WEBVTT 00:00:00.900 --> 00:00:03.420 Man, the title of my sermon this morning is, 00:00:03.420 --> 00:00:06.430 this was our greatest year. 00:00:06.430 --> 00:00:08.220 This was our greatest year. 00:00:08.220 --> 00:00:11.470 Of course, today is the 20 year anniversary of our church, 00:00:11.470 --> 00:00:15.540 but just specifically 2025 has been our greatest year. 00:00:15.540 --> 00:00:19.090 I'm not just up here blowing smoke at you when I say that, 00:00:19.090 --> 00:00:24.030 because honestly, the numbers and the data just don't lie 00:00:24.030 --> 00:00:27.180 by every metric, this was our greatest year. 00:00:27.180 --> 00:00:29.110 First of all, me personally, 00:00:29.110 --> 00:00:31.980 I had more people saved out soul winning this year 00:00:31.980 --> 00:00:34.170 than any year in my entire life. 00:00:34.170 --> 00:00:36.950 I've been soul winning since I was 17 years old, 00:00:36.950 --> 00:00:40.170 and I had 182 salvations personally, 00:00:40.170 --> 00:00:43.990 which is the most I've ever had for myself in a single year. 00:00:43.990 --> 00:00:48.980 Our church collectively had 10,000 salvations this year. 00:00:48.980 --> 00:00:53.920 So on a Christmas Eve, we were up to like 9,956, 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:58.300 and now we've just about hit that 10,000 mark. 00:00:58.300 --> 00:01:00.090 We're over the 10,000 mark by now. 00:01:00.090 --> 00:01:05.750 And so that is the second most salvations 00:01:05.750 --> 00:01:07.690 that our church has ever had. 00:01:07.690 --> 00:01:09.070 In order to go higher than that, 00:01:09.070 --> 00:01:11.740 you have to go back to 2017 00:01:11.740 --> 00:01:13.770 when we had 11,000 some salvations. 00:01:13.770 --> 00:01:16.450 Other than that, we've never even broken 8,000. 00:01:16.450 --> 00:01:18.090 Now you say, well, Pastor Anderson, 00:01:18.090 --> 00:01:19.700 how is this the greatest year 00:01:19.700 --> 00:01:23.850 if we had 11,000 saved back in 2017 and 10,000 this year? 00:01:23.850 --> 00:01:25.760 Well, let me explain the difference, okay? 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:30.730 Back in 2017, there was pretty much just Faithful Word 00:01:30.730 --> 00:01:33.670 as far as like putting on big events, 00:01:33.670 --> 00:01:35.930 doing big numbers with missions 00:01:35.930 --> 00:01:37.460 and soul winning and things like that. 00:01:37.460 --> 00:01:39.110 So pretty much all the events 00:01:39.110 --> 00:01:40.940 that are going on in different places, 00:01:40.940 --> 00:01:43.730 the big ones are all spearheaded by Faithful Word. 00:01:43.730 --> 00:01:47.730 And so whether it's in Africa or Indian reservations 00:01:47.730 --> 00:01:49.560 or nationwide soul winning marathons, 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:55.090 whereas this year our guy, Pastor Jonathan Shelley, 00:01:55.090 --> 00:01:56.980 trained and ordained and sent out 00:01:56.980 --> 00:01:58.200 of Faithful Word Baptist Church, 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:01.060 his church, Steadfast Baptist Church, 00:02:01.060 --> 00:02:06.520 had over 7,000 salvations here and in the Caribbean 00:02:06.520 --> 00:02:08.050 and on this side of the world. 00:02:08.050 --> 00:02:12.990 And Steadfast Philippines also had over 7,000 salvations, 00:02:12.990 --> 00:02:16.360 collectively over 14,000 salvations 00:02:16.360 --> 00:02:18.970 between the Philippines and here. 00:02:18.970 --> 00:02:22.920 Of course, our other guy, Pastor Mejia, 00:02:22.920 --> 00:02:25.830 trained and sent out by Faithful Word Baptist Church, 00:02:25.830 --> 00:02:28.150 ordained at Faithful Word. 00:02:28.150 --> 00:02:30.740 You know, he also got thousands of people saved. 00:02:30.740 --> 00:02:33.520 So the difference is that in 2017, 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:37.400 yeah, Faithful Word had 11,000 some salvations. 00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:40.810 No other churches were really doing huge numbers back then. 00:02:40.810 --> 00:02:44.100 Now we're talking about like in the movement as a whole, 00:02:44.100 --> 00:02:49.240 NIFB, we're talking like over 30,000 salvations. 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:51.070 You know, that's a big difference is that 00:02:51.070 --> 00:02:53.810 we've got some other big heavy hitters going on 00:02:53.810 --> 00:02:56.760 and we got all these other churches doing big numbers, 00:02:56.760 --> 00:02:58.270 doing great things for God. 00:02:58.270 --> 00:03:01.290 We got of course, Straight Paths Baptist Church, 00:03:01.290 --> 00:03:02.920 Anchor Baptist, Sure Foundation. 