["Pomp and Circumstance"]
No one.
Can I please have everyone find their seats and grab their songbooks and turn to page number two?
We're gonna start the service off singing glory to his name
Please find your seats and grab your songbooks and turn to page number two
The age number two we're gonna sing glory to his name and we're gonna sing it out on the first
down at the cross where my Savior died
Down where from cleansing from sin I cried
There to my heart was the blood of flight
Glory to his name
There to my heart was the blood of flight
Glory to his name
Page number two
Speed up just a little bit and let's sing it out on the second. I am so wondrously saved from sin
Jesus so sweetly abides within
There at the cross where he took me in
Glory to his name
There to my heart was the blood of flight
Glory to his name
Oh
Precious mountain that sees from sin. I am so glad I have entered in
There Jesus saves me and keeps me clean
Glory to his name
There to my heart was the blood of flight
Glory to his name
Now you guys are singing good, but I feel like we could sing a little bit better
So let's sing it out on the second come to this fountain so rich and sweet
Cast thy poor soul at the Savior's feet
Bunching today and he made come
Glory to his name
There to my heart was the blood of
Glory to his name
Great singing let's open up in a word of prayer father. God. Thanks. Thank you so much for this church Lord
Thank you for these people coming out here on a Wednesday evening to serve you
I pray that you bless the singing
I pray that our singing would glorify you Lord and I pray they bless the service and the preaching and come in Jesus name
I pray amen
Please send your song books to page number
335
Page number 335
We're gonna be singing if Jesus goes with me, I'll go
Page three three five and let's sing it out on the first it may be in the valley
Where countless dangers high?
It may be in the sunshine that I in peace abide
But this one thing I know
If it'd be dark or fair if Jesus goes with me
I'll go
Anywhere if Jesus goes with me
Anywhere
I counted up
His cross to bear if Jesus goes with me I'll go
Anywhere
page 335 on the second it may be I must carry the
blessed word of life
Across the burning deserts to those in sinful strife
And though it be my law
to bear my colors there
if Jesus
Goes with me. I'll go
If Jesus goes with me I'll go
Anywhere
7 to me where I may be a B is there
I counted up
His cross
If Jesus goes with me I'll go
Anywhere
but if it be my
portion to bear my cross at home
while others bear their
Burdens beyond the billows foam
I'll prove my faith in him
Confess my judgment fair
And if he stays with me
I'll go
If Jesus goes with me
I'll go
Anywhere
7 to me where I may be a B is there
I counted up
His cross
If Jesus goes with me
Anywhere
Let's go ahead and sing it out on the last it is not mine to question
the judgments of my Lord
It is but mine to follow
the leadings of his word
But if to go or stay or whether here or there
I'll be
with my Savior
Content
If Jesus goes with me I'll go
Anywhere is that into me where I may be
I counted up
His cross
If Jesus goes with me I'll go
Great singing
Amen we want to welcome you to the Wednesday evening service here at ready Baptist Church. We're glad you're with us
Let's go ahead and take our bulletins. We'll look at some announcements real quickly tonight
If you do not have a bulletin, we are all out
You have to share with somebody and sorry about that
John 10 10 says the thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy I am come that they might have
Life and that they might have it more abundantly and that's a good verse there
We like that if you open up your bulletin, you'll see our service times Sunday morning service 10 30 a.m
We do invite you to be with us
Of course on Sunday morning on the Lord's Day for church Sunday evening service at 6 p.m
And we're glad that you are out for the Wednesday evening Bible study
Of course if you look at our sowing times our main sowing times on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m
And then we have additional sowing times on Thursdays and Fridays and Sundays at 2 p.m
So if you'd like to go soul winning, there'll be an opportunity for you to do that this weekend
We'd love for you to join us if you are a first-time guest if it's your first time here at Verity Baptist Church
We are so glad that you are with us
We have a gift we'd like to give you as you walk out of the church building tonight
If you go out our main foyer or if you got our secondary foyer
You'll see a little table set up and on that table you'll see these little gift bags
Please grab one on your way out as a gift from us to you for being our guest tonight
There are several resources in this bag that we'd like you to have
The one I like to highlight is this documentary that our church made it's called being Baptist. It's very well made very interesting
We think you'll like it and we want to give this to you as a gift. So, please make sure you don't leave here
This evening without grabbing one of those gift bags
And if you are a guest would ask that you please take a moment and fill out the communication card
which is inserted in your bulletin if you need a pen you can just raise your hand and one of our ushers will bring
You by a Verity Baptist Church pen and you're welcome to keep the pen as a gift from us as well
And we would love to just have a record of your attendance
We actually would like to send you a little gift, but we need your information to do that
So, please take a moment to fill the card out when we're done with the announcements
We're gonna sing a song when we're done singing
We'll receive the offering and as the offering plate goes by you can drop this card in the offering plate
During that time if you look at the announcements there, we of course are a family integrated church
What that means is that children and infants always walk them in the service
We do not separate children from their parents for any reason
We do have mother baby rooms and daddy rooms available for your convenience
If you have a child that's being distracting during the service or if you need some privacy
We would encourage you to use those rooms all the rooms have comfortable seating
They've got monitor set up so you can watch the service and listen to it
So, please make sure you use those if you need to be baptized, please let us know we'd love to baptize you
You can let us know on your communication card on the back
You can check off that you'd like information about baptism and we actually have a baptism lined up tonight
So praise the Lord for that. We'll take care of that after the preaching
Of course, if you look at the announcements and upcoming events, you'll notice the different sermon series that we are in
On Sunday mornings, we've been in a series called helping people reach their full potential and on Sunday nights
We are in a series called wilderness wanderings. It's really a study of the book of Numbers
We're studying that together and then of course on Wednesday nights for our Bible study. We're in the Epistle of Galatians
So we'd love for you to join us for all of those and we're glad you're here tonight
And then of course, we've got several things coming up for the ladies
All the ladies are invited to an elegant afternoon tea in honor of Mother's Day
All ladies are invited to this you don't have to be a mother to come it's for all ladies
It is in honor of Mother's Day and that is on Saturday May 13th at 3 p.m. And it's a fun time
We'd love for you to sign up. There is a gift basket value that over $50
That'll be given away and you can sign up on your communication card to come if you'd like to volunteer to help if you go
By our main foyer, you'll see a table set up with all sorts of different clipboards with different things that you could do
For the ladies tea, so if you don't mind going by there and signing up for something
We would appreciate your help and then of course the next day is Mother's Day on a Sunday May 14th at 10 30 a.m.
