please forgive me. You know, God's ready to do that. 59:52.800 --> 01:00:00.800 And look, I hope this is not just words to you. What I'm preaching right now is serious because all of us are going to sin and all of us need to do this. 01:00:00.800 --> 01:00:02.300 Go to Luke 15. 01:00:02.300 --> 01:00:03.600 Proverbs 28, 13 says, 01:00:03.600 --> 01:00:07.300 "'He that covereth his sins shall not prosper.'" 01:00:07.700 --> 01:00:13.780 but who so confesseth and forsakeeth them shall have mercy. Do not try to cover your sins. 01:00:14.420 --> 01:00:16.300 You are not going to outsmart God. 01:00:16.400 --> 01:00:18.120 You're not going to hide from God. 01:00:18.120 --> 01:00:21.040 It's like, you know, with the technology we have right now, 01:00:21.040 --> 01:00:22.960 I think about the Great Tribulation 01:00:22.960 --> 01:00:24.160 and how the Bible talks about, 01:00:24.160 --> 01:00:27.000 except those days were shortened, no flesh should be saved, 01:00:27.000 --> 01:00:28.320 because you're not going to be able to escape 01:00:28.320 --> 01:00:30.080 the eye of the flock cameras. 01:00:30.080 --> 01:00:31.440 You're not going to be able to escape the eye 01:00:31.440 --> 01:00:33.760 of the thermal imaging drones. 01:00:33.760 --> 01:00:35.000 Like, it's just going to be everywhere. 01:00:35.000 --> 01:00:36.720 Well, it's like, how much more God, 01:00:36.720 --> 01:00:39.240 who's omnipresent, who's all-knowing, 01:00:39.240 --> 01:00:40.800 you can't hide anything from God, 01:00:40.800 --> 01:00:42.520 so quit trying to cover it up. 01:00:42.700 --> 01:00:45.280 Just be honest with him. Be transparent with him. 01:00:45.280 --> 01:00:48.840 Completely. Just lay it out for him and apologize. 01:00:48.840 --> 01:00:51.280 And notice it says confess and forsake. 01:00:51.280 --> 01:00:54.780 Right? So don't fall, but if you fall, get back up. 01:00:54.780 --> 01:00:57.020 You know what that is? Forsaking that sin. 01:00:57.020 --> 01:00:59.260 Repenting of that sin. There's a great story about this. 01:00:59.260 --> 01:01:00.420 Luke 15, 11. 01:01:01.300 --> 01:01:05.780 And he said, A certain man had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, Father, 01:01:05.780 --> 01:01:09.060 give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. 01:01:09.060 --> 01:01:11.820 And he divided unto them his living. 01:01:11.820 --> 01:01:15.380 So he's taking the inheritance early, which is what? 01:01:15.380 --> 01:01:17.420 Short-sighted, which is really what sin is. 01:01:17.420 --> 01:01:18.220 It's being short-sighted. 01:01:18.700 --> 01:01:21.740 Right, you're trading your future for right now. 01:01:21.740 --> 01:01:22.660 What is fornication? 01:01:22.660 --> 01:01:24.580 It's being very short-sighted, right? 01:01:24.580 --> 01:01:26.300 Taking this relationship right now, 01:01:26.300 --> 01:01:28.260 but harming your marriage in the future. 01:01:28.260 --> 01:01:30.740 Harming, you know, your body in the future, 01:01:30.740 --> 01:01:32.580 having STDs, all these things, right? 01:01:32.580 --> 01:01:34.900 So he's being short-sighted, verse 13. 01:01:34.900 --> 01:01:36.680 And not many days after, the younger son 01:01:36.680 --> 01:01:38.900 gathered altogether and took his journey 01:01:38.900 --> 01:01:42.080 into a far country, and there wasted his substance 01:01:42.080 --> 01:01:43.480 with riotous. 01:01:43.600 --> 01:01:48.760 Now, I think this could be a picture of someone that is just far from God. 01:01:48.760 --> 01:01:53.400 This could even be a picture of a Christian who's far from God, someone who is outside 01:01:53.400 --> 01:01:58.700 of church or someone who is no longer walking with the Lord, wasting their substance with 01:01:58.700 --> 01:01:59.700 riotous living. 01:01:59.700 --> 01:02:06.440 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in the land and he began to be in want. 01:02:06.700 --> 01:02:09.900 and he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, 01:02:09.900 --> 01:02:12.940 and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 01:02:12.940 --> 01:02:17.020 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat. 01:02:17.020 --> 01:02:22.300 Notice this, and no man gave unto him. So what is this? This guy's hitting rock 01:02:22.300 --> 01:02:24.780 bottom as a result of his sin. 01:02:24.900 --> 01:02:29.900 Right? If he would have stayed with his father, he would have had all these negative things happening in his life. 01:02:29.900 --> 01:02:34.900 But because he hardened his heart against his dad, against the life that his dad taught him to live, 01:02:34.900 --> 01:02:40.900 he wastes all of his money with riotous living, he begins to be in want, and no one helps him. 01:02:40.900 --> 01:02:47.900 That's an important thing that we've lost today in our society, that it is not loving to just coddle people in their sin. 01:02:47.900 --> 01:02:50.900 It is loving, the Bible says, hey, rebuke thy neighbor. 01:02:51.400 --> 01:02:57.280 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart. Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor and not suffer sin upon him. 01:02:57.280 --> 01:03:02.200 The Bible says we need churches today that are not going to enable and coddle sin. 01:03:02.200 --> 01:03:06.160 And guess what? Loving the sinner is preaching hard against sin. 01:03:06.700 --> 01:03:08.240 That is how you love the sinner. 01:03:08.240 --> 01:03:10.240 Because notice, no man gave unto him. 01:03:10.240 --> 01:03:11.900 Now, if he was living in America, 01:03:11.900 --> 01:03:14.500 he would have had all these retard Christians 01:03:14.500 --> 01:03:15.700 just helping him out. 01:03:15.700 --> 01:03:18.340 You know, today we got kids who run away from their parents 01:03:18.340 --> 01:03:22.640 and wicked, backslidden Christians harbor them. 01:03:22.640 --> 01:03:25.180 And that is what we need to not be doing 01:03:25.180 --> 01:03:27.480 because then they're never gonna hit rock bottom. 01:03:28.400 --> 01:03:33.420 Notice verse 17 and when he came to himself, it's like oh man my life is destroyed 01:03:33.560 --> 01:03:39.940 He said how many hired servants of my father's have bred enough and despair and I perished with hunger 01:03:39.940 --> 01:03:45.460 I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him dad if you just didn't abuse me 01:03:46.620 --> 01:03:51.340 Dad you got to understand mom was so mean to me dad. I have ADHD 01:03:52.600 --> 01:03:55.360 Dad, you forgot to give me the Ritalin. 01:03:55.360 --> 01:03:57.640 This is why I became a wicked person. 01:03:57.640 --> 01:03:59.560 No, he doesn't make excuses. 