00:03:02.920 --> 00:03:04.750 I mean, there's all these great churches 00:03:04.750 --> 00:03:08.320 doing all this great stuff, Spring Crest, et cetera. 00:03:08.320 --> 00:03:12.750 So the numbers are just objectively way higher than 2017, 00:03:12.750 --> 00:03:15.760 as long as you put that in perspective. 00:03:15.760 --> 00:03:18.030 You know, and again, speaking of Pastor Mejia, 00:03:18.030 --> 00:03:22.290 he had his all time high Sunday morning attendance, 00:03:22.290 --> 00:03:27.520 242 people, Pastor Shelley broke every single record 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:31.810 at his church other than financial giving. 00:03:31.810 --> 00:03:33.390 So other than the finances, 00:03:33.390 --> 00:03:36.040 everything was a record breaker for him. 00:03:36.040 --> 00:03:41.350 Pastor Mejia went from 10,000 to 157,000 followers 00:03:41.350 --> 00:03:42.910 on Instagram this year. 00:03:42.910 --> 00:03:46.660 So that just totally blew up. 00:03:46.660 --> 00:03:49.790 The X and IFB, there's no data reported. 00:03:49.790 --> 00:03:51.790 So I don't know, I can't really compare 00:03:51.790 --> 00:03:53.980 'cause there's no data reported. 00:03:53.980 --> 00:03:58.760 But Faithful Word did missions in 22 foreign countries 00:03:58.760 --> 00:04:01.130 this year, which was a brand new record. 00:04:01.130 --> 00:04:04.230 45 foreign cities. 00:04:04.230 --> 00:04:09.140 The cruise mission strips alone yielded 1,778 salvations. 00:04:09.140 --> 00:04:12.710 We had 54 members of our church 00:04:12.710 --> 00:04:14.300 actually go to the mission field, 00:04:14.300 --> 00:04:15.810 which is an all time record, 00:04:15.810 --> 00:04:18.520 actually getting that many of our church members 00:04:18.520 --> 00:04:20.590 physically out to a foreign country 00:04:20.590 --> 00:04:22.940 doing so in the mission field, including my wife. 00:04:22.940 --> 00:04:26.120 It was her first mission strip and she did three of them. 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:29.150 And so she got out there and did missions. 00:04:29.150 --> 00:04:31.470 On social media, we took our ex account 00:04:31.470 --> 00:04:34.420 from 5,000 to 26,000 followers. 00:04:34.420 --> 00:04:36.670 Obviously we did a major upgrade 00:04:36.670 --> 00:04:39.080 as far as our building is concerned. 00:04:39.080 --> 00:04:42.500 And then here's what you can't really quantify or measure. 00:04:42.500 --> 00:04:45.140 How about just the quality of the people 00:04:45.140 --> 00:04:50.080 in our church in 2025 and the great spirit of fellowship, 00:04:50.080 --> 00:04:52.190 which everyone who actually goes here 00:04:52.190 --> 00:04:54.820 realizes is at an all time high. 00:04:54.820 --> 00:04:59.170 And so again, this was our greatest year by every metric. 00:04:59.170 --> 00:05:00.160 The numbers don't lie. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:01.540 The data doesn't lie. 00:05:01.540 --> 00:05:04.070 And so I'm super thankful that God blessed us 00:05:04.070 --> 00:05:05.580 in such a powerful way. 00:05:05.580 --> 00:05:07.080 Here's a verse that came to mind. 00:05:07.080 --> 00:05:11.020 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof. 00:05:11.020 --> 00:05:12.820 And the patient in spirit is better 00:05:12.820 --> 00:05:15.900 than the proud in spirit. 00:05:15.900 --> 00:05:17.730 And the most amazing thing about all this 00:05:17.730 --> 00:05:22.160 is that we did this in the wake of the worst persecution 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:26.080 and setback that our church has ever experienced, 00:05:26.080 --> 00:05:29.840 which happened in the fall of 2024, major church split. 00:05:29.840 --> 00:05:33.950 We lost 95 people and dealt with all the slander 00:05:33.950 --> 00:05:35.990 and garbage and persecution. 00:05:35.990 --> 00:05:38.500 And yet it's like they never even left 00:05:38.500 --> 00:05:39.930 'cause our attendance is back 00:05:39.930 --> 00:05:41.930 where it was before that happened. 00:05:41.930 --> 00:05:43.660 And so God has blessed in an amazing way. 00:05:43.660 --> 00:05:45.260 Now I'm gonna get into the sermon. 00:05:45.260 --> 00:05:47.130 That was really just by way of introduction 00:05:47.130 --> 00:05:48.930 about this being our greatest year, 00:05:48.930 --> 00:05:50.860 but I've got many points for you this morning. 