the title of the sermon this morning is good riddance good riddance saying
goodbye to 2019 the Bible says in Proverbs 25 verse 4 take away the dross
from the silver and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer take away
the wicked from before the king and his throne shall be established in
righteousness the term good riddance is a phrase used to express relief over the
loss of something or someone that we would consider to be undesirable or even
harmful to ourselves it's an expression that welcomes loss or departure of
something or someone and this is very much applicable to us as Christians
because of the fact that in the Christian life we're always going to
experience many losses these losses are not always bad amen and in fact in many
cases they're necessary in order for us to succeed and realize godly
achievements and accomplishments you know in fact it's actually impossible to
serve God without losing something the Bible tells us if any man come after me
let him deny himself take up his cross and follow me the Bible tells us that he
that findeth his life shall lose it but whosoever looseth it for my sake the
same shall find it you know we have to lose certain things in order to gain
something greater we have to depart from certain people depart from certain
places depart from certain habits in order to gain something greater from the
The Bible tells us in Ephesians 4 22
Colossians 3 7 says
And I put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of
him that created him so what is the Bible teaching us there well it's
telling us that in order for us to put on the new man in order for us to be
spirit filled to walk in the spirit we need to put off the old man okay we need
it on purpose walk in the spirit died to self in order to receive the blessing of
the Lord upon our lives it requires for us to deny ourselves it requires for us
to put off that sinful nature whether it's a bad habit that you're
accustomed to doing so on and so forth now these losses are often losses that
open up new doors okay to greater successes and enactments that we can do
this is a good thing the removal of impurities leaves us with the vessel for
the finer meat for the Masters use that's why the Bible tells us in
Proverbs 25 what we just read take away the dross from the silver and there
shall come forth a vessel for the finer you know when we remove the dross from
our lives we remove the dross of relationships or the places or the bad
habits what happens we get a vessel of silver we get a vessel meet for the
Masters use the Bible says nevertheless the foundation of God's sentence sure
you know the Lord know with them that are his and let everyone the name at the
name of Christ depart from iniquity for in a great house are not only vessels of
gold and of silver but also of wood and of earth 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 prepared unto every good
work but what do we see purging what do we see departing what does that call a
good riddance you know we need as Christians to have this attitude I'm not
always mourning for our loss mourning for a departure mourning because you
know something happened in our lives where someone left us or you know you
know people left us or we lost the job sometimes we just need to say good
riddance good riddance you know people want you to be like oh you know aren't
you just sad that this is happening aren't you sad this person left no good
riddance aren't you sad that people like we're like kicked out of church for
being heretics no good good riddance that's a good thing but how's your
church gonna grow how's your church gonna grow this is how it's gonna grow
by letting those people leave kicking those people out letting them depart
it's a good riddance it's good when people leave us it's good when we leave
people it's good when God removes people from our lives events habits so on and
so forth we need to purge ourselves and in fact in order for us to be meet for
the Masters use prepared unto every good work it requires purging okay the Bible
tells us this and and continually explains this to us the Bible says yea
doubtless I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of
Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do
count them but done that I may win Christ what does that mean Paul's
basically saying good riddance he's talking about the fact that he was a
Pharisee that he was at the tribe of Benjamin that he was of the circumcision
and he lost all those things and he said good riddance I kind of a dumb that's
the type of attitude that we need to have today you know the problem is
though is that sometimes people have a hard time saying good riddance of things
to people to places they want to hold on to that pernicious relationship don't
they they want to hold on to that lethal habit you know a good example of this or
should I say a bad example is the Prophet Samuel go with me if you would
to 1st Samuel chapter 15 1st Samuel chapter 15 now we all know the story of
Saul and Saul was the first king of Israel the Bible says that he stood head
and shoulders above everyone else he was a very great king at one point you know
he had a good start but then he began to disobey the Lord you know he began to
offer the sacrifices the Bible says that he forced himself this is what he said
he forced himself to do it he disobeyed God when God specifically instructed him
to rid the land of the Amalekites he only halfway obeyed which is still
disobedience he began to rebel against the commandments of the Lord and it
grieved God at his heart that he had set up this king as the leader of Israel
okay and ultimately what happened well he got replaced amen you know God
believes in replacement theology and he replaced Saul with someone who was
better than him which was David he refused to correct his actions but
rather added iniquity unto iniquity and then ultimately God chose a man after
his own heart known as David to replace Saul look at 1st Samuel chapter 15 this
is after he's been told he's gonna be replaced that he sinned against God you
know obviously Samuel had a close relationship with Saul he loves Saul
look at verse 34 then Samuel went to Rhema and Saul went unto his house up to