01:03:59.560 --> 01:04:01.360 He's like, I'm gonna go to my dad and I'm gonna say this. 01:04:01.360 --> 01:04:03.960 I have sinned against heaven and before thee. 01:04:03.960 --> 01:04:05.760 You know that is being honest. 01:04:05.760 --> 01:04:07.440 That is confessing your sin. 01:04:07.440 --> 01:04:08.920 That is forsaking your sin. 01:04:10.040 --> 01:04:12.160 And I'm no more worthy to be called thy son. 01:04:12.160 --> 01:04:13.500 You know that is humility. 01:04:13.800 --> 01:04:17.060 And here's the request, make me as one of thy hired servants. 01:04:17.160 --> 01:04:18.800 And he rose and came to his father. 01:04:18.900 --> 01:04:21.060 But when he was yet a great way off, 01:04:21.160 --> 01:04:25.400 his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell 01:04:25.500 --> 01:04:27.680 on his neck and kissed him. 01:04:27.780 --> 01:04:31.040 So notice, the father here is the father like, 01:04:31.140 --> 01:04:33.940 stand before me and crawl through broken glass, 01:04:34.040 --> 01:04:35.420 begging for my forgiveness. 01:04:35.520 --> 01:04:36.980 And then maybe I'll forgive you. 01:04:37.080 --> 01:04:38.420 He hasn't even opened his mouth yet. 01:04:38.520 --> 01:04:41.060 And the father is already running to embrace him. 01:04:41.700 --> 01:04:48.380 Let me tell you what, you know kids that grow up and become wayward, you know you should never as a child think like, 01:04:48.380 --> 01:04:50.700 oh you know, mom and dad don't want me back. 01:04:50.700 --> 01:04:54.940 Like kids, let's say you grow up and you blow it someday, you live a wicked life, 01:04:54.940 --> 01:04:58.620 you just forsake what your parents taught you and you find yourself in the mire. 01:04:58.620 --> 01:05:00.900 Don't think like, oh mom and dad don't want me to come back. 01:05:00.900 --> 01:05:02.900 Let me tell you, they would want you to come back. 01:05:02.900 --> 01:05:05.620 They would want you to return to the things of God. 01:05:05.620 --> 01:05:08.500 All you have to do is have humility. 01:05:09.000 --> 01:05:12.680 All you have to do is come back, ask for forgiveness, 01:05:12.680 --> 01:05:15.800 and notice as he's on his way, the parents are just running 01:05:15.800 --> 01:05:17.800 to receive this young man. 01:05:17.800 --> 01:05:19.160 Let me tell you the exact same thing 01:05:19.160 --> 01:05:20.680 as how I feel with a pastor. 01:05:20.680 --> 01:05:22.680 You know, I do preach hard against sin, 01:05:22.680 --> 01:05:24.680 and I call things out, and I rip on sin, 01:05:24.680 --> 01:05:26.680 but let me tell you what my motivation is. 01:05:26.680 --> 01:05:29.080 My motivation is not to make you feel bad. 01:05:29.080 --> 01:05:31.000 My motivation is not to have a got you. 01:05:31.000 --> 01:05:32.920 My motivation is simply that people get right. 01:05:32.920 --> 01:05:33.240 That's it. 01:05:34.360 --> 01:05:35.320 If I correct someone, 01:05:35.900 --> 01:05:41.100 If I rebuke someone, all I want from that is just for someone to get right. That's it. 01:05:41.820 --> 01:05:46.540 And I'm not this type of person, you know, God's not this type of person that makes us crawl on our 01:05:46.540 --> 01:05:51.340 hands and knees and beg and grovel and walk through broken glass. You know, he's just coming his 01:05:51.340 --> 01:05:55.580 direction. He's already receiving him, already forgiving him. That is the right attitude that we 01:05:55.580 --> 01:05:56.380 should have. 01:05:56.500 --> 01:05:59.460 And look, if you find yourself someday really backslidden, 01:05:59.460 --> 01:06:01.780 far from the things of God, draw nigh to God. 01:06:01.780 --> 01:06:02.740 And what does the Bible say? 01:06:02.740 --> 01:06:03.860 He will draw nigh to you. 01:06:03.860 --> 01:06:04.500 Amen. 01:06:04.500 --> 01:06:05.940 That's what the Father's doing here. 01:06:05.940 --> 01:06:08.580 He's not standing afar off saying, come to me. 01:06:08.580 --> 01:06:10.100 No, no, he starts coming to the Father, 01:06:10.100 --> 01:06:11.940 and the Father comes to him. 01:06:11.940 --> 01:06:14.420 Draw nigh to God, and He'll draw nigh to you. 01:06:14.420 --> 01:06:15.780 Notice it says in verse 21, 01:06:16.400 --> 01:06:21.180 And the Son said unto him, Father, I have sinned. 01:06:21.180 --> 01:06:22.680 That's accountability right there. 01:06:22.680 --> 01:06:25.680 I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, 01:06:25.680 --> 01:06:28.780 and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 01:06:28.780 --> 01:06:30.860 But the Father said to his servants, 01:06:30.860 --> 01:06:33.580 bring forth the best robe and put it on him, 01:06:33.580 --> 01:06:36.260 and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet, 01:06:36.260 --> 01:06:37.900 and bring hither the fatted calf, 01:06:37.900 --> 01:06:41.400 and kill it, and let us eat, and be merry. 01:06:41.700 --> 01:06:44.940 Let me tell you, when people come back to the things of God, you know what our reaction should be? 01:06:44.940 --> 01:06:45.740 Joy. 01:06:45.740 --> 01:06:46.240 Why? 01:06:46.240 --> 01:06:48.940 Not, pfft, what have you been doing for the last couple years? 01:06:48.940 --> 01:06:49.640 Dummy. 01:06:49.640 --> 01:06:50.940 Why'd you ruin your life? 01:06:51.300 --> 01:06:53.460 Man, why did you go so far from the things of God? 01:06:53.460 --> 01:06:54.780 It should just be joy. 01:06:54.780 --> 01:06:57.140 Hey, praise God, glad to see you again. 01:06:57.140 --> 01:06:58.020 Thanks for coming back. 01:06:58.020 --> 01:06:58.620 How you been? 01:06:58.620 --> 01:06:58.900 Right? 01:06:58.900 --> 01:07:01.620 That's the attitude that we should have when someone gets right with God. 01:07:01.620 --> 01:07:02.940 This is how the Father is. 01:07:02.940 --> 01:07:06.780 This is how God the Father is when we return unto Him. 01:07:06.780 --> 01:07:08.620 I also like this, how the Son, he prays. 01:07:08.620 --> 01:07:12.620 He asks, he says, hey, he says, I'm no more worthy to be called thy son. 01:07:13.000 --> 01:07:18.680 And sometimes Christians will have that attitude when they sin is like God, you know, I'm no longer worthy to serve you 01:07:18.680 --> 01:07:25.000 I'm no longer worthy to be used but oftentimes when you're contrite when you're repentant when you're humble 01:07:25.400 --> 01:07:27.400 God's really excited to use you again 01:07:27.960 --> 01:07:33.640 God's really excited to put you back in there and he's throwing a party. He's really joyful to use you again 01:07:33.640 --> 01:07:38.460 Now there are some exceptions to this right when it comes to pastoring. There are some biblical qualifications 01:07:39.100 --> 01:07:41.960 He has to be the husband of one wife. 01:07:41.960 --> 01:07:45.020 If you're divorced, you're disqualified from being a pastor. 