00:05:50.860 --> 00:05:52.420 Number one, first point, 00:05:52.420 --> 00:05:54.690 and we're there in second Corinthians chapter four, 00:05:54.690 --> 00:05:57.280 is that in the midst of adversity, 00:05:57.280 --> 00:06:00.740 we can do our greatest works for God. 00:06:00.740 --> 00:06:02.640 And I hope that you'll apply this to yourself 00:06:02.640 --> 00:06:03.800 personally this morning, 00:06:03.800 --> 00:06:05.310 'cause I'm talking about the church, 00:06:05.310 --> 00:06:06.660 I'm talking about me as the pastor, 00:06:06.660 --> 00:06:08.650 I'm talking about as a ministry here. 00:06:08.650 --> 00:06:10.680 But you know, in your own personal life, 00:06:10.680 --> 00:06:12.860 in the midst of your own adversity, 00:06:12.860 --> 00:06:15.250 in the midst of your own trials and tribulations, 00:06:15.250 --> 00:06:18.890 you can do your greatest works for God. 00:06:18.890 --> 00:06:20.120 And that was really one of the things 00:06:20.120 --> 00:06:22.720 that I wanted to set out to prove this year 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:25.390 was that we could do our greatest works for God 00:06:25.390 --> 00:06:26.750 in the worst situation 00:06:26.750 --> 00:06:30.050 that we've ever found ourselves in history. 00:06:30.050 --> 00:06:32.260 The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4 verse 5, 00:06:32.260 --> 00:06:34.540 "For we preach not ourselves, 00:06:34.540 --> 00:06:36.570 "but Christ Jesus the Lord, 00:06:36.570 --> 00:06:39.190 "and ourselves your servants for Jesus Christ." 00:06:39.190 --> 00:06:41.290 See, it's not really about us at the end of the day. 00:06:41.290 --> 00:06:42.640 It's about the mission. 00:06:42.640 --> 00:06:43.910 It's about Jesus Christ. 00:06:43.910 --> 00:06:45.320 It's about the gospel. 00:06:45.320 --> 00:06:47.880 So no matter how messed up things are for you 00:06:47.880 --> 00:06:48.960 in the midst of adversity, 00:06:48.960 --> 00:06:50.500 you can still do great things for God 00:06:50.500 --> 00:06:52.330 'cause we're not preaching ourselves. 00:06:52.330 --> 00:06:54.390 We're preaching Christ Jesus the Lord. 00:06:54.390 --> 00:06:57.040 For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness 00:06:57.040 --> 00:06:59.700 has shined in our hearts to give the light 00:06:59.700 --> 00:07:02.030 of the knowledge of the glory of God 00:07:02.030 --> 00:07:04.040 in the face of Jesus Christ. 00:07:04.040 --> 00:07:06.650 But we have this treasure in earth and vessels 00:07:06.650 --> 00:07:09.220 that the excellency of the power 00:07:09.220 --> 00:07:11.620 may be of God and not of us, right? 00:07:11.620 --> 00:07:13.300 It's not about us. 00:07:13.300 --> 00:07:14.450 It's about him. 00:07:14.450 --> 00:07:17.600 We're troubled on every side, yet not distressed. 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:20.130 We're perplexed, but not in despair, 00:07:20.130 --> 00:07:22.060 persecuted, but not forsaken, 00:07:22.060 --> 00:07:24.340 cast down, but not destroyed, 00:07:24.340 --> 00:07:26.760 always bearing about in the body, 00:07:26.760 --> 00:07:28.550 the dying of the Lord Jesus, 00:07:28.550 --> 00:07:31.570 that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest 00:07:31.570 --> 00:07:35.680 in our body, for we which live are always delivered 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:37.290 unto death for Jesus' sake, 00:07:37.290 --> 00:07:40.850 that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest 00:07:40.850 --> 00:07:43.950 in our mortal flesh, so then death worketh in us, 00:07:43.950 --> 00:07:45.580 but life in you. 00:07:45.580 --> 00:07:47.210 Look at what the apostle Paul's saying. 00:07:47.210 --> 00:07:49.320 He's basically saying what John the Baptist said. 00:07:49.320 --> 00:07:52.670 You know, I must decrease, he must increase. 00:07:52.670 --> 00:07:54.260 And he's saying, look, yeah, 00:07:54.260 --> 00:07:55.490 we're going through all this stuff. 00:07:55.490 --> 00:07:56.720 Yeah, we're persecuted. 00:07:56.720 --> 00:07:57.880 Yeah, we're perplexed. 00:07:57.880 --> 00:07:58.990 Yeah, we're upset. 00:07:58.990 --> 00:08:00.180 Yeah, we're in despair. 00:08:00.180 --> 00:08:01.210 Yeah, we're struggling. 00:08:01.210 --> 00:08:02.050 But you know what? 00:08:02.050 --> 00:08:04.150 People are being saved. 00:08:04.150 --> 00:08:07.130 Our loss is other people's gain. 00:08:07.130 --> 00:08:09.990 And it's not about us, it's about Jesus. 00:08:09.990 --> 00:08:12.590 It's about the gospel. 00:08:12.590 --> 00:08:15.000 Now we don't always know why things happen 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:18.800 the way that they do, but we just have to believe 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:21.100 that everything happens for a reason. 