Saved that our spirit is saved and we can now understand the Word of God and we can live a life
That's pleasing unto the Lord
But the fact remains that our flesh is not saved the Bible says that we're waiting to with the redemption of our flesh
And we're always gonna have the flesh that wars against the spirit the spirit against the flesh. These are contrary ones in the
One another so they cannot do the things that you would
There's times in when in our personal lives when maybe we get a little carnal we get a little fleshy
We're not spear-filled we fall and we do things that are displeasing in the eyes of God
But you know one characteristic that every Christian ought to have in their life is this that we get back up
Then we rise up. All right, and the fact of the matter is the Bible says here the wicked fall into mischief
They're always going to be involved
We can are always going to be involved in those things that are ungodly and all those things that are wicked
But it should not be so among us now as a possible absolutely
But the Bible says that when we fall we ought to rise up again
We ought to get up dust off our feet
Press towards the mark forgetting those things which which are behind and press forward to those things which are before us
The Bible says go with me to what's the Psalms 37 Psalms chapter 37?
There are gonna be times when we fall, but the Bible says we ought to rise up again
I'm thankful that when we fall, you know, we don't lose our salvation
And then and one saves always say we obviously know that but it's great that when we fall
Well, it's not great when we fall, but it's great when we fall. We don't fall out of the grace of God
Someone would put it we don't fall out of salvation of some someone
You know say the Bible says here in Psalms 37 verse 23 the steps of a good man on order by the Lord and he
Delighted in his way though. He fall. He shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord
Upholded him with his hand the Bible says and why is that because the Bible says I'm given to the eternal life
Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand and that's a blessing but let me say this
It doesn't mean that when we fall we don't suffer consequences
There's consequences to sin
The Bible says for the wages of sin is death. There's always going to be a penalty for our sin on this earth
That's why we need to make sure that when we fall we get back up we fall we mess up you say man
I fell this week and I'm not reading my Bible. I'm not praying as I ought to get back up
The just man rise it up again you say man, but I feel like I've been down this road already
I failed so many times. I've done so many there's been so many times in my life that I failed
I
Mean you're still alive, right? I mean as long as you're breathing you're in a Bible believe in church
You got the Word of God
You still have a second chance to get back up and do that which is right in the side of the Lord
Man, why is it up again? Go with me to 1st Corinthians chapter number 10
1st Corinthians chapter number 10, you know, I don't believe that our lives ought to be characterized by failure
Necessarily, but there will be times in our life when we fail
You know, there's gonna be hard times when we fail
We don't measure up to the standard that maybe we have for our lives or what God asked for our lives
But here's the thing. What's important is that we get back up that we get back 1st Corinthians chapter 10 verse number 12
The Bible says here wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall
You know, we all have to be prideful people
Okay, and not think not be so foolish to think well
You know, I walk with God and I read the Bible and I pray and I memorize scripture. Nothing's ever gonna happen to me
No, we need to take heed less than fall
We need to be vigilant as the Bible says be sober be vigilant because our adversary the devil is a roaring lion walketh about
Seeking whom he may devour and every day we need to deny ourselves
We need to take up our cross
Follow the Lord and do what we're supposed to do so that we don't fall we need to give heed
Earnest heat as the Bible says to the things that God has given the things that God has given to us
But here's the thing we decide whether we stay down over get up
Yeah, I mean a lot of Christians throughout the years that have fallen they've blown it. They've messed up and they just stay down
You know one of the most annoying things to me when I watch a boxing match
Is when I see a guy get knocked down and he just stays down
You know, I admire those who can actually get even if they're waddling a little bit, you know
It's like they're putting their hands up and they're waddling. It's like man that guy's got heart. He's gonna lose this whole thing
He's probably gonna get knocked out again
But this guy's got heart and I want God to look down upon me that when I get knocked down
Even if I stand up and my legs are wobbling a little bit
He's like, you know this guy's got heart obviously he wants to get back into the fight get back into the battle
But it really it's up to you
It's really up to you whether you want to stay down or get back up and you can't blame anybody else
So I'm staying down because so-and-so offended me from so-and-so Church, you know, we'll get in line
Everyone's been offended by someone so true. You probably get offended in this church
someone here is gonna offend you and
Don't let that be a reason why you fall and don't get back up
You decide to stay down and
Get and be discouraged or to just get back up you decide to be lazy
Or to just get back up and do something great for God
To be diligent to have character in your life and do that what you're supposed to do
And you say well, you know, man