his house to Gibeah of Saul and Samuel came no more to see Saul unto the day of
his death nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul and the Lord repented that he
had made Saul king over Israel so keep that in mind
Samuel's mourning he's sad over the fact that this wicked king is no longer gonna
be a king you know God has already made the decision the nail is in the coffin
he's going to be replaced and yet what what is Saul what is Samuel doing he's
mourning he's sad over these things right now keep in mind that Saul's is a
dangerous person he's rebellious his leadership is harming the kingdom he's
not a good person therefore his removal was necessary
Saul was being removed he was being replaced now look at chapter 16 verse 1
this is after his mourning what does it mean to mourn he's sad why is he sad
because you know he thought Saul was gonna be a great king he was doing a
great job and now he's being removed look at verse number one and the Lord
sentences Samuel how long without mourn for Saul I mean God can be sensitive but
sometimes he's just not sensitive at all he's like how long you gonna just how
long you gonna cry poor seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel
look if he's not good enough for me he's not good enough for you fill thine
horn with oil and go I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have
provided me a king among his sons yeah that's not very that's not very kind
it's not very sensitive it was necessary and God is saying hey stop
mourning for Saul stop weeping and being sad over this wicked King fill thine
horn with oil and go find another King in other words hey get up and move on
turn over a new leaf good riddance this King was harmful this leader was wicked
this leader rebelled against the word of the Lord he was a wicked person you need
to move on good riddance that he's no longer King and it's kind of I mean you
know Saul basically is figurative and he's symbolic of the nation of Israel
you know his flaws and his mistakes his rebellion against God placed him in such
a way in the Bible that now he became a byword and a proverb to represent the
unsaved nation of Israel whereas David is represents that better covenant
because he replaced Saul okay just as believers today replace the nation of
Israel but I like what he says it says fill thine horn with oil and go in other
words hey it's time to be spear filled and go move on move forward turn on or
turn over a new leaf good riddance stop mourning over the loss of this wicked
leader and may I say today that we need to stop mourning over the loss of
certain friendships leaders or even acquired routines and habits it's time
to just say good riddance to these things see you later sucker I'm not
gonna mourn over you you you ruined my life you backstabbed me you're a wicked
person hey this habit was destroying my life hey this place that I used to go to
it was ruining my life I'm getting rid of it see you later good riddance good
riddance to sugar amen all right all right you know there's a couple people
that were saying amen before but I know they didn't say remember that point why
not you're ruining my life you made me fat good riddance there's like well I'm
not ready to rid myself of that as of yet okay don't mourn 2019 say goodbye to
it okay look and there's three things that we need to say goodbye to people
places and proclivities people what the toxic relationships in our life the
places the bad environments that you used to go to and the proclivities what
is that the sinful habits that you used to have time to say goodbye I love going
into a new year because it's new goals new achievements new things that we can
do new things that we can shoot for you know God can do great things in 2020 it's
just a good reset button to say hey good riddance to 2019 I'm looking forward to
what's gonna happen in 2020 you know we had by the way we had a great year as a
church here awesome year 2019 was more successful than 2018 we saw more people
saved we took we saw more people baptized I mean Sunday after Sunday
after Sunday you know tons of baptisms our church grew numerically okay I mean
from the time that we started we started with about 40 people now we run about a
hundred and twenty five to one hundred and thirty people that's great growth
amen missions trips were tons of people God say we we got we we got a vision for
the country of Belize where we're going to go preach the gospel we're seeing a
lot of people saved there you know our men went out there to go preach the
gospel there were very successful hey we went independent in 2019 a lot of great
things happened in 2019 but you know within every year there are setbacks
there's failures there's heartbreaks there's pain there's a loss of a job
maybe there's a loss of a church a loss of a friend a loss of you know godly
leaders but you know what good riddance that's how we got to see it sometimes
you know oh that kind of hurts me well you know it hurts when we have to get
rid of something that we love but you know if God rids us of that thing if we
rid ourselves of that thing or if that person rids themselves of us we what can
we say but good riddance it's gonna help us in the long run to move forward to do
things for God okay there is a time to mourn but the Bible also says there's a
time to dance okay and no I'm not talking about breakdancing or salsa
dancing how about leaping for joy okay sorry to you know ruin your dreams there
so let me just start off by saying that when it comes to getting rid of people
places or proclivities sometimes as I mentioned God rids us of these things
okay you know he places us in a situation where these people are just
removed from our lives all right and he often does this so he can add to us
okay he rids us of something so he can add to us so we can add to ourselves
virtue knowledge temperance you know godly living and he can use us to a
greater extent all right he forces us in a situation where we have to part ways
with certain people or situations okay and you you don't want to force God's
hand away from that okay don't try to force something where God is removing
you from and let me just say this I'm not referring to marriage okay divorce
time okay I'm not talking about that okay you know if the Bible says if the
