Amen, all right we're in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 look at verse number 20 it says
but in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver but also
of wood and of earth and some to honor and some to dishonor if a man therefore
purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honor sanctified and meet
for the Masters use and prepare them to every good work flee also youthful lusts
but follow righteousness faith charity peace with them to call on the Lord out
of a pure heart but foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do
gender strives and the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto
all men apt to teach patient and meekness instructing those that oppose
themselves themselves if God for adventure will give them repentance to
the acknowledging of the truth and then they may recover themselves out of the
center of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will inside of the
sermon this evening is assets and liabilities assets and liabilities and
specifically referring to Christians who are assets and Christians who are a
liability all right now what is an asset what is a liability well an asset is
simply something that's useful something that's desirable a quality or a person
that has they're just useful to have value okay we would often say something
that's valuable now let me start by saying that all of God's people are
valuable in his eyes okay obviously he sent his son Jesus Christ to die for us
the Bible says that he so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life
that's how he commended his love toward us and that while we're yet sinners
Christ died for us so obviously there's a level of value that God has for us in
order for him to send his son Jesus Christ to come and die for us I'm not
referring to this matter of salvation what I'm referring to is just having the
value of doing his work okay now go with me to Matthew chapter 10 Matthew
chapter number 10 I'll read to you from Luke chapter 12 verse number 7 says but
even the very hairs of your head are all numbered fear not therefore you are more
of more value than many sparrows you see this is a verse that the vegans need to
take into consideration amen you know we're more valuable than stupid sparrows
you're like well you know I don't agree that they killed that gorilla you know
who had that little boy well I agree with that this is what you do if a child
ever falls into a gorilla pit you kill the gorilla you go to Africa and get
another one why cuz we're more valuable than the gorilla oh you know but that
has a life too I don't care the animals were made for our pleasure I like the zoo
okay but because the Bible says here that we're more valuable than the
sparrow and you can put in their gorilla you could put in their dogs okay and any
other thing that people hold more valuable into just an actual life you
see God holds us to be valuable because we're we're human beings okay we have a
soul we have a spear look at Matthew chapter 10 verse 29 it says are not two
sparrows sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground
without your father but the very hairs of your head are all numbered fear you
not therefore you're of more value than many sparrows so the Bible is telling us
here that look God holds us valuable I mean we are his children obviously
there's value in his eyes in regards to us but the value that I'm referring to
is the value that we have to be meet for the Masters use and to be prepared
unto every good work now go with me if you would to first Timothy chapter number
four I'll read to you from job chapter 22 verse number two says can a man be
profitable unto God as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself you see
someone who is wise will benefit themselves by exercising wisdom well
when we have wisdom when we exercise godliness the Bible tells us that will
be profitable unto God you see once we get saved the Bible says for by grace
are you saved through faith of that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not
of works as they mentioned both but we are his workmanship created in Christ
Jesus unto good works so after we're saved God made us so we can do good
works for him so we can go to work so we can accomplish great things for God to
be profitable to him look at 1st Timothy chapter 4 and verse number 8 says but
refuse profane and old wise fables and exercise thyself rather unto godliness
for bodily exercise profiteth little but godliness is profitable unto all things
having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come go to Psalms
chapter 4 so here we see that God is telling us hey exercise yourself rather
into godliness why because it's profitable you'll be profitable unto the
Lord you see God cannot use a worldly carnal Christian you just can't use them
why cuz you're not in the spirit you're walking in the flesh you're not minding
the things of the spirit you're not gonna put soul winning as a priority in
your personal life you're not gonna put the souls of men who are dying out there
as a priority therefore you're not godly and therefore you're not usable you see
the Bible tells us that every single one of us is ordained and deputized into the
Ministry of Reconciliation that's the responsibility that God has given to us
but you know what if you're not godly you're not gonna mind those things
you're not gonna care about people dying and going to hell look at Psalms 4 verse
3 says but know that the Lord had set apart him that is godly for himself the
Lord will hear when I call unto him I want to be a part of that part amen I
want gotta say right Bruce me here let's put him over here he's profitable you
know so-and-so that guy's profitable that lady's profitable they're putting
in the work I'm gonna set them apart because they're profitable unto the Lord
they can do great works you know whatever potential they may have they
can do great works for the Lord you know we ought to desire to be valuable okay
now you have to turn back there but at first Timothy chapter 4 verse 14 says
neglect not the gift that is indeed which is given thee by the prophecy with
the laying of the hands of the Presbyterian meditate upon these things
give thyself wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all you see when
the Bible tells us to meditate upon these things it's referring to the
things of the previous verse where it says give attendance to reading to
exhortation to doctrine when you're growing in godliness you're reading the
Word of God you're applying biblical principles to your personal life you
become profitable you become profitable unto the Lord you become profitable unto
your brethren you become profitable to a lost and dying world you become valuable
all right you become an asset not a liability now go with me if you would to
second Timothy chapter 3 I'm gonna read to you from Titus chapter 3 you go to
second Timothy chapter 3 I'm gonna read to you from Titus chapter 3 verse number
8 it says this is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm
constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good
works these things are good and profitable unto men the Bible says you
see to be godly profits us but you know what more more than that profits others
okay because one you're able to win others to Christ when you're godly but
two you're able to disciple people when you're godly okay and I'm not talking
about the guy oh you're just godly you're just so holy no I'm talking about
you're growing in your knowledge of the Word of God you have something to offer
people people will come to you with their problems they will come to you for
edification that's profitable okay now but how do you get that look at second
Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 it says all scriptures given by inspiration of God
and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction
and righteousness that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto
all good works you could apply that to the fact that you're personally reading
your Bible but you can also apply that to the preaching of God's Word so when
I'm up here preaching the Word and I'm ripping your face off don't get offended
say hey this is profitable for me I didn't know that I was lacking in this
area let me go ahead and fix it and what happens you profit from it and then you
become refined unto every good work you become furnished unto every good work
you see we live in a society a snowflake sissy society that doesn't want to hear
the truth you know we like to step on the faggots toes but when it comes to
our problems you know I don't want you to talk about my lack of character and
my laziness and all these things well you know what you need to hear about
those things so that you can grow and profit from it so you can be furnished
unto all good works you see I don't say these things just so I can offend you
for shock value I say so you can profit from it so you can mature in the Lord
not be a babe in Christ for the rest of your life and that's the problem with
churches today it's filled with babes in Christ churches that are just filled