I know we're supposed to read the Bible every single day and I know that's supposed to be a constant practice in my life
But I miss yesterday. So, you know what? I'm just gonna forget this week and maybe next month. I'll start
Look if you messed up yesterday pick it up again today and then tomorrow's a new day
And start it up again today tomorrow and the day after in the day after it's something we got to do daily
Yeah, and by the way, you we can't live off of yesterday's victories
You may have had a good day reading your Bible today, but tomorrow's a new day
Monday is a new day with the flesh is there tomorrow
Okay
The flesh is there to cause you to be lazy and not read your Bible not pray not do what you're supposed to do
And we need to find it
But it's up to you whether you stay down or you get back up, you know
It's your decision whether you want to be lukewarm a lukewarm believer or a hot believer
Be hot forgot you say well, we live in the latency an area here. You're in the wrong church
Sorry, that's that goes out that door right over there make the left and go keep going
It doesn't exist
You have a choice to be on fire for God or not. Amen. Okay, and you said well, I don't feel it
Well, you know most of the time it's not all the time. It's not about how you feel
Okay, I don't feel like doing a lot of things sometimes
What one primarily is just getting up in the world and I don't think anybody feels like anything
But you don't we do it because we're supposed to and there's many things in the Christian life
But we don't feel like doing but we do it anyways
Let me say this it's like a cycle because once you don't feel like doing it, but you do it
Anyways, you'll get back into the mode where you want to do it
You say man, I don't feel like reading Bible read the Bible and guess what happens you start reading it long enough
And then you delight in the Word of God and then you want to read
You know, I don't feel like going Sony but just do it anyways and then we start leading people to crisis like man
I'm thankful I did this and then you want to do it and that's how the Christian life is
We can't be children in the Lord who only do things when we feel like doing it
Because in actuality we don't really feel like doing spiritual things all the time
We have the flesh
But it's our decision whether we stay down or we rise up to do what we're supposed to do
You can be the same Christian you've always been or you can rise up to the occasion and just get back up and be better
Okay
We can grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and keep going forward and keep wanting to grow and say
Man, I've had some setbacks. Hey join the crowd. We've all had setbacks
But you stay down or do you get back up?
Go with me if you went to judges chapter 8
The title of the sermon this this this evening is rise to the occasion rise to the occasion
When the occasion comes are you gonna stay are you gonna get up are you gonna stay down?
There's so many opportunities in the Christian life, there's so many opportunities to do something for God this side of eternity
We need to rise to the occasion and just do it and not regret it 10 years from now judges chapter 8 verse 18
The Bible reads here then said he and Zeba and Zalmunna
What manner of men were they whom he slew at Tabor and they answered as thou art
So were they each one resembled the children of a king and he said they were my brethren
Even the sons of my mother as the Lord liveth if he had saved them alive
I would not slay you and he sent him to Jethro his firstborn up and
Slay them but the youth drew not his sword for he feared because he was yet a youth
He received of this father instructed his son get up and kill the kill that guy and Jethro said well
He didn't say he said probably said in his heart. He's like I can't do this. I'm just a young guy
I'm a youth and he drew not his sword
You know many times in the spiritual applications a lot of Christians are like that. He said well, I'm not capable of doing it
I'm not I'm not able to rise up to the occasion when the Bible says that you know what we have the Word of God
And the Word of God is quick and powerful
Sharpening any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing of sunder of soul and spirit
Joints in the marrow and is the discernment of the thoughts of the intense of the heart
And if we know how to as we have those disorder the Lord, which is the the Word of God
We can do it. We need to rise up and slay the enemies now not physically. We're talking about in the spiritual sense
Say I can't do it. But you know, I can do all things through Christ with strength in the dream
That's just the bottom line, but we can't be like this young man
Who just makes excuses and say well, I'm just the youth. I can't do it. I'm just a babe in Christ
I can't do it. Of course. We can of course we can it's the effort we put into it and
Depending on that asking them to help us to do what we're supposed to do go with me put the judges chapter 3
Judges chapter number 3. So this guy he was afraid
He was scared
But the youth drew not a sword wife because he was afraid he was yet a youth
But in contrast look what judges chapter 3 says in verse 15
The Bible reads here
But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord the Lord raised it up a deliverer
He had the son of Gera a Benjamite a man left-handed
And by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab
But he had made him a dagger which had two edges of a cubit length and he did gird it under his raiment
Upon his right thigh and he brought the president to egg launch king of Moab and egg alone was a very fat man
Only had made an end to offer the present
He sent away the people that bear the present