unbelieving depart let him depart but God has called us unto peace he's called
us to reconcile right now obviously if your spouse is a reprobate you need to
get away from that person because that person is wicked and violent and you
know filled with all in righteousness however you know I'm referring to other
relationships friendships or just environments habits that maybe God forces
you know maybe God has placed you in such a situation where your health is
failing you know and you're being forced to eat healthy you're being forced to
change your lifestyle do it don't say well no no I still want to have my
Twinkies and you know I still want to have sugar don't force that because
what's gonna end up happening is God's gonna have to chastise you and cause
something a greater curse to come upon you to get your attention just do it
okay by the way it's good to just change that before God has to you know put us
in a situation like that but sometimes God rids us of certain people he begins
to purge us from people and it's a good thing why because sometimes people hold
us back you know friends yay even family members can hold us back from serving
God okay you know because they keep us lukewarm or they make us cold towards
the things of God what we need to do is is allow God to separate that person
from our lives in order for us to be more effective for God okay you know the
Bible says in Jeremiah 6 29 the bellows are burned the lead is consumed of the
fire the founder which is referring to God
melteth in vain for the wicked are not plucked away
reparate silver shall men call them for the Lord has rejected them what is he
saying he's like man I'm judging Israel I'm burning it you know I'm the founder
I'm trying to melt away but the wicked are still not plucked away the dross is
not being removed therefore the Lord has rejected the nation of Israel because
the wicked are not plucked away you know in our lives God's gonna allow trials
difficulties disagreements and arguments between you and other people that are
holding you back let them melt those things away let them get rid of those
people okay don't be the type of person where God is melting in vain where you
just forcing that relationship forcing that habit forcing whatever maybe you
fill in the blank and what happens is that you basically get shelved as a
Christian okay you're no longer useful to God because of it let me also say
this is that sometimes God is the one who's getting rid of these people places
or things but sometimes people get rid of us sometimes people leave us right
and by the way this is a good thing amen because this basically is showing us
that we're doing that which is right you know when you are a salty Christian when
you are a bright burning Christian you're gonna cause people to want to get
away from you why because you talk too much you talk about God talk about the
Bible you talk about things that are important to you which are the things of
God and that repels people from ever establishing a relationship with you or
even continuing a relationship with you okay this is a good thing you know the
Bible tells us in 2nd Timothy 1 15 this now notice that all they there are in
Asia be turned away from me of whom are if I jealous and homogeneous the Bible
says so these people left the Apostle Paul you know and but this opened up new
doors for the Apostle Paul to go preach the gospel elsewhere to make new friends
fellowship with new people who are like-minded and look this may sound
like a broken record but that's exactly how our church started it's when you
know my whole church basically had one nothing to do with me they wanted me to
just disappear excommunicate me out of the church for being friends with the
most hateful preacher in America and they're like just disappear into
obscurity go away we never want to hear from you again and guess what I got I've
got myself a bunch of new friends here you know a lot of good came out of that
and so you know sometimes it hurts sometimes it's heartbreaking but just
understand that there's something greater that's around the bend when
something like that happens you know God rids us of people but sometimes people
get rid of us the Bible tells us Alexander the coppersmith didn't mean
much evil the Lord reward him according to his works of whom be thou where also
for he hath greatly withstood our words Luke 6 22 says blessed are you when men
shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their company and
shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the son of man's sake
rejoice ye in that day and leave for joy for behold your reward is great in
heaven for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets okay now this
is good this is not only good individually but let me say this even as
the new IFB movement this is good let me just say this the new IFB is alive
and well it's alive and well you know people want to look at what's going on
in the new I have been oh so much drama what's gonna happen all these things
we're just falling apart we're not falling apart for you to say that the
new I've been moving is falling apart to say that our church is falling apart I
don't see people falling apart here okay the chairs might be falling apart the
wall might be caving in a little bit the building's not that nice but you
know what we're not falling apart we're still contributing you know to what we
would consider to be our movement by winning souls preaching fiery sermons
having zealous Christians in our church it's still going strong and you know
what if people wanted to part from the new IFB or being a Baptist good riddance
I'm not gonna beg anyone to come back and be my friend I only want to be with
people who want to be my friend I want to have a relationship with people who
esteem my relationship who want to be my friend and guess what if don't people
don't want to do that good riddance well don't you need me no I got my church I
got my church I have my friends here okay look the new IP doesn't really
exist necessarily it's not because we're not a denomination what that basically
stands for is churches that are like-minded who associate with one
another that's a denomination no because no other pastor comes over here and