with milk-fed babies and worst of all it's like formula okay it's like soy
that they're giving the children so it's even worse because they're not even
giving them the pure Word of God they're not giving them all scripture
they're giving them soy preaching okay that's not gonna profit anybody people
need milk raw milk amen but after the raw milk they need like meat okay they
need the chicharrones they need the carne asada amen they need the meat so
they can grow that protein spiritual protein so they can grow but you know
what that takes that takes a little bit of ripping that takes preaching the Word
being instant in season out of season reproving rebuking and exhorting with
all long-suffering in doctrine the Bible says in Titus 3 14 and let ours also
learn to maintain good works for necessary uses that they that they be
not unfruitful so the Bible is telling us here that we learn to maintain good
works so we can be fruitful okay and look the worst thing you could ever do
is be an unfruitful Christian right get saved and don't do anything now in Aruba
we saw a lot of people saved and you know what I'm gonna I'll just be
honest with the vast majority people we got saved they're probably not gonna
they're probably won't go past that there's no good church out there that
can give them good preaching there's no you know pastor out there that can help
them to be edified you know most of them are not gonna do it but thank God that
they got saved but God's will for everyone is to be fruitful God's will
for everyone is that they would maintain good works so they can produce fruit in
their personal life so they can have a better resurrection that's the purpose
of God saving us after is to do good works go to 2nd Timothy chapter 4 2nd
Timothy chapter 4 2nd Timothy chapter 4 in verse number 11 look at the Bible
says here excuse me verse number 10 says for Demas hath forsaken me having loved
this present world and departed to Thessalonica Cretans to Galatia Titus to
Dalmatia only Luke is with me take mark and bring him with thee for he is
profitable to me for the ministry so he's saying there look Demas forsook
me but I want mark because mark is profitable for the ministry and by the
way he's not talking like the parking ministry either he's not talking about
like you know other ministries he's talking about soul winning is what he's
talking about okay you know we need people who are profitable for the
ministry to be an asset okay people who know how to lead others to the Lord
people who can give the gospel clearly and and they're thorough in their gospel
presentation go to Philemon Philemon by the way I apologize for earlier I'm
still jet lag right now okay 13 hours in the flight I get a little I'm a little
jet lag on the flight last night coming back I had the most scariest experience
we were like on the plane now on when you're on an airplane how many been on
an airplane before okay when you're on an airplane you get turbulence right
well when you get turbulence the pilot comes on and says hey we're experiencing
turbulence you know put your seatbelts on right well last night we're flying
all of a sudden the plane does this all the way everyone's screaming they're
like flying all over the place and then it just levels out and no one says a
word and I'm like well we're just gonna die right now or what like and I'm
thinking myself I'm not going to sleep anymore you know because when I go to
sleep I might wake up in heaven but it was the worst and you know you you
someone right before we took off told me of a bad airplane accident that took
place years ago I'm like that's not what I want to hear right before I get in an
airplane so I'm a little jet lag sorry Philemon chapter one I'm still in a
rheumatoid which is like three hours ahead I should be in bed right now
Philemon 1 verse 8 says wherefore though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin
thee that which is convenient yet for love's sake I rather beseech thee being
such and one as Paul the aged and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ I
beseech thee for my son Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bonds which in time
past was to the unprofitable so back in the day this guy that it wasn't they
didn't know how to maintain good works because we obviously know someone who's
profitable someone who knows how to do the ministry he says in time past this
guy did it he was not profitable he was a liability he wasn't an asset but now
profitable to thee and to me whom I have sent again thou thou therefore receive
him that is mine own vows whom I would have retained with me then and I said he
might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel but without thy
mind would I do nothing that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity
but willingly so Onesimus he had this testimony that was just like well this
guy can't do anything he's not valuable it doesn't have any skills but now he
was by the way that didn't happen by osmosis they didn't have him by
accident he didn't just one day wake up and then he just became this great
Christian no obviously that took place because he was putting in the work okay
he was becoming an asset he wasn't becoming a liability now go with me if
you would to Philippians chapter 2 Philippians chapter 2 I'll read to you
from Nehemiah chapter 4 verse 19 it says and I said unto the nobles and to the
rulers and to the rest of the people the work is great and large and we are
separated upon the wall one far from another and will place therefore you
hear the sound of the trumpet resort ye thither unto us our God shall fight for
us so we labored in the work and half of them held the Spears from the rising of
the morning to the stars appeared so as they're building the wall they have the
sword but they also have the spear you know they're you know you call that you
call that multitasking and we need Christians were able to do that you know
fight the spiritual battles but also keep their home in order right you know
being able to read the Bible but be a good worker at your secular job you know
be a good soul winner but be a good church member as well you know have the
sword and also have the spear and also build at the same time be a multitasking
type of a Christian look at Philippians chapter 2 verse 15 it says they may they
may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a
crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world holding
forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have
not run in vain neither labored in vain yay and if I be offered upon the
sacrifice and service of your faith I joy and rejoice with you all and so he
says there you know you need to hold the word of truth you know for the rest of
you like so it doesn't seem like I'm running in vain okay and you think about
the people who have invested in your personal life you know one motive that
should keep you in that race to become profitable is you don't want the labor
of these people who have prayed for you who have invested in you who have taught
you to be in vain all right now Romans 16 verse 12 says salute Herodian my
kinsmen greet them that be of the household of narcissus which are in the
Lord salute Tryphina and try phosa who labored in the Lord salute the beloved
purses which labored much in the Lord now Romans chapter 16 is an entire
chapter of commending and recognizing people who have labored in the Lord and
it's interesting because you have today they'll say you know you shouldn't call
people's names out you know you shouldn't name the names but the Bible
clearly tells us that we are to mark them which caused the visions and he
says that in Romans chapter 16 where he's naming the names of people who have
done right so the way you mark people for an example is by naming the names so
how do you mark them who are causing divisions by naming the names so he's
honoring them by naming the names and look he's and he's not just naming them
because you know they're like the biggest giver in the church okay they
didn't have like a you know a kiosk what the names on there of the biggest givers
in the church that's not what they're honoring the it's because they labored
and the main laboring that they did was the gospel okay now go to Acts chapter
15 now that's what a that's what an asset is and we I want to encourage
everyone this evening hey you should have the objective to become an asset in
the church okay to be an asset and not a liability you should be profitable unto
all men you should be profitable in your church you should have the skills
and the ability to say you know for the Lord to say I want to set this person
apart for myself I want to keep this guy alive I want to keep this lady alive
because they're doing a great work now there's also Christians who are
liabilities though okay and what is the liability it's basically in hit and a
hindrance something that's gonna cost something because they're just not as
valuable okay look at acts 15 verse 36 and some days after Paul said into
Barnabas let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have