But he himself turned again from the quarries
That were by go go and said I have I have a secret errand unto thee Oh King
Who said keep silence and all this and all that stood by went out from him and he had came on to him and he
Was sitting in a summer parlor which he had for himself alone
And he had said I have a message from God unto me and he arose out of his seat and he had put forth his left
hand and took the dagger from his right thigh and thrust it into the belly and the half also went in after the blade and
The and the fat closed upon the blade so that he could not draw the dagger
Out of his belly and look at the Bible says and the dirt came out
I mean what a contrast we see here from the the youth who drew not a sword
Even had this great task to deliver the children of Israel from the from from egg long and he took the task and he grabbed
It by the horns. He pulled out the dagger and he just stabbed that guy right in the belly and he took care of it
He delivered them because of that and the Bible says that the the dirt came out
I mean what a contrast and let me say this we ought to be like a hut
I'm sure he could have had some fear in him
I'm sure he had maybe I don't we can't tell you know if he had failures or successes in the past
But we do know this it's recorded within the Bible that he was successful when he just did
He delivered and and by the way, he obeyed God and delivering the children of Israel from egg line
Go with me if you would to Acts chapter 11
Acts chapter number 11
Are you gonna stay down are you gonna rise up are you gonna stay down or are you gonna rise to the occasion?
What opportunity has got presenting with presenting to you today?
What opportunity is gonna present to you this month? What is it that God's placing?
On the doorstep of your spiritual life that he's basically telling you. Hey, are you gonna rise to the occasion?
Are you gonna take advantage of this? Are you gonna do it?
Acts chapter 11 verse number 5 the Bible reads here
I was in the city of Joppa praying and in the trance
I saw a vision a certain vessel descend as it had been a great sheep
Let down from heaven by four corners and it came even to me upon the which when I had fast in my eyes
I considered and saw four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air and I heard a voice
Saying unto me arise Peter
Slay and eat, but I said not so Lord for nothing common or unclean had that any time entered into my mouth
But the voice answered me again from heaven what God hath cleansed that call not thou
Common and this was done three times and all were drawn up again into heaven
So here in the story we see that Peter has this vision and God drops this
Sheet down this great sheet with unclean animals what we would consider what the Bible calls unclean animals in the Old Testament
and of course Peter being used to the
The the Old Testament law said no, there's no unclean thing has ever entered into my mouth
Now we know that obviously in the New Testament
We don't observe that and the New Testament the Bible says that the ultimate testament stood in meats and drinks and diverse
Washings which really were done away with it's when Christ came and so that was no longer valid now
That was a spirit the spiritual application to that was this people and when he was saying what God was trying to get across the piers
Hey, you need to start reaching out to other people other than the Jews
You start reaching out to the Gentiles and people who are a different nation
So you can reach them for the Lord Jesus Christ and here's what he was asking. Are you gonna rise to that occasion?
Rise kill and eat rise. Go get them rise. Go preach the gospel to them rise. Go do something for God
And it took them a while to get it
Luckily Paul the Apostle Paul was the one who actually
Started reaching out to these groups and started seeing a bunch of people saved other than the Jews
And let me say this God is also speaking to us today and saying hey
We need to rise kill and eat and what does he mean by that leader rise and go and preach the gospel to everyone
We arise and go priests there's nothing uncommon or unclean here well except for the sound of my team in
Common or unclean that we can reach
God is saying get them all
Red yellow black and white get them all
And by the way, that's why it's important that hey if you speak Spanish, especially in California. You need you need to be out stolen
Okay, Alex knows we're we're stolen in Long Beach. I mean we run to a lot of Spanish-speaking people and it's frustrating for him
I mean, I know I know Spanish I can I can preach the gospel in Spanish
This frustrates people who knock all the time and it's like man
I wish I can win this person to Christ, but we can't why because they speak Spanish
But here's the thing we need to rise and reach those people
We need to rise and reach every single ethnicity that we can reach in
California are you gonna rise to the occasion to take care of that?
Are you gonna rise to the occasion to reach the people who maybe who only speak Tagalog?
Maybe they speak Spanish, maybe these maybe they speak Mandarin whatever language they speak
Hey, they're here. And by the way, save yourself a plane ticket if you want to become a missionary just stay here
There's a bunch of people here
Look, I don't know how much the ticket is to go to China, but China's like in Monterey Park
There's a bunch of Chinese people there I'm talking about only time Mandarin speaking Chinese people
Look, I'd rather just save the money just go over there
Then I can just go home and see my wife, you know, I don't have to be gone for like a week or so
But here's the thing. They're all there. Are you gonna rise and do something about it?