tells us what to do and we don't do that to other people either that's the
element that is missing okay that make doesn't make us a denomination but look
if you know it's like oh but 2019 so many pastors just like they just back
stabbed and they good riddance good riddance it's good to start off the year
like that it's good to end off the year like that where people leave people are
exposed and then at the end of the year the same exact thing because it's only
gonna make us better as a church okay and look you said what if there's only
like two churches in the movement great what's wrong with that by the way we got
our own movement going on here amen we're winning souls taking missions
trips and doing great things for God too you know everything is alive and well my
friend no good riddance to the people who don't want to associate with us good
riddance to so-called new I have beers they don't want to associate with us and
good riddance to the old I appears that don't want to associate with us either
good riddance we're not gonna ball and mourn over the replacement of Saul it's
time to fill our horn with oil fill that vessel with the Holy Spirit preach some
greater sermons reach more people see more people saved and do greater
accomplishment and enactments for the Lord time to dance right why do you
guys smile when I say dance I'm just talking about leaping for joy man not
crip walking not salsa dancing I'm talking about just rejoicing over the
fact that people are departing from us they're leaving us and that is great
okay let me say that sometimes we have to rid people from our lives so God
often puts us in a situation where you know that that relationship departs you
know people often depart from us but sometimes we have to make people depart
from us as well you know the Bible says in 1st Corinthians 5 7 purge out
therefore the old leaven that ye may be of new lump as you are unleavened for
even Christ our Passover sacrifice for us therefore let it let us keep the
feast now with old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness but
with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth the Bible says this is
referring to Church discipline okay and you know there's times in our church
that we're gonna have to purge out the leaven purge out sin someone needs to be
excommunicated from the church reprobates need to be thrown out or just
regular Christians who are involved in sin need to be asked to leave and not to
come back until they decide to repent of their sins this is very much important
oh how's the church gonna grow because this is how the church is gonna grow
okay and by the way our goal should not be church grow right but that is a
natural byproduct if we serve the Lord okay you know it's a natural byproduct
of sowing obeying God's Word doing that which is pleasing in this site the
church will naturally just take its course and grow but we're not gonna do
it by compromising means amen well you know they're in fornication but there's
still good people you know we just need to disciple them and teach them the ways
of the Lord and you know give them give them about five years or so so you want
to give them five years of fornicating in order you know two babies later and
all these things no you know we need to make sure that we are practicing this
and ridding people of our church of our lives in order for us to live a life
that's pleasing unto the Lord okay it's important the Bible says of whom is
harmonious and Alexander whom I have delivered unto Satan that they may learn
not to blaspheme the Bible tells us you know in order for a kingdom to be
established in righteousness the wicked need to be plucked away think of when
Solomon came into reign you know the first thing he did the first his first
campaign was to clean house get rid of an anisia get rid of Joab get rid of you
know I got the third guy's name the one who cursed David who's the one to curse
David shimmy I get rid of shimmy I you know just execute all these people and
it literally says at the end of that entire campaign that Solomon's kingdom
was established in righteousness why because the dross was removed oh but
Joab was so helpful to David good riddance that guy was wicked anyways
that guy took matters into his own hands was unequal was just an unjust man who
murdered people had his own agenda good riddance and this is the exact attitude
that we need to have today okay is when we look back at 2019 and look I'm not
saying be Cal I'm not saying be callous okay we're just like you just say good
riddance to everything I'm talking about to the things that harmed us
harmed our church harming your family harming your health say good riddance
to those things don't miss those things don't mourn for those things rejoice
over the fact that those people places or habits have moved on and we've moved
on from them okay now let me give you a couple things here let me give you a
couple points turn with me if you would to Matthew chapter 5 Matthew chapter
number 5 why is a good riddance a good thing and I think everyone here suffered
some sort of loss this year whether it was health wise maybe it was a
relationship you know maybe a relationship didn't work out you know if
you're not careful you just kind of dwell on those things and you go into
2020 with that same mentality and you know what happens is you start off the
year terrible okay because you start off the year with the failures of the
previous year and that's what you care with you for the remainder of the year
okay you want to start off with a clean slate and you know hey guys if a
relationship didn't work out with you and someone else good riddance look
there's a person in our church where many relationships did not work out hey
that person dodge shotgun shells amen not a bullet shotgun shells and it
shows that God's hand is on that person amen protecting them from that from
those things this is a good thing okay so lonely good riddance because your
life could have been destroyed your life could have been made miserable a living
hell if you stayed if you were you know if that relationship was established
good riddance to that okay you know hey guys maybe there's someone who lost a
job okay and it's just like man I lost my job good riddance because maybe God
