Amen. Right, so it's the new year and like I said happy new year to everyone and
right now you probably find churches around this country and around the world
will be preaching sermons about you know New Year's resolutions maybe new starts
and they might be talking about you know looking forward not looking behind now
you know keep going and keep you know pressing forward and realize your goals
and all that sort of stuff and look there'll be some good sermons out there
and there'll be some good motivational sermons out there and but this is going
to be a slightly different sermon. Turn to Philippians 3 and keep your finger
though there in Deuteronomy chapter 8 because look we you know we want to we
want to press forward and we want to you know forget certain things and we don't
want to be looking behind and look a lot of these sermons will use verses like
Philippians chapter 3 and verse 13 which reads brethren I count not myself to
have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are
behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before and of course we
don't want to dwell on the past do we okay we don't want to dwell on the past
we want to push on we want to focus on our goals and look realizing those goals
though it can actually be very helpful to remember the past okay we don't want
to just just wipe the slate that's it everything that's gone on before is
forgotten now well no it could be helpful remembering the past and when
Paul said here forgetting those things which are behind he's saying he doesn't
just dwell on past achievements okay he says in verse 14 then I pressed toward
the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus so he's
striving to achieve more for God and so should we shouldn't we we should all be
striving to achieve more for God and there's nothing wrong with New Year
being a good good time to start thinking about that and start focusing
on that and focus on what we're looking to achieve this year and there's a
constant theme though in the Bible of God's people being reminded of the past
to achieve then going forward and the title of my sermon today is don't forget
where you came from don't forget where you came from let's um just have a quick
word of prayer father I thank you for your word I thank you for this great
church I thank you for another year that we're able to work for you I pray
that you just give everyone here open open ears to hear what you've got to say
to them open hearts to take in what you say and apply it to their lives and and
just to fill me with your spirit please to help me to be bold and preach
accurately and preach the truth here and just preach according to your will in
Jesus name I pray all of this Amen okay so back to Deuteronomy chapter 8
don't forget where you came from in verse 1 Deuteronomy 8 1 reads all the
commandments which I command you this day shall you observe to do that you may
live and multiply and go in and possess the land which the Lord swear unto your
fathers now the children of Israel here on the brink of entering the promised
land they're looking forward right now to focusing on what's to come now maybe
their resolutions will be here to observe to do all the God's Commandments
to focus on their particular weak areas and and that's a good thing to do isn't
it to focus on our week we all have different week areas yeah I'm not going
to tell you what your New Year resolution has to be look we should all
be thinking about things that we should obviously be making resolutions regularly
not just at New Year's but nothing wrong with that tradition is there you know
working on things that everyone here has to work on focusing on sins focusing on
ways to get right with God but if you're not aware of your sins how can you
repent of your sins and there's nothing wrong with repenting of your sins is
there it's got nothing to do salvation no but nothing wrong with our daily walk
as Christians trying to repent of our sins but you need to know what your sins
are don't you okay and how do you know what your sins are and work on what
you've got to repent of if you're just that's it new slate never thinking about
whatever what's happened before verse 2 says and thou shalt remember all the way
which the Lord thy God led thee these 40 years in the wilderness to humble thee
and approve thee to know what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest keep
his commandments or no so Moses is saying it don't forget the hard times
don't forget the tests don't forget the wilderness and look as a church I think
we could all we could all do with being reminded of where we came from reminded
of that spiritual wilderness that pretty much everyone here has been in haven't
they because up until this time last year up until exactly the second of
January last year save people here were in either dead Baptist churches and I do
mean dead Baptist churches that that were preaching a range of false doctrine
maybe it wasn't quite damnable heresy but it was it was close to it a lot of
the time wasn't it and a lot of heresies and pretty much everyone here has sat
through that sort of rubbish false prophet Baptist churches yeah I think
everyone here a lot of people here have sat through churches where that so-called
Baptist Church which claims its grace through faith starts preaching that
you've got to repent of your sins to be saved you've got to live the life you've
got to do whatever it is to be saved and and look if you're sitting here thinking
well you know brother Ian you maybe had a couple of bad experiences that's a
good I counted this up last night when I was writing this I was thinking I've
actually been to nine Baptist churches in this country with a view to being a
part of that church nine different Baptist churches in this country and of
those I would say probably about half were false prophets and the other half
were dead maybe slightly more than that and one evangelical church as well so
that and that I've been a part of at least visited with a view to being a
part of I mean one I actually didn't stay for the service I walked straight
back out but the rest of them and some I've been a part of for a while and so
I'm not just just coming out with it well yeah there's a bad look and then
since then I started then to get good just looking on statements of faith and
as I grew as a Christian I started to learn more and more self-ordained
Baptist churches people here have been part of sadly you know and and again I'm
not gonna be shy to settle it's gonna really upset people that they know if
they're here they know there was a self-ordained Baptist Church maybe more
charismatic or Pentecostal false churches people here were part of
counting about the spiritual wilderness don't forget where you came from there
were people part of those sort of things C of E false churches yeah people
here have been part of okay and I'm talking as safe Christians there are say
and look because we know don't we people here know that you were saved but you
were in a church which was a false church okay it does happen doesn't it