You see man. I just don't know that you want enough with the excuses. Let's just do it
By the way
I'm not saying you need to learn another language to reach someone if you speak English. There you go
There's a bunch of people there's a bunch of Hispanics to speak English
They speak Spanish and English and you can reach them as well
All right, but rise to the occasion and take care of business
Slay any as the Bible says judges chapter 20 if you would please judges chapter number 20
Here in the story in judges chapter 20 a great
Crime was committed by the Benjamites
these sodomites, of course, we know the story that they had raped a woman and
Israel rises up to defeat Benjamin for this great crime that was committed
It was almost as if you know, if California was Benjamin and then all the other states just rose up to come get, California
And we see here these Benjamin's they didn't they're not like the sodomites and today didn't know how to fight
They knew how to fight back then is what I'm saying, you know, these guys they knew what they were doing
They're left-handed. They can see they knew what they were doing and it took them a couple times to really defeat the Benjamin's
in verse 18 the Bible says the children of Israel arose and went up to the house of God and asked counsel of God and
said which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin and the Lord said Judah shall go up first and
The children of Israel rose up in the morning and in camp against it from Gibeah
and the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin and the men of Israel put themselves in a raid to fight against them at
Gibeah and the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah and destroyed down to the ground of the
Israelites that day 20 and 2,000 men. So here we see they got defeated 20 and 2,000 men
Talk about discouragement, right?
Well, look what it says here verse 22 and the people
and the people the men of Israel encourage themselves and
Set their battle again in a ray in the place where they put themselves on ready the first day
So they say you know what? We're gonna encourage ourselves in the Lord and let's just get back up. Let's go at it again
Let's try it again
Verse
23 the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until even and
asked counsel of the Lord saying shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother and the Lord said go
up against him and the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day and
Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel eight again
18,000 men all these drew the sword
So, I mean if it wasn't bad enough in the first place now, there's 18,000 men that were slain who drew the sword
I mean, I don't know about you, but I think I probably a little discouraged at that point like
But now look what it says verse 26
then all the children of Israel and all the people wept
went up and came into the house of God and wept and sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until
Even and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord and we're not gonna read the rest of it
But basically they ended up winning after that. Why is that because they were just persistent
You know what's missing in the life the quality is missing in Christians. Just persistence being determined
Just do it. And by the way, I think the reason these guys just kept getting up and doing it
It's because they knew they were doing right. They knew that the fight they were fighting was a right fight and
Even though they failed and they fail and people lost their lives
They knew they knew within their hearts we're doing with that which is right. We're executing righteousness here. Let's take care of business
Let's just go at it again and they won the battle. What will it take to keep you down? Ask yourself that?
What will it take to keep you down and not get back up again?
What would be due to Luke chapter 5
There's gonna be times when we fall
We're gonna stumble maybe our but maybe our faith is gonna wane a little bit and God
Maybe we're not gonna feel as spiritually strong as we need as we would want to feel
You know, we feel a little lax a little complacent
But the but at the end of the day, are you gonna get it up at the end of the day tomorrow?
You're gonna rise up read the Bible. Are you gonna rise up and preach the gospel?
Are you gonna rise up and stand for right are you gonna rise up and do that?
Which is right in the side of the Lord. So what are some times that we should rise?
First of all, let me say when it's time to follow the Lord rise to the occasion
look at the Bible says in Luke chapter 5 verse number 27 and after these things he went forth and saw a
Publican named Levi sitting at the receipt of customs and he said unto them follow me
I look what it says and he left all rose up and followed him. I mean immediately
He just got up and went
That's pretty that's pretty commendable right there. I mean this guy's working the Lord comes and says follow me. He says
Oh
You know the Lord needs some Christian is just safe. All right, let's go
Let's go
Let's do it
No questions asked. Let's just do it
Let's be all in rice to the occasion and let me say this
I'm I'm pretty sure this guy is in heaven thankful that he made that decision that day
He's like man now I'm in the Word of God, you know, I got that
I'm not like Demas who you know forsook Paul now, it's like been written in the Bible
No, I'm pretty sure he's thankful that
That thought came to his mind said I'm just gonna go let's do it. Let's go
Hey when it's time to follow, let's follow and guess what now
Now is the time to get in all in now is the time to get yourself rooted and grounded and follow the Lord as you
Ought to do a Matthew chapter 4
Who would be doing to Matthew chapter 4?