has something better for you in the future maybe people separated you from
their company maybe your church just you know your old church badmouth you kick
you out and that relationship was destroyed between you and your pastor
and the church members good riddance good riddance hey maybe there's family
members who were hating on you made your life miserable and then they
finally just decided decided to just get away from you good riddance you know
many of you you know are gonna be able to go forward for God do great exploits
your schedule is now free to actually serve God because of it okay now you
could actually go soul with him now you can come to church now you can serve God
with liberty because of the fact that that person that place whatever is no
longer there this is the kind of attitude we need to have okay say good
riddance to that okay you know what once 2000 2020 rolls around all sugar shall
be removed from that kitchen don't mourn for it more not hey where's the donuts
good riddance where's the where's the sparkling cider good riddance okay
you'll see it in at the end of 2020 okay and look I'm not a hundred percent
against sugar okay you know but everything in its time and in its place
okay can't live like that can't live eating sugar can't live just eating
unhealthy all the time you know right now is the time to do that but you know
what now that time is over that season is over you say well I want to I want to
keep the sugar and the candy bars well but just think about this okay and you
better get used to this okay just think about this you know don't you want to be
effective for the Lord I do don't you want to live as long as you possibly can
to see more people saved to do greater exploits for God I know I do so in that
case I need to be a good steward of this body because I only have one I only get
one body therefore I got to be a good steward of these things in order to do
great exploits in the future and look for those of you parents who have
children so much the more why we should live a healthy life right and rid
ourselves of things that would harm us and destroy us and cause us not to live
a long life here look I believe in having many children and I'm gonna keep
having children until we can no longer have children and what that means is I'm
gonna be like 45 or 50 with a little one still I want to still be able to wrestle
with him and he deserves a dad who is still fit and can play and and can still
invest energy into him even though he's a little boy but what is that gonna do
that's gonna cause me to just get rid of certain things that are gonna be
lethal to my health okay and I'm not gonna mourn over you know not going to
raising canes good riddance I'm not gonna mourn over soda good riddance this
is the kind of attitude we need to have okay over everything not just health I'm
just speaking over things that can be lethal to us our relationships so on and
so forth but why is a good riddance a good thing number one because it can
often be a matter of life or death it can be you know there's certain things
that can bring death to your life if it does if it's not expelled and I'm talking
about sinful proclivities you know smoking for example you know if you
smoke and you need to like quit that like today like your last cigarette was
before the sermon you know because of the fact that eventually that's gonna
destroy your health it's gonna destroy your life oh you know I'm just so used
to smoking a cigarette after you eat a good meal just say good riddance to that
thing see you later you're destroying my life you're causing me to stink and to
smell when I come to church everyone knows I smoke you want everyone to know
you smoke when you come into church like by the way you know smoking off-site so
that no one sees you smoke doesn't really do much when you come back in
here because everyone knows you smoked it's like you didn't have to go that
far because we still know you did it because you smell like like you were
just lit on fire or something okay inhaling smoke into your lungs is bad
for your health say good riddance to that thing okay drinking smoking
fornication these proclivities that you possibly may have are detrimental to
your health it's detrimental to your spiritual life say good riddance to
those things don't dwell on how happy you were when you had them don't dwell
on the fact that oh it brought me such relief and made me feel fulfilled say
good riddance you know why don't you accentuate the negative ramifications of
those habits instead and say actually you know smoking made me stink it gave
me yellow teeth you know it made me short of breath my lungs are probably
destroyed because of it why don't you you know put those things in your mind
instead it's talking about how much you miss it you know oh I just I just miss
marijuana why you you made you stupid you do you like being stupid smoke on if
you want to be an idiot for the rest of your life it made you fat because you
smoke weed you got the munchies and you kept eating why don't you accentuate the
fact that you got fat because you smoked pop why don't you accentuate the fact
that made you stupid right that'll help you to like not hit that joint anymore
okay say good riddance like man that thing made me stupid good riddance that
thing made me an idiot I couldn't even pay attention it was hard for me to have
an intellectual conversation and not because of the person I was speaking to
it was because of me killed my brain cells made me fat you know say good
riddance to these things sometimes it could it can be a matter of life and
death Matthew 529 says this and if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and
cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should
perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell and if thy
right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee for it is profitable
for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body
should be cast in to hell you know I tell the story the illustration of the
rock climber who fell and he was pinned under a boulder you guys ever heard that
story he was pinned for a couple days and literally is I mean he was he was
surviving off of drinking his own urine and eating whatever insects would come
