All right Acts, Acts 20, Acts 20 and you know just the last few days I've just been dealing
with a lot of phone calls and messages and things and I just wanted to bring us back to remember
some very fundamental truths of our our faith and our walk with the Lord and it's surprising like
what I'm going to preach essentially I consider to be the milk of God's word very much so but
it seems like whenever there's confusion and trials and challenges we tend to just forget
some of these very basic truths and I want to preach about that this morning and when
you look at Acts chapter 20 look at verse number 22 Paul says and now behold I go bound in the
spirit unto Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befall me so to give you a quick context
here there was a drought in Jerusalem brethren in Judea was suffering because of the drought and
Paul had gone and taken a collection from several churches especially the gentile churches to to put
a collection together to go help the brethren down there in Jerusalem and so he's now going
to Jerusalem to help these brethren that are suffering and so he's bound in spirit he's talking
about his own spirit there his need to go to Jerusalem to help those brethren in Jerusalem
but then he says not knowing the things that shall befall me there he goes look there are
I don't know what's going to happen to me once I get to Jerusalem because he's always had a lot
of conflict with the Jews obviously they hate the message of Jesus Christ and he has had much
you know like I said much conflict much controversy that has followed him from
Jerusalem so he's not sure the kinds of troubles that he's going to face then he says in verse
number 23 the only one that knows these things of course verse number 23 save or accept the
holy ghost witness of in every city saying the bounds and afflictions abide me so he goes the
holy ghost he knows he knows exactly all the sufferings all the turmo's all the struggles
that I go through in every city everywhere he's gone preaching he's had uh you know controversy
that's followed him he goes uh and then he says only the holy ghost basically uh at the end of
it saying the bound the bonds and afflictions abide me he goes there are still bonds and afflictions
that are going to follow me and the holy ghost is the only one that knows those struggles that
I'm going to face right so he knows he's not like he when he gets to Jerusalem he's expecting
troubles he's expecting problems he goes the holy ghost knows what they are okay so you think well
Paul look don't go to Jerusalem man like it's going to be really hard for you there but then
he says these interesting words in verse number 24 but none of these things move me but none of
these things move me the title for the sermon this morning is none of these things move me none of
these things move me and like I said this morning's message essentially I believe the milk of God's
Word but we need to be reminded that we as believers should be unmovable and even when we
have times of confusion of conflict of uncertainties that that is an easy time when you can lose sight
on the Lord lose sight on our faith and be moved you know with confusion and be moved with
potential doctrines that are believed or held to because of your study in God's Word and so
I want you to notice Paul's heart like he's he's going to he doesn't know what's going to happen
next he doesn't know what's going to happen in Jerusalem but he goes whatever's going to happen
I'm not going to be moved but none of these things move me then he says neither count I my life dear
unto myself so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received of the
Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God because I can't allow the problems and the
termos and the confusions and the controversies of life to move me he says I've got a race I've
got to finish my course and Brevin you all know that you've been set on a race and it's a marathon
race it's the rest of your life now that you're saved you're running this marathon race with the
finish line being Jesus Christ in eternity with God in heaven forever and what does God want us
to do in this race that he set before us to preach or to testify the gospel of the grace of
God that's what we've been called to do on this earth this is why we're still on the race this is
why God has not taken us home to be in heaven just yet because we have a work to do for our Lord God
and we can't be distracted if you get distracted in a race you're going to lose if you get
distracted as you're driving you know you oh what's going on over there you get distracted by
your phone you might cause an accident that's what you know those sermons are for brother Oliver
to preach anyway about being distracted while you're driving okay but look distractions can
cause us to forget the race that we're running can make us think hey is it worth running the race
or it might cause us to get off the racetrack or to consider is it worth it like what am I you know
am I gonna get to the finish line I'm just telling you Brevin yes it's worth getting to the finish
line stay on the right race that is set before you and let none of these things move you let
none of these things move you is a title for the sermon this morning and that's all I wanted to
take from Acts chapter 20 so move away from there and come with me to Psalm 62 come with me to Psalm
62 I've got five points for you today so you can be stable secure that you would not be movable
with every little issue that pops up whether little or whether great it doesn't really matter
you know God tells us that we can be unmovable focused on the race that he has set before us
and first of all we need to start with the first and most important point of course and