You know all of us well, maybe not all of us because how many how many
First generation Christians are in there here
All right, how many second generation? Okay, so the majority of us were first first-generation first-generation
You know, we've walked according to the course of this world
We follow things that we ought not to follow we follow the culture or whatever may have been a different religion
But now it's time to follow the Lord Jesus Christ through his word
Matthew chapter 4 verse 18 the Bible says in Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee
Saw two brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers
And he said unto them follow me and I will make you fishers of men and they straightway
That means immediately left their nets and followed him. I mean these guys left their livelihood
That which pays the bills and they said let's go
They got up and followed him. No questions asked
Now let me say this I'm not saying that you need to quit your job and just start like, you know
So what do you I mean, I'm not saying that okay
I think if you have a family you need to provide for your family, you know, I have a son
I need to work and you provide and you pay the bills
I need to put food on the table clothes on the backs of my family
What I'm saying is this is when God says hey get up. I'll make you fishers of men. Don't question it
Let's just do it. Let me say this the natural byproduct the following Christ is we become fishers of men
You know, there's this this movement so we're I'm just a Jesus follower, you know, well how many people are going to the Lord?
You know, who did you talk to you about Christ this week?
You know why I mean, I don't know the byproduct of following Christ is that you are a fisher of men you win people to Christ
Okay, now everyone obviously has some people win ten some people win five some people have different fruit
But the bottom of the bottom line is you win someone to Christ
So you can't see you're following Christ if you're not winning anybody Christ you say well, I thought I was following guys
I'm not winning anybody start following them and you will win you will win them especially in our church. Okay, it's gonna happen
Ephesians chapter 2 I
Quoted this but I'm gonna I want to read it Ephesians chapter 2 verse number 1
The Bible says you and you have equipped and you were dead and trespasses and sin
Wherein in time past he walked the forms of the course of this world according to the prince tower of the air
The spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, you know
There wasn't time when we just didn't follow that we didn't care about these things and it's sad to see Christians who still live like that
They still walk according to the course of this world
They still have this mix of this worldly mentality and this this temporal mindset that only seeks to live for the here and now
Now let's live for eternity, you know, what's the most important thing we can live for in this world
Of course is God, but for souls to see so safe
To train up our children to be soul winners to train up our families to be armies for the Lord
So we can do something great for him. That's the most important thing
But food is important clothing is important for those stuff is just that's for maintenance
What's important is the souls that we're gonna see one to the Lord
You know when we get to heaven we see that grand multitude of people that we want to the Lord
We'll understand what's most important in our lives go to 1st John chapter 2
1st John chapter number 2 when God says follow me to follow
Why don't we read our Bible so we can become better soul winners better
Witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ
So we can keep our lives clean and live a life that's pleasing them to the Lord
But it's all for the sake of reaching people for Christ and mother without compromise
without compromise
You know, I'm thankful for the independent Baptist who taught me the Romans Road
I'm thankful that I learned about the King James Bible in an independent fundamental Baptist Church
I'm thankful that they taught me not the way of the of the liberals who they just want to do this this lifestyle evangelism
No, it's it's a gospel presentation that asks for someone to call upon the name of the Lord so they can be saved
First John chapter 2 and verse under 14 says I have written unto you fathers because you have known him that is from the beginning
I have written unto you young men because you are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and you have overcome the wicked
One love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man loved the world
The love of the Father is not in him for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh and the lust of
The eyes and the pride of life is not of the father the father but of the world the Bible says
You know, we can't be worldly Christians
We have to constantly fight that in our personal lives only because we love this we're not of this where we're in this world
But we're not of this world and it's a constant battle
And how do we know that we've been infected by the world and by the world's?
philosophies when we start losing our love for the lost we start losing our love for the Word of God go with me if you
Went to Acts chapter 14. Are you gonna rise to the occasion to follow the Lord? You're not here by accident
It's a blessing that that this church has been started I'm thankful for this
I've heard so many people say that we were praying we've been praying we've been praying now the prayer has been answered
What a blessing it's not an accident and though we're gonna fellowship. We're gonna have good a good time
We're here so we can we congregate so we can get out and get some more people say amen
Let me say this
When the stones of life hit you are you gonna rise to the occasion
Acts chapter 14 in verse number 18 the Bible says here with these saying scarce restrain they the people
That they had not done sacrifice unto them and there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium
Who persuaded the people and having stoned Paul drew him out of the city supposing he had been dead
How be it as the disciples stood round about him?