okay amen that you're here but there are people in false churches home false
churches maybe there were some here that that try to make a home church and just
well we're home church because we meet up it's a false church it ain't a church
okay and for whatever reasons they might be no church there are people here that
came here on the second of general maybe came here at some point this year and
before that they weren't even in a church okay and there's a varying degree
of that and all of this with the spiritual wilderness really wasn't it
okay every single bit of that and what should it have done it should have
humbled us it should have proved us shouldn't it should have you know were
you still trying to keep the commandments in that time were you
still trying to keep that the commandments still trying to serve him
we still trying to serve God or did you just almost give up without a church
because you get to know what's in your heart then and you also you get to know
how much you rely on a good church then now verse 3 says and he humbled thee and
suffered thee to hunger and fed thee with manna which thou knewest not neither
did thy fathers know that he might make thee know that man does not live by
bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord
doth man live what a great verse but who here was hungry for the Word of God
when they're in that spiritual wilderness I know I was hungry for the
Word of God and I'm not just talking about the King James in some of those
churches some people were hungry for just the Word of God but for the Word of
God to be preached properly for them to not just just pick that hobby horse
Zionist and pre-trib and love love or whatever else but to actually preach and
to hear the Word of God preach in its entirety and look some of us were
getting fed over YouTube weren't we okay some of us were getting fed over
YouTube but how frustrating to then go on a Sunday if you want to be part of a
part of a church and have to sit through false doctrine week in week out how
frustrating was that and we need to be reminded that don't we where we were
before what it was like before before we on the 2nd of January this started okay
verse 4 thy raiment wax not old upon thee neither did thy foot swell these
40 years he still provided for us so didn't he kept us going through those
tough times everyone here he kept you going thou shalt also consider in thine
heart that as a man chasteness chasteneth his son so the Lord thy God
chasteneth thee and that's another thing we need to remember to push on to go
forward to live for God you need to remember the chastening of God okay and
you need to get that enough I've preached on this before and I'm not
saying that every time you go through hard times of course it's not okay look
we will suffer tribulation we will go through persecution we will have hard
times we will have the trials of life but you need to assess whether or not
you've been chastised as well and in those times I'm sure all of us were
getting chastised at times yeah and I can look back at no times and I was
getting chastised by God and hopefully everyone else can as well because thou
shalt also consider in thine heart that as a man chasteneth his son so the Lord thy
God chasteneth thee because look if your child forgets a certain behavior results
in a whooping he's more likely to carry on with that behavior isn't he okay that
he needs to know that it's a chastening and we need to be aware and recognize
when it is a chastening don't forget don't forget that God punishes some of
us could do with remembering that because I think there's a certain
protection that comes from being as part of a church okay don't forget that God
punishes and one way he does that is through church discipline doesn't he okay
and none of those churches I can't think of any church I went to before which
actually believed and followed through what the Bible says about church
discipline okay and church discipline isn't right we just pick and choose who
we don't like and kick them out no there's there's ways of doing things but
one way God chastises us as Christians in the churches through church discipline
if you're kicked out for 1st Corinthians 5 fornication covetousness
idolatry railing drunkenness extortion which by the way includes blagging food
and money off people like in 2nd Thessalonians 3 or Romans 16 causing
division the Bible says that it's delivering such and one unto Satan for
the destruction of the flesh okay it's not oh well just a bit of time off you
know I'm just gonna sit there and and watch on YouTube for a little bit until
everyone's forgotten and I can come back so repent you're gonna get whooping okay
you get kicked out if you anyone here ends up having to get kicked out of
church you're gonna get whooped okay you're gonna be back in that spiritual
wilderness you're gonna be back in that hard time you didn't have a church where
you weren't living properly for God and it's gonna be worse than that isn't it
okay because it's for the destruction of the flesh don't forget that chastisement
don't forget spiritual wilderness because you're out of the protection of
the church I'm preaching this before it if everyone here was just getting
chastised fully and properly it would affect the whole church and the church
does give that certain amount of protection I believe but once you're
kicked out you're delivered for the destruction of the flesh so that's
something to bear in mind is it when we're looking a press forward to to live
for God is to just be aware don't forget God's chastisement and and look that is
where many people have been before this church out kind of out of God's will to
some degree haven't they verse 6 therefore therefore thou shalt keep the
commandments of the Lord thy God to walk in his ways and to fear him therefore
looking back remembering these things should help us achieve our goals
shouldn't it remembering where we're at and hopefully everyone's goals here are
to keep his commandments okay walking in his ways and fearing him should be all
of our goals shouldn't they okay and there are ways and different ways like I
said before the different angles that some of us are going to fail and need to
drive and strive towards but we should be looking at it if you get if you're the
sort that looks at New Year's resolutions should be looking at how can
I live more for God how can I sort this part out how can I sort that part out
verse 7 for the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land a land of brooks
of water of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills a land
of wheat and barley and vines and fig trees and pomegranates a land of oil
olive and honey a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarce ness thou
shall not lack anything in it a land whose stones are iron and out of whose
hills thou mayest dig brass and look I know that could be a picture as well the
promised land a picture of heaven to some degree as well but that's where I
see us now though okay if you look at that if we want to compare it to us as