we're going to read that in Psalm 62 and it says here uh in verse number one Psalm 62 verse number
one truly my soul wakes up upon God from him cometh my salvation Brevin what is it that we are
waiting or resting or hopeful upon it ought to be the Lord God Almighty it's got to be him it's not
pastor Kevin Sepulveda it's not new life Baptist church that I'm waiting and hoping and patiently
abiding upon it's always the Lord God all right you need to secure yourself in God it says in
verse number two he only only he only is my rock and my salvation he is my defense I shall not be
greatly moved I shall not be greatly moved why because he is sorry he only only is my rock and
my salvation he is my defense I shall not be greatly moved hey none of these things shall move
me none of these things should move you and if we want to be unmovable we need to make sure that our
only rock is our Lord God Almighty point number one is secure yourself on the rock you need to
figure out what your rock is you know I hope I can be a rock to my wife but I'm not always the best
rock okay I mean I try my best to be strong when my wife is weak I try to be strong when my wife
needs help and I hope my wife can be strong for me in return when I need her help right because
we're there complementing one another obviously in different ways in different uh roles that God
has equipped us to to meet but you know our only rock truly brethren is the Lord God
and look how God never moves our God never changes his word has never changed he is always
our defense he is always our salvation and if truly our rock is on the Lord God you will not
be moved you will not be unsettled you will not be confused the reason you get unsettled is because
when you get confused when you have uncertainties it's because you've gotten off the rock right you
think I can do it on my own or I can rely on someone else or I can rely on my pastor Kevin
Sepulveda or I can rely on New Life Baptist Church or I can rely on brother so-and-so or family
stuff forget it listen those that there's sometimes hope I hope we can support each other we can
edify one another but the only rock the only unmovable rock is your Lord God you need to
remind yourself of this I love the words of the psalmist he says I shall not be greatly moved
because I've I've preached in the psalm I feel like not even that long ago I guess it was I
can't remember now it feels like not long ago to me okay but I remember looking at this and
goes well not greatly moved so maybe I'm a little shaken a little bit shaken all right but I'm not
going to be greatly shaken I'm not going to be greatly moved and what I love about this psalm
is we see like he knows the reality that you know he's he's troubled obviously the psalmist is
troubled many times he's troubled because of enemies or life situations that have developed
around him and he begins to remind himself okay yeah the Lord God is my rock I will not be greatly
moved all right like you know but I am a little bit moved I am a little bit shaken in the current
situation that I find myself in but then as we keep going through this psalm we start to notice
that his his uh confidence begins to build con with fitness uh uh what's it like a strength
okay something that is uh confidence means with strength okay when we talk about his confidence
being uh increasing as the psalm goes on we're saying that his strength continues to increase
as he says these words because it says in verse number three how long will you imagine mischief
against a man you shall be slain all of you as a bow and wall shall you be as a tottering fence
sorry bow and wall a bow and wall uh shall you be in a tottering fence he says about his enemies
he talks about the ones that are making him feel insecure that they're like this fence that's
always shaken like my God is a rock that never moves but you're always shaking you're always
changing you know and whatever it is that you're you know if God is not your only rock whatever
other rock you trust in is going to shake it's going to move all right again if you put yourself
on that fence you're going to be shaken you're going to be confused and you know he's talking
about his enemies in this sense right now but it continues in verse number three how long will you
imagine mischief against a man you shall be slain all of you sorry ready sorry as a bow and wall
shall you be in a strong turn as a short tone fence they only consult to cast him down from
his excellency they delight in lies they bless with their mouth but they curse inwardly sealer
so we can see what the psalmist himself is facing he's facing friends that have betrayed him
they said nice things to his face but they've backstabbed him he's dealing with betrayal and
then he says in verse number five my soul wait out only upon God for my expectation is from him
once again you see the only one he can wait upon the only one that he can rest upon
is God his expectation is from him from God you know the only one he expects to do something
great for his life is the Lord God he's reminding himself of this truth look at verse number six
again he only is my rock and my salvation he is my defense now he says these words i shall not be
moved he said before i shall not be greatly moved in other words yeah a little bit shaken now he
says i shall not be moved like at all okay not even a little bit like his his confidence has
built up in the Lord he's reminding himself of the great God that he serves and now he says boy now
that i've rested upon the Lord i've meditated upon him all the other situations are moving you know
shaking fences and whatever it is uh you know the only one that i can truly stand strong on is my
Lord God and because of that i will not be moved i will not be moved what wonderful words of the
psalmist and so i want to remind you guys and i think these are important things like of course