preached the word of the Lord and see how they do Barnabas determined to take
with them John whose surname was mark but Paul thought not good to take him
with them who departed from them from Pamphylia and went not and went now with
them to the work and the contention was so sharp between them that they departed
asunder one from another and so Barnabas took mark and sell unto Cyprus and Paul
chose Silas and departed being recommended by the brethren unto the
grace of God so Paul's like I don't want to take this guy why because he
can't work he's thinking if I take him he's gonna be a liability not an asset
because he's not gonna work and so when we go to Jeremiah chapter 13 we don't
want to be like that person who when a leader looks at you when a when a
brethren looks at you they'll say oh man I don't want to take this person because
they're a liability I don't want them in my sowing group because they're a
liability they always butt in when I'm trying to preach the gospel okay or they
always you know they're there they're they have some sort of flaw that hinders
the work I don't want this person in my group you know what we want we want
Christians to say no I want I want to fight for that guy because I want him in
my group I know that guy can work I know that I can preach the gospel well I know
that guy knows the Bible I know this guy is profitable unto all men look at
Jeremiah chapter 13 in verse number 10 excuse me let's start at verse number 1
it says thus saith the Lord unto me go and get thee a linen girdle and put it
upon thy loins and put it not in water so I got a girdle according to the word
of the Lord and put it on my loins and the word of the Lord came unto me the
second time saying take the girdle that thou has got which is upon thy loins and
arise go to the to your your fraities and hide it there in a hole of the rock
so I went and hid it by your fraities as the Lord commanded me and he came to
pass after many days that the Lord said unto me arise go to your fraities and
take the girdle from thence which I commanded thee to hide there then I went
to your fraities and dig and took the girdle from the place where I had hit it
and behold the girdle was marred and it was profitable for nothing then the word
of the Lord came unto me saying thus saith the Lord after this manner will I
mar the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem this evil people
which refused to hear my words which walk in the imagination of their heart
and walk after other gods to serve them to worship them shall even be as this
girdle which is good for nothing now the girdle something that they would wear to
work you know it's a vessel that they would use to wear to work but here he
says it was it's marred you know it's muddy it's trashy I can't use it it's
good for nothing in fact what does that sound like to you it sounds like Matthew
chapter 5 we're talking about if the soft has lost his savor it is thence for
good for nothing but to be cast down to be trodden on the foot of men the Bible
says so the Bible tells us if we're not salty if we're not separated unto the
word of the Lord unto the gospel guess what you're good for nothing I thought
you just said they were all valuable yeah for salvation God values you as his
child but after that if you're not doing the work which by the way Matthew
chapter 5 what does the Bible says let your light so shine before men that they
may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven so the
good work is closely related to you being good for something what is that
something the gospel okay now go to John chapter 15 so be that girdle that vessel
unto honor meet for the Masters use you know I've met people in the past and
we'll get into it just a little bit where there are a liability to the
church there are liability to the pastor they look all of us have problems and if
you don't if you say you don't have problems then you're lying you probably
are the problem okay let me just say that all of us have issues but you know
we need to grow to the point where we can live a normal life and deal with
those issues that makes sense okay to to lead a normal life to be consistent in
the things of God while you're dealing with those issues that's that's what an
asset does a liability on the other hand they spread those issues to everyone
else okay they're constantly talking about their problems they're constantly
weighing people down they're constantly just not being an asset they're being a
liability and look church is here to help you with your problems but we need
to work on not being high maintenance Christians you know a high maintenance
Christian the person is it's just like good I mean they need to be cared for
hand and foot okay and look we don't have that problem in our church but this
is preventative a case that ever takes place because you might be a prevent you
might be a high maintenance Christian right now but after the sermon you're
probably not gonna be you're probably planning to tell people you're about
your problems after the service you're probably not gonna do that anymore look
if there's an issue you're going through come talk to me come talk to anybody
else but don't be characterized as someone who always does that okay you
got to get to a point where you mature enough that you can actually help
someone else by the way why you're dealing with your issues okay especially
if you're a man especially if you're a man okay we'll get to that in just a bit
John 15 verse 4 says abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit
of itself except that abide in the vine no more can you accept ye abide in me I
am the vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same
bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing if a bit if a man
abide not in me is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather
them and cast them into the fire and they are burned now if you take LeBlanc's
you know interpretation of this he's saying if you're not gonna work for God
if you're not gonna abide in his word you're gonna go to hell that stinking
heretic what that's referring to is the fact that you just become useless that's
what you do to branches when they're broken off guess what they're doing
people do men gather them I mean do men gather you and cast you into the lake of
fire if you're good for nothing no men gather them the Bible says and they're
cast into the fire they are burned means they're useless okay and you know it
could happen that it could get to a point in your life when you just don't
do anything for God and God just says all right well I'm just gonna take you
home because you're useless it's just it why because you become a liability to
the gospel you become an hindrance to the gospel it goes on to say if you
abide in me and my words abide in you you shall ask what you will and it shall
be done unto you here it is my father glorify that you bear much fruit so
shall you be my disciples so again it's it's in reference to bearing fruit okay
now go to Jude 20 Jude chapter 20 so excuse me Jude verse 20 I'm tired I'm
sorry I'm really tired I'm struggling this afternoon Jude doesn't have 20
chapters okay if you didn't know that you're as jet-lagged as I am man so how
can you be an asset so I'm gonna give you some principles of how to be an
asset I'm gonna give you some points on how to be an asset and then we're gonna
look at the counterpart of that which is don't do this if you want to be a
liability okay this is very practical but it's necessary to talk about because
you know there's new people in our church or you're a brand new Christian
or even if you've been a Christian for a long time you need to be reminded of
these things number one if you want to be an asset you need to grow yourself
and I don't mean physically either okay I mean grow yourself spiritually look
what Jude 20 says but ye beloved building up yourselves on your most holy
faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep yourselves in the love of God looking
for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life so it says in verse
20 building up yourselves now when you come to church you get edified to be
edified means to get to get built right by God's preaching but the preaching of
God's Word but you know what you only come to church on Sunday and Thursday so
what are you doing the rest of the week right you get sermon Sunday morning
Sunday night Thursday evening but you know what also counts as Monday Tuesday
Wednesday Friday and Saturday you need to be building yourself up nobody eats
one meal or two meals a week nobody does that and survives you know you need to
eat every single day you see you come to church to confirm what you're already
getting in your Bible reading you come to church to learn some new things and
to confirm them when you go back home and read them in your Bible but the main
growth comes from you reading the Bible on your own it comes from growing
yourself don't expect to grow in our church by osmosis well I'm part of
faithful word Baptist Church just inject that you know that growth serum we're
