Amen, all right. Well, I'm gonna focus in on verse number 31 where the Bible reads
The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord. So tonight
I'm preaching about being prepared, being ready
And it's not just I preach a couple sermons about being ready to preach the gospel
But tonight I'm just generally preaching about the subject of being ready. The title of the sermon tonight is stay frosty
Stay frosty, and that's it's military slang that were those two words are military slang and
Probably it references to keeping one's cool, but being an extra emphasis on being
Alert and ready for dangerous situations and it actually comes from the movie aliens
I think but people use it in the military all the time
And they say like stay frosty of people that play the modern warfare call of duty games or whatever
I think it's kind of a big thing in there, too
Not that I play those games, but you know, I'm just more spiritual than some people know. So I'm just kidding
I'm joking but
stay frosty is the title of the sermon and
Basically, so I I just wanted to springboard off that first verse because the Bible says that the horse is prepared
For against the day of battle now, you can't just grab a wild horse and then
You throw a saddle on that horse throw a little bit of armor on that horse and all of a sudden that horse is ready
To just charge into battle
Fearless, but you know horses are animals that will charge in fearlessly into battle
And but it does take some preparation to get to the horse
The horse has to be broken the horse has to be trained
The horse has to be ready and understand what his rider is expecting from him
But horses will charge right into the face of danger and
They've been trained for thousands of years to do such things
So, you know, you don't want to take a horse into battle. That's untrained
It's gonna probably just throw the person off the horse and so on and so forth
So there's more to preparing a horse to the battle than just throwing the saddle on. There's a lot that goes into that
So there's also a lot that goes into being a Christian
And so we need to be ready for all different types of situations
So that's why I'm saying we need to stay frosty
You know
Sometimes it's just we need we need to be able to be ready to spring into action when we need to
Sometimes it's just we need to be ready to have a battle come our way. That's just unexpected
So the horse is prepared against the day of battle
But we always have to remember the safety is of the Lord everything that we do to prepare ourselves and to be ready
for all types of situations is
Going to be of the Lord so we need to do everything in the Lord
We need to make sure that we're not just doing things physically of our own might all the time and that you know
God is on our side. He's happy with us and the way that we live our life
Obviously and you know, obviously nobody's perfect, but God does expect us to live a certain way
He wants us to live a separated life a holy life and the Bible says that's being prepared
So we got to be prepared against the day of battle or against anything that comes our way number one
We do need to be ready for battles. So we need to reap be ready for battles. We need to be prepared for battles
Let's look at 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse number 1 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse number 1 and you're like well battles
What are you talking about Pastor Thompson? You might not realize this but we're in a war, you know
Christianity, you know is like, you know, the Lord
Likens us to being
like an army a military army, but our
Battle is not a physical battle. It's a spiritual battle. Look what it says in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 verse 1
It says there thou therefore my son
be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and
The things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others
Also thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ
So we're supposed to endure hard things
So when you're ready for battle, you got to be ready to endure hard things because battles aren't really fun
Are they you know people some people like to battle some people like the war but you know in Christianity
It's just not something that we like to do necessarily. I mean obviously depends on what the battle is, but
You know generally we're not you know, we want to be peaceful
We want to live in peace with all people as much as is in us, you know, which in us is
But you know, it's just not it's not reality in reality
We're always constantly in a battle or we're preparing for another battle. It says no man that warth
Entangleth himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier
So listen we are in a battle
We're in an army
We are in a war and the war is for the souls of the hearts and minds of mankind
And God has sent forth us to be laborers in his field co-laborers with with God the Father
And he set it up for us that we can also go out and conquer for the name of Christ
So we're obviously not conquering people in the way that the Roman Catholic Church can't
Conquered people or they went and just murdered people and killed people and took took them over gave them Christian names or whatever
We you know, we want them. So we want people to spiritually be conquered and that that
Wickedness that that whatever is holding them back from being saved is transformed into Christ
And you know, they might have a Christian life and a Christian soul a soul that goes to heaven when it dies instead of going
To hell turn to Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10
Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10
So in order for us to be prepared for the day of battle, you know a horse has to be prepared for a day of battle
But also we as God's people need to be prepared for the day of battle now, how do we do that?
Well, look at Ephesians 6 10
It says finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and the power of his might
So we're not strong in our own might we're strong in the power of his might right?
It's not what it says put on the whole armor of God. How do we prepare ourselves for the day of battle?
Well, the Bible says to put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil
And the wiles of the devil are gonna come at us in all waves and and and all shapes and sizes
There we're going to be in a battle. But if you don't have your armor on you're not gonna be able to fight that battle
So it says in verse 12 we for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities
against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places and
So we are our fight is not a physical fight
It's a spiritual fight and we have to be prepared
We have to the armor of God is not something that you physically put on
It's something that you spiritually put on and it says wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able
to stand and
with Stan to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand stand therefore having your loins girt about
With truth and having the breastplate of righteousness now, you know
You want your loins to be girt with what a belt?
Right isn't what most men have to wear a belt and if you don't you know
They bend over and you're gonna see something. You don't want to see
Why does God always talk about girding up your loins or being girt?
Well, because that's a preparedness for being able to work being able to spring into action
You know, I mean, I know that the flannel graphs and the Sunday school lessons always show them and in you know
All these tough Bible guys in these robes and dresses and stuff. Like how are you gonna be able to do any work?
Walking around like that
And obviously I'm sure they covered up and things like that. But you know these long flowing garments
I don't think that's what they were wearing. But anyway, it says having your loins girt
about what truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness and
Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace
So you see how it says the preparation of the gospel of peace
So we should be prepared to go out with the full armor of God and part of that armor is having your shoes on
It's hard to get a lot done without your shoes, isn't it?
And so I mean obviously especially around here with all the goat heads and stuff
If you walked around out here without your shoes on you're gonna be in a world of pain
Have you ever seen that picture where it like has this person that has all these goat heads stuck in their foot?