we rest upon the Lord you know life is always throwing curveballs at us situations at us that
we may not know the full answers of or confusion and but the one that knows is the Holy Ghost like
like Paul says i don't know what's going to happen in Jerusalem but the Holy Ghost knows
the Lord knows the Lord knows ahead of time you know what what situations might unfold
and because of him because of the Lord God i will not be moved because he's my rock
he's our rock he continues i'll just finish last two verses in God is my salvation and my glory
the rock of my strength and my refuge is in God i love that i love i love these words i love the
words always the words of refuge because you think of a refugee someone that's escaping
maybe a communist country or something like that right a warm-torn country and we say someone
that's escaping to a better land would say that's a refugee they're getting themselves out of a
horrible situation trying to seek a place of peace and safety well you know what you know our Lord
God our rock you know is also a place that we can run for safety you know like there's nothing wrong
like there's nothing wrong with you if you feel like sometimes a refugee you know uncertain lost
and confused and you know you need a place to run for safety you've got to run to God right here's
the one that accepts uh i was gonna say illegal immigrants but i guess you have to be legal because
you've got to be a son of God you know you've got to be born again uh to be able to run to him but
you know any any any you know his doors are always open you don't need to go and present a passport
to God you don't need to have a visa you know we talk about a few families here having to go
through the process of getting visas for their families you know to come and make their abode
here in Australia but our Lord God is not that way you know as soon as you've been saved you're
a child of God you can go to God immediately for a place of refuge and strength and defense
we need to be defended in our faith and our Lord God is the one that will defend your faith
okay here's the one that we are to run to verse number eight and this is like it's so obvious
trust in him at all times like you of course pastor that's us yeah but do you trust in him
all the time do i trust in him all the time you know when we get shaken and confused it's
because we forgot to trust him when we get lost and confused it's we forgot to trust him
where we've been so just trust anymore in all times if we trust in him at all times you will
not be moved none of these things will move you if you trust in him at all times you people
pour out your heart before him God is a refuge for us sealer I love our Lord God
mighty God savior you know and when I mess up and I'm maybe not trusting him at all times like I
should and maybe confused by the world and and doubting the future or doubting even the present
not knowing what might befall you you know we always have a refuge a place of strength a place
that we can go to immediately and not be moved and so like I said this morning brethren is just
a reminder that we need to hear from time to time I'm sure I've preached this type of sermon
in different ways over the years but we do need to be reminded of some basic simple trips from
time to time and so point number one brethren is you need to secure yourself on the rock
and only on the rock only on the Lord God not in me okay not in me I'm just another human being
I have weaknesses and problems and sin like anybody else and so does whatever brother or
sister in the Lord that you think they've just got their life all together and boy look at them go
you're putting your trust in the wrong rock when you do that all right everyone has challenges
everyone has problems everyone has difficulties and the only one that can carry all of those
difficulties is of course our Lord God he can carry your difficulties and he'll help you to
be secure in your faith can you come with me to another passage first Corinthians 15
first Corinthians 15 first Corinthians 15 let's get to point number two point number
one was secure yourself on the rock let's get to point number two in first Corinthians 15
like what's the worst thing that can happen in life like for us the worst things probably that
can happen in our life well if like if you ask the average unbeliever out there like what's
the worst thing that can what's the biggest problem that you can face in life it's probably
death like okay I mean we can suffer in this life okay we can have problems and and you know
relationship issues or marital problems or we can have financial difficulties or you know you've
been betrayed or you know illnesses in your body but you know when it comes to ultimately the
unbelieving world you know the worst thing that can really befall them is death
and in many ways sometimes I kind of feel the same way I'm like you know I don't want to die
some you know premature death you know I don't want to become so foolish that you know not that
I'm I hate alcohol anyway but like just in case like you know I'm tempted to drink alcohol one
day to drown my sorrows and I drive home and you know fall into a car accident or something like
that and lose my life I would hate for something like that for my life to end so prematurely when
I know there's a lot more that Lord God wants me to do with my life that he has put before me but
the reality is we're all going to pass away one day we're all going to die you know and like you
know in some ways that could be the worst thing but of course as believers it's also the best
thing because we can open our eyes and be with the Lord but I just want to remind you here in
first Corinthians 15 verse number 55 it says oh death where is thy sting oh grave where is thy
victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law now before I keep reading I want
you to notice that grave can have victory right because when someone dies they're not going to
walk out of their grave right when the soul and spirit leaves the body I'm just saying in general
terms not about the resurrection right now but in general terms right when someone dies they're
not going to crawl out of the grave hey guys I'm back okay there is victory in the grave there is
victory in death and like I said that can be one of the worst things that can obviously befall and
especially an unbeliever but I want you to be reminded what we're about to read in verse 57
because death and the grave doesn't have to be victorious over you it says in verse 57 but
thanks be to God look at this which giveth giveth us the victory throughout Lord Jesus Christ
God has given us the victory because this chapter is about the resurrection
we know that we're going to rise from the dead look we've already if you're saved you've already
risen from the dead your spirit was once dead the moment you believed on Christ you were born again
you were given a revived spirit you've already been you've already passed from death unto life
inwardly the new man has already resurrected from the dead but one day God promises
our bodies are going to be resurrected from the dead death will not have victory over us
but we already have the victory today God has given us the victory today therefore it says in
verse 58 therefore my beloved brethren be ye steadfast unmovable always abounding in the work
of the Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord brethren point
number two for you to not be moved unmovable steadfast like we saw here is to remind yourself
that you are already victorious you've already won through Christ Jesus it's what did it say again
in verse 57 but thanks be to God which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
Christ already won for us he already defeated all the sins of the world all the iniquities
all the consequences of sin all your infirmities were put on Christ all your burdens were put on
Christ everything that we you know we can possibly suffer on this earth Christ already
took that upon himself and he died in our place and not only did he die he rose again from the
dead victorious from death victorious from the grave and because of Christ Jesus he gives us
that power and brethren we already won if you're saved we're already victorious in Jesus Christ
I want you to remember that you've already won like we're just going through the motions right
now we're just going through time right we're playing out the free will of God but God knows
at the end of it all we've already won in Christ Jesus how does that make us unmovable because
we're not going to lose we're not going to lose in life the big picture of eternity we have a
promise of being in home in heaven walk in streets of gold I mean how good is that
streets of gold walking on that mansions in heaven we never see our father face to face
a new heaven a new earth a place where there is no curse you know a body that cannot sin
sin be in a joint air with Jesus Christ
you know we think about the great tribulation to come in the end times
we've already won we're already overcomers okay you know if we're going to live it out in our
life's lifetime you've already not taken the mark of the beast it's not going to happen for you as
a believer okay you're going to win souls you're going to lay up treasures in heaven
and one day we're going to be with Christ in the clouds we're going to see him we're going to be
forever with our Lord Jesus Christ brethren we've already won this wicked and confusing world that
we're currently presently living in I want you to remember that because I want you to like think
like um what do you call like a like a sports team that's won the the championship last season and
reigning champions that's what I'm thinking of you're already
rain reigning champions you've already won you've already won the game of life okay you're
reigning champions and you know when a sports team wins the championship whoo everyone's whoo yeah we
won and then they play it out the next season they're the reigning champions they're trying
to maintain it like they're like they've got nothing more to prove they've already proven
themselves you know the previous season and they really think of themselves as the best
this current season and all the other teams they're trying to take down the reigning champions
okay because they've already proven themselves to be the champions that they are brethren you are
ready already reigning champions you haven't lost you're victorious in Christ Jesus okay in Christ
Jesus you know sometimes I watch my my kids that I don't know if they're gonna play football this
soccer this coming season or not but quite often you can have a team especially when they're
younger and the team you know you know most of the players just aren't that great but there's
like one just super good player and that super good player can just win the games like that
that's Jesus we're not we know we're not always the best players in this game of life
we know we mess up and we don't always succeed and we don't always make the best choices in life
but the one that's on our team Jesus Christ he wins it for us
he scores the goals he scores the tries or whatever it is right you know he scores the
knockdown punch for us you know we're like these amateur boxers right going to the fight
and then we still have to take down Goliath because there's Jesus behind the scenes
you know tag team just taking down the enemy before us and that ultimate enemy is death and
we've already won we've already won and so I want you to remember that brethren there's there's