And you can make plans to join us. We'd love for you to make plans to join us for Mother's Day
on Mother's Day, of course, I'll be preaching a Mother's Day sermon and
We'll have the children's choir singing in honor of Mother's Day
And then we're gonna have a gift for every lady in attendance all the ladies and all the girls in attendance that day
We have these nice Verity Baptist Church
T-shirts for the ladies and we'll be giving those out on Mother's Day
And of course, we'll give out the ones for the men on Father's Day
So you guys just hold tight for that and then the choir recordings if you are part of our choir
Don't forget that there's three recordings that are happening on Sunday night after the evening service. The first one was last Sunday night
Today brother RJ sent over a recording of what it sounded like and it sounded great
So make sure that you are there for that. Don't miss that children's choir. They're practicing at 515 in the playroom
That's the room on the other side of the main foyer
And of course, they're practicing for Mother's Day home school group
If you're part of our home school group, there is a PE class tomorrow at 10 a.m. So, please don't forget about that
There's other things there for you to look at
Please don't forget to turn your cell phones off or place them on silent during the service that they're not a distraction to anybody
If you look at the back of the bulletin
birthdays and anniversaries
for the month of
April yesterday was miss Lindsey Johnson's birthday on April 25th
today is brother Alan Courtney's birthday on April 26 and
Then on in a couple of days
We have Noah sweetens birthday on April 28th and brother James and miss April villas
anniversary on April 28th praise report money matters
All those things are there for you to look at I do have a baptism certificate to hand out tonight
And I'll go ahead and read this
quickly and
this
certificate of baptism
Is awarded to Marty Jack?
Kynan in recognition of his baptism on the 9th day of April of the year 2023 presented by Verity Baptist Church
And of course, we've got the verse there Romans 6 4 therefore
We are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father
even so we should walk in units of life and we have some pictures here for Marty to remember the day of his baptism and
Let's go ahead and give him a round of applause
And I think that's it for all the announcements
So let's go ahead and take our song books and we're going to go to page number 19 page number
19 and we're gonna sing there is a fountain
As we prepare to receive the offering
Tonight page number 19. There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's vein sing it out on the first
And sinners punch
They're guilty
They're gay
That's what
They're
Good page number 19 sing it out on the second
Rejoice to see
My sins
Oh
My
Way page number 19 we're gonna sing it out on the third
All right, but you you got to think about the words as you sing them there on the third
It's kind of a song that you have to think about the words and sing it as a form of worship on the third
here
Lamb my precious blood
We say
To say
Of God be safe to say no more good on the fourth
Since my faith I saw the street
By
Me
Good on the last
No
Song I'll sing by power
My
God
Amen good singing we'll have the guys come up and help us with the offering at this time
And let's go ahead and bow our heads and have a word of prayer
Heavenly father lord, we do love you
We thank you for allowing us to gather together on a wednesday night lord
We pray that you bless the offering the gift and the giver
We ask you to bless the time set aside for prayer and then of course for the preaching of your word in jesus name
We pray amen
So
Amen, all right
Well, let's go ahead and take our prayer sheets tonight
If you did not get a prayer sheet on your way in just raise your hand and one of our ushers can get one for you
If you didn't get a prayer list on your way in just put your hand up and we'll get one for you
And of course one reminder the way you add a request to the prayer sheet is through your communication card on the back of the
Cart there's a place for you to write down your request. Please mark whether it's private or public if it's private
Only I will see it if it's public. We'll put it on the prayer sheet
You don't mark it
We'll do our best to figure it out
But we usually don't put those on there
We do add them in the order that they are received and we remove them after a couple of weeks
And I would add ask that you just add to your prayer list if you'd like or just keep in prayer
We've got several of our church
Family on a missions trip to the bahamas and they're suffering for jesus in the bahamas
But it is it is a very receptive area and they're getting lots of people saved. So praise the lord for that
So please be in prayer for them. Of course, let's go ahead and bow our heads
We'll have a word of prayer and i'll pray out loud and I ask that you would follow along in your mind your heart
Let's pray together. How many father lord we
Come to you tonight asking for these requests from our church family lord. We begin of course with
Requests dealing with health. We're praying for brother ryan gibbs and for his upcoming dental work that it would go
Well, there'd be no problems. We of course are continuing to pray for miss edith and we have requests here from
miss edith and from
Her son joshua from her mother-in-law. That's amy
i'm all
Just praying for her recovery and it's good to see brother. Joshua tonight lord
We're just continuing to hold up miss edith in prayer and asking that you just continue to help her give a recovery from this
surgery that she had lord and help her to
Be able to heal
Quickly and to heal
In in the right way and lord. We also pray for the coughney family
Praying for jasmine's healing from her seizures and also guidance with her
medication management and how how to be able to
Just get her in the right place
With the dosage and all those things and lord
we pray that you would give wisdom to the doctors with that that they would be able to help with that and
We ask that you would please help jasmine and lord. We pray for brother darrell praying for
pain in his mouth asking for
that pain to be relieved and
brother allen praying for
Cindy
For her healing from cancer and lord. We're praying that you would
Heal her from cancer if it's your will lord that you would help her we ask for miss
Shalomina who's praying for her vision in her right eye and also for her kidneys to heal
And we pray for miss christina ortez for her health for savador for his health miss dogma praying for her pain to relieve the pain
And of course, we continue to play pray for a little urezi that she would be healthy and strong
And lord, we just pray for all these individuals. We ask that you give them strength and healing. We ask that you'd give
wisdom to the doctors nurses dealing with them and then lord we pray for
Miss angel cabuntala our missionary and the philippine's wife who's
Going through chemotherapy and dealing with cancer and lord
We ask that you would heal her and help her and then of course
We pray for all the ladies in our church that are expecting miss ajana. Miss. Skyler. Miss. Karen. Miss ava
Miss rebecca miss kiki and miss selena all these ladies are expecting lord. We pray that you'd give them healthy pregnancies
With no issues and no complications lord
We pray that the babies would be healthy that the mothers would be healthy and that there'd be no
Problems there and then lord we pray for these that have requests for their families brother montel
johnson praying for isabel that she would be able to live with them permanently and
Ruben and kim wilson praying just have requests for his wife and for himself as well
And lord miss christine ortez praying for her family
and
We ask the lord that you would please
Help help there and brother salvador praying for his family as well lord. We pray that you would bless
In those areas and then of course, there's the request for salvation