He rose up and came into the city and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derby
I mean, wow, I mean Paul Paul, that's pretty amazing. I mean, I've never been physically stoned with our hit with the rock
I mean, I've been hit with a small pebble
But to be stoned by a multitude of people to the point where you just look like you're dead
To get up and then go into the next city to go preach. That says a lot
And
You know what in the United States? I don't think that's gonna happen as of yet
You know, they're not gonna persecute us as of yet
You know, we got we got some laws here that will protect us and we can exercise our religious rights
You know, we'll get sticks and stones. They break my bullet boards. You never heard of them
They don't they'll say all kinds of stuff about us, but who cares about that?
But you know in life there is stones in the sense of like spiritual stones
Will be cast us and some of them come in the form of words some of it maybe it's from your family
Maybe it's from friends
Maybe it's from people that you
esteem as as people whom you love and they've
Criticized you maybe because of your beliefs or because of the direction you're going in and you know what those stones hurt
Why because they come from the closest people that you know
And you know, unfortunately
There's a lot of Christians in all types of churches they get criticized for their beliefs and what they stand for and guess what?
They just stay down
They don't get up and go to Derby. They don't get up like Paul and say
And hurt just a tad but I can still walk and go to the next town
And let me say this wounds heal and if they don't we get glorified bodies later on. We'll be good. Okay wounds heal
But you know what we're not here to just live a painless life
There's gonna be pain no pain. No gain
Okay, and when the stones of life hit you don't get discouraged don't get depressed don't get down in the dumps
Just rise up and go to Derby go to the next task. Go to the next town
Keep living for the Lord go with me if you would to 2nd Corinthians chapter number 4
2nd Corinthians chapter number 4
Paul here in 2nd Corinthians chapter number 4 verse number 8 the Bible says we are troubled on every side get not distressed
We are perplexed but not in despair
Persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also Jesus might be made manifest in our body
For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life also Jesus
That the life also Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh
There's gonna be times when we're persecuted
We're not destroyed the Bible says we're troubled on every side. We're not distressed. We're perplexed, but we're not in despair
We're persecuted, but we're not forsaken
We're cast down but not destroyed and let me say this sometimes when we're persecuted even by those who are our closest
We feel like we're alone
It just gets a little lonely, but you know what? Hey, I got a bunch of people here who agree with me
I got a bunch of brothers and sisters in Christ right here who?
Cheer can cheer me on I can cheer you on. Hey, we're not we're not we're not forsaken
God has people prepared for this 2nd Corinthians chapter number 4 the stones of life will come
It's up to you whether you're gonna get up and do something about it. I
Mean I'm thinking Paul made broken teeth. I don't know. Yeah, that's painful. He just got up. Maybe he was playing dead
I don't know
And just got everything they're gone. All right, let's go
But I do know this he got up he rose up
2nd Corinthians chapter number 4 verse number 15
The Bible says for all things are for your sakes
That the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many were down to the glory of God for which cause we faint not
But our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day
Look what it says for our light
Affliction which is but for a moment word for us a far more exceeding and eternal way of glory
This is Paul saying this. I mean, I wouldn't I wouldn't look at what Paul went through and say man. That was a light affliction
I'll say man. I was heavy. I've never been through something like that
You know
I've never been in a sea, you know, just floating there waiting for something
I've never been nothing like that yet. He himself said that's a light affliction
You know what in light of eternity when you compare things to eternity, which is forever. It is very light
What do you say? What are you saying? Those times when we are cast down? We feel like man
We've been forsaken the times when we just feel down. We're perplexed. Just compare it to the future
It's a light affliction
And you what that does that helps us to say let's keep going forward
Let's rise up and do what we're supposed to do
The little Galatians you don't have to turn there Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 says I'm crucified with Christ
Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me in the life, which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me go with me through it to Luke
22 Luke chapter 22
Are you willing to rise to the occasion
Hey when you're tempted rise to the occasion to overcome it
When you are tempted to sin when you're tempted to do that, which is wrong rise to the occasion to overcome it
Don't be the the weak Christian to say well, I'm just gonna give in this one last time
I'm just gonna do wrong this one last time. No rise to the occasion and fight it
Look at Luke 22 says in verse 44 and being in agony
He prayed more earnestly and his sweat was it as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground
And when he rose up from prayer and was come to his disciples
He found them sleeping for sorrow and he said unto them why sleepy rise and pray lest he enter into
Temptation he said how do I rise to the occasion? You know when you tempted instead of just giving in why don't you just pray?