a church on this day of the year last year like I said Saturday the 2nd of
January 2021 we had our first Saturday service here and no we weren't seventh
day Adventists if anyone here is wondering if we suddenly changed no we
had a Saturday service because we weren't a church yet and because we
believed in doing things properly so we met up on a Saturday to start perfecting
getting the service right Pastor Thompson to listen to the preaching for
us to try and organize the music everything else and for everyone to
start getting used to it to see how that went we started doing Saturday services
whilst we were still going to going on a Sunday now look if there'd be no church
in the land then we would have done a Sunday but we didn't have a well there
were churches there were still we believe I still believe there are a few
churches around the country which have the gospel right which allow for some
soul in which use the King James Bible I think they probably haven't had their
candlestick removed yet so for me and Pastor Thompson we both talked about
this it was important that people were still able to go to church so we started
on a Saturday and for about six weeks we were doing a Saturday service we were
going out soul winning then on a Sunday we're going to church as well and for a
lot of people here who started at the beginning that's pretty hectic that's
quite a big hectic schedule now before that before that time before that
happened most people here could only dream of having what we call an NIFB
church here okay in this country in Europe okay there was no such thing okay
most people could only dream and we you know we'd all got to the point where I
kind of done my church searching for many years and was just praying that
maybe someone would pop up who maybe or some pastor somewhere would actually
change his view on some very important for me doctrines but it wasn't happening
so we were just putting up with things and we were just dreaming of that and
just hoping well you know one day you never know one day and the only way I
saw it happening and some of you know this is I thought the only way I could
see that happening was to basically go out to the US join a church try and go
for as long as a visa would take me try and get an extension maybe do a bit of
you know going over the border and seeing if I could last longer take my
family out there and try my best to get to a point where a pastor might send us
back to plant a satellite church room and that was the only way I could see
and and I didn't really see this happening okay and and that for me was
probably the only way it was going to happen but God had better plans didn't
they yeah God had better plans and while I was unable because I was thinking okay
this is a plan I basically shut down my business I knew that's what I was going
to do I was just waiting to be able to go out to the US and then in step pastor
Thompson and pastor Thompson got in contact and and I think the rest is
pretty much history but for those of you that don't know basically started we
started talking and he said would I be interested in leading a satellite church
for him and and and the more we got to know each other we were over the phone
and trying to work out things and talk about how this would work etc then
eventually 14th of February 2021 we had our first church service now what a day
that was okay what a day that should have been for everyone here for everyone
even for people that weren't there at the time that was a monumental day okay
that was a monumental day for this country a monumental day for everyone
here not just for myself yeah not just for my family look it was a monumental
day for everyone we finally had that church and I know some people would have
dreamed that no well maybe if only pastor Anderson or you know fill in the
blank pastor whoever had come here and part the church but no look we had a
church isn't it about the church yeah that's what we wanted we wanted a church
simply and we got a church okay and that's what we've got now you might be
saying well brother in he's saying this is a perfect church are you saying that
you know this is a promised land of churches no I'm not I'm saying don't
forget the wilderness yeah I'm saying don't forget where you came from don't
forget where you came from where you were a year ago some of you even more
recently than that some of you that are joined more recently where were you
before this where were you two years ago some of you three years ago were nowhere
and look don't forget that when you sit in this church don't forget where you
came from okay because we have a church we have a proper church here and we
didn't even see that happening did we anyone here think oh in 20 2021 we'll
have a church anyone no way no way look yeah the Brooks of water as we see here
and do Toronto me a they aren't always a perfect temperature the greats figs and
pomegranates are sometimes too sweet sometimes they're too sour maybe for
some of you the oil the olive olive olive oil as we like to call it maybe
it's a bit too mechanically pressed maybe the honey is an always high SPF
Manuka yeah maybe it's not quite to your liking it's not it's not exactly what
you want but don't forget dead as a dodo Baptist have you forgotten what it was
like in those Baptist churches anyone I hope you haven't don't forget repent of
your sins Baptist what it was like sitting through those sermons waiting
waiting for him just to say it so you had a reason to go okay now I know for
sure don't don't forget that they're just openly false churches some people
have been involved in don't forget where you've been I don't care how how you
know beautiful those church buildings were I don't care how many mother-baby
rooms or you know how great the tea and coffee what sort of array of biscuits
that I don't care about any of that because that's not what it's not what
it's important is it don't forget the wilderness don't forget where you were a
church a church that preaches the truth about Zionism we now have yeah a church
that that that preaches that the pre-tribulation rapture is a fraud
because it is a fraud and the rest of the dispensational lies out there yeah
we're not preaching any of that rubbish here are we how painful is it sitting
through those sermons hearing that week in week out goodness a church that
doesn't wrestle your kids off you to take them down into whatever basement
room or whatever it is it makes you feel guilty for wanting to have your child
nearby you to go and then get them painting pictures across dressers or to
go and teach them who knows what what they even teach them down there you
don't know cuz you're not allowed in there don't forget where you came from
don't forget where you came from verse 10 we're now is eaten and art full and
thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he has given thee
that's what we should be doing shouldn't we we should everyone here should be
thanking the Lord not for me no not for all whoever it is here not for whatever
job you thinks done well here no thank you the Lord for giving us a church yeah