00:08:21.100 --> 00:08:24.200 All things work together for good to them that love God. 00:08:24.200 --> 00:08:25.680 And we just have to realize 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:28.770 that God's ultimately looking out for us. 00:08:28.770 --> 00:08:30.560 And even if it doesn't always feel that way, 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:31.870 we have to believe that by faith 00:08:31.870 --> 00:08:33.610 because that's what the Bible says, 00:08:33.610 --> 00:08:35.160 that God's always looking out for us. 00:08:35.160 --> 00:08:37.000 So he said, number one, in the midst of adversity, 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:38.840 we can do our greatest works for God. 00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:44.050 Number two, God will ultimately deliver us from evil. 00:08:44.050 --> 00:08:46.310 God will ultimately deliver us from evil. 00:08:46.310 --> 00:08:47.330 The Bible says in Psalms, 00:08:47.330 --> 00:08:50.180 "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, 00:08:50.180 --> 00:08:53.510 but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. 00:08:53.510 --> 00:08:58.940 He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken. 00:08:58.940 --> 00:09:01.020 Evil shall slay the wicked, 00:09:01.020 --> 00:09:05.230 and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate." 00:09:05.230 --> 00:09:07.700 See, when it comes to the servants of God, 00:09:07.700 --> 00:09:09.950 those who are doing right, those who are serving the Lord, 00:09:09.950 --> 00:09:12.250 yeah, they're gonna go through a lot of afflictions, 00:09:12.250 --> 00:09:15.400 but God's gonna ultimately deliver them from those things. 00:09:15.400 --> 00:09:17.290 And I love that verse, 00:09:17.290 --> 00:09:21.300 "He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken." 00:09:21.300 --> 00:09:23.250 If you think about the skeleton, 00:09:23.250 --> 00:09:24.870 you know, you think about the bones, 00:09:24.870 --> 00:09:28.060 you think about sort of the core 00:09:28.060 --> 00:09:31.020 of what's keeping us standing here 00:09:31.020 --> 00:09:32.680 and holding us together, right? 00:09:32.680 --> 00:09:34.040 Kind of holding everything up 00:09:34.040 --> 00:09:37.780 so I don't just collapse to the ground as a blob 00:09:37.780 --> 00:09:40.810 is my skeleton that's holding me up. 00:09:40.810 --> 00:09:43.760 And you know, I think what the Bible is saying here 00:09:43.760 --> 00:09:45.790 is that, you know, when we're attacked, 00:09:45.790 --> 00:09:47.100 when we're persecuted, 00:09:47.100 --> 00:09:48.700 when we go through these afflictions 00:09:48.700 --> 00:09:50.210 and trials and tribulations, 00:09:50.210 --> 00:09:52.920 you know, it's just a flesh wound is what it is. 00:09:52.920 --> 00:09:55.430 And it's like, the skeleton is still there. 00:09:55.430 --> 00:09:57.380 The structure is still there. 00:09:57.380 --> 00:09:59.290 The framework is still there. 00:09:59.290 --> 00:10:00.720 We can keep going. 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:02.780 We can keep standing 00:10:02.780 --> 00:10:08.320 because our bones aren't broken, figuratively speaking. 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:10.430 And so, yeah, many of the afflictions of the righteous, 00:10:10.430 --> 00:10:12.520 but out of them all the Lord delivers them. 00:10:12.520 --> 00:10:15.270 No weapon, it says in Isaiah 54, 00:10:15.270 --> 00:10:17.800 that is formed against thee shall prosper. 00:10:17.800 --> 00:10:20.850 And every tongue that shall rise against the in judgment, 00:10:20.850 --> 00:10:22.850 thou shall condemn. 00:10:22.850 --> 00:10:25.150 This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord 00:10:25.150 --> 00:10:27.330 and their righteousness is of me, said the Lord. 00:10:27.330 --> 00:10:29.870 Go through it to 2 Corinthians chapter one. 00:10:29.870 --> 00:10:31.250 You're there in 2 Corinthians one, 00:10:31.250 --> 00:10:34.020 then we're gonna go to chapter 12 of the same book. 00:10:34.020 --> 00:10:36.540 But in 2 Corinthians chapter one, verse eight, it says, 00:10:36.540 --> 00:10:38.420 for we would not, brethren, have you ignorant 00:10:38.420 --> 00:10:42.030 of our trouble which came to us in Asia, 00:10:42.030 --> 00:10:44.450 that we were pressed out of measure, 00:10:44.450 --> 00:10:49.350 above strength in so much that we despaired even of life. 00:10:49.350 --> 00:10:50.600 I mean, we were just done. 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:53.480 We just wanted to die, it was so bad, he says. 00:10:53.480 --> 00:10:55.990 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves 00:10:55.990 --> 00:10:58.480 that we should not trust in ourselves, 00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:01.420 but in God, which raiseth the dead, 00:11:01.420 --> 00:11:04.040 who delivered us from so great a death 00:11:04.040 --> 00:11:06.860 and does deliver in whom we trust 00:11:06.860 --> 00:11:07.920 that he will yet deliver. 