by hoping that someone would come and rescue him from his situation his arm
was pinned under a boulder and what he did was he took all the tools that he
would use to rock climb and he severed off his own arm because he thought to
himself well no one's coming this is a matter of life or death you know I need
to cut off my right hand you know cast it from me because if not I'm gonna die
and he did it and he's still rock climbing today with a cool hook on his
arm on that nub okay got a great story to tell but you know spiritually speaking
that's what we need to do sometimes and look sometimes departing from a specific
habit or a person can be painful can it not you know getting rid of someone who
you've been around but you know is toxic to your relationship or toxic to
your spiritual life it's hard but you know what if it's necessary do it better
that you serve God without that person and with that hole in your heart because
that person is no longer there then just then to not serve God and have that
person there in your life and they're holding you back okay the Bible says by
mercy and truth iniquity is purged and by the fear of the Lord men depart from
evil where foreseen we are also compassed about what so great a cloud of
witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset
us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us the Bible tells us
so what is this telling us well you know in order for us to properly run this
race the Christian race we need to lay aside every weight you know you never
see a 250 pounder trying to run trying to you know run a marathon you know at
the Olympics or something you know why they gotta lay aside the weight the sin
that doth so easy beset us look the sin beset means that it surrounds them
because we live in a world where temptation is all around us right so
what do we have to do we have to lay those things aside we can't get rid of
those things entirely we don't believe in sinless perfection but we do have to
lay those things aside in order for us to be effective in this race okay so
what I'm saying is this is that the reason something is a good riddance is
because of the fact that in some cases it could be life or death was for some
people you know maybe some of the people you hang around with are not some of the
best people that can get you maybe there's the type of people that can get
you in a lot of trouble you know they're the kind of people that will actually
cause the hand of God to come upon you and chastise you get you in prison or in
jail for being associated with them or even cause you to you know tempt you to
do something you shouldn't do and it costs you your life because I'll be
honest with you with God sometimes it's just better to take you home than to try
to correct you all the time you know to kind of save you a shameful judgment
seat of Christ better to just get right with God get rid of the person get rid
of the environment get rid of that habit because those things can those things
can potentially kill you not just spiritually but just kill you just in
general okay you know if you have family members and friends who drink that's
probably not the best people to be around especially if you had the
propensity to drink in times past it's probably not good to associate with
those people well I'm strong no take heed lest ye fall he that standeth take
heed lest ye fall whatever once in a while well you know what it may be that
once in a while that you actually get tempted you do it and it cost you your
life okay better to just separate from that stuff as much as possible well what
am I gonna do I have no friends who do you call these people these are my
friends this is my family right here obviously I have family outside of
church but to be honest with you I'm closer to my family here than I am to my
own family I'm not talking about my wife and kids I'm talking about extended
family that'd be weird you know my wife and kids those that's my life right
there okay but aside from them my church these are my peeps these are my
my cunados not cunados was a carnales right here okay you know these are my
these um this is my family all right well that's weird no because that's
that's exactly how our church family should operate okay we exhort one
another daily okay and we're there for one another we have a family bond okay
and so much the more because we're so like-minded and what we believe okay so
keep that in mind good riddance to those relationships because it could have
killed you good riddance to bad health because it was killing you good riddance
to bad relationships because they were holding you back from serving God as you
should have okay go to John 15 John 15 John chapter 15 I remember that the
evening when we were told that we can no longer come to church and they they
told us you know you have one week like they give me a deadline like you got one
week you know and I was like that was on a Thursday and I remember I was like
just just completely floored over that thought and I told my wife I was like
he's giving us one week to like leave and she's like where we're gonna go and
I was like I don't know I have no idea so then I remember on Sunday I said you
know what we won't even give him the week well this will just be our last
service and I and I purchased gift cards for the pastor and I went to him and I
said I just want to thank you for everything you've ever done for us thank
you for being my friend my pastor you're the first person who ever visited me
when I first got saved you mean a lot to me here's the gift cards thank you and
he was like see ya he was like he was basically like good riddance right and I
remember literally going home just with my wife in tears and I'm not the crying
type but that evening I was like weeping and wailing and gnashing my teeth you
know because I'm thinking like I can't believe it came to this you know you
know someone in probably a year before that someone who believes in the
posture pre-wrath rapture doctrine they told they specifically told me this they
said don't tell anybody here because if you do you're done and I told that
person oh are you trying to say what do you mean by done you're like they will
like black list you like you're gonna be done and I said no you're exaggerating