good to go it doesn't work that way okay just becoming just because you come to
faith for Baptist Church whether here or in Tempe you're not gonna grow like that
you will grow by learning some new concepts in church learning doctrine
doctrine in church but the majority of your growth is by yourself and you need
to be the kind of Christian that has the objective I want to grow and not
just remain where I'm at you know every single year let me ask you a question
are you the same Christian today that you were a year ago you know how much
more do you know today than you knew last year at this time have you read
your Bible more have you prayed more have you learned to give the gospel the
gospel presentation a lot more clearly have you seen more people saved measure
these things think about them have you grown and look if you if you can't say
yes to any of those things okay then just start today just say all right I
need to start growing myself making a plan and doing it and if you're planning
to grow guess what you need to make a plan is what you need to do don't just
say well Monday we're gonna I'm gonna start growing okay so how does that mean
what does that look like well just like doing spiritual stuff oh so what does
that mean you know you have that if it's not specific it's not dynamic I learned
that in Bible College okay but it's true if it's not specific it's not dynamic
you know you need to be specific with your goals whether it's how many times
you read the Bible how many souls you want to win to the Lord this year okay
how many verses you want to memorize you know that specific sin that you may be
struggling with you want to overcome or whatever it is you know you got to have
specific goals that you want to adhere to in order to be successful grow
yourself and if you don't know come talk to one of us and say hey I want to grow
but I don't know where to start you know we can help you out with that that's
what you need but you need to grow okay you can grow listening to preaching you
can grow on YouTube land but you will only go so far because look you're
listening to the teaching of someone who is spirit filled but you got the Holy
Spirit of God living within you too the Bible calls him the unction okay that we
have the anointing that we have and he's willing to teach you every single day a
lot of people don't take advantage of that we have the Holy Spirit of God
living within us and look don't feel intimidated if you don't know a whole
lot of Bible either grow at your own pace but you need to grow okay don't be
stagnant don't remain a babe in Christ the Bible says go to Luke chapter 2 Luke
chapter 2 I'm gonna read to you from Hebrews chapter 5 well we'll read from
Luke 2 first Luke chapter 2 verse number 40 the Bible says in verse 40 and the
child grew and waxed strong in the spirit filled with wisdom and the grace
of God was upon him so talk about growing obviously he's talking about
growing physically but the Bible says that he waxed strong in the spirit you
know what area every Christian needs to grow in is waxing strong in the spirit
to be strong in the Lord and the power of his might you know to learn how to
walk in the spirit to not fulfill the lust of the flesh okay we need to learn
how to be spirit filled Christians and you get spirit filled by obviously
reading the Bible but but just praying forgot to fill you you know one of the
ways the elements of the resources how we could be filled with the spirits
singing song singing spiritual songs you know why you're so carnal cuz you're
always listening to rap or pop or you know whatever homo hood is out there
putting out music you're listening to that kind of music that's making you
carnal you know that's why you're not spirit filled instead of coveting the
men who are spirit filled just put the stupid music away the rock music or the
rap music or the country music we're in LA the banda music koritos whatever it
is put it away and start singing spiritual songs I just got this struggle
I just love hip-hop well let me just help you with that problem all rappers
are faggots right do you want to listen to them now you know well I just like
the way Eminem and he's a faggot he's a sodomite all those guys who are super
famous in Hollywood who are looking who are rappers they're homos that's how
they get to the top they have to be a homo a reprobate so you're coming to
church hearing brother Mahia rip on faggots and you're like hey man that's
right but then you go in your car and you start bumping Tekashi 6ix9ine or
whatever stupid rappers out there who's a homo so he's indoctrinating you and
he's probably indoctrinating you more than he's that I'm indoctrinating you
listen to music over and over and over again you know put that garbage away
from you get you know you need to grow and wax strong in the spirit that's what
you need to do to be a spirit filled Christian to have the power of God on
your life you know you hear about these stories who people who are great soul
winners they don't it doesn't happen by accidents because they're filled with
the spirit you know people don't believe the many numbers that we saw
saved like on the mission field and stuff but you know why they don't
believe it because they're not spirit filled they have to use all these carnal
ways of getting people saved track drops and door hangers 50,000 tracks that were
given out and door hangers and all this stuff to create the superficial growth
when we're actually actually going out there preaching the gospel and see people
what's the difference being spirit filled you're claiming you're filled
the spirit yes because I'm not claiming to have anything that you can't have you
can have the same exact feeling of that spirit it's not difficult just you just
got to adhere to what God says in his word that's how you can do it and look I
mean Santiago who got saved on the missions trip that guy's spirit filled
because as soon as he got say what do you do he got baptized and as soon as
he got baptized what he do he started so winning youth I made him a spirit
filled Christian right off the bat okay he got his hind her parts out of bed
every day and went so winning with us he made that decision he says I'm gonna go
so winning today put everything else on the back burner I'm going so winning and
he did it you know that's a spirit filled guy so
you know how can you be an asset well you need to be a spirit for Christian
but you need to grow yourself okay you need to grow you need to be a spirit
filled Christian that's how you can be an asset you know what our liabilities
are Christians who are just fleshly and carnal worldly fleshly carnal people
because they don't get spiritual truths they can't pay attention to the
preaching of God's Word they can't apply the preaching to God's Word they don't
want to apply it and then they become worldly and carnal okay now go to 2nd
Timothy chapter 2 where we started and then this goes along with point number
one but how do you be an asset you need to read the Bible for information as
well as inspiration now I came from a church where they would just say hey
read the Bible for inspiration not information they had that in their
discipleship book okay it was a read the Bible for inspiration not information
now that came from the house Jack Hiles you know generation where much of the
learning of God's Word was only for inspiration not information that's why
they didn't know the Bible okay that's why they allow so much false doctrine to
creep into their churches because of that but we can't be that way okay we
need to read the Bible for information as well as inspiration the Bible says in
2nd Timothy you don't have to turn there you're in chapter 2 I'll read to you
from chapter 3 it says all scriptures given by inspiration of God is proper
profitable for doctrine for reproof or correction for instruction in
righteousness 2nd Timothy 2 22 says flee also youthful lusts but follow
righteousness faith charity peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure
heart but foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do
gender strives so the Bible is telling us there is that we need to follow
righteousness well according to chapter 3 how does that look by reading the
Bible you know we need to make the Bible a priority in our lives and get
information as well as inspiration you know we had I think in even our church
we have the temptation to only go for information but we're not using for
inspiration you know you need to go to the Bible when you're heartbroken you
know don't be putting in the song in it reminds you of your old girlfriend or
something you know don't watch some stupid television show to get your mind
off of things go to the Bible that's for comfort and for inspiration as well
as for information okay 1st Timothy chapter 4 verse 13 says till I come give
attendance to reading text rotation to doctrine go to 2nd Peter chapter 3 2nd
Peter chapter 3 2nd Peter chapter 3 you know do do personal Bible studies you
know well I'm not gonna be a preacher just do it anyways I mean is there any