nothing that should move you in your life in your faith you know you're reigning champions you are
already victorious through Jesus Christ our Lord can you come with me to John chapter 14
come with me to John 14 please John 14
John 14
the next one I think is super important just based on conversations I've been having
super important John 14 please John 14 please remember these words John 14 verse number 27
these are beautiful words I love these words these words of Jesus Christ
John 14 27 Christ says peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth
give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid brethren point number
three is seek the peace of Jesus look he's already given it to you peace I leave with you it's
already there okay it's just that we forget to access the peace that Christ wants to give us
my peace I give unto you not as the word giveth give I unto you let not your heart be troubled
neither let it be afraid if your heart is troubled this morning you need peace you need peace you
know Facebook doesn't give you peace social media doesn't give you peace looking up conspiracy videos
doesn't give you peace watching all the disasters in the earth you know all the news channels that
doesn't give you peace seeing the con you know the the the the left side of politics and the
right side of politics in the United States coming up to the coming election that doesn't give you
peace the only one that gives you peace is Christ you need the peace of Christ otherwise your heart
will be troubled you'll be afraid you'll be confused you'll be tossed around you know you
need peace you need peace seek the peace of Jesus Christ come come with me to one of my favorite
passages in the bible please Philippians 4 Philippians 4 seek the peace of Jesus
have you been at peace this week I hope you have been I have I'm I have been at peace but
a lot of people aren't at peace a lot of people are not at peace and I want you to remember the
world does not give you enough there's nothing else that will give you peace but Christ and you
need access to his peace it's not as the world giveth it's it's a different type of peace that
comes from God you know the kind of peace that the world thinks of they think of two warring
factions let's sign a peace treaty and let's not fight again you know that's how they think of
peace the world thinks of peace as no troubles the peace of Jesus is very different the peace
of Jesus is there can be troubles all over the place and you're still at peace you can be in
the middle of world war three you know and you hear the news that there's a nuclear bomb on its
way to destroy the sunshine coast and you'll be like I'm at peace not as a world giveth there's
a different type of peace that comes from Jesus Christ and you need it I need it we all need this
piece of Jesus and in Philippians 4 verse 6 I know these are common passages brethren but we
need to think about it we need to remember we need to meditate on these verses Philippians 4
verse number six be careful for nothing careful full of care or full of worries
that is saying don't stop worrying don't let anything worry you say how
it says here but so this is what you need to do but in everything by prayer and supplication
if you don't know what supplication is it just means to um it means like supplication
you supply you say lord I need supply I have needs can you supply my needs okay prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving remind yourself of the good things that God has done in your life
give him thanks with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God and the peace of God which
passeth all understanding passeth that word is an old English word for the word surpass
it surpasses all understanding this peace that God can give you will cause others to go I don't
understand why this person's at peace it's it's beyond understanding this peace that comes from
God like I said you can be like oh man there's a nuclear bomb about to destroy the Sunshine Coast
and everyone's panicking and everyone's jumping in their cars and trying to get away
and jumping into the bomb shelters and it's Sunday at 10 30 a.m and we're still at church
just praising the Lord and people will look at you and go you guys are crazy
it doesn't make any sense it's because we have the peace of God
we're not going to panic okay we're not going to worry whatever troubles fall upon you you know
whatever it is that concerns you whatever troubles your mind whatever keeps you awake at night
Reverend you need the peace of God and I thank God that I sleep like a baby I don't know maybe
I'm too peaceful sometimes I've been stressed lately just because there's been a lot to do but
it's mainly because I've been lacking sleep like not that I'm struggling to sleep it's just that
I've not had the hours to sleep if that makes sense because I've been busy going back and forth
and doing lots of things but there's a great peace that comes from God and I want you to have it
like I don't want to offend anybody but some of you guys don't have it you know this piece that
comes from God and I'm not trying to say I always have it but I have it more often than not like
honestly I have it more often than not because I remember to go to God I remember to go to him
here's my rock here's my defense here's my refuge okay uh right uh whatever websites you like to go
to to get the latest information about whatever it is that's not going to give you peace it's not
the peace of God it's only God's word really and and the Lord God his presence and your time with
him your fellowship with him your prayers to him that will give you that peace that you need
it's supposed to surpass all understanding it's supposed to cause people to say to you
why aren't you reacting why aren't you overly emotional why are you not latching out