00:11:07.920 --> 00:11:11.280 It's like, look, he delivered us in the past, 00:11:11.280 --> 00:11:13.570 he's delivering us right now, 00:11:13.570 --> 00:11:16.340 and he's gonna deliver us in the future. 00:11:16.340 --> 00:11:17.670 That's what the apostle Paul says, right? 00:11:17.670 --> 00:11:18.650 I mean, that's a three point, 00:11:18.650 --> 00:11:20.590 that could be its own sermon right there. 00:11:20.590 --> 00:11:22.120 You know, you guys take notes of that, 00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:23.750 you guys that are learning how to preach, 00:11:23.750 --> 00:11:25.590 that's a sermon. 00:11:25.590 --> 00:11:27.450 He delivered us, he does deliver, 00:11:27.450 --> 00:11:29.700 he's going to deliver, okay? 00:11:29.700 --> 00:11:31.590 And you know, whenever you're looking 00:11:31.590 --> 00:11:33.180 at financial investments, 00:11:33.180 --> 00:11:36.300 they'll say past performance does not necessarily predict 00:11:36.300 --> 00:11:38.270 future results, right? 00:11:38.270 --> 00:11:40.060 That's one of those little disclaimers that they give. 00:11:40.060 --> 00:11:40.880 But you know what? 00:11:40.880 --> 00:11:43.920 With God, it actually does, you know? 00:11:43.920 --> 00:11:45.750 And tribulation, work of patience, 00:11:45.750 --> 00:11:47.450 patience, experience. 00:11:47.450 --> 00:11:49.950 And experience gives us hope, 00:11:49.950 --> 00:11:51.490 knowing that we've been delivered, 00:11:51.490 --> 00:11:54.080 we're being delivered, we're going to be delivered. 00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:56.870 Second Corinthians chapter 12 verse seven says this, 00:11:56.870 --> 00:11:58.090 if you flip over there. 00:11:58.090 --> 00:12:00.560 (coughing) 00:12:00.560 --> 00:12:03.210 And lest I should be exalted above measure 00:12:03.210 --> 00:12:05.060 through the abundance of the revelations 00:12:05.060 --> 00:12:07.350 there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, 00:12:07.350 --> 00:12:10.080 the messenger of Satan to buffet me, 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:12.610 lest I should be exalted above measure. 00:12:12.610 --> 00:12:14.470 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice 00:12:14.470 --> 00:12:16.120 that it might depart from me. 00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:18.730 And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee, 00:12:18.730 --> 00:12:21.540 for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 00:12:21.540 --> 00:12:24.630 Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, 00:12:24.630 --> 00:12:27.710 that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 00:12:27.710 --> 00:12:30.490 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, 00:12:30.490 --> 00:12:34.810 in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, 00:12:34.810 --> 00:12:36.860 in distresses for Christ's sake. 00:12:36.860 --> 00:12:40.260 For when I'm weak, then am I strong. 00:12:40.260 --> 00:12:42.440 Now look, we can do our greatest works for God 00:12:42.440 --> 00:12:44.570 in the midst of adversity. 00:12:44.570 --> 00:12:46.710 'Cause it's not our own personal strength 00:12:46.710 --> 00:12:48.750 that's gonna get it done anyway. 00:12:48.750 --> 00:12:49.680 And you know what? 00:12:49.680 --> 00:12:51.080 It didn't stop the Apostle Paul 00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:52.610 from doing his greatest works 00:12:52.610 --> 00:12:55.990 when he had the biggest thorn in his side. 00:12:55.990 --> 00:12:58.550 And so we can do great works for God, number one. 00:12:58.550 --> 00:12:59.850 And number two, we know that God 00:12:59.850 --> 00:13:03.400 is ultimately going to deliver us from evil. 00:13:03.400 --> 00:13:04.820 He's delivered in the past. 00:13:04.820 --> 00:13:06.460 He'll deliver in the future. 00:13:06.460 --> 00:13:09.580 But number three, we should not wait 00:13:09.580 --> 00:13:12.940 until things are perfect to start serving God. 00:13:12.940 --> 00:13:15.370 Go through what does Psalm 126, 00:13:15.370 --> 00:13:17.150 middle of your Bible is the book of Psalms. 00:13:17.150 --> 00:13:17.980 While you're turning there, 00:13:17.980 --> 00:13:19.280 I'm gonna read you a great verse 00:13:19.280 --> 00:13:21.650 from John chapter four, verse 35. 00:13:21.650 --> 00:13:24.670 Say not ye, there are yet four months 00:13:24.670 --> 00:13:26.570 and then cometh harvest. 