01:07:45.020 --> 01:07:48.800 If you're committing adultery, you're disqualified from being a pastor. 01:07:48.800 --> 01:07:51.820 If you are molesting kids, you're disqualified from being alive. 01:07:51.820 --> 01:07:55.300 Look, there's some things, yeah, absolutely. 01:07:55.300 --> 01:07:59.020 But look, just average Christian, average person, look, if you have breath in your lungs, 01:07:59.020 --> 01:07:59.740 God can use you. 01:08:00.600 --> 01:08:04.400 And all of us could be soul winners, whether you're a pastor or not, whether you're in 01:08:04.400 --> 01:08:08.680 prison or you're not, whether you're backslidden or not, all of us can preach the gospel of 01:08:08.680 --> 01:08:09.960 Jesus Christ. 01:08:09.960 --> 01:08:10.960 That's what God wants us to do. 01:08:10.960 --> 01:08:14.160 You know, when you find yourself in this situation, what do you do? 01:08:14.160 --> 01:08:15.400 You repent. 01:08:15.400 --> 01:08:16.400 That's it. 01:08:16.400 --> 01:08:17.400 Go to 1st Timothy 1. 01:08:17.400 --> 01:08:18.400 I'll read for you. 01:08:18.400 --> 01:08:23.120 Isaiah 55, 6 says, Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. 01:08:23.120 --> 01:08:25.360 Call ye upon him while he is near. 01:08:25.360 --> 01:08:27.440 Let the wicked forsake his way. 01:08:27.900 --> 01:08:32.220 and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon 01:08:32.220 --> 01:08:38.860 him and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." There could be times in life where we do have 01:08:38.860 --> 01:08:44.220 irreversible consequences. Don't hear me wrong. I'm not saying that just by being sorry, you could 01:08:44.220 --> 01:08:49.100 erase all the consequences for sin. There are some ways to permanently mess up your life. 01:08:49.980 --> 01:08:53.500 Right? If you commit adultery, the Bible says your approach will never be wiped away. 01:08:54.100 --> 01:08:56.900 You could get a disease and it's a lifetime disease. 01:08:56.900 --> 01:08:59.200 You could kill someone in a drunk driving accident. 01:08:59.200 --> 01:09:01.300 That could never be reversed, right? 01:09:01.300 --> 01:09:03.700 You could do lifelong damage with your words, 01:09:03.700 --> 01:09:07.000 the things that we do, but don't get this idea where it's like, 01:09:07.000 --> 01:09:09.200 well, I'm sinful so God can't use me anymore 01:09:09.200 --> 01:09:12.200 because God used some pretty sinful people in the Bible. 01:09:12.200 --> 01:09:13.400 Let me give you some examples. 01:09:13.400 --> 01:09:16.300 Moses committed murder. 01:09:16.300 --> 01:09:18.600 Moses was a murderer. 01:09:18.800 --> 01:09:21.800 Samson, he had a big problem with women, didn't he? 01:09:21.800 --> 01:09:23.500 It's just like, and he saw a woman and he lied with her. 01:09:23.500 --> 01:09:24.700 And he saw a woman and he lied with her. 01:09:24.700 --> 01:09:26.100 Oh, and he saw a woman and he lied with her. 01:09:26.100 --> 01:09:27.900 It's like, what are you doing, man? 01:09:27.900 --> 01:09:30.300 It's like he had a big problem with women, 01:09:30.300 --> 01:09:32.500 yet God still used Samson, okay? 01:09:32.500 --> 01:09:35.300 David committed adultery and murder. 01:09:35.300 --> 01:09:39.700 Jonah ran from God and got mad at God for saving a city. 01:09:40.200 --> 01:09:42.240 He's just mad at God for his mercy. 01:09:42.240 --> 01:09:43.680 It's like, what in the world? 01:09:43.680 --> 01:09:44.560 This is a man of God? 01:09:44.560 --> 01:09:47.120 Yeah, the man of God is angry at God's mercy. 01:09:47.120 --> 01:09:48.480 Wow. 01:09:48.480 --> 01:09:49.160 OK. 01:09:49.160 --> 01:09:51.920 Peter denied Jesus Christ. 01:09:51.920 --> 01:09:54.480 The Apostle Paul persecuted Christians, 01:09:54.480 --> 01:09:57.200 hailed them to their deaths, was consenting 01:09:57.200 --> 01:09:59.040 at the stoning of Stephen. 01:09:59.040 --> 01:09:59.800 What am I saying? 01:09:59.800 --> 01:10:01.320 God only uses sinful people. 01:10:02.000 --> 01:10:03.800 God only uses sinful people. 01:10:03.800 --> 01:10:06.600 Again, hey, there's qualifications for things like a bishop. 01:10:06.600 --> 01:10:09.200 What I'm just saying is that God uses sinful people. 01:10:09.200 --> 01:10:09.800 Absolutely. 01:10:09.800 --> 01:10:11.800 Look at 1st Timothy 1 verse 12. 01:10:11.800 --> 01:10:12.700 The apostle Paul says, 01:10:12.700 --> 01:10:15.700 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, 01:10:15.700 --> 01:10:17.100 who hath enabled me, 01:10:17.100 --> 01:10:19.100 for that he counted me faithful, 01:10:19.100 --> 01:10:20.900 putting me into the ministry, 01:10:20.900 --> 01:10:23.300 who was before a blasphemer, 01:10:23.300 --> 01:10:24.800 and a persecutor, 01:10:24.800 --> 01:10:26.000 and injurious. 01:10:26.200 --> 01:10:30.600 But I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 01:10:30.700 --> 01:10:31.900 You know who he was? 01:10:32.300 --> 01:10:35.000 He was that wicked man the Proverbs is talking about. 01:10:35.000 --> 01:10:37.600 Hey, lay not wait, oh wicked man, 01:10:37.600 --> 01:10:39.340 against the dwelling of the righteous. 01:10:39.340 --> 01:10:40.640 You know who that wicked man was? 01:10:40.640 --> 01:10:43.600 The Apostle Paul was that wicked man when he was Saul. 01:10:43.600 --> 01:10:44.940 You know what he was doing is laying wait 01:10:44.940 --> 01:10:46.680 against the dwelling of the righteous. 01:10:46.680 --> 01:10:48.680 He was persecuting Christians. 01:10:48.680 --> 01:10:50.520 He was trying to get them arrested. 01:10:50.520 --> 01:10:52.580 He was consenting under their death. 01:10:52.580 --> 01:10:53.880 You know who he was doing? 01:10:53.880 --> 01:10:55.780 He was constantly causing Christians to fall. 01:10:56.200 --> 01:11:00.360 Now, he didn't fully stop the work of God, of course, but he was that wicked man that 01:11:00.360 --> 01:11:02.480 was persecuting Christians. 01:11:02.480 --> 01:11:07.680 Verse 14, and the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ 01:11:07.680 --> 01:11:08.780 Jesus. 01:11:08.780 --> 01:11:13.400 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all expectation that Christ Jesus came into the 01:11:13.400 --> 01:11:16.800 world to save sinners of whom I am chief. 01:11:17.200 --> 01:11:19.200 He's saying, Hey, I am the chief of sinners. 01:11:19.440 --> 01:11:24.160 And that's who Jesus Christ used to be the greatest apostle and the greatest evangelist. 01:11:24.720 --> 01:11:27.840 He says, how be it for this cause I obtained mercy. 01:11:27.840 --> 01:11:30.640 He's like, let me tell you why Christ was so merciful to me. 01:11:31.760 --> 01:11:36.080 That in me first, Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering. 