It's like a meme or something. It's like those things are ungodly
Those things are a part of the curse. I think brother CJ's whole, you know, his baby
Stroller got totally destroyed by them. I think what three wheels out of four got popped
You can't you can't come to battle
With weak tires on your on your strollers here
You got to have that, you know, you got to put the fix-a-flat in it or something before you take it out
But if you don't have shoes on it's hard to get a lot of real work done, isn't it?
And so the Bible talks about being prepared to preach the gospel with putting your shoes on because it
Isn't it kind of important to have shoes on when you're out soloing?
I mean if we're all just walk around barefoot and stuff when we're soloing
We're gonna we wouldn't make it very far especially in this town, especially in this area
so we have to be prepared well part of being prepared is having the full armor of God on and
So then we can be prepared against that day of battle. Look what it says in verse 16 above all taking the shield of faith
wherewith you should be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmet of salvation and the
Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God
So the whole armor is completed by having in your hand the Word of God when we go out soloing
We should have the Word of God in our hands. We should be prepared for the battle
We should have you know Old Testament New Testament people are gonna have some questions sometimes and if you only have part
You know just the New Testament. Yeah, you can get people saved that way
But what if someone has a question about something else, you know, you could just have the whole Bible with you
You know we live in a day and age where we're very spoiled to have you know many
There's a there's a store called the KJV store and you can just get any kind of King James Bible on there you want
You can have you know, this is kind of a newer Bible to have you can have it with tabs
Yeah, I mean we just have all these luxuries that people people willing
You know willingly died and were burnt at the stake so that we could get this Bible
They were prepared for the day of battle
And you know what? They were willing to give their lives up in order for the Word of God be put in our hands today
We should be thankful for the heritage that we have in this life with the with the Bible that we have
So number one, we need to prepare be prepared for the battle number two tonight
We need to be ready to receive the Word of God
So when we come to a church service, and you know when you come to a church service
You should be prepared to receive the Word of God, you know
I know in a lot of churches
They don't even preach the Word of God anymore or what they say is the Word of God isn't even really the true Word of
God it's some
Corruption of God's Word that isn't even right
But we should be prepared to receive the Word of God. Look at the Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse number 1
Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verse number 1
so you'll notice a lot of these verses that I'm gonna be talking about is talking about being ready and
That's you know again staying frosty being ready getting being ready prepared for everything in your life
Everything in the Christian life requires us being ready for something, doesn't it?
Look at Ecclesiastes 5 verse number 1
It says keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to what here be ready
to hear
Than to give the sacrifice of fools for they consider not that they do evil
But be not rash with thy mouth
Let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God for God is in heaven and thou upon earth
Therefore let thy words be few when you're in the house of God
You know in Ecclesiastes, it's saying hey be ready to hear be ready to hear what the Word of God
That's the whole purpose, you know, obviously we're worshiping the Lord
We're preparing our hearts for the message to be received where we're preparing, you know, we're singing out to the Lord in praise
You know, we should be singing to the Lord
We should be singing praises to him and preparing our hearts to receive God's Word
You hear the words of God and let them sink down into your ears and down into your heart
Look at Exodus 19 verse 10
Exodus 19 verse 10
So you have an Exodus 19
Where God is preparing the people to hear the Word of God from Mount Sinai and he tells them to
Sanctify themselves and to get ready for this to happen and there are certain things that they were not allowed to do
They weren't supposed to get close to the mount or they're supposed to be thrust through with a dart
God was gonna speak to them audibly and they were gonna freak out after hearing God speak to them because they were terrified and afraid
but
They I mean they didn't even want to finish hearing what he had to say
They're saying we'll do it whatever he says just have them stop talking to us
You know
But we have to be prepared to listen these guys didn't want to listen
To what God had to say and they just agreed to everything that put themselves under this curse
But look what it says in verse 10. It says in the Lord said unto Moses go unto the people and sanctify
them today and tomorrow and let them wash their clothes and
Be ready
against the third day
For the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai
So he said be ready against that third day be ready to receive the Word of God
You know, the whole congregation was there waiting for God to say something to them
And you know what and when we come to church when we're in the house of the Lord when we're gathered together
For the purpose of the preaching we need to be ready to hear what God has to say to us turn to 1st Peter chapter
5 verse 2 as a pastor
It's my job to feed the flock of God the flock of God is
You know the heritage of the Lord and my job as a pastor is to feed you
the milk the meat the Bible, okay, and
You know, if I'm not preaching the Word of God, then I'm just worthless. I just need to be removed
I'm supposed to preach the Word of God. Look what it says in 1st Peter 5 2 it says
Feed the flock of God
Which is among you taking the oversight thereof
Not by constraint, but willingly not for filthy lucre, but of what to say a ready
mind
So my mind is supposed to be ready for what to preach the Word of God to the flock
Which is among us right and so my job is to preach the Word of God
But you know what your job is to do to listen to the Word of God being preached
There's nothing more frustrating for a pastor or preacher to preach a sermon and you know, you're like, okay
Well, hopefully, you know, this is being read this gets received and gets you know
You know that goes in they receive it and they put this into action
Nothing's more frustrating
Than for me to preach a sermon and the same people that are still doing the same things that I was preaching about are still
Doing the same things, you know after I preached about it
It's like so that what does that tell me that tells me they're not receiving the Word of God in their minds
They're not receiving the Word of God into their hearts because if they were they would change
Because the Word of God is supposed to do what it's supposed to make some changes in our lives, right?