00:13:26.570 --> 00:13:28.950 Behold, I say unto you, 00:13:28.950 --> 00:13:31.570 lift up your eyes and look on the fields 00:13:31.570 --> 00:13:33.650 for their white all ready to harvest. 00:13:33.650 --> 00:13:37.820 Do not wait until things are perfect to start serving God. 00:13:37.820 --> 00:13:39.950 Don't wait till you have all your ducks in a row. 00:13:39.950 --> 00:13:42.380 No, while your life is a mess, 00:13:42.380 --> 00:13:44.200 while your life is confusion, 00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:45.990 while your life is falling apart, 00:13:45.990 --> 00:13:48.220 go do something great for God 00:13:48.220 --> 00:13:50.050 because this is the only time that we have. 00:13:50.050 --> 00:13:51.950 This is the only day that we're guaranteed. 00:13:51.950 --> 00:13:53.970 This is the only life that we have. 00:13:53.970 --> 00:13:54.860 And guess what? 00:13:54.860 --> 00:13:58.580 Most people's life is always gonna be filled with problems. 00:13:58.580 --> 00:13:59.950 And you know what I find in my life 00:13:59.950 --> 00:14:02.030 is that as soon as one problem is solved, 00:14:02.030 --> 00:14:04.340 another one pops up. 00:14:04.340 --> 00:14:08.680 And so I'm almost sometimes not wanting problems to go away 00:14:08.680 --> 00:14:09.510 'cause I'm like, I don't know, 00:14:09.510 --> 00:14:11.320 I'm kind of comfortable with this problem 00:14:11.320 --> 00:14:15.070 and I don't want it to get replaced by something worse. 00:14:15.070 --> 00:14:16.940 When I have no problems, I'm real nervous. 00:14:16.940 --> 00:14:17.970 Like what's it gonna be? 00:14:17.970 --> 00:14:20.220 'Cause something's about to pop up inevitably. 00:14:20.220 --> 00:14:21.290 That's just life. 00:14:21.290 --> 00:14:22.200 And so people are waiting 00:14:22.200 --> 00:14:23.970 till they have all their ducks in a row. 00:14:23.970 --> 00:14:25.640 They're waiting to turn the corner 00:14:25.640 --> 00:14:28.380 and they don't realize there is no corner. 00:14:28.380 --> 00:14:31.080 We're in a round situation here. 00:14:31.080 --> 00:14:32.550 And so that's life. 00:14:32.550 --> 00:14:33.620 Don't wait till things are perfect. 00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:35.580 Look at Psalm 126 verse five. 00:14:35.580 --> 00:14:38.870 "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 00:14:38.870 --> 00:14:41.580 "He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing pressed seed 00:14:41.580 --> 00:14:43.890 "shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, 00:14:43.890 --> 00:14:44.950 "bringing his sheaves with him." 00:14:44.950 --> 00:14:47.510 Now, a lot of times the way we'll interpret this, 00:14:47.510 --> 00:14:49.120 and I'm not saying that this isn't legitimate 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:50.930 because I believe it is. 00:14:50.930 --> 00:14:53.750 We'll often say like, oh, you sow in tears, 00:14:53.750 --> 00:14:56.220 you're going forth and weeping bearing pressed seed 00:14:56.220 --> 00:14:59.790 because you're weeping over lost souls. 00:14:59.790 --> 00:15:01.930 You have compassion on the lost. 00:15:01.930 --> 00:15:03.680 And so you're weeping over lost. 00:15:03.680 --> 00:15:05.510 And I think we've all heard it preached that way. 00:15:05.510 --> 00:15:07.870 And again, that's legitimate. 00:15:07.870 --> 00:15:10.570 But you know, I think an even better interpretation here 00:15:10.570 --> 00:15:15.620 is you're sowing in tears 'cause your life is so messed up. 00:15:15.620 --> 00:15:18.500 You're going forth and weeping bearing pressed seed 00:15:18.500 --> 00:15:21.420 because of all the crap you're dealing with in your life 00:15:21.420 --> 00:15:24.200 that's got you upset, that's got you down, 00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:27.300 that pain and the suffering and the hardships 00:15:27.300 --> 00:15:30.190 that you go through and you go out anyway 00:15:30.190 --> 00:15:32.030 and you reap in joy. 00:15:32.030 --> 00:15:33.840 I like that better. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:38.900 Number four, there are gonna be ups and downs in life, right? 00:15:38.900 --> 00:15:41.010 So we shouldn't wait till things are perfect 00:15:41.010 --> 00:15:42.440 to start serving God. 00:15:42.440 --> 00:15:47.270 And number four, life is going to have ups and downs. 00:15:47.270 --> 00:15:50.400 You're not always gonna be on an upswing. 00:15:50.400 --> 00:15:52.780 Things are not always gonna be awesome. 00:15:52.780 --> 00:15:55.380 You're not just always gonna be just winning 00:15:55.380 --> 00:15:57.380 and everything you touch turning to gold. 00:15:57.380 --> 00:15:59.290 That is just not the way life works. 