hurt in studying the Bible right just to learn what the Bible says about a
specific subject if you're interested to know what the Bible says on a subject
before coming to ask me why don't you just study it on your own
find out what the Bible says come confirm it or whatever and and and but
grow and look it feels good when you learn the Bible on your own when you get
that biblical truth on your own it feels good okay you're just like wow you know
the Holy Spirit taught me or wow I got this biblical truth I mean have you guys
ever read the Bible where it's just like you know something comes comes to you or
you know you get other scriptures that you're reading in context and it's just
a light bulb goes on you guys ever had those moments reading the Bible you get
this nugget of truth you like whoa that's cool you know and then you just
want to tell it and tell everyone about it you know that's a good feeling you
could have that feeling all the time but you gotta study the Bible and look
don't study the Bible along with YouTube right you know just study the Bible
YouTube is great by the way subscribe to the YouTube channel if you have not
already I'm just going FWV CLA make sure you subscribe hit that like button but
you know you need to make sure that you're just studying the Bible as well
you have time where you're just reading the Word of God and don't speed read the
Bible okay it's not good to speed read the Bible all right and I'm not talking
about read it fast I'm talking about when you're reading it and you use that
speed reading technique which is you're not pronouncing the words you're just
kind of reading it in blocks you need to make sure when you read the Bible you
read it carefully you're studying every single word you're just meditating on
you're ruminating on God's Word to ruminate means to meditate it's just to
chew on something for a while okay it's good for you now look at what I have you
turn 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 16 says as also in all his epistles speaking in
them of these things in which are some things hard to be understood which they
that are unlearned and unstable rest as they do also the other scriptures unto
their own destruction so the Bible's telling us here that people were
twisting corrupting resting perverting Paul's epistles right it says in verse
18 go to verse 18 it says but growing grace and in the knowledge of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ to him be glory both now and forever so it says here the
counter to that the way we can avoid that is what to grow in grace and in the
knowledge you know in fact look at verse 17 ye therefore beloved seeing you know
these things before beware lest he also being led away with the error of the
wicked fall from your own steadfastness and then he gives the admonition to grow
in grace and in the knowledge you see oh you wonder why a lot of these old IFP
churches that used to preach right are now we're preaching repenting your sins
or they're going into weird doctrine it's because they stopped growing now
some of them have been devils from the beginning from the beginning I
understand that but there's people who are actually saved okay they preach the
right gospel they're saved but because they're growing in their knowledge of
commentaries growing in the grace and in the knowledge of their commentaries
they're not growing in God's Word they're being led away by strange and
diverse doctrines I'm I'm hearing about people that I know personally pastors
who are preaching faith alone at one point now they're talking about
repenting of your sins you know how that takes place when they're not growing
when they get their bookshelf full of all these books of theology doctrines
one two three and four and all the way to fifteen by David cloud you know and
by the way if you were to tell that same person hey David clouds the heretic go
say oh yeah we just got you up to me to spit out the bones there's no meat
there's no bones it's all like rotten food it's it's a sewer it's done you're
just eating dung is what you're doing you're eating dung with whipped cream on
top this is what you're doing because it looks good it sounds good at in some
points but it's it's it's rotten it's garbage and so and they'll say well you
know we I can read that nothing can happen to me because I know what I
believe but then you look five years ten years later they're saying the same
exact thing that they were saying in that book why because they stopped
growing these David clouds and the right comforts of this world who are twisting
perverting scripture what are they doing now they're influencing even independent
fundamental Baptist and the Baptist don't even know it you know because they
stop growing they claim that we're coming up with new doctrines no we're
now we're just growing you know we're just growing in grace and in the
knowledge you know to say that we're coming up with new doctrines to say that
you can't get anything new out of the Bible you can get new things out of the
Bible you understand that I'm not talking about things that have never
been preached I'm talking about different facets of the same diamond is
what I'm saying you know different illustrations that basically teach the
same exact thing that the entire Bible teaches because obviously they don't
esteem God's Word enough then obviously they probably think well we already know
the entire Bible there's nothing new to learn from the Bible yes there is if if
there isn't anything new to learn from the Bible then the Bible wouldn't have
told tell the tell us to grow in grace it's a perpetual thing okay because
once you learn something guess what you do you move on to the next right now go
to Proverbs 16 so if you want to be an asset in the church read the Bible
become knowledgeable of the Word of God but here's a good one be an emotionally
stable Christian yeah emotionally stable that means you're like this not like
this there's people like that it's like one day it's like straight bipolar one
day is praise the Lord the next day is just like you know they're just up it's
a roller coaster type of life we need to be emotionally stable now ladies you
know I get it all right you know but even ladies need if you need to be you
can't wear your emotions on your sleeves you know what that means that means
everyone can see how you're feeling okay and everyone has the right to have a bad
day don't get me wrong okay if you're having a rough day you have every single
right to have a rough day but you know there comes a point if you want to be an
asset as a Christian you just can't tell everyone with your face that you're
having a bad day you know why because people are looking at you and people who
look up to you are looking at your face okay I can't believe you just will just
believe it cuz I just did and remember remember one of the first points where
I was talking about preaching to you so you can be profit you well it's time to
profit right now okay you're about to profit something right now don't wear
your emotions on your sleeves ladies if you're having a rough day you know have
your rough day but you know what my father-in-law used to say fake it till
you make it you know sometimes you just gotta say you know what okay I'm having
a bad day but you know what God is still on the throne I'm saved you know count
your blessings look at the silver lining and everything okay now for the men we
really don't have that luxury of having a bad day okay and if we have it you
know what then you need to suck it up and stop being a little snowflake okay
now look there's seasons and times when something hard hits us that it's it's
it's it's valid for you to have a bad day and you can't do anything about it
I'm not talking about that I'm talking about when you're just characterized as
being a just emotional unstable Christian it's like you can't say
anything to this person because they're just fall apart right in front of you
don't be that kind of person and that's not in our church okay none of the both
of these groups are not in our church but I'm preaching it before it gets in
our church okay so if you're look if you're thinking about breaking down
after service oh you're probably not gonna do it anymore okay don't be an
emotionally unstable Christian Proverbs 16 32 says he that is slow to anger is
better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit then he that taketh a
city the Bible says you know if you want to be mighty spirit-filled you need to
control your temper need to control your emotions okay you need to have
fortitude with your emotions now this morning we're talking about morning okay
and if someone dies in your family don't just like I'm fine you know you know let
loose if you have to mourn because it's biblical you know I don't look down at
anybody who weeps in front of me if they're going through a hard time that's
not I weep everyone weeps it's a normal thing I'm talking about those who are
characterized by that it's like oh here comes so-and-so again you know they're
gonna start breaking down they have no rule over their own spirit now what the