So we need to be willing to receive the Word of God so that we can make the changes in our lives
but if we're just
You know playing around fiddling around with stuff or sleeping or whatever
You're not gonna be able to receive the Word of God because you're not paying attention
You're thinking about something else. So when you go to church, we go to a service pay attention to what's being preached and
Listen and just apply those things in your life
Turn to Acts chapter 17 verse 10
Acts chapter 17 verse 10. We should all be like the Church of
Berea
where Paul and
Silas went in in Acts 17 10 it says and the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night on to Berea
So this is a place where Paul and Silas were sent and it says who coming dither went into the synagogue of the Jews
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica and that they received the word
With all what to say readiness of mind
They were ready to hear what the Apostle Paul had to say and most of the time when they went to the synagogues
There's only a few people to listen
but these people were more noble than they in Thessalonica and that they received the word with all readiness of mind and
Searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so you know what I like about our church
Is that when we get together we get together after the service and we talk about the Bible
That's a good thing to do
That shows that people are paying attention
They're listening to you know, and maybe I make a mistake and they go. Hey, you know, that's not what the Bible says
I'm like, okay. Well my bad. I'm sorry. I'll fix that or whatever, right?
But I like that our men are sharp and just think about these things and say and maybe they'll just I'll miss something
They're like, hey, did you think about this? Like no I didn't but now I did so. Thank you. It doesn't upset me
I want people to you know, not obviously come to me and be like hey, you're so stupid pastor Thompson
Or whatever, you know come to me and treat me as a father
I'm gonna listen to what you have to say
But if I don't agree with you, I'm not gonna agree with you
But what it was great about these guys here is that they receive the Word of God with readiness of mind
What's the sermon about? It's called it's about being ready
Stay frosty get ready to receive the Word of God turn to Ezra chapter 7 verse 6 Ezra chapter 7 verse 6
Ezra was a great man of God
He did great mighty things for the Lord and a troubles time
you know when they're going back and trying to rebuild the temple and rebuild the wall and
Ezra was one of the main leaders in this
in this move to try to
You know Solomon's temple was destroyed and they're trying to fix things and get people excited and have people repent and turn back to God
Now look what it says in Ezra 7 6 it says this Ezra
Went up from Babylon and he was a ready
scribe in the law of Moses
He was a ready scribe notice that word ready a ready scribe in the law of Moses
He was ready what he knew the law of God. He knew the Bible. He was a ready scribe
He wrote the Bible down. He copied it. That's what scribes do right they copy down new Bibles when the old ones need to be replaced
But he was just a scribe in the law of Moses and which the Lord God of Israel had given and the king granted him
All his requests according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him now
What made you know God just want to help Ezra? Well, he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses
he was ready and
Willing and ready to serve the Lord and God, you know what God granted him hit all his requests
Because you know what Ezra cared about the Bible Ezra cared about the Word of God. He cared about God's people and
You know got the hand of the Lord was upon him and you know what we want as Christians
We don't you want God's hand to be upon you not not smacking you but like, you know
Job, well done or he wants to bless you because you're you're receiving his word
And and that you love God's Word and you're ready to receive it. So
If you want God's hand upon your life, why don't you be a ready scribe? Why don't you read the Word of God?
Why don't you receive the Word of God number three tonight?
Be ready to go and I just mean in general be ready to go
You know, sometimes people just miss the boat. They miss opportunities because they're not ready to go
People are terrible at work because they're not ready to go. We have a
Rule at my work where you when you show up for work you're wearing the pants
You're supposed to be wearing you're wearing the steel toed boots. You're supposed to be wearing you're supposed to be, you know
Walking around with a hi-vis vest when you're walking around, you know
You're supposed to have all the tools that you need as far as just like, you know, just showing up for work
You have to show up ready to work. That's what they want
And why wouldn't they want that, you know, but what I what I've seen sometimes is just people not ready
You know, they're not wearing their steel toed boots
They got you know, they're still toed boots on in there, you know, their laces are all messed up and they're dragging behind them and stuff
It's just you look like a slob
All right, get ready to work when it's time to go to work be ready to work look at
Exodus chapter 12 verse 11
Now when the children of Israel had to leave
they had to do so in haste and
Haste means it had to be something that was done quickly, right?
Isn't it annoying when you know, you're like you want to go someplace and you're like waiting for someone that's not ready to go
Super annoying. I'm that way
Sometimes I have to admit but you know, we should in general be ready to go
You know take don't just put off doing stuff be ready
To go look at Exodus 12 11 says and thus shall you eat it with your loins girded?
So your belt on right talk about the Passover
Your shoes on your feet
Your staff in your hand. What are they ready to do start walking?
Start moving get your stuff get it ready to go and you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord's Passover
So God is saying to the children of Israel
Hey, don't just lay around in your PJs with your fuzzy bear slippers or whatever, you know eating the Passover
He's saying hey, why don't you get be dressed?
You know when you're at home
Do you are you just always in your pajamas or do you actually get dressed at some point in the day?
We should be prepared for the day get up take a shower
Change your clothes
Put your belt, are you ready to go, you know in general we should be ready to go
Obviously, there's a time to lay around in your PJs. Okay. I'm not just saying always be you know
I'm always in a suit and tie. No, I'm not. Okay
But you know when I'm about to preach I'm in my I'm in my outfit aren't I I'm supposed to be anyway
Obviously sometimes or cultures would dictate otherwise but turn over to Isaiah chapter 32 verse 4
I'm just saying be ready to go in general. That's my third point and
We should just be ready for whatever. There's a lot of surprises that happen in our life
There's a lot of opportunities that might happen in our life
but because we weren't ready for that opportunity it slipped out from our fingers or
You know someone's like hey, I just need one person. It's like you're you're not dressed
They are they're gonna take the person that's ready to go, aren't they?
I mean just in general, you know people are gonna pick someone that's ready and serious about their life ready to roll
Look at Isaiah 32 for it says the heart also of the rash
Shall understand knowledge and the tongue of the stammerers shall be what ready to speak
Plainly, so, you know when we are ready to speak plainly
We're you know
We don't know when an opportunity is gonna rise for us to just impart some biblical wisdom to somebody
you know, sometimes we're at the door and all we can do is just give them like a small piece of
Eternity we can just give them a small piece of eternity and are you ready to speak plainly?