Brother ron praying for his mom and his family's salvation
Miss natalie praying for the salvation of her husband and her family brother allen not only praying for cindy's health regarding cancer
But also for her salvation as well. Miss christine ortez praying for her children and grandchildren salvation
Miss doctor praying for her daughter and her family salvation. Lord. We ask for all these individuals. We pray that you would help them
We ask that you would help them to come to the place where they would be willing to
Hear the gospel that they'd be receptive to it that they might be saved but we uh have a praise report from the o2 family
Thanking uh, thanking god for answered prayer recently lord. We thank you for that. Of course, uh for that
praise report and lord we also pray for
Just
Miss christine ortez praying for her faith and her walk with you brother salvador as well. We ask that you'd help them
they're both also praying for
Finances miss christine to be able to find her own place and work for brother salvador and lord. We ask that you would bless
With those situations as well. We ask for miss docma as she's traveling to germany
We pray you to keep her safe and bring her home safely as well
And then lord we ask for all of these that
Have unspoken requests miss diane de pascuale having an unspoken request miss natalie brother nate miss michelle scott
Brother salvador miss docmo all of these having unspoken requests lord
You know what their petitions are, you know what they're asking for and lord
We ask that you would please answer according to your will and lord. We pray for our church. Of course, we continue to pray for the
Prison ministry and we pray that you'd continue to bless that ministry. We thank you for the hundreds of inmates that get
Letters from our church every
Every month sermons that are transcribed for them lord. We pray that you continue to use those in their lives to bless them
We also pray that you would help
our church as we continue to
Endeavor to go into the prisons and preach there physically
We pray that you to open doors in the right locations and allow that ministry to be able to flourish and be better established
lord, we ask for
Our church members that are on a missions trip right now
Pray you can help them to have a good time help them to be safe
Help them to see many people safe and bring them home safely lord. We ask for
Our upcoming events mother's day service and ladies tea that you would help these events to be a success and that
Ladies would get involved and help and that they would also come and enjoy themselves and fellowship and be part of our church family
Lord, we thank you for our church
Here in sacramento, we pray for our church plants in the philippines and manila pampanga and be cool
That you keep these locations safe and healthy and strong lord
We ask that you'd meet with us tonight as we take another portion of scripture and
Dissect it and study it and look at it lord. We pray that you would speak to our hearts
Help us to draw closer to you. We love you in the matchless name of christ. We pray
amen
Please open up to galatians one
Galatians chapter one if you need about you can put your hand up and initial might bring your bible
Galatians chapter one
If you need about keep your head up or she'll come by
Galatians one we'll read the entire chapter as our custom
Galatians one beginning verse number one
Paul an apostle not of men neither by man, but by jesus christ and god of the father who raised him from the dead
And all the brethren which are with me into the churches of galatia
Grace be to you and peace from god the father and from our lord. Jesus christ
Who gave himself for our sins and he might deliver us from this present evil world
According to the will of god and our father
To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen
I marvel that you're so soon removed from him that called you to the grace of christ unto another gospel
Which is not another but there'd be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of christ
But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you and that which we have preached unto you
Let him be accursed
As we said before so say I now again if any man preach any of the gospel unto you then that you're received
Let him be accursed
Who do I now persuade men or god?
Or do I seek to please men for if I yet please men I should not be the servant of christ
But I certify you brethren that the gospel which is preached of me is not after man
For I neither received it of man neither was I taught it by the revelation of jesus christ
We have heard of my conversation in time past in the jews religion
How that beyond measure I persecuted the church of god and wasted it
And profited in the jews religion above many my equals in mine own nation
Being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers
But when it pleased god
Who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace
To reveal his son in me that I might preach him among the heathen
Immediately, I conferred not with flesh and blood
Now that went up to jerusalem to them with your apostles before me, but I went to arabia and returned again into damascus
And then after three years, I went up to jerusalem to see peter and I bowed with him 15 days
But other of the apostles saw I none saved james the lord's brother
Now the things which I write unto you behold before god, I lie not
Afterwards I came to the regions of syria and silicea and was unknown by faith into the churches of judea which were in christ
But they had heard only that he was persecuted us in times past now preach it the faith which he once destroyed
And they glorified god and me. Let's pray
Heavenly father. Thank you for this evening god
I thank you for your word and for our church and for the book of galatians and ask you give us all ten
Our hearts to the message tonight. I say please be with our pastor to strengthen him and familiar spirit
We love you in Jesus name. Pray. Amen
Amen all right, we're there in galatians chapter number one
And of course last wednesday night, we began a brand new bible study in the book of galatians. We're going verse by verse
Chapter by chapter through the book of galatians and if you remember last week
We made it through the first 12 verses of chapter number one
And we saw that the apostle paul there spoke
On really the reason why he was writing the book of galatians and the defense of the gospel the fact that there was
Another gospel that was creeping in and being taught in the church and then in verse number 13
and really
Earlier maybe verse 10, but we we'll pick it up here in verse 13 the apostle paul
begins to speak
About his personal testimony and of course paul does this
Occasionally in some of his epistles and he does it here in galatians chapter number one and we will cover
The scriptures from verses 13 to 24 tonight. We'll finish the chapter, but when we come back
To galatians on wednesday night and we're in chapter two
We will continue with paul his testimony actually continues in through chapter two
But I want you to notice in verse 13 how he begins he says for ye have heard of my conversation
And the word conversation in your king james bible
Is an older word that means lifestyle or manner of life. So paul is speaking to the church in galatian
He's saying you have heard of my conversation
Notice what he says in time past he says, you know
about my
Past and you know
about my lifestyle
And like I said, he begins to speak on
The subject of his life and his testimony and he's bringing these things up to the galatians for for a specific reason
and of course, we'll tie it all in as we
Go through the passage and go through galatians. But what I want to highlight for you tonight is
that
When you look at this testimony of the apostle paul and whenever you find yourself or I should
Maybe I should just say whenever I find myself in a passage like this. I always get a little excited
Because of the fact and you've heard me say this many times that the apostle paul is one of the most successful christians
Who's ever lived?