00:15:59.290 --> 00:16:01.490 There are gonna be times like that, 00:16:01.490 --> 00:16:03.890 but life just has its ups and downs. 00:16:03.890 --> 00:16:04.950 That's just the way it is. 00:16:04.950 --> 00:16:08.870 Now, this year, the slogan was, 00:16:08.870 --> 00:16:10.520 this is gonna be the greatest year ever, right? 00:16:10.520 --> 00:16:12.200 And we've been saying it all year. 00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:14.740 This is gonna be our greatest year, greatest year ever. 00:16:14.740 --> 00:16:18.700 And of course, God blessed and He allowed us to achieve that. 00:16:18.700 --> 00:16:20.700 But why was this the goal? 00:16:20.700 --> 00:16:22.840 Why did I preach a sermon at the beginning of this year 00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:24.960 called, "This Will Be Our Greatest Year"? 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:27.690 Well, the reason why is because I wanted to focus 00:16:27.690 --> 00:16:29.570 on something positive, 00:16:29.570 --> 00:16:31.620 and I did not want to become consumed 00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:34.580 by anger and bitterness, 00:16:34.580 --> 00:16:36.830 which I was kind of in danger of being consumed 00:16:36.830 --> 00:16:37.970 by anger and bitterness. 00:16:37.970 --> 00:16:39.910 And so I decided, you know what, instead, 00:16:39.910 --> 00:16:42.310 I'm just gonna focus on something positive. 00:16:42.310 --> 00:16:45.920 And so therefore, I literally prayed to God, 00:16:45.920 --> 00:16:47.570 and I told this to several people, 00:16:47.570 --> 00:16:49.050 a bunch of my friends and family, 00:16:49.050 --> 00:16:50.810 I literally prayed to God 00:16:50.810 --> 00:16:54.490 that God would not vindicate me in any way this year 00:16:54.490 --> 00:16:57.560 or punish my enemies in any way this year, 00:16:57.560 --> 00:17:00.550 because I wanted to have my greatest year ever 00:17:00.550 --> 00:17:04.300 in the midst of my worst situation ever. 00:17:04.300 --> 00:17:06.060 Worst situation ever, 00:17:06.060 --> 00:17:08.800 translating into greatest year ever. 00:17:08.800 --> 00:17:12.070 That was what I decided because I wanted to be positive. 00:17:12.070 --> 00:17:13.740 And I know this isn't a Bible verse, 00:17:13.740 --> 00:17:14.990 but this is kind of a motto 00:17:14.990 --> 00:17:16.770 that I adopted at the beginning of the year. 00:17:16.770 --> 00:17:19.680 To live well is the best revenge. 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:20.520 Because you know what? 00:17:20.520 --> 00:17:23.620 The Bible tells us vengeance belongs to the Lord. 00:17:23.620 --> 00:17:24.860 I will repay, saith the Lord. 00:17:24.860 --> 00:17:26.380 We're not supposed to avenge ourselves. 00:17:26.380 --> 00:17:28.080 And so I said, you know what? 00:17:28.080 --> 00:17:31.120 Living well is the best revenge. 00:17:31.120 --> 00:17:33.790 I'm just gonna just have the greatest year ever, 00:17:33.790 --> 00:17:35.630 do the greatest works for God. 00:17:35.630 --> 00:17:37.150 So how did it go? 00:17:37.150 --> 00:17:39.020 Well, for the church, as I illustrated 00:17:39.020 --> 00:17:41.170 at the beginning of the sermon, it's obvious. 00:17:41.170 --> 00:17:46.400 Yes, this was our greatest year ever by every metric. 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:49.090 Me personally, with respect to my soul winning, 00:17:49.090 --> 00:17:52.440 yes, it was my personal greatest year ever of soul winning. 00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:56.000 However, you know, I was also kind of hoping 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:59.440 not to just have the best year from a work 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:02.080 or ministry or output perspective, 00:18:02.080 --> 00:18:04.080 and maybe it's a little selfish of me, 00:18:04.080 --> 00:18:06.190 but I also wanted to have my greatest year ever 00:18:06.190 --> 00:18:09.010 as far as just like having joy. 00:18:09.010 --> 00:18:12.130 You know, I was just determined to have joy 00:18:12.130 --> 00:18:14.270 in the midst of my tribulation, 00:18:14.270 --> 00:18:16.230 and this verse comes to mind, 00:18:16.230 --> 00:18:18.250 2 Corinthians 7, verse four, 00:18:18.250 --> 00:18:20.070 I don't know if you're still in 2 Corinthians, 00:18:20.070 --> 00:18:21.340 2 Corinthians 7, four says, 00:18:21.340 --> 00:18:24.370 "Great is my boldness of speech toward you. 00:18:24.370 --> 00:18:27.050 Great is my glorying of you. 00:18:27.050 --> 00:18:29.310 I am filled with comfort. 