Now sometimes people hate when you just beat around the bush
When we go to people's doors, don't you know, we don't say oh nice puppy or you know, whatever
You might say that in the course of preaching but like, you know, we want to get to people want you to get to the point
They don't like you at their doors. First of all, so you got to just sell it all just real quick
you know what I like about brother drew is that I
Can see that he cares about the people he's talking to he's not just going through some used car salesman techniques
I'm sorry to put you on the spot brother drew if you're even in here. He's not but
Now now I'm not even gonna use him. Okay, I'm done with brother. Jr. No
He's probably tired. He gave the gospel twice tonight, huh? Oh, you had to drive home. That's right. Sorry brother drew
But anyway, okay, so brother Jews back in the story now
But I got to watch him preach the gospel twice today
One of the times he preached the gospel today and I'm just gonna you know, give him some pats on the back here
He so we were walking by this lady had just got into her car. She's in her driveway
She turns on the car and I'm like she's never gonna listen. That's what I'm thinking in my mind, right?
But dr. Drew was ready to go
He walked over to her and and just like really impressed upon her the need for her to listen
She said she was Catholic and everything and he said hey, I'd like to show you you know, how you can know for sure
He read the verse to her how you know
It says you can know for sure that you're going to heaven and then he said can I just you know?
Preach the Bible to you for a few minutes and just show you what the Bible says and she said sure
turns her car off and
Just listens to him and gets saved
You know drew was ready to speak plainly the things that he said to her were really exact
They're really good. And you know that lady's gonna be in heaven someday because
Brother, you know because most people like me
Most people don't they don't listen
When you just walk up to their car very often do they?
Usually when they turn the car on they're ready to peel out right especially when they see people with Bibles in their hands walking up
To them. All right
But you know brother drew he took his time
Got her saved and then the guy that he got saved today
I mean the sun's beating on us at the hottest part of the day
there's like no shade and brother drew just goes through the scriptures with this guy and
You know gets this this Catholic guy saved at the end of the day
But you know what I liked about
Brother Drew is that he's just really playing with his speech. He's not trying to come up with some kind of crazy, you know
Pictures of things that just you know, you know
What if you robbed the bank you shot all the tellers you raped and pillaged everybody. Would you still go to heaven?
It's like yeah, I mean that kind of just that doesn't always you know, really instill people like what do you mean?
What?
Just speak plainly, you know, so and brother drew did that and I was really appreciative of that
But he was ready to go in every situation
You know, I forgot to tell you when he's preaching the gospel of that lady. He's bent down on one knee
Level the level with her and when he got up it took several minutes for his leg to become on numb
Brother Drew is not exactly a spring chicken anymore
and I
Always call him over the hill because he's 51 so I can say that until I turn 50 but
You know brother drew even got you know talk about getting down on someone's level
He literally got down on someone's level and just he could barely get up when he got down
But you know what he did that because he wanted to make her feel comfortable
Like he wasn't just standing over her, you know hunched up, you know
So it was it was really cool got to see a couple of salvation's today
But we you know, we need to be ready in every situation whether you're at the supermarket, you know
Sometimes you're not even out soul and you have a chance to just give something to somebody
Why don't you be ready to do that instead of thinking about what we need all the time?
We need to think about others sometimes and you know, we need to be ready to do those things
So number four tonight be ready for the Lord Jesus to return. We need to be ready for the Lord Jesus to return
What do I mean by that? Well, no, I'm not preaching that Jesus could come at any moment
Okay, we believe that Jesus comes after the tribulation at this church
But he does tell us to watch doesn't he doesn't he tell us to watch?
Let's look over a Matthew chapter 24 verse 42
And you know Jesus wants us. I believe that he wants us to have the mindset that he could come in our lifetime
You know, I think that he wants us to have that mindset. I think he wants us doing specific things
While we watch and while we wait
It's not just hey, I'm gonna go up to the mountains. I'm gonna build a bunker
I'm gonna hide out with all my supplies
I have ten years of you know, dried goods and all this other stuff and I'm just gonna watch and wait
You know, there's there's people that have done that and it didn't work out too well for them
That's not what we're supposed to do. We're supposed to live
You know with the people
That we're trying to get saved we're supposed to you know, obviously living in a big town is gonna help us reach more people
But Jesus wants us to watch so that it says in verse 42. It says watch therefore
For you know not what hour your Lord doth come
But know this that if the good men of the house had known and in what watch the thief would come
He would have watched and would have not suffered his house to be broken up
So, you know when you know, if whoever's had their house robbed before it's a really terrible feeling. It's very violating to you
It's like they're going through all your stuff and who's been robbed before like someone broke into your house and stole things
Yeah, I've had that happen and it's not a fun feeling
But you know if I would have known that that thief was gonna come at a certain time
I would have watched with a shotgun in my hand ready for them to come through the door, right?
So he wouldn't have suffered or allowed his house to be broken up and robbed right it says therefore
Be
Also, what does it say
Ready be also ready for in such an hour as you think not the Son of Man
Cometh, so what's he saying? He's like, hey, you don't know when he's gonna come
So why don't you just be ready?
Just you know be in the mindset of being ready for Christ to come back
Look at verse 45 who then is a faithful and wise servant whom the Lord hath made ruler over his household
To give them meat in due season blessed is the servant whom the Lord when he cometh
Shall find so doing so. I mean he just he's talking about being ready and then what's he say afterwards?
He's talking about being faithful, isn't he? Isn't that being ready? You're faithful to the Lord
You're faithful in all aspects of the Christian life
It says oh and wise servant faithful and wise servant whom the Lord
Hath made ruler over his household
To give them meat in due season. He's saying hey, you know be prepared
Be doing what you're supposed to be doing
Because when I do come if you're not doing those things, those are gonna be a detriment to you
So we should have the mindset that we're gonna be prepared and
Ready for the Lord to return now, obviously, we know that he's not gonna return tomorrow
We know that you know certain things have to happen first, but isn't he still saying to be ready?