he was
In whatever area you want to put him in just as a christian
Um, he's probably obviously other than the lord jesus christ the greatest man who ever walked this earth other than christ
Of course and as far as being an evangelist or a missionary a soul winner a pastor
As far as somebody being successful in his calling in his career, there really is no one
Then jesus who is better
More successful more accomplished than the apostle paul and the reason that I get excited when I get to a passage where he
begins to
Give us his testimony
And of course, we know that this is under the inspiration of the holy ghost. This is scripture
But the reason that I like it is because we get to get a little bit of an insight into the life of the apostle
Paul and the characteristics of the apostle paul and really the nuts and bolts of what made the apostle paul and tonight i've
Titled this study this sermon
secrets to paul's success
Because of the fact that paul was a highly successful christian and in this testimony, though
It is not his goal to tell us his secrets for success if you look at his testimony
You'll notice that there is a recipe for success. There are some ingredients for success here and I would encourage you
Uh to notice these with me and if you'd like maybe you can write these down on the back of your course of the week
There's a place where you take down some notes
I'd like to give you four five thoughts tonight regarding paul's secrets to success and I would say to you that these
Secrets to paul's success no matter where you are
And no matter what season of life you're in or what life you're living. These will be helpful to you
Of course paul is a missionary. He's a preacher. He is a minister of the word of god
So if you're here tonight and you believe that there's a calling on your life to one day go into ministry
And you definitely need to write these things down
And and and make sure that you are aware of these things because this is really a pattern for those of us that are in
Ministry, uh how to live our lives, but if you're here tonight and you say well i'm not a pastor i'm not an evangelist
I'm, not going to be in ministry. I i'm i'm a mother or I I work a secular job. I run a business
Uh, these things will apply in any area of your life
And if you can apply these things in whatever area you find yourself in you will find
That god will help you succeed in that area
whether it's
Uh working a secular job pastoring a church homeschooling children
Whatever it might be you'll find that these ingredients can be applied in all of those areas. So i'd like to highlight for you tonight
five thoughts regarding
Some secrets that we see from the apostle paul and the first one is this and if you want to write it down
Uh, i'd encourage you to do this to do that when we're talking about paul's secrets to success. The first one is of course a
Productive life or you could write down productive living in verses 13 and 14
We see a little bit about the work ethic of the apostle paul
Now this is not the reason that he brings us up is not to highlight that but it's highlighted in the passage
What we see is the apostle paul
Speaking to us about his old confidence in the flesh notice there in verse 13 for ye have heard
Of my conversation in time past notice what he says in the jews religion
this was his old religion his prior religion in the jews religion how that beyond measure I
Persecuted the church of god and wasted it and paul begins when he begins his testimony
He begins with his past and he begins with this idea
Of his old confidence in the flesh now our text is galatians chapter one tonight
We're going to go through it, but I'd like you to go with me if you would to the book of philippians
Just very quickly. You're there in galatians
Keep your finger there or ribbon or bookmark or something there and flip over with me to the book of philippians. You're in galatians
You'll go past ephesians into philippians galatians ephesians philippians philippians chapter number three
I want you to understand the context if you remember we talked about it last week
The themes of the book of galatian has to do with the defense of the gospel
And it has to do with the fact that there are these judaizers
Who are coming in to the churches of galatia
And they are trying to turn people against the apostle paul, which is why we see the apostle paul defending his
apostleship
They're also trying to pervert the gospel or bring in another gospel, which paul told us earlier is not another he says
It's the it's a gospel that is a false gospel and they are bringing what they are doing is they are trying to
Bring in judaism
Into christianity they're trying to tell these people that yes, you have to believe on the lord
jesus christ to be safe
But you also have to keep the works of the law you have to also have to keep the laws of moses
You also have to keep the old
Covenant and this is what paul is dealing with and he begins by telling the galatians here that they are aware
He says you remember for ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the jews religion how that beyond measure?
I persecuted the church of god and wasted it and what the apostle paul
Is reminding these people because remember they're coming in and saying paul hasn't given you all the information
Paul is only preaching you a shallow gospel. Paul is making it easy
Believism paul is saying it's just faith and that's it
But you also have to do the works you have to do the law and what they're doing is something that people often do
When they try to attack leadership they'll minimize the leader and they're saying paul doesn't know
I know that paul's your spiritual leader
I know that paul's the one that got you saved and got you discipled and taught you everything
You know, I know that paul's the one who literally came to this town and started these churches here in galatia
I know that paul like paul said in second Corinthians
He says yeah that that you don't have many fathers that paul is really your father in the faith
And you are his children in the faith and and and paul is the leader that god has given them
But they're coming and saying paul just he doesn't know he hasn't learned enough. He hasn't studied enough
He doesn't know about the law and then so paul is bringing this idea up
To remind these people and what paul really is saying is don't talk to me about the law. I was all about the law
I I already know all about the law you're there in philippians 3 look at verse 3 notice what he says
Philippians chapter 3 and verse 3 for we are this is paul again doing the same thing with the church at philippi
For we are the circumcision which worship god in the spirit and rejoice in christ. Jesus and have no
Confidence in the flesh paul says look we are the circumcision
We worship god in the spirit and we rejoice in christ
Jesus he says we have no confidence in the flesh and this is what salvation is
Salvation for those of us that are actually saved and truly saved. It's this
Understanding that there's no confidence in ourselves. There's no
Confidence in the flesh salvation has nothing to do with anything that I have accomplished in my flesh
Paul says look we rejoice in christ jesus and have no confidence in the flesh
But then he says this in verse four though. I might also have confidence in the flesh
Because there's telling because remember these people are attacking paul and saying he doesn't know
Let me tell you something that the pastor doesn't know
Let me tell you something that the leader hasn't thought about yet
And when paul says I might also have confidence in the flesh
He said if I wanted to boast and brag about the flesh
He said I choose to rejoice in grace jesus and have no confidence in the flesh though
I might also have confidence in the flesh if any other man thinking that he hath
Whereof he might trust in the flesh look at it verse four philippians 3 4 if any other man
Thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh paul says I more
He says you want to talk about the flesh
You want to talk about zeal and keeping the law you want to compare notes? He says, all right
Let's compare notes verse five and paul begins to kind of give a little bit of his resume
He says circumcise in the eighth day of the stock of israel
Paul's talking about himself. He says you want to know who I am
I was circumcised the eighth day of the stock of israel. What is he talking about? He's talking about his ancestry
He says of the tribe of benjamin. What is he talking about?
He's talking about his nobility
And hebrew of the hebrews. What is he talking about? He's talking about his pedigree
As touching the law of pharisee. What is he talking about? He's talking about his piety
He says concerning zeal persecuting the church. He's talking about his intensity touching righteousness, which is in the law
Blameless he's talking about his morality
He says look you want to talk about the law
Don't don't talk to me about the law and don't come at me like i've never heard about the law
He says I know all about the law. He said I got saved out of the law
And paul you can kind of see his heart as a leader and and and and honestly in leadership
I sometimes the apostle paul really encourages me because I see man if a guy like paul can get attacked like this
Then then the rest of us need to just shut up when we're getting attacked as well
Because this is a common way to attack leadership go back to galatians
And we've seen it here, you know, my wife and I have been
Here we started this church 12 years ago
And it seems like every few years ago or for a few years or so
People people show up with these with this new, you know, it's like the apostle paul. Oh, let me tell you something
Paul's not talking about
So look just just know this. All right in two or three years from now
When some guy shows up and he's like, oh, let me talk to you about the flat earth
Okay, we've already dealt with the flat earth
we we we
We've already heard that garbage
Every few years or so someone shows up saying we don't you don't need to call upon the name of the lord
Every few years or so somebody shows up saying you don't need to do this
You don't need to do that and paul says look we've that's so last year
We've already dealt with this
And paul says if you want to talk about the law
Don't don't talk to me about the law and don't come at me
Like I don't know anything about the law. He says I got saved out of the law. I knew everything about the law
He says concerning zeal persecuting the church touching righteousness which is of the law blameless
He said I lived a blameless life. He said I was of the tribe of benjamin and hebrew of the hebrews
He said circumcised the eighth day of the stock of israel. He says it's touching the law of Pharisee
He talks about his old confidence in the flesh
Let me just say this if you go back to galatians
That the apostle paul is bringing this up simply to state that this is nothing new
This whole thing about adding the law this this is this is something that's been around and he says look
You know about my conversation in time past in the jews religion how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of god and wasted it
And oftentimes when paul brings up his past he brings it up with tears
Because of the fact that he persecuted the church of god and wasted it
Because of the fact that he was used before salvation to imprison believers
Paul is the reason why the first martyr in the bible steven the first christian martyr in the bible
Uh dies because of the apostle paul
So this is something that paul not only had in his past
But it was a major regret in his past the fact that he persecuted
the church of god and wasted it and I and all I would say is say this if the apostle paul can find forgiveness and
If the apostle paul can find that god will allow him to to to move on from his past forgetting those things
Which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before then I promise you that god can help you do the same
Amen
Whatever past you have and whatever regrets you have and whatever guilt you have and whatever is is beating you up from the past
If paul can get past the past so can you?