don't forget where you came from thank you the Lord that we're not still in the
wilderness why beware verse 11 that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not
keeping his commandments and his judgments and his statutes which I
command thee this day lest when thou has eaten and art full and has built goodly
houses and dwelt therein and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply and thy
silver and thy gold is multiplied and all that thou has is multiplied then
thine heart be lifted up and now forget the Lord thy God which brought thee
forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage because it's God's
doing that we have this church isn't it is it not God gave us a pastor which
had been in exactly the same position as us God gave us a pastor that was stuck in
the northwest we've no good churches around there were meeting up they were
so many exactly like the people that originally started this church were doing
okay God gave us a pastor that had been there that had done it they've gone
through something look look there there are you know there are pros and cons of
different ways churches start and of course going out and just being sent out
by a church with no one or anything is tough and that could be tough preaching
I'm sure to just one or two people your family and then one of those leaves and
it feels you know you're going through those peaks and troughs and wondering
is this really gonna work out but there are also challenges to just becoming
suddenly a leader of a group a group where you where you weren't their leader
and doing those sorts of things and everyone's suddenly having to fall into
church for not being at my past has been been through that there's a
challenge to just being a group with no church and he went through that and he's
seen that he's experienced it he's gone through the trials and the hard parts of
that he's gone through the church splits he's gone through the people leaving he
he's he's aware of how it all works when these things happen okay and look praise
God he gave us he gave us that pastor didn't he God gave us a church building
out of nowhere God gave us his church building what a blessing that was
wasn't it absolutely amazing and look yeah okay we could all find fault in the
church building but to start to just start with a group of soul winners to
just suddenly have a church building absolutely amazing okay it was a miracle
an absolute miracle but God gave us this okay if any of you are sitting there
going well I don't know is it really God God gave us this okay if you can't see
that then then you might as well leave now because look God gave us this God
gave us a church building out of nowhere God gave me and my family the ability to
somehow lead this church I've never I've never done that before I had basically
six weeks of training whilst leading a Saturday Church basically God gave me
the ability to do that God gave part pastor Thompson ability to help me do
that and he gave me and my family as well my family a bit integral part of
this the ability to do this okay and look we you know it wasn't because we
were these great people at night just God just just helped us do it okay he's
helped us every step of the way God gave us the exceptions didn't he in the
pandemic rules God got because that well well the rest of Europe was just shutting
down while churches were closing and while no one was going out and doing
anything they were just happened to be these little you know small prints in
the pandemic laws saying well actually you can have church you just shouldn't
have Church well you just shouldn't go out but if you're doing something
voluntary and it's charitable you can go and so win basically I mean amazing
wasn't it look God blessed us every step of the way with this okay it's been
absolutely amazing and yeah we've had our challenges we've had you know we've
had issues we've had problem people as we know we've had problems you know we
just had a reminder of it this morning if anyone seen the car park we've got
our usual little thorn in the side they're dumping rubbish in the car park
but look we're gonna get that and that's just gonna strengthen us but what we do
have is we have a blessing here where God has given us all of this don't
forget that God is also building our church okay God is building our church
it's gone from however many people there were at the beginning to now people in
and out I mean we're well over 70 plus that come in and out and that's a lot
more than what we started with God is building our church this is of God okay
don't forget that don't forget everything that happened this past year
because easy to forget isn't it don't forget the wilderness because our hope
I really hope that your New Year's resolutions anyone that does that sort
of thing and and if you don't maybe start doing that center around this
church okay I hope they do center around this church and what happens from this
church I'm not saying well you can't have anything that's just completely
personal but but I hope that there's going to be something maybe multiple
things that are centered around the improvement of this church being a better
church member etc I spoke I spoke about some of our churches goals back at the
end of September if you remember I think there's some was moving forward I think
let's keep move let's keep pressing forward let's keep moving forward okay
after past Thompson have been when I felt things might go a little bit flat
now he'd been here for a couple of weeks the short-term ones were a new church
building okay we still need prayers about that plenty of willing workers
when that happens okay and by the way that's workers not a load of Chiefs and
no Indians okay don't need a lot of people stand there pointing and telling
me how things should be done and how they would do it and how they want it
done no we need workers people that are just willing to submit and do as they're
asked to do midweek services we're gonna get as soon as we have a church a new
church building and we need people to turn up to those because then it might
be what I was talking about that new church type feeling where suddenly you're
preaching to less and less people and that could be pretty tough not just for
me but for the people there and for the whole church that means turning up
making it work making it happen somehow yeah however you can if it means losing
some money from the extra shift or whatever it is make it work a thousand
salvations that was our target wasn't it we got close okay and look we're still
going for a thousand salvations aren't we okay we're still going for a thousand
salvation and what a great number that'll be a thousand salvations still
going for that and like we said we're going to go for 1200 this next year new
believer baptisms okay encouraging new believers when you get people saved
don't forget to encourage them to get I forget sometimes it's not talk about
other things talking about trying to get to church and when maybe when they're a
bit far from there checking us out when we move and blah blah blah make sure you