my pastor would never do that to me this is my family these are my these are my
friends I've known these people for years they were like responsible for my
spiritual growth this is a ridiculous thing that you're saying and sure enough
that's exactly what happened and everyone when it happened I was just
like this is the most devastating thing that's ever happened to us but you know
looking back good riddance good riddance in fact they should have kicked me out
sooner way I see it you know they should have kicked me out sooner and you know
certain relationships and congregations even it can be hurtful sometimes you
know because I think everyone the new avenues they're just like these mean
spirited no heart no we we have feelings too we have emotions too we
hurt like everyone else but at the end of the day we know that that could have
been look if we stayed where we're at my family part would have died spiritually
in a sense I was very fearful what was gonna happen to my son if he grew up in
that church like that that that plot alone stressed me out I think myself
like man I don't want my kid to be in the nursery I don't want my kid to go
to Sunday school class I don't want him to be around these lukewarm faggoty
looking Christians you know he's gonna be his friends like cuz I'm like you
can observe the people who are his age you know and it's like this is not a
good environment for my son I have to like work extra hard to make sure they're
like you know he's in the ways of the Lord and it's unfortunate that we're
gonna be here and I was fearful my wife can tell you I was like stressed out
about it and you know what thank God for that hurt amen
thank God for that painful affliction because now my son has like all his best
friends are in this church you know they have that train that went after church
where they run and they destroy everything even though the pastor says
don't destroy everything they did not people places and things over you know
he loves coming to church he hears the preaching of his dad you know and it's a
great environment for him now that could have been that could have cost him
his spiritual life you know I could have done everything on my part but obviously
you know a Christian's life should always be tied to a local assembly and
that was the local assembly where we're at and so thank God for that it was a
matter of life or death sometimes knowing that why is it why is a good
riddance a good thing because it's necessary in order to bear much fruit
look at the Bible says in John 15 verse 1 I am the true vine and my father is
the husband man every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and
every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it then it may bring forth more
fruit you see in order for you to win more people to Christ by the way when it
talks about bearing fruits I'm about sowing amen you know sometimes sometimes
God has to purge you remove people who are just slowing you down weights and
places environments habits in order for you to be a more effective soul winner
and I guarantee you some of you were so winners before this church but you're so
much the more soul winner now because you're here not because you know I'm
anything great or the people who hear anything great it's just because when
you're in an environment that that talks about promotes soul winning it's just
gonna you people are gonna catch on okay you know I forgot to mention this in the
habit sermon but you know they often say that in order to create a good habit
you got to be in a good environment where that habit is well established and
promoted you know if you want to be a good soul winner it's hard to do it at a
church that sucks at sewing right you ask anybody who goes to a church and
maybe they're there they listen to our sermons and they go to church where they
don't do any so winning it's hard for them it's sometimes difficult you know
because especially if the pastor's not sold the pastor's not preaching on
it doing it you know exemplifying it it's hard for them to do it's hard to be
motivated to go preach the gospel sometimes well not for me yeah I know
you're mr. hyper spiritual I get that but for the rest of us normal people you
know Fred for the rest of us peasants you know it's not as easy to do that
okay we some that's why the local church is necessary because we exhort one
another you know if you came in here you know and you're kind of like a about
sowing you can't be in a conversation without getting motivated to go preach
the gospel because everyone's doing it and then you kind of feel like out of
place if you don't do it which is a good thing okay and so if you want to bear
much fruit sometimes you have to separate yourself from lukewarm fire
extinguishing type Christians and get with those who are on fire for the Lord
preaching the gospel to bear much fruit well I'm already bearing much fruit well
you know what then that means God's gonna purge you even more in order to
bear more fruit okay and look this year we're taking it to the next level I mean
we've been we've the map is getting blue and more blue I mean pretty much south
Omani is done north Omani is almost done temple city you know is temple city up
there in the north but you know what this year Belize going to Belize seen
hundreds of people saved and Belize and look I have this vision to that every
Sony team leader will take ownership of a country amen you know we have six team
leaders and the vision that because I met with them prior to the the year
ending and I said man I want every one of you guys to take ownership of a
country you know and that'll be your country that you're responsible for Glenn
where's Glenn Glenn you got Belize that's your country you know he's
responsible for that country and look he took me why he said why did you choose
Glenn because he already went he didn't wait for March he's just like I'm going
in December you know he went they saw a lot of people saved they were very
successful and if we're gonna be successful in fulfilling the Great
Commission you know what we have to do is I can't just go so winning everywhere
around the world the team leaders here have to take ownership of a country and