Say God help me with this
Help me to fight this help me to not give in help me not give in whether it's lust or it's laziness or whatever
Sin may be trying to creep into your heart fight it
Say God help me you think God is just like man. No, you got this on your own you take care of this on your own
I'm not I already gave you enough power
No, he's what he wants to help
He wants to deliver you from those temptations
Go with me to 1st Corinthians chapter 10
1st Corinthians chapter number 10
The Bible says here there have no temptation taking you but such as is common to man
But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you're able
But will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it you can bear the temptation
Fight through it ask God to help you
Unfortunately, a lot of Christians can't be used sometimes simply because they allow sin into their lives they become unclean vessels
And God isn't willing to use an uncle
If we regard iniquity in our hearts the Bible says the Lord and I hear us
And what we need to do is get to a place that when the temptation comes we deny ourselves
Deny our flesh and say God help me with this help me to overcome it
Make me strong in the Lord and the power of his might help me to overcome this go to Acts chapter 8
Don't give in to sin
Yes, we're all sinners. But the fact is we don't have to give in to certain specific sins
We don't have to give in every single day to two things that will displease God whether it's sins of omission or sins of commission
We don't have to give in to those things. We just need to pray and ask God to help us quote scripture
Memorize scripture figure out the scriptures that you need to overcome that specific temptation and quote that thing
Hey when it comes to soul winning
Arise to the occasion. I mentioned this a lot and obviously you can tell I'm trying to get us to go so when you man
Why because you guys are from so many different areas in this place and in California
We need you all to be committed in this specific area right here
You know, we're not gonna mean that even when we get our building
We're not gonna be meeting at the home base. You guys are gonna be so winning at your area and reaching those people for Christ
look at Acts chapter 8 verse 26 and the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip saying
Arise and go toward the south into the way that goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza
which is desert and he arose and went and behold a man of Ethiopia and
eunuch of great authority under canvas queen of the Ethiopians who had the charge of all her treasure and had come to
Jerusalem to worship and we know how that story ends
He sees the man saved why because he sipped when God says rise up and do it
He rose up and did it and we need people to rise up to this John chapter 15
John chapter number 15
John chapter number 15, you know, my desire is to have fruit
That you would have fruit in your lives
You know, I I'm scared to think of the Christians who don't go so when you think they're gonna get something when they get to heaven
You know when they get there they're like
What am I getting? It's like nothing
You say it gets all that's by fire. You know, it's just like you say it's like all right, but we're there anything else. Nope
Nope sorry, you know, but I handed like out 5,000 tracks
Sorry, you know if you would have just even if you would have spread
No, I want fruit that abounds
You know, I want to meet people not tracks
In heaven. I want to meet the people that I went to the Lord
You know the scores of people that I went to the Lord and some of them
I honestly I don't remember but I will I will see them one day
Look at John chapter 15 verse 16 says you have not chosen me
but I have chosen you and
Ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and then your fruit should remain that whatsoever
You shall ask of the Father in my name. He may give it you God says I want you to have fruit
I want you to have fruit that remains but you got to do what God wants you to do mark chapter 5 mark chapter 5
please
Mark chapter number 5
And speaking of you know regional soul and it's gonna be great
I really hope that everyone gets involved in this and I was reading the story and I was just thinking about
This plan that we have to reach all kinds of people in different areas
And if we all just get on board with this and we all
Band together and team up to do this
I believe we can do we can see something great for the Lord mark chapter 5 verse number 1
The Bible says and they came over into the other side of the sea into the country of the gatherings
And when he was come out of the ship
Immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit
Who had his dwelling among the tombs and no man combined him
No
not with chains
Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains and the chains have been plucked asunder by him and the fetters broken in
Pieces neither could any man tame him and always night and day
He was in the mountains and in the tombs crying and cutting himself with stones
But when he saw Jesus afar off he ran and worshipped him and cried with a loud voice and said
What am I to do with thee Jesus thou son of the Most High God?