read your Bible but we want to get baptized don't we yeah encouraging
people trying to you know in a way almost pleading with them look can't we
get baptized that's what God wants you to do live for God be in his will
discipleship okay that was one of our one of our goals as well discipleship
now look we are getting people in here people and God builds the church but for
us to be able to disciple people in this church we need to be like I said before
welcoming environment we need to be we don't want to come across cliquey we
don't want all those issues and problems and people trying to lift up
themselves and everything else for people to be able to come in and be
welcomed and not end up having a negative experience whether or not they
feel it or not we don't want this sort of you know well you be friends with me
and not with that one we just want to be a nice welcoming healthy church don't we
for that discipleship long-term goals were growing into a real presence in
this wicked nation okay don't want to grow into a real presence in this wicked
nation where we we're gonna have a new church building we're gonna we want to
fill that church building we want to be here and making a real difference want
to be having an army of soul winners I said to hit towns and cities around this
country I want to start doing that soon I want to get this church building done
and I want to start doing so winning trips around different cities around
rough poor areas receptive areas in this nation going out and just getting a big
old church team get some you know even if it means getting in some mini buses
and going out and going and getting some some people say not only there but
around Europe as well if if we can if the laws allow us and planting churches
in strategic positions in the UK would be good as well wouldn't it okay yeah
we got the one church here be good eventually to have more and and then and
also around Europe okay we want to plant churches around Europe okay we're the
start of things for me in Europe okay we and these are long-term goals of the
church and I believe that I want to get I want to get other churches in Europe
going as well and look this church is a big deal this church is a big deal and
it's easy to forget that when you're here we can week out okay it's easy to
forget that to dwell on other things but this church is already doing great
things isn't it isn't it just just already like in this in the space of a
year like look what this church is doing already and that's everyone here look
what we're doing here and no I'm not being funny but if you care about the
lost you're gonna want this church church to succeed aren't you if you care
about the lost you want this church to succeed not you to succeed not you to be
lifted up and to become this bit there be the next pastor sent out to be no you
want this church to succeed this is the present this is what's going on right
now if you care about the brethren then you want this church to succeed don't
you yeah if you care about the brethren you care about believers in this country
you want this church to succeed we want to reach them we want them to want to
come here I want to get involved and I want to work for God keeping his
commandments it said here earlier and his judgments and his statutes isn't
just resisting some addiction okay getting to the gym more because your
body is a temple after all there's nothing wrong with that yeah and nothing
wrong with those sorts of resolutions but keeping his commandments and his
judgments and his statutes it's being a faithful servant to a loyal honest
trustworthy church member it's not forsaking me assembling it's submitting
to the authority of the church it's praying for the church okay it's having
all of that in mind having all of that on your heart not just starting to get
irritated and wound up and in a way hoping things fail a little bit turn of
1st Corinthians 16 this church could have an impact on the rest of Europe or
it could be destroyed from within and or and without okay it could have a massive
impact this church or it could fizzle out in 1st Corinthians 16 Paul is
telling the Corinthians that he's going to spend some time at Ephesus 1st
Corinthians chapter 16 and verse 9 1st Corinthians 16 9 reads for a great door
and effectual is open unto me and there are many adversaries does anyone not
think that there is a great door and effectual open unto us here anyone put
your hand up if you think that this isn't a great this is just kind of well
we're just making do no maybe you do but you don't want to put your hand up hope
did Paul say for a great door and effectual is open unto me and there are
a couple of weird stalkers no for a great door and effectual is open unto me
there's this guy that doesn't like me though no for a great door and effectual
is open unto me there's just this one problem church member no he said there
are many many adversaries many adversaries and our church I believe has
many adversaries too okay our church has many adversaries and and the truth
is let's just be honest here there will be adversaries on the inside and on the
outside that's the way it goes okay no like I've said before we it's not your
job in the church to start rooting out who those people are but that's the way
it goes that's the way it's always gone that's why it will always be okay there
are many many adversaries and they're not just following us on YouTube trying
to leave gnarly comments and get frustrated because they can't put a
thumbs down now okay or they can but no one's gonna see it I haven't actually
worked out how I see it yeah I think they've just stopped doing it maybe it
doesn't seem to highlight but anyway if we're gonna reach our goals this year
okay then everyone here has to make sure that they don't become the adversary
they don't become the adversary now you might be thinking wait a minute are you
saying that we could we could become some child of Belial we already say what
are you talking about for those you there and I know everyone here I'm sure
everyone here is safe that we could just start attacking the church from the
inside what you talking about well I'm saying that everyone here can easily get
manipulated into being a problem in the church every single person here could
easily get manipulated into being an adversary within okay whether it's
manipulation from the outside or from the inside whether it's spiritual or
actually full-blown reprobates manipulating you that's the way it goes
okay that's what happens in a New Testament church in a proper New
Testament no it doesn't happen at repent your sins Baptist no it doesn't happen
at the rest of the false churches okay yeah you'll get some weirdos in their
course you it's gonna be full of Devils anyway okay but then there's nothing to
destroy there but here the devil wants to destroy this how do you resist it
don't forget where you came from yeah start with that don't forget where you
came from because that's how they want you they want you to get angry get
frustrated get annoyed start finding fault in the church in the leadership in