why are you not panicking you must have a few strange screw losers in your head
and that's a piece of God it's not the peace that the world gives the peace of God
you need to have it it's the best thing in the world it's the best
let me read verse number seven again and the peace of God which passeth all understanding
shall keep or that we're like secure okay keep it your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus
these are the two elements that really cause us to make decisions and and uh think things through
uh think things through in different ways and is is our emotions our hearts and our our logical
part our brains you know Bible uses those things and sometimes our emotions can get really
unsettled and even our minds we don't know what to think logically things don't seem to make sense
and the only thing that's going to stabilize that is the peace of God
you know the logical part the emotional part the only thing that stabilizes
keeps and secures so you're not movable is the peace of God you need it brethren
and it's no surprise it's no surprise that the next verse follows the next verse follows and
I don't know how much how many times I preach on this people still don't do it and again I'm not
trying to offend anybody here but finally brethren whatsoever things are true okay not gossip
whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure
whatsoever things are lovely
lovely you know the things that you put your head in during the week can you truly say to me pastor
it's always been lovely these are lovely things that I'm reading about these are lovely things
that I'm watching the latest concern of 7g about to destroy our lives control us and make us into
cyborgs or something that's lovely pastor I love hearing about this stuff no it removes the peace
of God from you what sort of things are of good report if there be any virtue are these things
virtuous if there be any praise is it praiseworthy think on these things think on these things
you know what has your mind been on the last week has it been virtuous has it been lovely
has it been praiseworthy things things that give you peace or they things that give you trouble
and uncertainties and confusion brethren I know what it's I know what it's like to want to chase
every controversy and hear everything that you know the other day we're playing in the in the
backyard of the kids and we heard a car accident boom you know first thing I want to do let's go
look I can either have a great time playing with my kids or I can go work look check out the car
accidents because that's what we are we're programmed to want to chase the problems
the accidents the turmoil you know we just can't wait to feast our eyes upon these things
and before you know it you'll lose the peace you can have the peace of playing with the
kids or you can have the troubles of looking at a car accident and the police and the ambulances
they're you know helping you know people that are suffering and is that really what but you know
you know you're like me right when there's a car accident on the side of the road you slow down
oh what happened oh what so things are lovely oh that's lovely that's virtuous man yeah that's
praiseworthy let's stop and let's have a look at that we're all like that we all pro this is why
it's in the bible because we're we need to be reminded that we do the opposite we do the
opposite we don't seek the peace of Jesus this is why we turn on the news and we want to find out
about the earthquakes or about the natural disasters or about the corruption in politics or
you know the the next things that are going to strip away your liberties and your rights
you know uh in governance and we just want to see the turmoil and the problems and brethren
when you do that you're going to be very you're going to be very moved you're going to be
unsettled revenue need the peace of god you need the refuge you need to hide yourself in him
he's the one that allows us not to be moved none of these things move me says paul brethren i want
to be stable secure you know you need the peace of Jesus the three things so far secure yourself
on the rock remember number two you are already victorious you've already won don't worry number
three seek the peace of Jesus number four come with me to second corinthians second
corinthians chapter four please second corinthians chapter four
second corinthians chapter four
second corinthians chapter four verse number eight second corinthians chapter four verse number eight
paul says we are troubled on every side yet not distressed huh paul you got troubles everywhere
everyone hates you paul because i'm not stressed about it yet i'm not distressed
because i'm not stressed about it yet i'm not distressed
i'll tell you why he's got the peace of Jesus he's unmovable he knows he's already victorious
you see this is the christian life not that every problem goes away
but that you're not distressed when you're troubled on every side
he goes we are perplexed but not in despair perplexed like confused what
he goes but i'm not going to worry about i'm not in despair i'm not
about to just give up on everything i'm not in despair persecuted verse number nine persecuted
now i'm going to say something controversial probably but i don't believe i've ever faced
persecution then pastor you must not be walking godly then i'm talking about the persecution i
read about in the bible being dragged out in the city and stoned being thrown into prison
being beaten for my faith have you suffered that kind of persecution
i said something rude to me at the door be persecuted
someone laughed at me mocked me because i went to church on sunday one of my work colleagues
persecution
i'm just saying like man we could be suffering much worse than you know come on