guys this is what it comes this is what guys struggle with is anger okay they
have a short fuse okay you need to control that that's a that's someone who
has no rule over their own spirit well I'm just um I'm macho no you are
assisted because you can't even rule yourself you see a leader leads other
people but before they lead other people guess who they have to leave
first themselves you know you can't even get yourself out of bed you can't you
know get your stuff together you know you need to start ruling yourself ruling
your emotions I'm having a bad day then do something to go get a coffee or so go
take a nap go get a burger find a remedy I'm just having a bad day don't come at
me with that garbage if you're having a bad day then I'll say look you need like
some iced coffee or something and get over it okay especially if you're a
fear if you're a husband with children a wife and children now those of you are
not married you have an opportunity to fix this before you get married okay
that's a good thing you need to make sure that before you get married hey
you're emotionally stable you're not all over the place you know how to control
your anger well I'm just I just get so mad so easily yeah cuz you're not
spirit-filled okay and here's what you do I'm not saying don't ever get mad
just get mad about the right things don't get mad over some stupid little
thing that you know someone tells you or puts you down on you know you need to
grow some thick skin okay and get mad about the right things get mad about sin
get mad about you know the things the devil get mad about false doctrine let
that stuff piss you off don't let a little stupid thing let stupid things be
water off for Doug's back you shouldn't be the kind of Christian that's just
easily pushed over you know I mean he's just like he's about to blow I used to
know someone like that and at the church plant where I started and this person
you can even say hi to that person without that guy getting mad it was a
guy you know I'm talking about you know there's a guy there and he was just like
if you said hi a certain way it was just like this guy you didn't look at him
right when you said hi or something you know and he'd jump all over you it's just
like man this guy's has you talk about pushing buttons his whole body was a
button it could not be pushed you know and look lo and behold he loves CCM
Christian contemporary music by the way don't listen to faggot II contemporary
Christian music that don't make you nice and soft as a teddy bear okay and you
wonder why your emotions are struggling and always because it's fleshly music
it's making you fleshly you know hymns make you strong okay not rap music not
CCM no hymns make you strong okay the Psalms make you strong that fortifies
your spirit okay whereas the other garbage fortifies your flesh and that's
why you find you're so emotionally unstable okay look at Proverbs 25 go to
Proverbs chapter 25 so if you want to be an asset you know being emotionally
stable Christian you know don't always you know okay like for example mark okay
mark is the kind of Christian she's being emotionally unstable right now I
just have mercy on her but she's a little girl she's able to do that all
right she's all right she's all right I'm just kidding but for example mark
mark has a spirit where he's like constantly excited but he's always like
that but that's that's where he's always at though he doesn't have to make
himself go to he's just always there you know I mean sometimes it's just too
much okay but mark is one of the most positive guys that I've ever met to be
honest like nothing ever tears that guy that he's just always happy about
everything you know but that's that's his that's his volume of his spirit
that's where he starts off as but if that's not you and you're down here
don't always work to get up here all the time okay just stay where you're at
and be consistent there does that make sense to everyone what I'm saying is
this is because you're gonna try to fake it to be all the way up here and guess
what you're gonna be like this all the time because that's not really you Oh
praise the Lord man everything's great and then when you're having a bad day
it's just like whoa what's wrong with this guy you know because that's not
really you you see we need to make sure we're not we need we got to make sure
that we ourselves is what I'm saying okay and then you're just emotionally
stable exactly where you're at look I'll use dr. Reed as an example dr. Rita is
the opposite of mark okay she's very quiet and me but you know what she gets
excited in her own way right you know I see her would sometimes when I'm
ripping on the homos and I'm ripping on false doctrine she just she does one of
these she's it just she wants to say man but she knows she's not allowed to
all right but you know what she's excited in her own way she's just she's
not like you know up here and down here she's just steady so we need to make
sure that we're steady and what that means to us you know what what as far as
like our personality is concerned okay don't try to be something that you're
not just try to be emotionally stable go to first Samuel chapter 30 I'm sorry
Proverbs chapter 25 verse 28 says he that hath no rule over his own spirit
is like a city that is broken down and without walls so the enemy easily gets
in tempts you that's why when you're emotionally unstable you get involved in
sin because you're like a city that is broken down without walls you go back to
your old ways you got to be emotionally stable in order to be an asset look at
first Samuel chapter 30 now a good example of this is David because there's
times in David's life when he was emotional I mean right you read the
Psalms he wept we read this morning how he made his bed to swim you know but he
had a valid reason to do that I mean people are trying to kill him he lost
his child all these things different things are happening in his personal
life but to be quite honest with you David was a very emotionally stable guy
and in fact in this story in first Samuel chapter 30 the city is being
taken over okay we're on the wrong scripture is it the right one am I still
jet-lagged here all right we're good okay first Samuel chapter 30 now so he
is emotionally stable because in this story they take over zig-lagged I think
it was the malachites who took over zig-lagged and they kidnap all the
people out of that city the women the children and the Bible tells us that
his own guys David's own guys spake of stoning him I mean it's it's just like
if I were to fail and then Paul and you know gets with high gonna like we need
to stone Bruce it was like what happened and he's like their leader and he's like
they speak of stoning him because they're grieved over the the kidnapping
of their families and stuff and so look over success and David was greatly
distressed that's an emotion right he's greatly he's like oh man my family's
gone these guys are going to kill me because their families are gone for the
people spake of stoning him because the soul of all the people was grieved every
man for his sons and for their for his daughters but David encouraged himself
in the Lord his God that's an emotionally stable person he's distressed
the people are distressed you know he did he's like well I'm not gonna get any
encouragement from these guys they want to kill me I'm gonna get my
encouragement in the Lord you know and he encouraged himself in the Lord and
because he did that he got the plan to say you know what I'm we're gonna go
rescue them and they got everything back but what if he hadn't encouraged himself
in the Lord you know what would have happened then you see a lot of decisions
in life are based upon the male leader who's spear-filled who has emotional
stability okay you know when you're under pressure things are going bad and
people look to you you might be distressed inside but you know what you
need to make sure that you man up gird up thy loins like a man encourage
yourself in the Lord and make the right kind of decisions because you can't make
good decisions when you're emotional right you know my father-in-law used to
say don't make decisions when your decision-maker is broken okay but if you
encourage yourself in the Lord you go according to what God says you can make
good judgment okay especially as the man so go to Galatians chapter 6 so if you
want to be an asset in the church be emotionally stable okay and again I'm
not talking about you know tragedies that happen in your life and you're
emotional about that I'm not talking about that you know we that's gonna
happen and and that's perfectly fine to anybody for anybody to get emotional
like that I'm talking about when you're on your day-to-day life when that's
always you okay now number four if you want to be an asset don't be a needy
person don't be a needy person Galatians 6 verse 1 says brethren if a man be
overtaken in a fault you which are spiritual restore section one in the
spirit of meekness considering thyself lest thou also be tempted bury one