01:11:36.480 --> 01:11:38.320 Notice for a pattern. 01:11:38.800 --> 01:11:42.400 to them which should hereafter believe on Him 01:11:42.400 --> 01:11:44.200 to life everlasting." 01:11:44.200 --> 01:11:46.000 What is the Apostle Paul saying? 01:11:46.000 --> 01:11:46.900 This is what he's saying. 01:11:46.900 --> 01:11:48.100 He's saying, you know what I am? 01:11:48.100 --> 01:11:50.200 I'm an example case. 01:11:50.200 --> 01:11:51.500 I'm a trial case. 01:11:51.500 --> 01:11:53.200 I'm a pattern case. 01:11:53.200 --> 01:11:55.000 So that people could look at me 01:11:55.000 --> 01:11:57.300 and they could see a man who was a blasphemer. 01:11:57.500 --> 01:11:59.620 They could see a man who was a persecutor. 01:11:59.620 --> 01:12:01.900 They could see a man who was injurious. 01:12:01.900 --> 01:12:04.460 We could see a man who was wicked 01:12:04.460 --> 01:12:06.800 that God decided to show grace on 01:12:06.800 --> 01:12:08.900 and allow him to do great things for God 01:12:08.900 --> 01:12:10.100 so we could look at him and say, 01:12:10.100 --> 01:12:12.440 hey, if God could have grace for him, 01:12:12.440 --> 01:12:14.140 he could have grace for me. 01:12:14.140 --> 01:12:16.980 If God could use Saul, who became Paul, 01:12:16.980 --> 01:12:18.580 you know what? He could use me. 01:12:18.580 --> 01:12:19.620 And let me tell you, 01:12:19.620 --> 01:12:21.480 if you used to be a drunk in your past, 01:12:21.480 --> 01:12:22.980 you could be a mighty soul winner. 01:12:23.500 --> 01:12:28.940 If you used to be a fornicator, if you used to be an adulterer, if you used to be a drug addict, 01:12:28.940 --> 01:12:34.540 if you used to be a prostitute, if you used to be wicked, you can be a great soul winner in the future. 01:12:34.540 --> 01:12:37.660 Because you know what? God showed that much mercy on the Apostle Paul. 01:12:37.660 --> 01:12:41.260 He could show that mercy on you and allow you to do something great for God. 01:12:41.260 --> 01:12:42.700 Here's the worst thing you could do though. 01:12:42.900 --> 01:12:45.600 is just sit in the mire and be all sorrowful and say, 01:12:45.600 --> 01:12:47.600 oh, I'm too wicked, I'm too bad, 01:12:47.600 --> 01:12:49.240 and you fall and you just stay down. 01:12:49.240 --> 01:12:50.140 No, no, no, don't fall. 01:12:50.140 --> 01:12:51.480 I'm not telling you to fall. 01:12:51.480 --> 01:12:52.740 Kids who haven't messed up your life, 01:12:52.740 --> 01:12:54.280 I'm not telling you to grow up and be a drunk 01:12:54.280 --> 01:12:56.820 or a harlot or anything like that, don't do that. 01:12:56.820 --> 01:13:00.020 But here's what I'm saying, if you fall, get back up. 01:13:00.020 --> 01:13:01.520 Get back up. 01:13:01.520 --> 01:13:03.320 Go to 2 Corinthians 2. 01:13:03.320 --> 01:13:04.720 Another way we could apply this, 01:13:04.720 --> 01:13:07.260 you know, not only don't quit on yourself when you fall, 01:13:07.260 --> 01:13:09.620 don't quit on others when they fall. 01:13:10.400 --> 01:13:16.240 Don't quit on others when they fall second Corinthians to look at verse 3 and 01:13:17.160 --> 01:13:24.480 I wrote this same unto you lest when I came I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice 01:13:25.040 --> 01:13:30.920 Having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all he's saying 01:13:30.920 --> 01:13:34.240 Hey, I'm confident that you guys are happy when I'm happy 01:13:34.600 --> 01:13:41.040 I'm confident that you guys want me to be happy that we can have that mutual joy verse 4 for out of much affliction and 01:13:41.680 --> 01:13:45.180 Anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears 01:13:45.760 --> 01:13:47.600 Not that you should be grieved 01:13:47.600 --> 01:13:54.920 But that you might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you you read first Corinthians, and it's a scathing rebuke 01:13:55.500 --> 01:13:58.800 He's constantly rebuking all sorts of issues in the church. 01:13:58.800 --> 01:14:02.800 He is absolutely ripping face against the churches, 01:14:02.800 --> 01:14:05.500 the church in Corinth, and he's calling out the guy 01:14:05.500 --> 01:14:08.700 who's sleeping with his father's wife, and it's just open, 01:14:08.700 --> 01:14:10.300 and he's like, have you not judged? 01:14:10.300 --> 01:14:12.700 I'm not even there and I've judged already? 01:14:12.700 --> 01:14:15.900 Put away from among yourselves that wicked person. 01:14:15.900 --> 01:14:17.100 But you know what people see? 01:14:17.100 --> 01:14:19.000 They see the outside of hard preaching. 01:14:19.000 --> 01:14:20.400 They see the screaming and the yelling. 01:14:20.400 --> 01:14:21.400 They see the hard preaching. 01:14:21.400 --> 01:14:22.900 But you know what they often don't see? 01:14:22.900 --> 01:14:23.500 the affected 01:14:23.500 --> 01:14:28.900 the anguish of heart, the many tears, the desire for people not to be grieved, 01:14:28.900 --> 01:14:32.660 they don't see that. And by the way, that's a heart of a good minister right 01:14:32.660 --> 01:14:35.860 there, is not someone that could just scream and yell, but someone who actually 01:14:35.860 --> 01:14:38.100 loves the people that he's preaching to. 01:14:38.300 --> 01:14:43.000 That's a key thing that's often missing in folks today is yeah, the Apostle Paul, he's ripping face 01:14:43.000 --> 01:14:47.200 and you don't want to cross him and he is going to bring the rod if you cross him 01:14:47.200 --> 01:14:52.300 but he's also in tears and agony and I'm sure praying constantly for them. 01:14:52.300 --> 01:14:57.100 Why? Because again, what is his desire? Just to correct, just to be hardcore. 01:14:57.100 --> 01:14:59.900 Know his desire is that people get things right. 01:14:59.900 --> 01:15:03.700 That's the whole point of heart preaching is so that people get things right 01:15:03.700 --> 01:15:06.200 or that people keep things right if they're there. 01:15:06.800 --> 01:15:14.400 He says, but if any have caused grief, he have not grieved me, but in part that I may not overcharge you all. 01:15:14.400 --> 01:15:20.000 Notice sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 01:15:20.000 --> 01:15:23.280 So they exercise church discipline like the apostle Paul said. 01:15:23.280 --> 01:15:25.680 They cast out this fornicator from the church. 01:15:25.680 --> 01:15:26.240 And you know what he said? 01:15:26.240 --> 01:15:29.840 He said, hey, that's sufficient church discipline. 01:15:29.840 --> 01:15:32.160 That is sufficient punishment. 01:15:32.160 --> 01:15:33.040 Notice verse seven. 01:15:33.700 --> 01:15:42.160 So that contrary wise ye ought rather to forgive him and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one 01:15:42.160 --> 01:15:45.600 should be swallowed up with over much sorrow. 