other people from the church in the past whatever it is that's what they want
that's what they want division okay we don't want that do we here don't forget
it every time the subtle slander starts every time the joking insults about the
church the leadership other church members don't forget the wilderness
because really that can get out of control it gets the point where the
church ends up destroying we have factions leaving or or trying to gather
up issues problems you get people rowing you get that's how a church gets
destroyed that's how the work of God gets destroyed don't forget that it was
God that provided this church you become a problem in this church who are you
going against really it's not me it's God you're become you're going against
God you really want to go against God no when the future division causes try to
enroll you don't forget the wilderness don't forget where you came from okay
cuz they will try and enroll you when the flesh starts to find problems and
annoyances to justify not going to church because that's what the flesh
does starts to find issues starts to find problems starts to get annoyed
annoyed at certain things I'm gonna have habits of things I say or someone else
in the church or whoever else then preach other things or someone's
preaching that I prefer someone else or whatever look it the flesh wants to not
go to church the flesh wants to find a problem the flesh wants to find an
excuse if that's what happens and look when your own sin gives the devil a
backdoor in or Devils then you've become an adversary when your own problem your
own flesh your own reasons issues envies whatever it is has become a problem then
you're basically becoming an adversary in the church aren't you you're at least
welcoming in adversaries don't forget it don't forget the wilderness don't forget
that God provided this church don't be that adversary don't be that adversary
don't don't get sucked into being that adversary because there'll be so many
ways that it can happen and look we're one year on now at this church okay
we're one year on and if you're still sitting here in a year's time now and
you're still thinking well I prefer to be I don't like the way he does this I
don't like that you're probably better off not here truthfully if like this is
kind of crunch time now you're a year on you know how I preach now okay you know
how I run things you know how things are gonna go you know how pastor Thompson's
asked me to do things you know how I want to do things with what what leeway
he gives me as well okay that's the way the church is so if you're still here
with an axe to grind still bitter still got a problem with with either me my
family or someone else in the church or whatever it is then then you're getting
to a point now well right you're year on you should have got used to it yeah
everyone's had some time to get used to the fact that we are now a church okay
you've got to get used to the fact that I'm now leading you you've got to get
used to the fact that we are part of Shaw Foundation Baptist Church not
faithful work not not Verity Baptist Church not you know not First Works
Baptist Church whatever getting used to the fact that this is what we do this is
how things go that you're not running the show getting used to the fact that
it's not your your church that you decide and that you're the ones to make
the decisions you've had a year and those are you that are you are here okay
you might not have had a year but look we're a year on now okay and if you come
to this church you evolve this church then you have to understand that now and
you and if you're still not there after a year I say you'll never get there okay
you're never gonna get there and look if you can't get there then you're you're
better to go than not be then to be in aversary because you're because you're
standing up against God okay if you're that person if you're that person
sitting here thinking that and I hope no one is I really hope because I'm not I'm
not you know I'm not just trigger-happy to just want to get people to leave I
don't want that but I want people to just respond to be like right we're a
church now okay this is our church we want to be the best possible faithful
servant we could be in this church starting this year okay that's what we
want don't forget the wilderness don't forget where you came from don't forget
where you're at and if you're looking back oh actually wasn't that bad
honestly I'll open the door for you if you honestly look back at those churches
ago well I was actually happier then then this isn't the church for you
doesn't have to be and if you decide well actually I've got a church that I
think is I actually think the meeting at home and doing a Bible study with a few
of us where we're like we can play church and you know and we could just
lead ourselves if that's what you want to do go and do it no one's stopping you
if you really want that if you really find out you know I just can't I just
go okay I'm not look I will no one here will stop you I won't preach against you
anything else unless you start trying to drag church members out okay anyone
starts to try and do that then I'm gonna preach on you okay now turn to some 106
because like I said this is a theme in the Bible when God's people forget the
past forget where they're at and bad things happen bad things happen Psalm
106 and from verse 10 bit of a reminder here before that of things that happen
and he saved them Psalm 106 verse 10 and he saved them from the hand of him that
hated them and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy and the waters covered
their enemies there was not one of them left then believe they his words they
sang his praise so things are looking good at this point aren't they verse 13
they soon forgot his works they waited not for his counsel but lusted
exceedingly in the wilderness how'd it start they forgot they forgot his works
forgot what he had done for them but lust exceedingly in the wilderness and
tempted God in the desert and he gave them their request but sent leanness
into their soul they envy Moses also in the camp and Aaron the Saint of the Lord
the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the company of Abiram
now Dathan and Abiram with Korah were the reprobates they go straight to hell
okay they go straight to hell but the and to right to but the rest of the
people were manipulated into becoming a problem if you know the story the rest
of them it wasn't just oh well they were just support no the rest of people
became a problem why look at verse 18 and a fire was
killed in the company the flame burned up the wicked they made a calf in a
horrib and worship the molten image thus they changed their glory into
similitude sorry the similitude of an ox that eateth grass they forget God
their Savior which had done great things in Egypt because they forgot where they
came from they forgot the things God had done they quickly just started to just
get soaked up in their own issues their own envying their own murmurings because