say this is the country where I'm gonna preach the gospel out for the rest of my
life I'm gonna take trips there whenever I can I'm gonna encourage people to go
with me and this is how we're gonna get the job done amen and so you know this
doesn't happen at regular churches your average church that doesn't go so
winning they don't have that vision it's not gonna happen in order for you to be
a part of that you have to separate yourself from certain people who kind of
oh you're going to preach the gospel we just hand out tracks here okay well
that's your real little prideful by asking people the hundred percent
question you know no here we do door hangers you know we put the door hanger
on the door and run it's the ding-dong ditch ministry okay no we open our
mouths boldly to make known the mysteries of the gospel okay go to
Matthew 7 Matthew chapter number seven good riddance if it wasn't for that
person getting rid of us or we get rid of that person or that leader or that
church or whatever maybe it could have been life or death if it wasn't for
those people getting rid of me or getting rid of you you know what we
wouldn't have borne all this fruit this is how we have to see these things we
have to see it for what it produced not for what we lost you know if you
constantly dwell on what you lost you're not going to focus on what can be
done because of that loss every loss opens up a vacuum for you to fill in
with God's will to do something for the Lord but let me say this if you rid
yourself of that person but you don't fill it with something else then yeah
you're just gonna be this miser this miserable miser just moody person
because you're always dwelling on what you lost what you need to do is fill
that gap fill that void with work don't let it be in vain say well God remove
this now it's time to fill it with something else okay don't just dwell in
the past well in 2019 time for a new decade amen time for a new decade here's
the last point that I want to say is that why is a good riddance a good
thing well because it can often obscure our vision and our ability to help
others that's why okay look at Matthew 7 verse 3 and why behold the style
the moat that is in thy brother's eye but consider is not the beam that is in
thine own eye or how would thou say to thy brother let me pull out the moat out
of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye thou hypocrite first cast
out the beam out of thine own eye and then thou shall see clearly to cast out
the moat out of thy brother's eye what is the beam the beam is the person place
for thing that's in our eyes it's gonna it's causing us to obscure our vision we
can't see clearly okay and once we rid ourselves of that beam that moat what
happens well now we can see clearly where there is no vision the people
perish but he that keepeth the law happy as he you know in order for us to be
able to see past even 2020 we need to make sure that we get rid of certain
things whether it's in our personal lives or our personal relationships so
we can see further out into the distance we want to be a people of vision
parents be a people of vision envision what your children could be you know
don't see your children for some you know just he's just always hungry always
complaining and all these things why don't you see him for what he could be
and I'm not saying oh he's gonna be a pastor one day I'm not saying that's a
bad thing but how about just a godly person so wonder who loves the Lord you
know the vision I have for my son I want him to be a great husband one day I want
it to be a great father one day I want him to love the Lord with all his heart
soul mind and strength and look if I can instill within him within him to be
those things all kinds of opportunities to serve God will open up whether being
a pastor an evangelist a deacon the possibilities are endless you and it
takes it takes a father takes a mother to have vision for that child okay but
you can't do that if you have the beam you can't do that if you have the moat
you know good riddance to the beam good riddance to the moat because it obscured
our vision we can't see very clearly you know we need to press towards the
mark what is the sermon for this morning it's simply this hey stop mourning stop
crying stop whining okay and just say good riddance to that sucker good
riddance to that bad habit good riddance to that leader good riddance to those
pastors see us suckers you know I don't like your preaching anyways I can't
believe you said it good riddance means like bye you know you leaving leaves
another void for me to fill in with a new friend okay more opportunities this
is how we have to see this don't live in the past don't mourn dance amen we need
to make sure that we have that attitude and look at the end of 2020 or we're
gonna be same good riddance but we're also gonna be rejoicing we're gonna
we're gonna dance okay we're gonna leave for joy I need to start saying that
instead okay we're gonna leave for joy we're gonna rejoice over the successes
and accomplishment the enactments that we did in 2020 but just keep remembering
that you know good riddance to those things we're done with that
amen inspire heads and have a word of prayer father we thank you so much for
your word thank you for purging us of bad relationships or bad environments
bad habits these are good losses and Lord you're gonna continue to purchase
throughout the years and we can't dwell on a past relationship we can't dwell on
a past habit or accomplishments we need to keep moving forward and recognize
that you remove things so you can add things to us and I pray God that you'd
help us to continue to see how that mentality thank you for 2019 thank you
for all that you've done in and through your people here at this church all the
souls that were saved the tears the laughter the hurts the accomplishments
everything thank you for everything I pray God that you give us a great 2020
it's it's a beginning of a new decade and help us to capitalize on that very
concept and recognize that we have another 10 years to do great things for
you and I pray that you show yourself strong on our behalf as individuals but
also as a church and help us to be a church that honors and glorifies your
name and in Jesus name we pray amen