01:15:45.600 --> 01:15:48.240 So this young man, he repented. 01:15:48.240 --> 01:15:49.680 He got things right. 01:15:49.680 --> 01:15:52.180 He's no longer sleeping with his father's wife. 01:15:52.180 --> 01:15:54.540 It's like, okay, great job, right? 01:15:54.540 --> 01:15:55.880 And what does the Bible say? 01:15:55.880 --> 01:15:58.240 Hey, forgive this person. 01:15:58.240 --> 01:15:59.400 Not just forgiveness. 01:15:59.400 --> 01:16:00.640 He says and comfort him. 01:16:01.100 --> 01:16:05.100 You know what that is? That's not just like from a distance forgiving someone in your heart. 01:16:05.100 --> 01:16:09.100 That's showing love. That's saying, hey, we're glad to have you back. 01:16:09.100 --> 01:16:12.600 Hey, I'm glad things are going good for you now. Hey, we're here for you. 01:16:12.600 --> 01:16:17.100 Hey, brother so-and-so, good to see you again. Actually showing love. Why? 01:16:17.100 --> 01:16:20.100 Because you don't want someone to be over-sorrowed. 01:16:20.100 --> 01:16:25.100 Someone just being swallowed up with too much sorrow and just, you know, keeping themselves down. 01:16:25.100 --> 01:16:27.100 It's like, hey, yeah, you should feel bad when you sin. 01:16:27.500 --> 01:16:29.040 You should feel really bad about that, 01:16:29.040 --> 01:16:30.460 but it should lead to repentance. 01:16:30.460 --> 01:16:32.220 And after you repent, you know what you should do? 01:16:32.220 --> 01:16:34.260 Get back up and go on with your life. 01:16:34.260 --> 01:16:36.100 And you know what we should do when someone sins 01:16:36.100 --> 01:16:36.980 and they repent? 01:16:36.980 --> 01:16:38.380 We should forgive them. 01:16:38.380 --> 01:16:39.840 We should let them get back up. 01:16:39.840 --> 01:16:43.100 We should encourage them to get back up and be on their side. 01:16:43.400 --> 01:16:47.800 Wherefore I beseech you that you would confirm your love toward him for to this end 01:16:48.080 --> 01:16:54.460 Also, did I write that I might know the proof of you whether he be obedient in all things to whom you forgive anything 01:16:54.460 --> 01:17:00.320 I forgive also for if I forgave anything to whom I forgave it for your sakes forgave 01:17:00.320 --> 01:17:06.040 I it in the person of Christ why lest Satan should get an advantage of us 01:17:06.600 --> 01:17:09.600 for we are not ignorant of his devices. 01:17:09.600 --> 01:17:11.600 What is Satan's devices? 01:17:11.600 --> 01:17:16.400 Bitterness, unforgiveness, being a holier than thou, 01:17:16.400 --> 01:17:20.000 not willing to accept someone who has apologized, 01:17:20.000 --> 01:17:21.600 who has shown forgiveness. 01:17:21.600 --> 01:17:24.000 This is how Satan gets an advantage of us. 01:17:24.000 --> 01:17:26.200 So hey, we know, hey, we're a just man, 01:17:26.200 --> 01:17:27.600 we're gonna fall, we're gonna sin. 01:17:27.600 --> 01:17:30.000 We want people to lift us up when we get right, 01:17:30.000 --> 01:17:31.200 when we apologize. 01:17:31.200 --> 01:17:33.400 We need to be the same exact way to other people. 01:17:33.500 --> 01:17:38.140 So in the future if someone gets kicked out of church, hey, during the time of that church discipline, 01:17:38.140 --> 01:17:41.980 you should back up the church, you should not continue to be friends with people that have been 01:17:41.980 --> 01:17:45.980 kicked out of church, but as soon as that person gets right, they should be welcomed back with open arms. 01:17:46.860 --> 01:17:51.100 They should be loved. Go to Acts 5. Galatians 6-1 says, 01:17:51.100 --> 01:17:58.540 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, 01:17:58.540 --> 01:17:59.900 considering thyself. 01:18:00.400 --> 01:18:02.000 Lest thou also be tempted. 01:18:02.000 --> 01:18:03.600 You want to put yourself in their shoes. 01:18:03.600 --> 01:18:08.440 How would I feel if I was sincerely sorry and apologetic and repentant when I want 01:18:08.440 --> 01:18:10.800 people to accept me again and love me again? 01:18:10.800 --> 01:18:11.800 Absolutely. 01:18:11.800 --> 01:18:14.480 Now let's think about this in the vein of persecution, right? 01:18:14.480 --> 01:18:17.200 A just man falls seven times, he gets back up. 01:18:17.200 --> 01:18:19.120 Don't fall, but get back up. 01:18:19.120 --> 01:18:21.360 Don't sin, but once you sin, get back up. 01:18:21.360 --> 01:18:23.000 What do you do when you receive persecution? 01:18:23.000 --> 01:18:24.800 All right, Acts chapter five verse 40. 01:18:25.300 --> 01:18:26.700 And to him they agreed. 01:18:26.700 --> 01:18:29.500 And when they had called the apostles and beaten them, 01:18:29.500 --> 01:18:30.900 he's getting your bruises, right? 01:18:30.900 --> 01:18:34.500 And commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus 01:18:34.500 --> 01:18:35.500 and let them go. 01:18:35.800 --> 01:18:41.400 and they departed from the presence of the council. Notice this, rejoicing that they were counted worthy 01:18:41.400 --> 01:18:46.840 to suffer shame for his name. Then what did they do? Verse 42, and daily in the temple, 01:18:46.840 --> 01:18:52.200 and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. You know what that is, 01:18:52.200 --> 01:18:54.200 falling and getting back up. 01:18:54.400 --> 01:18:58.800 Hey, if you sin, okay, don't fall, but if you fall, get back up. 01:18:58.800 --> 01:19:02.880 If someone else falls, we're not for their fall, but when they get back up, we want to 01:19:02.880 --> 01:19:03.880 receive them. 01:19:03.880 --> 01:19:07.640 Hey, when we receive persecution, it's not like we're begging to get punched in the face 01:19:07.640 --> 01:19:10.240 or stoned or go through all this, but you know what? 01:19:10.240 --> 01:19:11.720 If we receive it, you know what we're going to do? 01:19:11.720 --> 01:19:12.720 We're going to get back up. 01:19:12.720 --> 01:19:14.080 We're going to go into every house. 01:19:14.080 --> 01:19:17.360 We're going to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to every creature because a just man 01:19:17.360 --> 01:19:19.520 falls and gets up seven times. 01:19:19.520 --> 01:19:20.400 Go to 2 Timothy 4. 01:19:21.400 --> 01:19:24.040 I said number one, all righteous people will fall. 01:19:24.040 --> 01:19:26.700 Number two, don't fall, but if you do, get back up. 01:19:26.700 --> 01:19:30.140 Number three, notice who is around you when you fall 01:19:30.140 --> 01:19:31.880 and who isn't. 01:19:31.880 --> 01:19:35.940 Notice who is around you when you fall and who isn't. 01:19:35.940 --> 01:19:37.640 2 Timothy 4 verse 16. 