that's what it is the whole people murmur if you look back at numbers there
God's done great things here he has done great things in this church let's
not forget that as this year goes on because as it goes further and further
you're going to start forgetting that and again the little petty issues the
problems and some of those like I said will be manipulated you'll be
manipulated into that and that can be from from forces outside of forces
inside like I said don't let it happen back to Deuteronomy 8 and that's just
one of many yeah that is a theme throughout the but just constantly
telling us to look back to be able to go forward look back to go forward and
that's talking about the church here look at sorry I'm talking about the
church here back to Deuteronomy 8 and verse 14 again said then thine heart be
lifted up now forget the Lord thy God which brought thee forth out of the land
of Egypt from the house of bondage so we've talked about not forgetting where
we were before this church yeah that's what obviously I've just been speaking
about for the last I don't know 35 40 minutes now but let's not also forget
you know our own our own individual goals yeah we still have some individual
goals and like I said I hope those individual goals should benefit the
church to realize our goals of church this year that's what we've talked about
but now let's talk about realizing our goals individually and to do that let's
not forget where we all were before we got saved yeah don't forget where you
were before you got saved that bringing forth here out of the land of Egypt
Deuteronomy 8 14 out of the house of bondage is a picture of salvation out of
the world out of the bondage of sin turn the numbers 11 because there's a
temptation to look back with rose-tinted glasses isn't there that easier life
when you weren't having to go to church every Sunday that fun you had when you
weren't trying to get sin out of your life numbers 11 and verse 1 and when the
people complained numbers 11 1 it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard
it and his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and
consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp and the people cried
under Moses and and when Moses prayed unto the Lord the fire was quenched and
he called the name of the place Tibera because the father Lord burnt among
them and the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting and the
children of Israel also wept again and said who shall give us flesh to eat we
remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely the cucumbers and the
melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic Egypt where the bondage was
so hard that they were crying out yeah no they were remembering the cucumbers
the melons the leeks the onions and the garlic but but now our soul is dried
away there is nothing at all beside this manna before our eyes and the manna
was as coriander seed and the color thereof as the color of delium and the
people went about and gathered it and grounded in mills or beaten in the
mortar and baked it in pans and make cakes of it and the taste of it was as
a taste of fresh oil free manna the bread of heaven like free salvation
isn't it yeah that free salvation that you literally just have to take it it's
as easy as just gathering it up just taking it off the ground that's as easy
as it is getting saved isn't it okay what an amazing gift that is yet they're
quickly craving their old lives aren't they before entering sorry look here
they look sorry they're craving old lives aren't they like we can crave the
world can't we we can all crave the world and and many people here will
sometimes even crave the sin that does so easily beset us yeah don't we
sometimes you look back and or look you know think about those things you used
to enjoy those sinful times those sinful moments whatever those sins are and look
in Deuteronomy alone before entering the promised land before going forward God
reminds them again and again and again don't forget that you're in Egypt that
you're a bomb man in Egypt okay you don't have to turn I'm gonna read a few
of these just to just to make this point Deuteronomy 5 6 I am the Lord thy
God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage
Deuteronomy 6 12 then beware lest thou forget the Lord which brought thee forth
out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage Deuteronomy 15 15 and thou
shalt remember that thou was a bomb man in the land of Egypt and the Lord thy
God redeemed thee therefore I command thee this thing today Deuteronomy 16 12
and thou shalt remember that thou was a bomb man in Egypt and thou shalt observe
and do these statutes Deuteronomy 24 18 and thou shalt remember that thou was a
bomb man in Egypt and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence therefore I command
thee to do this thing and Deuteronomy 24 22 and thou shalt remember that thou was
a bomb man in the land of Egypt therefore I command thee to do this thing
God saying don't forget where you were don't forget where you were before you
got saved don't forget where you were at before you got saved in 2022 he's
saying don't forget being a slave to the drinking don't forget being a slave to
the drugs the fornication the covetousness the false religion whatever
it is don't forget being a slave to those don't forget where you came from
don't forget that you were destined for hell okay and look sadly some people
here I hope they're not but some people here might still be slaves to those
things but look you're safe though aren't you okay that chain ain't pulling you
down to hell anymore but it will still hinder you in life he's saying I bought
you for I redeemed you I bought you with my precious blood now do what I tell you
okay and it always it doesn't it amaze you does it when you get people say you
know they're saved they believe they put their faith in Christ and they don't
want anything to do with God how do you live like that how do you do that you
are redeemed you were saved why do people do that but we don't want to do
that everyone here I hope doesn't want to do that's why they're in a church in
the first place because we are we not appreciative the fact that we received
that free gift of salvation we don't have to do anything for it we'd have to
do anything to keep it no but you know what it's nice to try and try and thank
him to try and please him isn't it he redeemed you and not only did he save us
I mean that was one thing he saved us look at verse 15 back in Deuteronomy
chapter 8 verse 15 who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness
wherein was fiery serpents and scorpions and drought where there was no water who
brought the fourth water out of the Rock of Flint you've been led through the
wilderness everyone here has been led through the wilderness past the false
churches the false prophets the false Bibles and to the Word of God yeah
everyone who has been led through those scorpion serpents through the drought
the drought of no Word of God through the drought in the preaching of anything