This is written 2,000 years ago folks. So I think that he's just saying I want you to have a
faithfulness a readiness
for me to return and it says
Blessed is that servant whom the his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing
You know, what's what's the difference? Well someone who's backslidden and not in church and not serving God, you know when the Lord returns
You know, do you think the Lord's gonna be happy with that servant? He's not he's gonna be happy with the servant
That's doing what he's supposed to be doing or she's supposed to be doing
Serving the Lord being faithful being faithful over his household, you know giving them the meet-and-do season
Being a blessing to other people
Preaching the gospel. That's what he wants
You know
It's so funny that the pre-trib crowd they get so mad about the fact that we believe this and they say he could just come
back at any minute
That's not true. And you know what if it was true, why aren't they out there preaching the gospel anymore?
Why aren't they out there preaching the gospel if they think that's true
If God could come back at any minute if Jesus could come back right now during this church service if that were really true
Then don't you think they should be beat in the streets?
It just you know, it just makes me think they don't really believe that because that they really did believe that
They'd be running from neighbor to neighbor and door to door
Like he could come back at any moment get saved, you know preach the gospel to those people, but that's not what they do
They just act like well, we're not going to go through persecution. We're not gonna go through tribulation
You know, we got a big goose down pillow that we're gonna be, you know
We're just gonna float up to heaven because we're so holy. We're so good. We're so spiritual
We're better than all these people. It's kind of just like what the Pharisees acted like
And it makes me sick turn to mark chapter 13 verse 35 mark chapter 13 verse 35
It's kind of a parallel passage here
But didn't Jesus Jesus said be ye also ready he wants us to be ready for what for him to come back
mark chapter 13 verse 35 says watch ye therefore
So it's kind of the same thing as being ready watch ye therefore
For you know not when the master of the house cometh at even or at midnight or at the cock crowing or in the morning
Less coming suddenly he find you what to say
Sleeping you're you're falling asleep on the job. You're not prepared. You're not ready. Are you?
It says and what I say unto you I say unto all
watch
He's talking about all Christians
Everybody so we should be and what a preparedness of our mind a preparedness in our in our actions in
Words and indeed ready for Christ to come back now
I'm just saying have the mindset we know that he can't come back and tell certain things happen
But you know what I think he's trying to tell us here be in that readiness mindset
Don't be like well. He's not coming until after the tribulation so
Don't have that attitude
Well when the you know when the final seven years starts, then I'm gonna start getting spiritual
Then I'm gonna start going to church, then I'm gonna get baptized then I'm gonna get spiritual. No you're not
If you're not doing it now
You're not gonna do it then either you're gonna be scared and crying and hiding behind some bush or something
Quit acting like you're gonna be spiritual at when it's time to be spiritual
You know the time to be spiritual is now the time to be ready is now
number five tonight
Be ready to preach the gospel. This is gonna be a short point, but it's part of the ready the ready verses here
So turn to Romans chapter 1 verse 14 like I said it preaches a couple sermons about being ready to preach the gospel
Preparing yourself to preach the gospel all the things that you need to do to get ready to preach
You know being a silent partner
You know obviously tabbing up all your Bible verses that you need to learn I see then you can be a first time
Hey, I got my first person saved today
That's a that's a that's a blessing
That means that they're trying to push forward
They're trying to be ready there they prepared themselves that got themselves ready and when the time came they were ready to go
They got people saved today, right so in Romans chapter 1 verse 14
It says I am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians both to the wise and to the unwise
So
As much as in me is I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are in Rome
Also, what's Paul saying? Hey? I'm already ready. I'm ready to go
So the Apostle Paul is ready
Don't you think we should try to be our best to be ready to preach the gospel and you know listen don't be a regressed Christian
Okay, if you've already been sowing before you already know how to get people saved
You know don't don't regress in your soul-winning
You know what you have to do you have to keep trying you have to keep doing it
You have to keep moving forward and stop moving backward in your soul-winning
So when if you've already given the gospel if you've already know how to give the gospel
Listen the less you do it the the less practice you're gonna have in it the less ready you're gonna be
It's just the truth
So it says in verse 16 for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it
Talking about the gospel is the power of God
unto salvation
to everyone that
Believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek
So don't be ashamed of the chain of the gospel
Don't be ashamed of the fact that you're a Christian
Don't be ashamed of the fact that you go door-to-door and knock on doors because people are gonna say well
You're like a Jehovah's Witness, or you're like a Mormon
You know no they're trying to be like us, but you know what Baptists have fallen down on the job
And so now people look at us like we're Jehovah's Witnesses, or they look at us like we're Mormons
But you know what God's people should be out knocking on doors. They should that's what should be normal
Right should be normal for for a Bible believing Christians to go door-knocking now. They just think well. What are who are these freaks?