01:19:37.640 --> 01:19:41.720 At my first answer, notice, no man stood with me. 01:19:41.720 --> 01:19:43.980 That's a sad statement right there. 01:19:43.980 --> 01:19:45.620 But all men forsook me. 01:19:46.000 --> 01:19:50.160 I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. 01:19:50.160 --> 01:19:52.800 So notice, there was a time where Paul fell, 01:19:52.800 --> 01:19:55.260 not falling into sin, but falling in persecution, 01:19:55.260 --> 01:19:57.300 and you know what he got up, and you know what he saw? 01:19:57.300 --> 01:19:58.780 No one. 01:19:58.780 --> 01:20:02.540 He says, no man stood with me, everyone forsook me. 01:20:02.540 --> 01:20:04.840 Boy, what a sad statement that is to think 01:20:04.840 --> 01:20:07.080 that you have one of the most righteous men of God 01:20:07.080 --> 01:20:10.620 who have ever lived, the best apostle who's ever lived, 01:20:10.620 --> 01:20:12.620 and no one stands with him. 01:20:12.620 --> 01:20:13.560 That's terrible. 01:20:14.000 --> 01:20:19.600 How would you like to go through persecution, tribulation, for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ? 01:20:19.600 --> 01:20:24.560 You're giving your life to be burned for Jesus Christ basically, and then just no one's with you. 01:20:24.560 --> 01:20:27.280 Everyone's turned their back. This verse makes me mad. 01:20:28.320 --> 01:20:32.560 This verse makes me sad as well, because I've seen this happen to people, right? 01:20:32.560 --> 01:20:37.840 And let me tell you, there are some people in your life that are only your friend when it benefits them. 01:20:38.600 --> 01:20:42.360 And I don't bring joyous news to you this evening telling you that that's the case. 01:20:42.360 --> 01:20:45.880 I'm just telling you, you are going to have people in your life. If you haven't had this yet, 01:20:45.880 --> 01:20:51.720 it will happen to you in the future. There will be people in your life that are only your friend 01:20:51.720 --> 01:20:58.600 when it benefits them. But if you suffer persecution, if you, your name gets dragged 01:20:58.600 --> 01:21:02.600 through the mud, if something happens to you, then all of a sudden they want nothing to do with you. 01:21:03.000 --> 01:21:07.000 There are people, not only just who will not be your friend unless it benefits them, 01:21:07.000 --> 01:21:12.900 there are some people that only want to be your friend when you fit into whatever little box that they want to put you in. 01:21:13.000 --> 01:21:18.780 And as long as you're in the little mold, as long as you're in the little box that they want you to be in, 01:21:18.780 --> 01:21:24.300 then they have a fake friendship, but you go outside of that and oftentimes then they don't want anything to do with you. 01:21:24.300 --> 01:21:29.320 You read about in, I want to say it's 2nd John, diatrophes who loves to have the preeminence. 01:21:29.320 --> 01:21:31.120 He doesn't want to receive the man of God. 01:21:31.120 --> 01:21:34.640 He doesn't want to receive the apostle because he wants to have the preeminence. 01:21:34.640 --> 01:21:38.380 You know, if the apostle wasn't famous or renowned, he probably would have no problem. 01:21:38.380 --> 01:21:41.000 He just wants to be renowned. He wants to have that preeminence. 01:21:41.000 --> 01:21:44.600 Paul had to deal with fake friends and so will you. 01:21:44.600 --> 01:21:49.700 Look at verse 17, notwithstanding the Lord stood with me. 01:21:49.700 --> 01:21:51.300 I love that part of the verse right there. 01:21:51.300 --> 01:21:54.600 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me 01:21:54.600 --> 01:21:57.600 that by me the preaching might be fully known, 01:21:57.600 --> 01:21:59.800 that all the Gentiles might hear, 01:21:59.800 --> 01:22:02.900 and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 01:22:02.900 --> 01:22:05.800 Look, there will be times where man is ashamed of you. 01:22:06.300 --> 01:22:11.980 where man will forsake you, where friends and family will be fake and forsake you, 01:22:11.980 --> 01:22:17.900 but praise God that Jesus never fails. Praise God that if one day you fall and you stand up 01:22:17.900 --> 01:22:22.300 and you look around and there's no man standing with you, that Jesus Christ will always be with 01:22:22.300 --> 01:22:27.420 you. That Jesus Christ will never forsake you. And you know what? Sometimes that just has to be enough 01:22:27.420 --> 01:22:27.820 for you. 01:22:28.600 --> 01:22:34.440 Sometimes if you really want to make a big difference for God sometimes you have to stand alone from a human perspective 01:22:34.440 --> 01:22:39.200 It's just like the mighty men today, right the mighty men we were talking about they had to go fight those battles alone 01:22:39.360 --> 01:22:43.200 They had to stand alone sometimes and fight alone. That's what the Apostle Paul was doing 01:22:43.560 --> 01:22:49.760 I'll read for you Psalm 27 verse 10 this hurts but listen to this when my father and my mother forsake me 01:22:50.380 --> 01:22:52.300 Then the Lord will take me up 01:22:52.400 --> 01:22:56.240 I can't even tell you for certainty that your mom and dad will never forsake you. 01:22:56.240 --> 01:23:00.240 I could speak in generalities that yeah, I'm pretty sure the vast majority of parents 01:23:00.240 --> 01:23:03.440 are going to want you and are going to be there for you. But you know what? Not all 01:23:03.440 --> 01:23:08.240 parents will even be there for you. Oftentimes mother and father will even forsake you. But hey, 01:23:08.240 --> 01:23:12.240 praise God that the Lord will never forsake you. Go to second Timothy one, 01:23:12.240 --> 01:23:19.920 Proverbs 17 17 says this, a friend loveth at all times. And a brother is born for adversity. 01:23:20.400 --> 01:23:24.600 You've got plenty of friends when things are easy, when your life is blessed, when you're 01:23:24.600 --> 01:23:26.840 rich, when things are thriving. 01:23:26.840 --> 01:23:30.160 But a real friend loves at all times. 01:23:30.160 --> 01:23:32.560 A brother is born for adversity. 01:23:32.560 --> 01:23:35.040 You want to see who your real friends are? 01:23:35.040 --> 01:23:36.520 Who's there for you when you're low? 01:23:37.500 --> 01:23:42.060 Hey, it's real easy, you know, when David's the king of Israel, of course, everyone wants 01:23:42.060 --> 01:23:44.760 to hang out with David, everyone wants to be his friend. 01:23:44.760 --> 01:23:49.400 But what about those men that came to David when it was just him hiding in the wilderness 01:23:49.400 --> 01:23:53.740 and they were just discontent and in debt and just nothing special and they were hanging 01:23:53.740 --> 01:23:54.740 out with David? 01:23:54.740 --> 01:23:56.220 Those are the real loyal friends. 