So we see paul's old zeal for the law
But then we also see paul's old
zeal for work
Notice there verse 14
He says and profited
in the jews religion
See that word profited
the word profited
Or profit it means if we were talking about money and he's not talking about money
But if we were talking about money, he'd be saying I made a lot of money
What paul is saying was if the ministry was a business i'd be amazon
if if the ministry was uh, uh, uh, uh, uh fast food chain
I'd be ray crock running mcdonald's
I mean paul says I profited in the jews religion now. He's talking about his old religion
He said I profited in the jews religion. Notice what he says
Above many my equals in my known nation
Notice what he says being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers
Here's what paul said when I was a jew in judaism in a false religion
He said let me tell you something I was the best of the false religion
I profited in the jews religion above many my equals being more exceeding zealous of the traditions of my father
He said I wasn't just in it. He said I was running it
He said I wasn't just in it. I I was the best at it
Now here's what's interesting
And this is something that i'd like to highlight for you
Keep your place there in galatians and go with me to the book of second corinthians if you go
Backwards just back one book from galatians the the book right before the second corinthians chapter 11
In galatians chapter 1 and verse 14. We have paul
And we have paul talking about himself in his old religion his false religion
judaism work salvation
Denying the christ the messiah the lord jesus christ, he said in my old religion
I profited in the jews religion above many my equals in my no nation being more exceeding zealous of the traditions of my father
He said in my old religion. I was the most zealous. I was the hardest worker. I was the most successful. I was the most profitable
What's interesting is that then paul gets saved?
And in second corinthians 11
Paul again defending his apostleship depending his defending his ministry notice what he says
It sounds a lot like what we just read in philippians second corinthians 11 verse 22. Are they hebrew? So am I?
Are they israelite? This is paul answering his critics. Are they hebrews? So am I are they israelites?
So am I are they of the seat of abraham? So am I are they the ministers of christ?
He says I speak as a fool now the reason that he says I speak as a fool because he realizes that what he's about
To say is a little foolish now
He says it because it needs to be said and the holy spirit wanted him to say
But he wants you to know and he wants me to know that bragging is not something that we should
Generally be doing but right now he's in the midst of a fight
They're attacking him in order for him to defend himself
He has to state some realities about his life and it might sound like he's bragging
So he says i'm about to speak as a fool are they ministers of christ I speak as a fool he says I am more
Here's what he's saying he says if they're a pastor i'm more of a pastor
If they're an evangelist i'm more of an evangelist, I mean think about somebody saying that
You got two preachers fighting each other and he's saying if he's a preacher I am more
He says are they hebrew so am I are they israelite? So am I are they the seed of abraham?
So am I are they ministers of christ? I speak as a fool. I am more and like I said on sunday
Just understand something and you may not like it because our society has conditioned us to think that everybody should pass
Everyone should get a diploma even if they can't read it. Everyone should get a trophy even if they lost every game
But please understand something not all of us are created equal some pastors are better than others
Some churches are better than others. And if you think that's me being arrogant, let me just say it this way
Some church members are better than other church members
It's just the reality of life
Are they ministers of christ? I speak as a fool. I am more notice what he says in labors more abundant
He says I worked harder
Than all these other guys, let's go pause it you say I don't think you should say that
Well, the holy spirit's having him say it
I am more in labors more but and then he goes on i'm not going to read the whole thing
But he goes on to give this whole list of how he's done more and accomplished more in stripes above measures
And prisons more frequent and deaths off and he goes on and on about how he's done more
Let me give you another example go to first corinthians 15 first corinthians 15
You're there in second corinthians go past to first corinthians 15 look at verse 10
first corinthians chapter 15 verse 10 first corinthians 15 10 notice what he says but by the grace of god
I am what I am
That's a good statement for all of us to say
But by the grace of god paul says I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain
That's quite a statement
He said when god saved me that was not a wasted salvation
Amen
The grace that god spent this is paul saying
The grace that god spent to save me was not wasted was not empty was not in vain
Say why would you say that paul? Here's why but I labored more abundantly than they all
Yet not I but the grace of god which was with me
He says I labored more abundantly than they all he says I am more and labor is more abundant
And here's what I want you to understand paul is saying paul is saying that he worked harder than any other preacher
He worked harder than any other evangelist. He worked harder than any other
Missionary he worked harder than any other soul winner. He worked harder than any other apostle at his time
He said I am more i've worked more i've done more. I preached more i've accomplished more. That's what paul said
Here's what's interesting
That's the same paul. You might not have liked him
The unsafe paul in the jews religion says I was the best pharisee
I was the most zealous
I was I was the most sold out for false religion. I persecuted the church of god
I the bible says that he wreaked havoc upon the church in jerusalem. He said I persecuted I traveled I imprisoned people
He what i'm trying to say what I want you to understand is this
that paul
Was just the type of guy that whatever he was doing he just got a hundred percent into it
In fact, I think one of the reasons that god
Allowed the lord jesus christ to appear to paul
After the ascension in his glorified body and stop him on the damascus road is because god looked down from heaven
And saw this hard-working young man. Saul who was working so hard for the wrong team. He said I gotta get that guy on my team
I need someone like that
I need him working for us and jesus stops him on the master's road and says, what are you doing? Saul?