but he says persecuted but not forsaken
you know if you are thrown into prison if you are beaten for your faith maybe some of you have i
don't know i'm just saying i haven't maybe i'm not a troublemaker people like me for some reason
but even then we're not forsaken you say brought you know church members have forsaken me brothers
and sisters have forsaken me you know my friends have forsaken me but but who are they lord god's
not forsaken you you know that jesus will never leave you not forsake you you know that truth
i know it's it's sad when people betray you and people hurt you
and uh you know you invest time and energy and service to individuals and they turn their back
on you i know the pain that that you can you can suffer but how much pain did we give jesus
and he doesn't forsake you he doesn't leave you he died for you he loves you
he says verse number nine cast down but not destroyed he's ready to get back up again
right when you get down he's ready to get back up he's not destroyed
and you know you might be cast down for whatever reasons this morning you might be cast down next
you might be like pastor i'm doing the best i've ever had as a christian but then tomorrow you
might be cast down things can change like that overnight but not destroyed you know god gives
the ability to get back up again and continue serving him you know you can be running the race
and you have a little stumble just stumble forwards not backwards stumble forwards ah
all right look god can god can you just quickly fix my knee so i can keep running hard stumble
okay run go to your refuge all right go for your pit stop recharge your batteries
and then run the right get back on the race as soon as possible you're not destroyed
you know you're already victorious
look at verse number 10 always bearing about in the body the dying of the lord jesus
that the life also of jesus might be made manifest in our body he says in our bodies we can die like
christ did but also in our body we can be made christ can be made manifest like in his
resurrection in his power in his victory we can have that same victorious life
drop down to verse number 14 for the sake of time knowing that here which raised up the lord jesus
shall raise up sorry shall raise up us also by jesus and shall be present us with you
now look at this verse number 15 for all things are for your sakes that the abundant grace
might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of god look at verse number 16
for which cause we faint not we don't faint we don't give up
but look but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day
that's what i want you to take away from this verse 16 specifically
but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day
brethren in order for you to stay strong and unmovable you need to live in the new man
the new man the outward man perishes this body is able to do less today than it could yesterday
it's getting ready for the point of death right it's deteriorating it breaks down all right as
you get older your body starts to break down i don't know what your peak is what's the does
anyone know what the peak age is roughly generally speaking i think it's somewhere like between 25
and 28 if you've gone past that peak you're headed this way so don't live in that outward
man the outward man's not going to succeed for you but the inward man is renewed day by new
it's brand new every day all right it's like fresh every day you got to live in the new man
the old man perishes we know when we live in the old man that's when we're tempted to sin
we know that's when we become carnal and selfish and you know when we're in the old man that's
when we become insecure and we become faithless we lose our trust in the lord we start seeking
other rocks that are not the rock of our lord jesus christ we start looking at peace in the
world rather than the peace that christ can give us that's when we start living in the outward man
and it fails you this flesh will fail you your good looks are going to diminish
your muscles will be weakened this body it's useful for the time being praise god i think
it's good to ask god can you please help me maintain this body because it's the one that
i've got but really brethren we need to walk in the in the spirit in you man
how do you do that pastor you know i've been asked how do you do it how's it like what's
the transition i just say god help me walk in the new man i don't know what i don't like i don't
know i don't have this button like switch old man new man i don't know how that works that
old man's always kind of frustrating me and i've got to tell him go away let me be in the new man
you know the old man gets discouraged when i hear you know bad news or whatever it is
cast down and the new man's like hold on a minute think of the good things that can come out of this
whatever the situation is
the new man says to me look the lord knows and the lord is teaching and the lord is guiding
and the lord wants you to learn a powerful lesson that's what the new man keeps telling me and the
and the old man's like ah man why do i have to go for this lesson
why do i have to go for these challenges and this confusion and these problems new man's like hey
it's a great time to learn and the new man starts telling me look these are the things that you can
learn from this situation i don't know i just say lord help me to be in the new man help me to be in
the spirit i've told you so many times you're sick of me saying it when i get up to preach lord put
me in the new man lord help me to be in the spirit don't let this carnal flesh get in the way
you know don't let this mouth say galatians four when i should have said galatians three
i don't know if you picked that up in the documentary
because this this body fails but the new man's refreshed renewed every single day