01:23:56.220 --> 01:23:57.220 Right? 01:23:57.220 --> 01:24:00.680 You know, it's funny, oftentimes a church will exceed a certain number in attendance 01:24:00.680 --> 01:24:01.800 and all of a sudden it'll just blow up. 01:24:02.200 --> 01:24:04.700 Right? Because you know it's easier to go to a big church. 01:24:04.700 --> 01:24:08.000 And once you buy a building, another huge growth of attendance. 01:24:08.000 --> 01:24:09.900 Because it's easy to go to a church with a nice building. 01:24:09.900 --> 01:24:13.500 But you know what? Real friends are the ones that go when it's small. 01:24:13.500 --> 01:24:14.900 That go when it's growing. 01:24:14.900 --> 01:24:16.300 That are faithful to the house of God. 01:24:16.300 --> 01:24:20.700 No matter what's happening, whether there's persecution or protests or lawsuits, 01:24:20.700 --> 01:24:23.100 just be faithful to your friends. 01:24:23.100 --> 01:24:24.400 Proverbs 27 verse 6 says, 01:24:24.400 --> 01:24:26.100 Faithful are the wounds of a friend. 01:24:26.300 --> 01:24:28.460 but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 01:24:28.460 --> 01:24:31.000 Hey, sometimes the real friend is going to tell you 01:24:31.000 --> 01:24:32.540 what you don't want to hear. 01:24:32.540 --> 01:24:35.840 The real friend is the one who's actually going to preach hard. 01:24:35.840 --> 01:24:38.040 The real friend is the one that's going to rebuke, 01:24:38.040 --> 01:24:39.880 not one that's just going to tickle your ears 01:24:39.880 --> 01:24:41.980 and agree with everything you already say. 01:24:41.980 --> 01:24:44.380 2 Timothy 1, 15, notice this. 01:24:44.380 --> 01:24:47.920 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia 01:24:47.920 --> 01:24:50.180 be turned away from me. 01:24:50.180 --> 01:24:51.780 Again, just a crazy thought. 01:24:52.300 --> 01:24:57.740 of whom are feijelas and homogenes. But, notice verse 16, the Lord give mercy unto the house of 01:24:57.740 --> 01:25:04.060 Onesiphorus, for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain. But when he was in Rome, 01:25:04.060 --> 01:25:09.500 he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy 01:25:09.500 --> 01:25:16.060 of the Lord in that day, and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest 01:25:16.060 --> 01:25:17.060 very well. 01:25:17.060 --> 01:25:19.660 Hey, in a day of Demases... 01:25:19.900 --> 01:25:24.020 Fight jealous's and hermogenes be an ones ifris 01:25:24.600 --> 01:25:28.040 Be the guy who's actually gonna help someone when they're down 01:25:28.320 --> 01:25:32.520 Be for them when they be there for them when they're low when people are attacking them 01:25:32.520 --> 01:25:37.740 That's what a real friend does so hey when you fall you should look up and notice who's around you 01:25:37.740 --> 01:25:43.680 And you should notice who's not around you and you know you've just found out you've just found out who real friends are in your life 01:25:44.080 --> 01:25:46.420 Let me tell you what Jesus Christ will be there for you 01:25:47.000 --> 01:25:49.800 Let me tell you what, me as your pastor, I will be there for you. 01:25:50.440 --> 01:25:55.560 Don't think like, oh, I've got to impress pastor. Hey, you're down. I will be there for you. 01:25:55.560 --> 01:25:58.360 Let me tell you what, anchor Baptist church will be there for you. 01:25:59.160 --> 01:26:03.880 You know, this is a very friendly church. This is a church filled with people that actually love 01:26:03.880 --> 01:26:08.360 not in not in word only, but indeed and in action. And let me tell you what, if you come 01:26:08.360 --> 01:26:12.120 to anchor Baptist church and you can't make friends at anchor Baptist church, let me just drop 01:26:12.120 --> 01:26:14.280 some breaking news for you. You're the problem. 01:26:15.400 --> 01:26:16.840 You are the problem. 01:26:16.840 --> 01:26:18.840 Because it's not like people here aren't friendly, 01:26:18.840 --> 01:26:20.040 don't want to be your friend, 01:26:20.040 --> 01:26:21.240 wouldn't hang out with you, 01:26:21.240 --> 01:26:22.840 wouldn't give you the shirt off their back. 01:26:22.840 --> 01:26:25.640 I know from experience that they would. 01:26:25.640 --> 01:26:26.920 But you know what the Bible says? 01:26:26.920 --> 01:26:28.840 It says that a man that hath friends 01:26:28.840 --> 01:26:31.080 must show himself friendly. 01:26:31.080 --> 01:26:33.880 So look, if you just come to church for a year, 01:26:33.880 --> 01:26:35.960 a couple years, and you just show up, 01:26:35.960 --> 01:26:37.400 you know, after the first song, 01:26:37.400 --> 01:26:39.960 and you leave before the last song has ended, 01:26:39.960 --> 01:26:41.800 and you're like, man, I have no friends. 01:26:42.100 --> 01:26:44.100 Man, you know, I don't have any close relationships. 01:26:44.100 --> 01:26:46.100 Well, let me tell you something. It's your fault. 01:26:46.100 --> 01:26:48.100 Because this church will be here for you. 01:26:48.100 --> 01:26:51.100 This church is here for people in the highs. 01:26:51.100 --> 01:26:53.100 Hey, we love to celebrate the highs with people. 01:26:53.100 --> 01:26:56.100 We love to rejoice with those that are rejoicing. 01:26:56.100 --> 01:26:58.100 Let me just call you guys out halls. 01:26:58.100 --> 01:27:02.100 I mean, I had tears of joy when I found out that they were pregnant. 01:27:02.100 --> 01:27:05.100 I was in my bedroom and I found out and the tears just started flowing. 01:27:05.100 --> 01:27:08.100 You know why? Because we like to rejoice with our friends. 01:27:08.500 --> 01:27:12.340 But you know what? We've got a brother right now who's going through a hard time in the hospital. 01:27:12.340 --> 01:27:17.620 We better be there for him too. And you know what? We will be. Go to Ecclesiastes chapter number four. 01:27:19.300 --> 01:27:21.300 Ecclesiastes chapter number four. 01:27:23.600 --> 01:27:28.240 Man, I hate fake friends that love to kick you while you're down, 01:27:28.240 --> 01:27:32.480 that love to take a mistake and try to magnify it into the greatest thing possible 01:27:32.480 --> 01:27:36.160 and just try to ruin you and just try to make you trash forever. 01:27:36.160 --> 01:27:38.640 It's like what a wicked attitude that is. 01:27:38.640 --> 01:27:40.880 When your friends apologize, you should forgive them. 01:27:41.000 --> 01:27:43.600 You should make it easy for someone to reconcile. 01:27:43.600 --> 01:27:45.600 You should make it easy for someone to repent, 01:27:45.600 --> 01:27:48.300 not crawl through broken glass and then maybe 01:27:48.300 --> 01:27:51.100 I'll monitor you for two years and then maybe I'll like you. 01:27:51.100 --> 01:27:53.500 Just receive the brethren for crying out loud. 01:27:53.500 --> 01:27:56.300 Love the brethren, the Bible says. 01:27:56.300 --> 01:27:57.700 Ecclesiastes 4.9. 