They're not why are they knocking on the door you know if people if Christians went out knocking on doors more often people wouldn't treat
Us like that they might be annoyed, but you know what people are annoyed anyway, so so what we're trying to do something good for them
They just don't realize that you know when you're trying to help somebody
Like you know I've ever seen people like I'm just gonna use it for instance
that just pop into my mind people that are like drowning and
They tell you to be careful when someone's drowning on how you help them because they can drown you in the process
So if you if you know they teach you techniques how to how to swim with someone in when you're when when they're drowning
But you got to be careful because they'll drag you know people are so afraid
They're just gonna they're gonna freak out
And you know they're gonna do all this and and maybe drag you down or try to hold your head down
So they can stay up, but you know we don't want to be
Caught into that type of a position
So you know the Bible says that we need to
You know treat
You know preaching the gospel to people and and not be ashamed of that
You know it says it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, so don't be ashamed of that
You know someone's you know we need to go and try to help people as best as we can and you know
That that is the power of God unto salvation be ready to preach be ready to preach
The gospel number six tonight be ready to die for Christ. You're like whoa this servants taking a change turn for the worse
well
You know people have been dying for Christ for a long time. I talked about William, too
Oh, well, I didn't say his name, but William Tyndale
You know burned at the stake and
Said his last prayer was Lord open up the king of England's eyes
And you know what that prayer was answered as he died in a flame
Burned alive. I mean that's one of the most horrifying things I could think of happening
But he did that so that we could have an English Bible
And Henry the eighth did allow a translation to take place
You know and then it took a little while for the King James to come into place
But you know he there's a lot of people that died at the stake or were tortured because they dared to believe the Bible
They dared to say the Lord's Prayer
You know in English
there's a lot of people that had to suffer for what we have in our hands right now and
You know look at Acts 21 verse 10 Acts 21 verse 10
So acts 21 verse 10
The Apostle Paul
Every place he went just think about this the Apostle Paul every place he went
Probably was preparing himself to be hurt really badly or killed
He was ready to die for the Lord Jesus every place he went
I mean even the plate you know he talks about perils of robbers pairs of brethren you know all this other stuff
You know in shipwrecks, and he was naked and cold and hungry and all this other stuff was happening and perils of robbers
People I mean every place he went the Apostle Paul was in danger of losing his life
But you know he wasn't trying to he wasn't trying to get some kind of glory for himself
He was putting his life on the line for somebody in particular
he was putting his life on the line for the Lord Jesus Christ and
For the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and for the Gospels sake look at Acts 21 10 it says
And as we tarried there many days
There came down from Judea a certain prophet named Agabus and when he when he was come unto us
He took Paul's girdle and bound his own hands and feet and said thus saith the Holy Ghost
So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles
So I mean this is the Holy Ghost
Speaking through a prophet
Saying hey the guy that you know who these things belong to the Apostle Paul. You know he's gonna be bound at Jerusalem
They're gonna let deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles
So what it says in verse 20 era 12 it says and when we heard though these things
Both we and they of that place besought him not to go up to Jerusalem
Then Paul answered
What meaning it to weep and to break mine heart?
For I am ready
Not only to be not to be bound only but also to die at Jerusalem
For the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, so who was Paul ready to die for
The name of the Lord Jesus Christ his name is a name above all names
His name is the most powerful name in the world people call upon the name of Jesus to be saved
Paul was ready. He said not just to be bound only not to be just captured but to die at
Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
And it says when he'd open the excuse me. I got my verses mixed up okay, so he was ready to die
Are you ready to die for the Lord Jesus?
You like I don't know. I don't think so
Well we don't know until we get into that situation
So you know we might be put into a situation
Sooner than we realized when I look at all the weird stuff that's happened since COVID
Look at our country being run by a dictator who can't even put together two sentences at a time
So who's really pulling the strings on that puppet? It's not him
Someone's telling him what to say and he doesn't have a very easy time doing it
but you know
We're in a we're in some perils in this world
also, you can be fired from your job for preaching the Bible you can be you know how you can be doxed and
Tormented by you know just all these different people because they hate the Word of God
It's ramping up obviously nobody's getting killed or murdered at this point
But those days are gonna come the Bible says it's gonna happen
Why do they call it the Great Tribulation
Is it because it's just real easy because nobody dies
But people are gonna die if we're gonna get the heads chopped off look what it says in Revelation chapter 6 verse 9
So the Apostle Paul kind of had the mindset he was ready
I'm sure he didn't want to die there was times when he used his Roman citizenship to get out of being punished and things like that
I mean he wasn't like trying to sacrifice himself and throw himself off of boats and saying here
I'm the Apostle Paul. I've been turning the world upside down come on come and arrest me
He wasn't doing that, but it was happening to him anyway wasn't it and he just had the mindset
you know I'm just gonna be ready to just die for Jesus's name and
That's a good mindset to have because you know the time could come for us and right now
We're in the lap of luxury for the most part, but things could change really quickly
Like I said things have changed the last couple years who would have thought
That people are just bowed down and taking this vaccine the way that they did I
Had people that I knew at work that were like there's 70% of the people that are refusing to do this
We all just need to stand together
And then like as soon as they said you're fired if you don't take the vaccine by such-and-such date. They're like
All right, I did it. It's all good
Because they want to save their own job
They want to save their own money, but like who would have thought that was gonna happen
And it's probably some kind of an experiment to see well, just how far can we go with this?
How far can we go the next time?
Who are the Christians that are refusing what let's see their documents that they're submitting to human resources so they can keep their job
By saying it's a religious exemption
You know I mean, that's that's a lot of people just fold it and said you know what I'm just gonna do it anyway, right?
So there's a lot
You know a lot can change in a very short amount of time the people that got into World War two probably didn't realize how
Fast it was gonna. Go all sudden. They're drafting all these people things can change
You know we're living like I said well
We think we have it hard sometimes, but really we got it pretty easy right now
But things could change and you know what you got to do you got to be ready
You got to stay frosty you got to get ready for what might happen
here in Revelation 6 9 this is
During the tribulation
It says and when he'd opened the fifth seal I saw under the altar the souls of
them that were slain for what the Word of God and
for the testimony which they held so why are they gonna kill Christians in the tribulation period because
They are slain for the Word of God and the testimony which they held I'm saved
I don't care what you do to me. You know I I'm gonna stand on the Word of God
I don't care if I'm gonna lose my job. I'm gonna stand on the Word of God. I don't care what you do to me
I don't care if you cancel my visa a MasterCard. I don't care
I'm gonna still follow the Word of God because you know what we can a lot of things can come to doubt in our minds
We're being persecuted and thinking we're gonna lose everything
But you know what didn't Jesus say I will never leave you nor forsake you
Didn't he say that and
You know the apostle when the Apostle Paul says you know we're we can be kept. You know we're not cast down completely
He's never gonna. He's never gonna. Let us just be totally totally steamrolled. He's gonna come through for us
Doesn't he always come through in the Bible for everybody and yet? We're just like oh, I don't know what I'm gonna do
Well stand up for the Word of God
That's what you're gonna
Do be ready for that make peace with the fact that you know someday?