i don't know have you ever like woken up in the morning just like man i had a good sleep
i can't wait to face the day looking forward to the start of the day probably not that often
but you've i'm sure you had moments like that the new man's always doing that that's the new man
always constantly yeah the new day you know we woke up again god's not taking us home
what can we accomplish for the lord today that's the new man you need to live in the new man
let's continue in that same chapter verse number 17 for our light affliction which is but for a
moment our light affliction which is but for a moment you say pastor i'm suffering from chronic
disease in my body it's going to be till the day i die and i'm sad it makes me gives me sadness to
sad it makes me gives me sadness to know that people suffer from chronic issues
and i don't want to make light of your situation but the bible makes light of it for our light
affliction which is but for a moment please remember that this life that we live is just
a moment it's just a moment we have eternity coming up you know that remember that like let's
say you live 100 years you know and you get a letter from the king well done you've reached
100 years or something i think that's what i do i'm not sure it's still a moment compared to
eternity it's it's a vapor here one moment gone the next the struggles the pains the worries the
frustrations your chronic sicknesses are just a moment a light affliction in light of our real
life eternity i don't even know how to measure eternity in light of the 100 years that we might
potentially live on this earth what is a hundred years you can't even put it down on a percentage
like i was point zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero zero one percent
is this moment that we live this life and that's not even i don't even have enough zeros to go
and it just keeps going that's what eternity just this brief moment compared to eternity
just continues you never get to the end of those zeros before you get to the one
this life is just a moment brethren it says here let me read it again verse 17 for our light affliction
which is but for a moment worker for us are far more exceeding an eternal weight of glory
while we look not at the things which are seen but the things which are not seen for the things
which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal we can see of me right
now is my body this is temporal what you can't see is the new man which is eternal what is this
teaching us guys to focus on eternity this life is but a moment why are we going to get distressed
and perplexed and worried and frustrated and confused and whatever bogged down in this life
that is just gone in a moment like that focus on eternity god has given us this moment to do a
great work for him you know what we're doing this moment's going to be multiplied in heaven eternal
rewards you go out there and you win a soul to the lord you go out there and you don't win a soul
you knock doors and you have no success you serve the lord you do it for an hour you do it for two
hours think about the multiplication of treasures god will give you for serving him faithfully in
whatever service you do for him i asked my son to bring me a cup of water before i preach
you know what jesus is going to give him some eternal rewards in heaven for doing so
we have this chance in life we have this moment to run the race to maximize the reward that
is laid before us i don't want to be a loser of rewards i want to get the maximum i want to be
able to get everything that christ has in store for me and run that race without the distractions
of the temporal life reverend reverend point number five is focus on eternity
it's so much more important you know you and i are going to spend time forever and ever
and ever and ever and ever and ever so let's just try to get along now
let's be friends now let's love each other now i don't want to get to eternity and be like man
i treated you so badly on the earth
i don't know i don't know how eternity is going to work right and it just plagues my mind for
eternity man it's my brother-in-law that i've in that little moment the light afflictions
i got frustrated we had conflicts what for man when you focus on eternity this this temporary
life just seems so insignificant i'm not saying it's not important of course it's not important
i'm not saying it's not important of course it's important um let me read verse number 17 one more
time for our light affliction which is but for a moment it is a moment worker for us are far more
exceeding an eternal weight of glory you want to have a greater glory when you get to heaven
use the time wisely this moment that god has given you like this moment is important but in
light of eternity it's insignificant so why don't you just give it to god and serve him and not be
moved the reverend title of the sermon was none of these things move me but none of these things
move me were the words of paul is that you this morning can you say pastor nothing's moving me
praise god if that's you praise god because that that those are signs of christian maturity
but even a mature christian can sometimes be cast down you know even a mature christian can
sometimes be confused and so it's important that we remind ourselves of these truths
in conclusion let me just summarize those five points number one secure yourself on the rock
the only rock jesus christ our lord god number two remind yourself that you are already victorious
you're reigning champions you've won the game of life
number three seek the peace of jesus which surpasseth all understanding number four
live in the new man the old man's corrupt live in the new man renewed every day and number five
focus on eternity okay focus on eternity let's pray