Let me make you an offer
You say what can we learn from this a couple things number one
You know what this shows me is this that salvation changes your destination
It does not change your character
So, what do you mean here's what I mean
If you're a hard-working successful individual before you got saved you'll be a hard-working successful individual after you get saved
And you say I like that okay, but here's the part you might not like if you were a lazy bum before you got saved
Come on
Because people get this idea like oh, I I got saved so now everything's gonna be great
I'm gonna get up early every day. I'm gonna lose weight. I'm gonna be very, you know, i'm gonna save money
I'm gonna do this i'm gonna do that. Please understand something if you were good with money before you got saved
You'll probably be good with money after you got saved if you were a lazy bum before you got saved
You'll still be a lazy bum after you got saved
Now i'm not trying to hurt your feelings. I just want you to understand the reality of life that salvation
Changes your destination where you're going. It does not change who you are
Now there are some changes the holy spirit moves in
But you can quench the holy spirit
The fire of the holy spirit begins to burn
But you can quench it you can grieve him now, here's what I want you to say salvation will not change your character
Salvation will not change who you are
If you had low character before you got saved you will continue to have low character after you got saved
If you were deceptive before you got saved
You will continue to be deceptive after you got saved if you're a coward before you got saved
You will continue to be a coward after you got saved if you were lazy before you'll be lazy after
If you were great before you're a hard worker before you're honest before you'll probably continue to be those things
The difference is this
Now for paul, we didn't have to change much
Paul was already a hard-working
zealous sold out
hell bit for leather
Charged hell with a squirt god. I mean he just paul was already the guy that got needed. He just needed to turn him around
Stop stop working for the wrong team come work for my team
Stop working for the devil come work for christ
Praise the lord for that
You said i'm no paul. Well, here's the good news for you
Salvation will not change your character, but sanctification can
Discipleship can
When you begin to read the bible
And learn the bible and apply the bible
And begin to know the bible and walk in the spirit and pray in the spirit when you begin to walk in the spirit
The bible says that if we walk in the spirit
We shall not fulfill the loss of the flesh the apostle paul as we move on in the book of galatians
Is going to tell us that the holy spirit can change you the holy spirit can change your character
The holy spirit can take you from being a weasel and a dirtbag and you can begin to have love joy
Peace long suffering jumps on his goodness faith meekness temperance
Now you need to understand this because some of you are thinking myself yourselves man
My husband got saved and he's still pretty terrible. Yeah, because salvation doesn't change your character
Sorry
I don't know what else to tell you
Character has to be changed
by work
The word character comes from the greek idea of chiseling
Sculpting an image onto a rock that requires work
Now once you have the image on that rock, you're likely to not change it
The problem is that some of you have been living bad character for a really long time
Now we can help you and the word of god can help you and the holy spirit can help you and I promise you
You show up to church like this three times a week and let the word of god
Sanctify you and you actually listen and you apply these things and do these things it will change your life
But we have to begin with the understanding that salvation only changes your destination
Salvation
Does not change your character
but sanctification can
Now here's another application
All the good skills you had
All the good things you had going for you
You can use those for god now
I mean paul's a hard worker got up early stayed up late
Didn't mess around at work
He was effective. He was disciplined
And god said I can use that guy
That guy and he got saved then he went from saul to paul
He went from saul the greatest of the enemies to paul the greatest of the preachers
So, what is paul's secret to success it's productive living
Is living a productive life
living an effective life
Living a life that is effective with some zeal with some intensity. We're trying to get something done
We're trying to accomplish something. Let me ask you something. What are you zealous about?
You say pastor you don't understand i'm just a mother and i've got these children
I'm trying to homeschool and you get some zeal for homeschooling those kids
You get some zeal for whatever job you have whatever work you have whatever it is you're doing you say
Why was paul successful and here's what I want you to say
People think well paul was successful because he got saved in the holy spirit, but paul would have been successful whatever he did
He was succeeding in the jews religion he was succeeding in christianity
If they would have let him run on mcdonald's in the first century
He wouldn't have had churches all over the mediterranean coast. He would have mcdonald's all over the mediterranean coast
You understand what i'm saying
It was his character of work
That helped him to succeed
I'm, just telling you paul's secret to success
productive living
And that's not something that you're going to get just because you got saved
I hope you get saved. That's what you have to begin
But please understand that salvation only changes your destination
It does not change who you are sanctification does that by the way?
That's why it's so silly to tell people if you get saved you're gonna have works. No, you're not
Salvation doesn't change you
It changes where you're going
But you're still who you are
And we've got to learn as christians to build our lives on the bible
To learn the bible apply the bible live the bible and allow the bible
To do a work in our hearts
So number one, we see paul's secret to success. We see it there in verses 13 and 14. It's productive living then
I want you to notice secondly
I gotta all I gotta be done soon in like 15 minutes. So let's move quickly
verse 15
Paul's secret to success productive living you if you're writing these down number two paul's secret to success pleasing god
Notice verse 15, but when it pleased god
You see that?
When it pleased god who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace
I won't have you turn there, but it reminds me of the verse in jeremiah where jeremiah says that he was called from his mother's womb
You know that god has a purpose and a plan and he's had a purpose for
And a plan for your life from your mother's womb
God has a purpose and god has a plan for you
You
And he has a plan for you and paul says says when it pleased god who separated me from my mother's womb
He said from my mother's womb. It was god's plan that I would get saved
It was god's plan. Paul says that I would go into the ministry and called me by his grace
He said here's what paul said my life pleased god
Now i'd like you to run some verses
Let's look at them quickly colossians if you would colossians one, you're in galatians efeasians philippians colossians colossians chapter one
Galatians efeasians philippians colossians colossians 1 9 for this cause we also since the day we heard it
Do not cease to pray for you and to desire. I want you to see it colossians 1 9 and to desire
That ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom in spirit and understanding
Paul says
Since the day we heard it
We do not cease to pray for you
He said here's our desire for you that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will and all wisdom and spiritual understanding
Why why do you want that paul verse 10 that ye might walk worthy of the lord?
unto all
pleasing
You know that when you walk worthy of the lord
Your life will be pleasing to all
He said that you might walk worthy of the lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge
of god
Look at first thessalonians 4 you there in colossus. Just flip over first thessalonians 4 look at verse 1 first thessalonians 4 4 1 furthermore
First thessalonians chapter 4 verse 1 furthermore when we beseech you brethren and exhort you by the lord
Jesus that all ye have received of us notice what he says
He says
That as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk look at it and please god
How you have to walk and please god so we would abound more and more
If you want to succeed in life
I'm talking to christians
I I can't put this outline into a book and sell it in the secular world because it doesn't apply to the secular world
It applies to you
Because you got to remember that when we got saved we we got a heavenly father
And now we play the game of life by a different set of rules
And you may not like it and you may not understand this when you see it out in the secular world
But if you're going to succeed in life, I don't care what area you're considering
You cannot succeed in the christian life without pleasing god
You must walk worthy of the lord until all pleasing
How ye ought to walk and to please god now here here's here's what most of us want to do
We want to walk in such a way that we please ourselves
Go to second timothy chapter 2 you're there in first thessalonians past second thessalonians past first timothy into second timothy second timothy chapter 2
Second timothy chapter 2 verse 4
Second
Second timmy 2-4 no man that warth
This is referring to a soldier who's going to war no man that warth
He says if you're gonna war and by the way
When you got saved whether you realize it or not, you got enlisted in the army of the lord of jesus christ
We are engaged in spiritual warfare and paul says no man that warth entangled himself with the affairs of this life
Here's what he's saying. If you're gonna go to war you can't be entangled in the affairs of life
I mean we understand that on a practical level if a soldier is going to go overseas to fight a war
He can't be fighting war while worried about
What's going on?