Things could change in your life
And you could be being hunted by people because of what you believe because you believe the Bible
This is what the dividing line is folks
Do you believe the Word of God or do you not?
Do you love your money and your paycheck more than you love this book?
More than you love the Lord Jesus Christ because that that might be the dividing line for you sometimes
But you know you got to be able to count the cost
What is the cost it could be it could cost you everything and if you have the mindset right now
That following Jesus and following the Word of God could cost me everything
Then you're gonna be okay when you start losing stuff. You're like well. You know I kind of thought that could happen I
Thought that might be able to happen and here it is happening. Well. You know I'm glad I counted the cost and realized that
If it did happen, I'm just gonna be okay with it
Maybe not totally okay, but at least you're just willing to part ways with those things right
So it says turn to 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 6
2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 6
The Bible says in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 verse 6
It says and this is the Apostle Paul talking to Timothy this preacher
It says for I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand
The Apostle Paul
You know when he knew it was time for it for it to be over for him. He's just like I'm ready
That's kind of the Apostle Paul one of the Apostle Paul's themes if you just look through all the times that the Apostle Paul talked
About being ready. I'm ready to come to you. You know I'm ready to preach the gospel
I'm ready to be offered you know he the Apostle Paul was just a guy that was ready all the time wasn't he?
number seven tonight
Be ready to do good works
Be ready to do good works look at Titus chapter 3 verse 1 Titus chapter 3 verse 1
Bible says in Titus chapter 3 verse 1
It says put put them in mind to be
subject to
principalities and powers
to obey magistrates and
What's it say to be ready to every good work
We should be ready to do every good work, so
There's the Apostle Paul saying it again right? He's the one that wrote Titus. He's writing a letter to Titus
He's saying hey, we need to be ready to every good work. We'll get 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 verse 14
2nd Corinthians chapter 12 verse 14
You know in good works could be a various different amount of things it could be you know obviously
The the main thing going out and preaching the gospel getting people saved what about helping people that are in need
What about praying for people that are in in trouble and in uncertainty and going through great tribulation in their own lives?
Maybe maybe it's not the great tribulation, but a great tribulation in in their mind, so
Or in their life their life's falling apart
They're in a great tribulation you know we could do a good work by saying hey, you know what I'm gonna pray for you
I'm here for you
I'm ready to comfort you and there's a lot of good works that we can do we can help clothe the naked we can help
You know the fatherless we can help the widows
There's many different things that we could do we could quote you know like I said clothe people feed people
You know all those types of things look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 verse 14
2nd Corinthians chapter 12 verse 14
The Bible says behold the third time I am ready to come to you
So it's Paul the Apostle Paul is like I've already been there a few times, but guess what I'm ready to come for you
The third time see the Apostle Paul is already ready always ready to do something isn't he he says I will not be burdensome
To you for I seek not yours
But you for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children
Now I only have three more places for you to turn and the sermons gonna be over
But I need to turn you I need you to turn to Matthew chapter 25 verse 34
And I want you to see you know there's I was I know so when he's the greatest thing that we can do
We can save somebody from hell, and you know we might not ever see him again on the face of this earth
But one day we'll be able to see that person in heaven
And you know what that's gonna bring a smile to your face
When you see all the people that come up to you like thank you so much for getting me saved
Thank you so much for knocking on my door. Thank you so much for
Caring about my soul and loving me as your neighbor
But there's also other things to do there's other things that we can do we can have compassion upon people
We should do things through charity through godly Christian love
charity
To is to help other people
You know without thinking about yourself in return a lot of people will do things for people in this world about do you remember the?
Time when I did this for you. What about the time when I lent you money?
What about the you know it's just like people do things and then they'll hold that thing
You know remember the shirt. I gave you in sixth grade, or you know just stupid stuff, right?
They'll hold that stuff against you well. You know remember when I did this for them
It's just like that's not why you should do things for people
Do things for people because you care do things for people because you have a charitable heart, and you want to help people
Matthew chapter 25 verse 34 says
Then shall the king saying to them on his right hand come ye blessed of my father
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
I'm gonna love the day that I hear something like that from from God when I hear that from the Lord Jesus Christ
It says for I was hungered and you gave me meat, so here's some of the works that you could do that
Jesus actually
Says to us and for us right here
What can you do what you give people something to eat?
You know and I'm not talking about lazy bozos that refuse to work
I'm talking about you know people are just having a hard time making the ends meet
Maybe they're crippled you know obviously people some people just can't work
I will help people like that, but you know who I'm not gonna help lazy derelicts that refuse to work
but anyway
It says for I wasn't hungered and he gave me meat
I was thirsty and he gave me to drink so giving someone something to drink
Brother brother Tyler was trying to give me something to drink here just a minute ago
He's like he must be parched, but I'm alright. I'll make it through here, so I was thirsty you gave me a drink
I was a stranger, and you took me in that's a little hard isn't it?