another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ so the Bible is telling us
here that we need to make sure that we're bearing the burdens of others now
looking to put our burden on others all right now again with my previous point
if you have an issue come talk to us I don't want to me I don't want you to
think that I'm not approachable about certain things you know but the fact of
the matter is you eventually need to grow out of that you see eventually
instead of going to the problem solver you actually become the problem solver
because what if I'm not here what if people aren't here what if they can't
help you then you need to figure it out okay you need to grow up and figure it
out but there's people I remember even with my father-in-law there's people he
used to call him energy takers he says there's energy givers and there's energy
takers the energy takers are the ones who come with the same problems over and
over again you know and they come with the same problem and he gives them the
solution and guess what they don't fix it the reason we're giving you the
solution is for you to fix it so you don't have to come back again so you can
grow out of that but if you don't fix this the problem you don't apply the
solution you're gonna be a needy person it's like you just always need that
person and look as our church grows because it's growing all right and then
praise God I think last week we had like 92 okay that's that was awesome today we
had like a little over 80 you know next week I'm sure we're gonna have more
because the Perry's are coming back and his family's like a grip you know and
you know the church is gonna continue to grow guess what I cannot be everyone's
best friend the people in here can't be everyone's best friend so find someone
in the church that you can be a blessing to and you can be best friends with why
I only want to I only want it in with the leadership you're wicked if that's
you I mean what do you have an agenda or something you know every Christian
should say you know I want to be friends with everyone but I'm here because I
want to be a blessing to someone that should be the the thought in your heart
okay now you know I want I want everyone to care for me no you should say well I
want to care for everyone else don't be a high-maintenance Christians you're
just needy all the time and you need everyone's attention all the time you
know if that's look every baby in Christ starts off like that by the way when I
first got saved I remember I was in my pastor's office every single week and I
remember I would sit down he's like well you know what's up what do you need I'm
like nothing just just want to talk yeah I just wanna hang out with you and he's
just like he gave me like the nod like you're wasting my time you know cuz I
didn't have any issues I just kind of wanted to be around him but then he
started teaching me the concept of discipleship he started teaching me to
invest in other people's lives and guess what at that point I didn't have time to
go talk to my pastor I was already investing in other people's lives so if
you want to grow out of being a needy Christian find someone to be a blessing
to a brand-new Christian and look we're getting a lot of visitors every single
week okay you know if you don't know who's new this is who's new in our
church the person you don't know there you go right well they're here like four
weeks ago but do you know their name no then they're new to you right yeah but
they seen me and I said hi to them I feel kind of awkward you know then this
is what you do you go up to him and say I'm sorry I don't think we have formally
met yet tell me your name again and they'll say their name my name is John
or whatever my name is Marcos nice to meet you you know what do you do for a
living and look if you want to make friends okay you ask the person
questions about themselves okay don't just talk about yourself all right well
let me tell you about my life okay ask about them all right so don't be a needy
person now what I have you turn Philippians chapter 2 Galatians I think
I already read Galatians right Galatians chapter 6 go to Philippians chapter 2
I'm jet-lagged but I'm not that jet-lagged amen just kidding Philippians
chapter 2 look at Timothy Philippians chapter 2 verse 1 says if there be if
there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any
fellowship of the Spirit if any bows and mercies fulfill you my joy they be
like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind let nothing be
done through strife or vainglory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other
better than themselves look not every man on his own things but every man also
in the things of others skip down to verse 19 but I trust in Lord Jesus to
send Timotheus shortly unto you that I also may be of good comfort when I know
your state for I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state
for all seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christ so Timothy had a
good reputation he's like this guy's caring for others you know that's why
I'm sending him because obviously he's not gonna care for himself he's gonna
care for others now you're in Philippians chapter 2 here's point
number 5 and we're almost done be a soul winner if you want to be an asset right
and that's a given look at verse 22 it says be but you know the proof of him
that as the son with the father he hath served with me in the gospel him
therefore I hope to send presently so soon as I shall see how it will go with
me go to Philippians chapter 3 and verse 17 so Timothy was a soul winner
okay so he was an asset he knew how to win people to the Lord and you want to
make sure that if you don't know how to preach the gospel that you learn how to
preach the gospel and take as long as it takes for you to learn but learn okay
start off here you have to start off as a silent partner if you have never gone
soul okay but eventually you want the goal to be I want to talk and look if
you want to ease your way into that this is what you do whatever part of you go
would say hey I think I'm ready to talk to someone but can I introduce myself
introduce the church give the invite and just hand them off to you can we start
off like that and anybody in our church will be like yeah that's fine well you
know we'll work together like that just to ease you into that but you need to
take steps into becoming a soul winner eventually where you're personally given
the gospel Philippians 3 17 says brethren be followers together of me and
mark them which also which walk so as ye have us for an ensemble from any walk of
whom I have told you often and I'll tell you even weeping that they are the
enemies of the cross of Christ now I gotta hurry up because I'm out of time
go to Proverbs chapter 18 I'm just gonna run through these really quick because
there's there's a lot more points become a skilled person use your talents okay
if you want to be an asset become a skilled person and or use your talents
now I know that there's musicians in this church okay now they may not be
here right now but there's musicians in this church we need the musicians in
this church to get on the ball and start playing those instruments amen use those
talents don't let those towns go to waste the Bible tells us in Proverbs 18
verse 1 through desire a man having separated himself seeketh and
intermetal and intermetal is with all wisdom now you say well I don't play an
instrument but you might have the character and the discipline to learn an
instrument if you want to know you're like man well so what should I do how
else can I become an asset why don't you learn how to play an instrument well I
can't do it why not he that separated himself into metal with all wisdom you
know if you're if you have character you have discipline try it out have you ever
tried to play an instrument you know have you ever tried to play a piano or
pick up the guitar and learn that you know if you have that talent if you have
that ability you should use that ability for the Lord okay now let me let me
skip some things here next is be a self motivator now what does that mean that
means no one has to kick you in your pants to get you to do what you're
supposed to do you're self motivator you don't need some hot sermon to get you to
do what you need to do the hot sermon is to confirm what you're already doing and
to nudge your husband or your wife who's not doing it I'm just kidding you know
be a self motivator where you're just like you know what I'm motivated I know
what motivates me I know what I got to do to get myself out of bed I know what
I got to do to start reading the Bible I know what to do to become a success I'm
self motivated the Bible tells us in Proverbs chapter 19 verse 24 a slothful
man hideth his hand in his bosom and will not so much as bring it to his
mouth again you see someone who's not motivated is lazy lazy people are not
motivated they don't want to do anything they don't find a motivation to go work
you know that bum who's constantly walking up and down these streets he is
a slothful bum I don't care what anybody says on YouTube land in the comments