In in in the super bowl, you understand that?
No, no man that warth entangle of himself with the affairs of this life notice that he may please him
Who have chosen him to be a soldier
You say what was paul's secret to success paul's secret to success was the realization
That he had to live a life that would please god
By the way, i'm not preaching on this but please understand this that is also the secret to fulfillment
When you can live your life in such a way where you know that you are pleasing the lord
None of us are perfect. We are all sinners
None of us none of us have attained as we've been learning on sunday mornings
But when you can lay your head on the pillow at night and say i'm right with the lord
I'm right with god. I'm right with others and i'm pleasing
my heavenly father
And you are fulfilling
God's will for your life
You don't have to turn there. I'll just read this for you. Revelation 4 11 says thou art worthy o lord
To receive glory and honor and power for thou has created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created
You know that you and I were created by god to bring pleasure to him
And here's what i'm saying
You want to succeed?
You and I need to learn to get up every day and say I want to live a life that is pleasing to god
And when we
When we frame every decision we make by that frame
When we look at every choice we make through that lens
I'm talking about everything
You have a decision to make what am I going to wear? You should ask yourself is what i'm wearing pleasing to god?
Is what i'm watching pleasing to the lord
Is what i'm listening to pleasing to the lord?
Is where i'm going pleasing to the lord is who i'm with pleasing the lord?
Is my life pleasing to god because paul said I live for the pleasure of the lord
He said I serve for his pleasure
We see the secret to his success was not only productive living
But it was pleasing god number three go back to galatians if you would galatians chapter one look at verse 16
We saw productive living we saw pleasing god. Here's number three paul's secret to success preaching christ
Preaching christ galatians 1 16 notice what he says two. He says this is why god saved me
To reveal his son in me that I might preach him among the heathen
Not only was this god's will for paul's life, let me just go ahead and let you know
This is god's will for every single person's life
God did not save you so that you can sit there till you die and then go to heaven
God saved you so that you can learn and grow why so I can have a better life
He wants you to have a better life
But you know the main reason that god wants you to have a better life
Is that you can be equipped to go over each other's with the gospel?
To reveal his son in me
I might preach him among the heathens and this was something that captivated paul. This was something that he became
Obsessive about this objective of reaching his area and reaching the world with the gospel
You don't have to turn here
But in acts 20 and verse 31 the bible says paul says therefore watch and remember that by the space of three years
He said I cease not to warn everyone night and day with tears
Paul was a man who was consumed by this objective paul understood that to preach the gospel
Was his goal and his goal was to preach the gospel to as many people as possible as quickly as possible
As effectively as possible as simply as possible and what to god there'd be christians tonight that would say
I want to make that my goal
I want to give my life to reach people with the gospel of jesus christ to fulfill the great commission to reach people
and teach people
Paul's secret to success he understood was preaching christ
That there's really nothing else to do
Nothing else of value
I want you to notice fourthly tonight go back to galatians chapter one
You say pastor it's already 809 and you've been hitting these one verse at a time
We're about to hit a chunk right here. All right, we're going to take care of a big chunk
For those of you that are worried
I said number one paul's secret to success was productive living
Number two pleasing god number three preaching christ
number four
a private walk
I want you to notice verse 16
He says to reveal his son in me that I might preach him among the heathen
Paul's talking about when he got saved
He said he revealed his son in me
Notice that paul understood that he did not get saved to sit. He said he revealed his son in me
He saved me that I might preach him among the heathen and then he says this
Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood
The word confer means to have a discussion with or to seek opinion with the term flesh and blood means human beings
Here's what paul says when I got saved
Immediately I conferred not he said let me tell you what I didn't do
I didn't go and ask my friends and family what they thought about it
He said immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood
He said neither went I up to jerusalem to them which were apostles before me
Now, please understand something
paul
Was something of we could call a celebrity
Do you understand that
Every christian knew who paul was
Not only did all the christians know who paul was all the enemies of christianity and the jews of the day knew who paul was
Paul was the hero to the enemies and he was the villain to the christians
He was known people knew who he was
He was somewhat we might call him a little bit of a celebrity
Now don't now here's the interesting thing
When paul got saved he did the opposite of what so-called celebrity conversions do today
Because when paul got saved he says I immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood neither went
I up to jerusalem to them which were apostles before me. You say what'd you do paul? He says but I went into arabia
You know what arabia is? It's a desert
It's a desert
I went to arabia and returned again unto damascus
I want you to understand that the first thing that paul does according to galatians is he went off alone
He got alone with god
What do we do with celebrity conversions they get saved and then we you know have them do a rap concert at joel osteen's church
Right
I mean as soon as any any celebrity and christians are always, you know, they're always so
Um, just like hungry for any celebrity to get saved. It doesn't matter what celebrity is
It could have been from like the 80s. He's like not even famous anymore, but it's just like look, you know
Don't don't be you know be impressed with christ
And you say well, what do you think about celebrity conversions, you know what I think
I think they should go into the desert of arabia
And get discipled
And read the bible
and pray
Paul
When he said neither went I to jerusalem to them which were impossible for me
But I went into arabia and returned again into damascus then after three years notice after three years
I went to jerusalem to see peter
He spent three years out in the desert
Arabia and damascus, but he spent three years not in the limelight
He didn't go just go straight into ministry
He spent three years learning growing being discipled then after three years
I went up to jerusalem to see peter and abode with him 15 days
But other of the apostles saw anon saved james the lord's brother
Now the things which I write unto you behold before god I lie not afterwards I came into the regions of syria and silicia and was
Notice verse 22 and was unknown by faith unto the churches of judea which were in christ
I want you to notice that paul understood something that if he was going to succeed in the christian life
He had to learn to get along with god
The first thing he does he doesn't go to see the big shots in jerusalem, but he goes to arabia
To a desert
The opposite of what you and I would want to do
We live in the society where nobody wants to get alone
Nobody wants to be alone with their thoughts
Everyone has to always be listening to something and watching something and something in their ears and something
I mean people can't just think it's like they're afraid to be alone with their own brain
At any given moment you I mean if you watch people and it's like if they're just standing it's like they got to pull out
the phone
Why don't you just think for a second
And here
Paul said he goes through and here's all i'm telling you
Here's all I want you to understand in the bible
There seems to be this indication in this tradition that whenever god was going to use somebody mightily they got alone with god
Think of moses
spent 40 years
in egypt
But when he left egypt the bible tells us he spent another 40 years on the back side of the desert
Alone with god
Before god used him mightily to bring the children of israel out of egypt
Think about john the baptist
He spent his life out in the deserts of judia
Before god mightily used him as the great john the baptist think about our own savior the lord
Jesus christ right before he launched his ministry. What does he do? He spends 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness by himself
I'm, just here to tell you
that
If our public lives are going to be effective
They must be an outgrowth
of our private lives
Did you hear what I said
See we live in the social media society
That wants to talk you we want to put everything out there. Look how great I am
Look how great I am. Look at all these things
I always think it's funny because people always want to tell me and people it seems to me and I know I don't call them out
I just make a mental note
But people always want to tell me all these impressive things they're gonna do
And I always think to myself that's not fair, you know
That's not fair because you're sitting here in front of this crowd telling all these people
That you're gonna do all these amazing things and you're getting all the wow
Amazing, you're wonderful and that lasts for like three days
Here's all i'm saying is whatever amazing thing you're gonna do
How about you do it for three years and then talk to me about it?