You know it's it's it's kind of scary
These days to allow a stranger to come into your home obviously
I'm not saying that you know just do that, but sometimes if you're in that situation you could help somebody
You know, but it's kind of scary because you know someone could be the next the first you know the serial killer
But you know what God God is gonna watch out for you obviously, but don't be stupid about stuff
If they have like all you know 666 tattooed on their head or something they're like hey
I just want to spend the night your house like no. I don't think so guy you're
All right, I'll take I'll take the zero on this one
but anyway
It says you took me in let's see
Naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and he came on to me
Then the shall the righteous answer him saying Lord
when saw we thee a hungered and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink and
When saw we be a stranger and took the in or naked and clothed thee or
When saw we be sick or in prison and came unto thee and the king shall answer and say unto them
Verily I say unto you inasmuch as that you have done it unto the least of these my brethren
You have done it unto me so think about the things that he's saying here that you could do
For other people for other Christians for even people that aren't Christian just for people in general because you care about them
and then Jesus said
When you do it to other people, it's like you've done it unto me
That's how he looks at it, and so should we be ready to do good works absolutely
We should be ready to do good works because it's not just only about soul wanting
It is the main thing let me say that it is the main thing
But there's other things that we can do to help people you know when people are in prison and
Nobody comes to visit them especially if it's a situation where you're just in prison because you just did something
You know for the Word of God you know John the Baptist had people come visit him
But you know I'm sure that most of those people did not visit him
There was a few people to visit him
But not most most of the people did not and he was in a place where he was doubting
Even whether Jesus was who he said he was even though he really knew that he was
but he's doubting everything because he's about to pay the ultimate price of
Being a Christian and that is having his head removed from his shoulders because he dared to preach the wicked evil
things that the king was doing and so you know when we
Care about other people we are ready for good works, but you know what are you ready to do good works?
I hope you are I hope that that's something that sticks with you turn to 1st Timothy chapter 6 verse 18 1st
Timothy chapter 6 verse 18
1st Timothy chapter 6 verse 18 says that they do good
That they be rich in good works
ready to distribute
willing to
Communicate so
The Bible's saying here that we need to be rich and good works, so it's not just hey
I did a couple things you know like last year
You know I did you know I gave somebody a quarter. You know what I mean?
It's just like you know being rich and good works
It's it's like you're you know like screw
I don't know if anybody knows who Scrooge McDuck is but anyway Scrooge McDuck at the start of DuckTales
He's like swimming into these like things of you know swimming pool a vault of gold and like you know back
Pedaling or whatever in it you know back doing the backstroke, and he's just just rich
Filthy rich with all these gold coins, but we should be the same way in good works
Now this isn't someone you can tangibly swim in right now
But you know what we're gonna be rewarded for those good works in heaven, and we'll have great riches in heaven
I don't know what that's good what that really means exactly
But I'll tell you what it's gonna be a lot better than the filthy lucre of this world
so
Last verse I'm gonna have you turn to see it says be willing so when you're rich and good works
Ready to distribute so if you're you know what what is that saying well?
You're rich and good works, and you're ready to distribute
That rich those riches to other people right ready to distribute willing to communicate obviously that would probably
Go back to soul winning also. You know, but the apostle Paul is telling Timothy
This is what you teach your congregation
So timothy was was explained to by Paul
That to tell people to be rich and good works ready to distribute those things and willing to communicate now first Timothy chapter 3
verse 15 says
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts that means set him apart make him special make him holy
Separate the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always
To give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you
with meekness and fear
What is the hope that's in you the hope that's in you is the Lord Jesus Christ
That is your only hope if we don't have Christ we have nothing
You know there's only two types of people in this world those that are saved and those that are not saved
You know those that are saved believe in Jesus Christ. That's the requirement for salvation. That's the only requirement
We spent all day explaining that to people didn't we today?
How do you know you're going to heaven well? You know I'm just a good person
What do you think it takes to go to heaven you just got to be a good person?
You know me if I had a nickel for every time I heard that in the last couple days
I'd have some nickels, but
I'm just saying that that's generally people's first answer, but you know what when people ask. You know don't people sometimes say
they'll say like
Nobody can know that
And I want to find out and track down where that came from because a lot of people say that nobody can know that
Well this verse applies right here be ready always to give an answer
Well, I know I am you know why I know
Because I'm saved by the Lord Jesus Christ
I
Believed on him, and he saved me these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of son of God that you
May know you have eternal life
And so we need to be always ready to give that answer to people
No matter what situation we're in whether it be at a door at the mall at Walmart and line or wherever you're at
You know we need to be ready to tell people about the hope that we have because you know what this world is
Walking around with no hope, but they actually do have a hope
They have a hope that they don't know about and if you never tell them they're never going to know about it
That's why it says that we're always to be ready be ready always to give an answer to every man
That asketh you the reason of the hope is with you with meekness and fear
And fear not as like I'm saved and you're going to hell you know not like that. That's not meekness
That's not fear. You're just like you know what I fear the Lord I
Trust in him only for my salvation, and you know people need to hear that sometimes and a lot of times
And it really is it's become like an irritation to me when people say well nobody can really know that can they
Like well, do you think I'd be at your door if I didn't think I knew?
What I'm trying to do is show you what it actually says can I show you and
Huge hinge upon what happens next isn't it?
Because then you say well
You quote that verse and then you say can I show you what the Bible says and then that's usually oh?
No, I got no milk in the fridge
Or you know I got to walk my dog, or you know I was watching this football game
You know people have all kinds of excuses
But you know what?
You know we still have to tell them
We still have to continue to talk until they just shut that door on us, or they say they're not interested
But you know what you warn that person, and they're accountable for their own actions at that point
Because you know how many times do you think the the streets of Yakima been knocked on by?
Bible believing Christians not a lot not a lot so
Anyway, that's all I got so make sure that you're staying frosty
And that means being ready for every situation and being ready for the battle
You know being ready to receive the word of God
Being ready to go in general being ready for the return of the Lord Jesus
Being ready to preach the gospel being ready to die for Christ
being ready to do
Good works, and also. I think that was it yeah being ready for good works all right
So let's pray Lord. Thank you so much for this great church and for all the people that
Just come to the service Lord
I pray that if there is somebody that happens to not be saved in here tonight
I pray Lord that tonight that would be the night
They make sure that they know where they're going and that they know that they have the hope that they're saved
By believing on you Lord
And I just pray for each every person here as we travel home Lord I pray for our soul winning
Our last bit of soul in tomorrow pray that Lord you bless it and
Or that we even though things might not have
Numerically worked out the way we wanted them to this year Lord
We're still faithful, and we still are looking for your blessings and Lord
We want to help bless this city and Jesus name. We pray amen