of any substance or anything that's gonna edify you change your life don't
forget that don't forget what he's done he's not only got you saving and left
you to it he's led you through he's led you he's led you hasn't he verse 16 who
fed thee in the wilderness with manner which thy fathers knew not that he might
humble thee they might prove thee to do thee good at thy latter end he fed you
with the King James Bible to humble you to prove you to do you good hasn't it
done as good as it this book done you good man it's done me some good it's
done me a load of good and it will continue doing me a load of good for the
rest of my life because this this Word of God it changes things doesn't it
doesn't it just and now say in thine heart my power and the might of mine
hand have gotten me this wealth without God we would all be in the gutters
somewhere whether spiritually that's everyone and some of you physically as
well okay we'd all be in some sort of spiritual and sometimes physical gutter
okay don't forget that don't forget not only did he save you but what he's done
for you in that time as well okay absolutely amazing isn't it and then
when it comes to living for him oh well I don't know about that
well church is a bit of a pain or going or whatever whatever sin it is that I'm
having a trouble with our that's a bit tough how about use that as an
inspiration how about use our more than the fact that it's a new year the fact
that he's redeemed you and led you through the wilderness and he's fed you
with the bread that you need he's given you what you need to conquer it let's
let's conquer it yeah verse 18 but thou shalt remember it's all about
remembering the Lord is it the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee power
to get wealth that he may establish his covenant which he swear unto thy
fathers as it is this day and it shall be if thou do at all forget the Lord thy
God and walk after other gods and serve them and worship them I testify against
this day that ye shall surely perish and that could apply to the gods of money
popularity any other idol that you set up in your life verse 20 is the nations
which the Lord destroyed before your face so shall you perish because you
would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God and that's good
incentive for your New Year's resolutions isn't it if you fail you
will die joking aside if you forget God though if you forget God you worship and
serve other gods like it says here he might just take you home early he might
just take you home early and and you've got to live with that for eternity okay
that you you failed you didn't you didn't want to live for God you didn't
want to do it for God you you wanted to do it for yourself you wanted to cause
problems whether it be in the church or you want to you can't that's enough
it's not that bad I don't look do what you can do what you can for God well
you've got this short time here now okay part of that can start with resolutions
kind of get get the sin out of your life and part of that includes living for God
and being a good church member as well and it goes hand in hand isn't it goes
hand in hand so what's the answer how do you do that how'd you go forward how'd
you achieve your God honoring goals don't forget where you came from don't
forget where you came from don't forget what it was like being unsaved because
we quickly forget don't we what it was like being that unsaved just not knowing
really deep down knowing deep deep down I think you probably know don't you that
you're wicked you know you're gonna get punished you know that that you're
destined for help some people may be a more aware of that than others and and
don't forget that don't forget it you've been saved you've been redeemed by the
precious blood of Jesus Christ you've been saved and nothing can change that
you have eternal life you have eternal life and look if you have eternal life
you've got an eternity to enjoy the rewards you can earn in this little bit
of life here hey let's earn some rewards while we're here don't forget that God
owns you God owns you he redeemed you he bought you he owns you God owns you
don't forget that yeah don't forget that God started this church yeah if you want
to stand against God good luck to you good luck to you but not for me don't
forget all that God's done for you everything he's done for you in those
years since you've been saved some of you might be less less maybe it's a
short amount of time okay don't forget everything God's done for you in that
time as well and he's he's done some stuff for us isn't it don't forget that
we have a church you know that we are the envy of Europe and I don't mean that
in a bad way okay look these I've been speaking a few more more recently in
fact one out of the blue this morning and look these guys would love to have
something like this don't take it for granted okay they would love to have
something like this and I want to do my best to one day give them something like
this look I want to I want to where there's groups of someone is I want to
be able to do the same thing for them okay as long as it's gonna work there
but look look don't take for granted what we have here okay don't take it for
granted don't forget the wilderness don't forget where you came from
Psalm 143 verse 5 says I remember the days of old I meditate on all thy works
I muse on the work of thy hands says it all doesn't it don't forget where you
came from let's pray Lord God I thank you thank you for this church I thank
you for all you've done for for me and my life for everyone here in their lives
for us with this church for everyone here that saved that that that you saved
us that you gave us that that ability to get saved that we could never have
done it on our own we can never have done it ourselves that you gave us a
free gift of salvation I thank you for that not of works less any man should
boast but it was it was a free gift it was by grace we were saved and we thank
you for that I pray that if there's anyone here that doesn't know that you
know if they died right now that they'd be going straight directly to heaven I
pray that you'll help them to to know the truth to want to talk to someone to
be explained how how how easy it is to get saved that it's not not some process
it's not some ongoing works it's not anything of their own their own strength
it's all of what you did for us and I thank you for that father and I thank
you that that we're that we have this church we have this church building I
pray that you help us to all be the best church members we can including
myself here I pray that you just help us to serve you help us to resist the
temptation to be a problem to cause problems to cause division just help us
to to be a solid unified church and and all just just striving to serve you in
the best way we possibly can and I pray that you help us do that starting today
going out and preaching the gospel help us to reach that target of a thousand
salvation's and then go on and get many many more over the over the coming years
and in Jesus name we pray all of this amen