section or how mad they got because I made that clip he's a bum he's not
motivated you need to have more compassion shut up my mom is 75 years
old she's working I don't agree with women working but you know what she's my
mom I can't do anything about it she pays her own bills and I'm not calling
her like hey mom you need to get up in the morning go work you know she's
telling me about the deals that she's doing about the work she's getting done
she's motivated she's like I got this going on I got this go I'm slinging
furniture over here you know she's motivated and she's getting paid I like
that you know I admire that in my mom okay and you know what that's a quality
we all need to have don't be some slothful bum get up in the morning and
plan something productive to do for the week learn something don't be just a
just oh I'm just gonna come to church and that's it no learn so to be an
asset don't be a liability you know whatever it is figure out something a
project to do and do it become an asset in the church okay don't be the kind of
guy who just hides his bosom our hand in this business like why don't you know
I'm not motivated to even feed myself lazy bum you know that guy who walks
down the street like no always ask him for money you know he's motivated to beg
for money he's just not motivated to work for it Ecclesiastes verse chapter
10 verse 18 says by much slothfulness the building decayeth and through
idleness of the hands the house droppeth through let's see here let me skip that
last one here we're done go to Ecclesiastes chapter 12 so the point
that I'm gonna leave out going through the scriptures to is learn to follow and
learn to lead okay you need to learn how to follow but you also have to learn how
to lead okay learn to follow the leadership but also become a leader
that's able to lead others and get followers okay my life starts off with
the wife right single guys you know we want to do great works but you know what
you're hindered if you're not gonna get married you need to be act proactive and
trying to get married okay marriage doesn't happen by osmosis it doesn't
just fall in your lap it's just not gonna happen one day okay there needs to
be preparation for that all right and it's important marriage is important
because if you can't get a lady to follow you how are you gonna get a
church to fully you know you need to get a lady to follow you and your children
have to follow you all right now here's the last thing is this to be an asset
to improve your social skills okay what do I mean by that you need to be a
likable person I know that's profound and if you don't like this point then
just tune me out but you're probably the one who needs it the most okay you need
to improve your social skills in other words you need to be friendly and learn
how to work with people okay well I'm here to read the Bible I'm here to learn
the Bible I hate faggots I'm post-trib replacement theology I don't want to
know anything else then you're a liability then because the ministry's
paper people work not paperwork okay and look this is a perfect setting to learn
social skills because there's always new people here okay let me show you how it
starts come here for the hike how's it going good what's your name hike I'm
Bruce nice to meet you where you from yeah Armenia hey I got Armenian blood in
me that's cool all right well see you later go ahead have a seat that's a
short version but you know learn how to spark up a conversation with somebody
okay don't be the kind of person who comes to church it just sits down 30
minutes before church you just I'm here for the preaching I'm not here to make
friends you're a liability you know are you being a blue aren't you a part of
the church right you know the church meets for doctrine but it also meets for
fellowship okay so this is what you do get your butt up go talk to someone but
you're busy then go talk to someone else go talk to the person you talked to
last week go make friends okay work on your social skills because here's the
thing sometimes people think that people in our movement are weird I don't know
if you know that I'm serious they think that people in our movement are weird
but you know what they're sort of right sometimes because I met certain people
it's just like this person does not have social skills you know so you need to
make sure you're the kind of person that doesn't characterize us as that all
right we need to be normal and normal people fellowship normal people make
friends that's what they do what's that I want to get in on the joke you know
normal people make friends they fellowship okay they they make they
they they become a blessing to people all right and here's the thing is is if
you have good social skills guess what people look forward to coming back
naturally because of the preaching but because of the people okay and so you
know when new people come in don't just walk by them and not say anything you
know if Chevy's new and you're just getting up and you're just like that's
weird and if you do that don't stare at them if you walk by you catch eyes oh
I'm sorry hey what's your name Chevy hi I'm Bruce this is your first time here
no I've been here for a month oh man you know don't just walk
past people why I just I'm just a little like nervous I'm a little shy you know
we as Christians don't really have the luxury to be shy like that I mean we
talk to people every week who we don't know and we tell them that they're going
to hell if you do that on a weekly basis you're not shy if you're in here with
more than five kids you're not shy
understand that okay you'll catch that later okay you're not shy so don't come
and don't say well I'm just I struggle with shyness then you need this is how
you overcome shyness by go talking to people okay it's important because
people will come we want people to obviously people are gonna come for the
preaching and they're gonna come because they're gonna learn something but we
want to make sure that they enjoy the people here as well that they say man
that that church has great people I love the people there they're so friendly
they're they're social they're not weird you know they're normal people okay
Ecclesiastes 12 verse 10 says the preacher sought to find out acceptable
words and that which was written was upright even words of truth the words of
the wise are as goads and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies
which are given from one Shepherd so it says there that the words of the wise
are like goats it's like a stick that basically it motivates someone you know
like a motivates cattle or something you know and that's how your word should be
it motivates people okay they're motivated to talk to you you inspire
them to go soul winning you inspire them to keep coming back to church you
know it's not bad to tell someone hey I hope to see you next week you know can
you be my soul winning partner next week you know let's go hang out let's go get
a bird let's go to arts afterwards I want to invite you to come that's that's
the kind of environment we want to make sure we have in our church doctrine is
the most important okay the preaching is the most important but that doesn't mean
the fellowship is not important that doesn't mean being friendly is not
important it's very much important in fact pastor Anderson's philosophy when
it comes to missions the schedule for when we go on the mission field is this
okay he'll say the fellowship is just as important as a soul winning he'll say
that we when we're in Aruba we're so winning every single day for five hours
and before that it was fellowship and after that was fellowship oh you guys
should have gone so anymore no you know it's time to do it's time to go hang out
with the brethren and go chill out and go eat talk jokes and hit on homos
that's what we need to do you know it's it's it's great and he pastor Anderson
understands hey the fellowship is just as important because there's a
camaraderie there okay we need fellowship as Christians all right so
improve your social skills all right and start tonight go to someone that you
possibly don't know and go just introduce yourself you know hi I'm so
and so you know and hopefully that person doesn't have social I mean it's
not struggling with the social skills because then it's gonna be really
awkward okay but that's what we need to do all right and that's how you can
become an asset in our church not a liability you're actually actually
willing to go out there outside get out of your comfort zone and make someone
feel welcome all right that's pretty much it let's go ahead and bow our heads
and have a word of prayer father we thank you for your word and thank you
for the principles that we find there in pray God that you'd help us to apply
everything one of these Lord we want to be profitable in the ministry we want to
be profitable in the church and we want to be an asset we don't want to be a
liability and I pray God that you'd continue to help us to do so to continue
to grow and and grow in these areas and in Jesus name we pray amen