01:27:57.700 --> 01:27:59.600 Two are better than one 01:27:59.600 --> 01:28:03.200 because they have a good reward for their labor. 01:28:03.200 --> 01:28:06.300 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, 01:28:06.300 --> 01:28:08.800 but woe to him that is alone when he falleth. 01:28:09.100 --> 01:28:13.580 for he hath not another to help him up." Look, that's not where I want to be in life. 01:28:14.140 --> 01:28:18.780 I don't want to be there in life where I've fallen and no one is there to help me up. 01:28:18.780 --> 01:28:21.980 Look, praise God, I've got so many people that would help me up in life. 01:28:22.500 --> 01:28:25.100 And you know what, I believe it's the same thing for you at this church. 01:28:25.100 --> 01:28:27.700 But you know how people end up being in a position in life 01:28:27.700 --> 01:28:29.400 where they've got no one to help them up? 01:28:29.400 --> 01:28:31.200 It's just because they've burnt every bridge, 01:28:31.200 --> 01:28:32.700 they weren't friendly to others, 01:28:32.700 --> 01:28:34.200 they weren't merciful to others, 01:28:34.200 --> 01:28:35.800 they weren't forgiving to others, 01:28:35.800 --> 01:28:37.200 they are just a jerk to others, 01:28:37.200 --> 01:28:39.600 and then oftentimes you find yourself alone. 01:28:39.600 --> 01:28:41.800 Don't let yourself get there in life. 01:28:41.800 --> 01:28:43.800 Be a forgiving person. 01:28:43.800 --> 01:28:45.400 Get right when you sin. 01:28:45.400 --> 01:28:46.900 Apologize when you sin. 01:28:47.500 --> 01:28:50.080 Go to Isaiah 41, last place that I'll have you turn to. 01:28:50.080 --> 01:28:51.680 1 Corinthians 12 26 says this, 01:28:51.680 --> 01:28:53.720 and whether one member suffer, 01:28:53.720 --> 01:28:55.920 all the members suffer with it, 01:28:55.920 --> 01:28:57.820 or one member be honored, 01:28:57.820 --> 01:29:00.660 all the members rejoice with it. 01:29:00.660 --> 01:29:02.280 Be loyal to those who are actually there 01:29:02.280 --> 01:29:03.520 for you when you're down. 01:29:03.520 --> 01:29:05.860 Hey, when you fall, look up and notice who's there. 01:29:05.860 --> 01:29:09.200 And also notice who's not there and remember that. 01:29:09.200 --> 01:29:10.300 Number one, in conclusion, 01:29:10.300 --> 01:29:12.340 every single person is gonna fall. 01:29:12.340 --> 01:29:14.940 Number two, when you fall, get back up. 01:29:15.400 --> 01:29:16.700 Learn from it. 01:29:16.700 --> 01:29:18.000 Don't beat yourself down. 01:29:18.000 --> 01:29:19.100 Don't stay down. 01:29:19.100 --> 01:29:20.400 Forgive others when they fall. 01:29:20.400 --> 01:29:22.000 Encourage them to get back up. 01:29:22.000 --> 01:29:24.200 Notice who's there for you when you fall. 01:29:24.200 --> 01:29:26.340 And give them your loyalty. 01:29:26.340 --> 01:29:28.640 Isaiah 41 verse 10 says this. 01:29:28.640 --> 01:29:32.280 Fear thou not, for I am with thee. 01:29:32.280 --> 01:29:35.440 Be not dismayed, for I am thy God. 01:29:35.440 --> 01:29:36.280 Notice this. 01:29:36.280 --> 01:29:38.220 I will strengthen thee, 01:29:38.220 --> 01:29:40.080 yea, I will help thee. 01:29:40.300 --> 01:29:45.300 Ye I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 01:29:45.300 --> 01:29:49.900 You know, praise God that there's one man who's always going to be there for us when 01:29:49.900 --> 01:29:51.340 we fall. 01:29:51.340 --> 01:29:53.500 God says, hey, I'll be there for you. 01:29:53.500 --> 01:29:54.720 I'll help you. 01:29:54.720 --> 01:29:55.980 I'll uphold you. 01:29:55.980 --> 01:29:58.500 I'll uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. 01:29:58.500 --> 01:30:04.340 Not only is Jesus there for us when we fall, think about this, He took our fall upon Himself. 01:30:04.340 --> 01:30:05.380 He fell for us. 01:30:05.800 --> 01:30:08.240 He became sin for us who knew no sin, 01:30:08.240 --> 01:30:10.540 that we might have the righteousness of God in him. 01:30:10.540 --> 01:30:13.440 I mean, he fell to hell for us and rose again from the dead. 01:30:13.440 --> 01:30:14.740 You know, I think that's a pretty good sign 01:30:14.740 --> 01:30:16.620 that he's never gonna forsake us. 01:30:16.620 --> 01:30:18.380 If he had that love for us then, 01:30:18.380 --> 01:30:19.880 he has that love for us now. 01:30:19.880 --> 01:30:22.320 You know, Jesus Christ will never forsake us. 01:30:22.320 --> 01:30:24.320 He's the friend that never fails. 01:30:24.320 --> 01:30:26.520 He is there for us when we fall. 01:30:26.520 --> 01:30:27.360 But you know what? 01:30:27.360 --> 01:30:29.000 I don't wanna just take Jesus' love 01:30:29.000 --> 01:30:30.600 and not show that to anyone else. 01:30:30.600 --> 01:30:32.600 I wanna be there for others when they fall. 01:30:32.900 --> 01:30:38.740 And that's how we should be as a church being there for others when they fall. Let's pray lord. Thank you so much for your word 01:30:39.460 --> 01:30:43.540 Thank you lord of what a faithful friend that you are that you're going to always be there for us 01:30:43.940 --> 01:30:48.760 I pray that we would model the love of christ in our lives that we'd be very forgiving and long-suffering 01:30:49.300 --> 01:30:55.460 That we would be easily entreated that we would rejoice with members rejoicing that we would weep with those who weep 01:30:55.860 --> 01:31:00.280 And lord help us to be faithful to our friends and in jesus name. We pray amen 01:31:07.800 --> 01:31:14.200 For our last hymn this evening, turn if you would to 408. 01:31:14.200 --> 01:31:18.500 Hymn number 408, Loyalty to Christ. 01:31:35.700 --> 01:31:38.500 408 let's sing it out all together. 01:31:39.000 --> 01:31:44.200 From over hill and plain there comes a signal stream 01:31:44.200 --> 01:31:49.400 There's loyalty, loyalty, loyalty to Christ 01:31:49.400 --> 01:31:54.400 As music rolls along the hills take up the song 01:31:54.400 --> 01:31:59.800 Of loyalty, loyalty, yes loyalty to Christ 01:31:59.800 --> 01:32:06.000 On to victory, on to victory Christ 01:32:06.000 --> 01:32:07.000 Our great 01:32:07.000 --> 01:32:09.000 commander on 01:32:10.640 --> 01:32:15.340 Will move at his command will soon possess the land 01:32:15.820 --> 01:32:20.560 Through loyalty loyalty as loyalty to Christ 01:32:21.400 --> 01:32:26.200 hear ye brave the sound that moves the earth around 01:32:26.200 --> 01:32:31.400 tis loyalty, loyalty, loyalty to Christ 01:32:31.400 --> 01:32:34.040 arise to dare it do 01:32:34.040 --> 01:32:36.600 bring out the watch for truth 01:32:36.600 --> 01:32:39.640 oh loyalty, loyalty is