How about you go off in the desert somewhere and you go off by yourself somewhere and you get along with god somewhere?
And you get the spirit of god somewhere and then and then you don't have to tell me how great you are i'll see it
I'm just here to tell you that our private walk must feed our public walk
And look and and and in your christian life you need you need to develop a personal time with god
You need to go off into the wilderness of arabia every day
With your king james bible and get alone with god
And get alone with the holy spirit
And read the bible and study the bible and memorize the bible and pray and walk with god
And then that private life that private life
It'll manifest in its public life
Somebody said this to me recently and I and they meant it as an as a compliment. I took it as a compliment and I appreciate it
but they they they were asking me about certain things and
About our church and and they said
I can tell you study the bible
I can tell by the preaching you know, i've been to some other church and I think myself where do the pastor get this sermon from?
You know, but here here's the thing isn't that true?
I mean you I've listened to guys preach before and I think myself good night
Downloaded this from some website
And and and that's easy to understand that as a pastor, but let me tell you something
Some mothers are better mothers
Some fathers are better fathers
Some husbands are better husbands
Some wives are better mothers
Some husbands are better husbands
Some wives are better wives
Some pastors are better pastors and some church members are better church members
Because they know the bible
Because they get along with god
Because they study they study the word of god
They're not perfect, but they learn the bible. They apply the bible. They live out the bible and it's evident in their life
You want to know paul's secret to success
Before he got on stage and before he got in the limelight he got off stage and got along with god
And then number five
I said number one productive living number two pleasing god number three preaching christ number four private walk number five a powerful testimony
Notice what he says in verses 23 and 24
But they that hurt only
He said I don't have to go tell them they hurt
Look, look, you don't have to tell people you don't have to tell people how great you are if you're that great. We'll see it
But they had heard only
That he which persecuted us in times past now
Preacheth the faith which once he destroyed
They they paul
Just kept working hard kept getting up every day and wanting to please god preached christ had a private walk
And that turned into a powerful testimony
And they heard that he which persecuted us in times past now preaches faith which once he destroyed and here was their response
Verse 24 and they glorified god
God
He said and they glorified god
Don't don't miss this
I think the most powerful words in this whole chapter are the last two words
In the last verse of the chapter he says and they glorified god
in me
I just I wonder what would happen
I wonder what would happen in sacramental, california
I wonder what would happen in your job
I want what happened with your family
I wonder what would happen in this church if there was a group of people
Who decided and said i'm gonna get up every day and spend time with god and get along with god
And get some private time with god and read the bible and pray
And try to learn the bible and try to live the bible and i'm gonna try to live a life that is pleasing to god
I'm gonna preach christ when it's possible and i'm gonna live for god. I'm gonna be productive i'm gonna work hard
I
Think there would be people who would watch your lives
Who would watch our lives?
And they would glorify god
in us
That's amazing
See paul's secret to success you say what was paul's secret to success god
He loved god he served god he walked with god he lived for god
He did it all for god
And god blessed him along the way. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Heavenly father
Lord we do. Thank you for the apostle paul
So convicting
To see his life
To read about his life
So convicting to think there's so much more we could do
Lord I pray you'd help us to be people
Who would get alone with you
Go off into some desert in arabia by ourselves with our bible
And say I want to hear from god
I want to learn god's word. I want to live it. I want to live a life that's pleasing to god
I want to preach christ and be productive
And lord, I just believe that
People will see our lives and say wow
And they glorify god in it. Lord. I pray you'd help us to be those types of people
Help us to realize that you are no respecter of persons
The success that paul had was success that we can all have
Was success that we can all have
And lord, I pray you'd help us with that in the match this name of price we pray
Amen, we're gonna have brother moses come up and lead us in a final song. I think we're preparing for baptism tonight
So we'll sing as we prepare for that
Please send your song books page number 45
We're gonna sing when I can read my title clear
Here
Page number four five
And let's go ahead and sing that out on the first when I can read my title clear
And
Eyes and why my weeping eyes
And why my weeping eyes
Engage in my regards
And face
World then I can smile at satan's rage
May
Home my god, I have my all
My god
There shall I bathe my weary soul
Across my peaceful
Cross
Okay, turn your song books to page number
Page number 27
We're gonna sing the old rugged cross
So
Page number two seven and let's sing it out on the first on a hill far away
stood an old rugged cross the emblem of suffering
And I love that old cross where the
nearest and best
for a world of
Sinners was slain
So i'll cherish the old rugged cross
Tell my trophies at last I lay down
I
Will
And exchange it someday
Amen all right well we have james visa coming for baptism
Uh this evening and james has come into our church for a few weeks now, and we appreciate him
He he has an injury. He had his uh shoulder torn out of its socket
So, um, but he's getting baptized but that's why he's holding his arm just so you're aware of that
We'll try to go smoothly. All right
But james have you accepted the lord jesus christ as your personal savior? Yes
All right, james by your profession of faith
I baptized you my brother in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost
Married in the likeness of his death raised to walk a newness of life
God bless you
All right, well, thank you very much for being here tonight we want to just uh,
I just want to remind you a couple things. First of all, don't forget
Of course
We have soul winning this week love you to be a part of that and if you're a lady and you'd like to help volunteer
With the ladies tee we've got sign-up sheets in the main foyer
If you want to go by there and sign up, we would appreciate your help with that
If there's anything we can do for you, please let us know and we'll have brother moses, uh dismiss us in the word of prayer
Let's pray
Father god, thank you so much for this church lord. Thank you for the wonderful book of galatians
I pray that as we go home, we'll be able to ponder upon that
I pray that you'd uh, keep us safe on the way home in jesus name. I pray. Amen
So