I adjure thee by God that thou torment me not for he said unto him come out of the man thou unclean spirit
And he asked him what is thy name and he answered saying my name is Legion for we are many and if you saw him
Much that you would not send them away out of the country now
There was their night into the mountains a great herd of swine feeding and all the devil's beside him saying send us into the swine
We may enter into them and for with Jesus gave them leave and the unclean spirits went out and entered into the swine and the herd
Ran violently down a steep place into the sea
There were about two thousand and were choked in the sea and they that's
Excuse me
and they that fed the swine fled and told him in the city and in the country and they went out to see what it was
What it was that was done and they come to Jesus and see him with
see him that was possessed with the devil and
Had the Legion sitting and clothed and in his right mind and they were afraid and they that saw it told them how it befell
To him that was possessed with the devil and also concerning the swine and they began to pray him to the part out of their
Coast and when he was coming to the ship he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him
How be it Jesus suffered him not but saith unto him go home to thy friends and
Tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had
compassion on thee and you departed and began to publish and the cup list how great things Jesus had done for him and all
Men did marvel. What an awesome story. He went home to where he was from and he began to publish
Began to win souls
Let me say this each and every one of us
Are like that guy. I mean, I don't know if you guys are crazy like him like that, but we got saved, right?
That's did something great for us
You know what God's saying now go home and tell our friends go to the cop list
Oh publish go preach the gospel go see people saved in that area
Go do the work of the Lord and each and every one of us has that respond
You know, we don't live in the cities with them on accident
We're there and guess what the Holy Ghost witness it than every city the Bible says
And especially when we're there, we're gonna be the ones witnessing. Amen
go to 1st Corinthians chapter number 15
Hey when it comes to getting out of complacency arise of the occasion
First Corinthians chapter 15, you know, I think
One of the things that a lot of Christians struggle with we have to fight is complacency just being stagnant
Just kind of just cruising by even if you're reading your Bible every single day
And you're going to church and do what you're supposed to do. You're not careful. You just get stagnant
You just kind of put it on cruise control because you just like there's no growing you're not going backwards
You're not necessarily going forward. You're just kind of cruising
That's called complacency when you're not willing to do something a little extra
You know when you when you work out, you know, you lift weights and you lift a certain weight
You if you do that if you constantly do that, obviously you're here the first time your muscles are gonna grow
But if you constantly only do that your muscles aren't gonna grow after that
Why because you got to keep adding more weight?
you know to grow and
Often Christians can be complacent and they just stand the same weight
You know just doing the same thing
And when it comes to getting out of the complacency, we just need to rise to the occasion to say God bring the pressure
Bring the stress bring the pain
Help me to just grow out of this complacency so I can grow for the Lord first Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 31
The Bible says I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord
I die daily if after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus what advantage of
Advantages it me if the dead rise not let us eat and drink for tomorrow
We die be not deceived evil communications corrupt good manners
Look what it says awake to righteousness and sin not for some have not the knowledge of God
I speak this to your shame, you know, sometimes we just need to wake up
When we're in that road of complacency, it's like hey wake up wake up
Awake to righteousness and sin not for some have not the knowledge of God
I speak this to your shame and when we're just doing the same thing the same thing every single day Dane and Dave
They are every single week and we're not struggling. There's not some sort of pressure upon us
We don't wake up in a way to righteousness and sin not and recognize
There's still great work that needs to be done if you're complacent today arise to the occasion to get out of that
And I think this church is gonna help us with that
It's gonna help us to get out of complacency
You know some of us we've been we've been and it's like, you know for a while
It's all my friends faithful word. I long for the show's I got I just let's just go I told my wife
Let's just move out there, you know
But you know faith working with us
You know and a lot of us maybe some of you been out of church because of it
I don't know what your story is, but I know this that the temptation for every Christian is to just get complacent
Even if you believe right you can still get complacent
You know, you just get stagnant in your Christian life
Well, we need it. Now is the time it's like God's waking us up. Hey, the church is here now
No more excuses
arise
Get out of complacency. Let's do something for God. Amen. Let's bow our heads and we'll have a word of prayer
Father, we thank you so much for your word. Thank you so much for the truth
Father anything for those who arose in the Bible and they gave us those examples
Thank you for those who stay down because they gave us an example of what not to do
But Lord we know that the men of the Bible are men of like passion. So they got discouraged as well
They got complacent. There's times in the Bible when they would struggle
But just watching them plow through those times it gives us a template to go by
And helps us to realize that we can do it, too
And I just pray that you would help us Lord that when we fall we fall whether it's in sin or complacency or or discontentment
Discouragement whatever may be that we would just get up just get up
And keep going forward for God and I just pray that you'd help us to find that building that we need Lord so we can
Have a permanent location. Thank you so much for everyone who came in Jesus. Let me pray. Amen