00:18:29.310 --> 00:18:33.800 I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation." 00:18:33.800 --> 00:18:35.300 And so, you know, I thought about that and I was like, 00:18:35.300 --> 00:18:36.250 you know what? 00:18:36.250 --> 00:18:38.140 I want to have my greatest year ever, 00:18:38.140 --> 00:18:41.990 even just from a joy perspective. 00:18:41.990 --> 00:18:43.870 Now, here's what's interesting about that. 00:18:43.870 --> 00:18:46.400 So, and you know, I'm going to be a little personal here, 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:49.100 but basically the first half of this year, 00:18:49.100 --> 00:18:52.810 almost to the day, I was just filled with joy. 00:18:52.810 --> 00:18:55.100 Like I was just, I just felt like I was just winning 00:18:55.100 --> 00:18:56.430 and everything was great. 00:18:56.430 --> 00:18:57.610 I was super happy. 00:18:57.610 --> 00:19:02.740 I was enjoying and just having the best year ever 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:03.630 for the first half. 00:19:03.630 --> 00:19:05.340 But then, but then literally like almost right 00:19:05.340 --> 00:19:06.840 at the dead center of the year, 00:19:06.840 --> 00:19:09.550 it was like everything just shifted for me. 00:19:09.550 --> 00:19:12.550 And it just seemed like one bad thing happened to me 00:19:12.550 --> 00:19:15.560 after another, just one obstacle, 00:19:15.560 --> 00:19:17.110 one problem after another. 00:19:17.110 --> 00:19:19.810 And just to name a few things is, you know, 00:19:19.810 --> 00:19:25.080 on the 4th of July, I came down with Bell's palsy, 00:19:25.080 --> 00:19:27.100 which, you know, and looking back, 00:19:27.100 --> 00:19:28.990 it wasn't really a big deal. 00:19:28.990 --> 00:19:31.790 But at the time, you don't know how it's gonna go. 00:19:31.790 --> 00:19:33.860 You know, everything I'm Googling says, 00:19:33.860 --> 00:19:36.400 this takes six months to heal. 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:38.790 Your best case scenario is two weeks, 00:19:38.790 --> 00:19:41.630 but that it's probably gonna take months to heal. 00:19:41.630 --> 00:19:44.140 And I, you know, and if you don't know what that is, 00:19:44.140 --> 00:19:46.860 half of my face was paralyzed. 00:19:46.860 --> 00:19:49.600 So I can't talk right, I can't do anything. 00:19:49.600 --> 00:19:51.900 I can't really go in public without being embarrassed 00:19:51.900 --> 00:19:53.310 about the way that I looked. 00:19:53.310 --> 00:19:54.870 I can't smile, you know. 00:19:54.870 --> 00:19:56.770 So it was, and I thought this could go on 00:19:56.770 --> 00:19:58.380 for several months, 00:19:58.380 --> 00:19:59.970 'cause that's what everything's saying online. 00:19:59.970 --> 00:20:02.070 This takes months to heal, you know. 00:20:02.070 --> 00:20:03.870 If you're lucky, you'll have some improvement 00:20:03.870 --> 00:20:04.890 after a couple of weeks. 00:20:04.890 --> 00:20:07.300 Thankfully, after like two and a half weeks, 00:20:07.300 --> 00:20:10.070 I was like totally back to normal, praise God for that. 00:20:10.070 --> 00:20:12.930 But man, those were really dark two weeks, 00:20:12.930 --> 00:20:14.560 'cause I didn't know how it was gonna go. 00:20:14.560 --> 00:20:15.750 I was very upset. 00:20:15.750 --> 00:20:19.400 I had zero improvement for like the first week and a half. 00:20:19.400 --> 00:20:22.250 And so I was just kind of upset about that. 00:20:22.250 --> 00:20:24.660 And then I just, I got sick a whole bunch of times 00:20:24.660 --> 00:20:25.920 right after that, I got sick. 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:30.930 Then it's like one of my best friends died, of course. 00:20:30.930 --> 00:20:33.940 You all know, brother Kevin Rowe was tragically killed 00:20:33.940 --> 00:20:36.060 by a drunk driver. 00:20:36.060 --> 00:20:38.680 And then just, we just rolled into the stress 00:20:38.680 --> 00:20:40.060 of trying to find a new building. 00:20:40.060 --> 00:20:42.550 And again, yeah, the building worked out awesome 00:20:42.550 --> 00:20:43.820 and we have a way better building 00:20:43.820 --> 00:20:45.520 and we love the way it turned out. 00:20:45.520 --> 00:20:47.880 But there were weeks when we thought 00:20:47.880 --> 00:20:50.490 we were gonna be literally out on the street 00:20:50.490 --> 00:20:53.540 trying to figure out where we were gonna be meeting. 00:20:53.540 --> 00:20:58.980 It was very stressful, very difficult, we got through it. 00:20:58.980 --> 00:21:00.890 And more than anything, honestly, 00:21:00.890 --> 00:21:03.430 the second half of this year for me was just characterized 00:21:03.430 --> 00:21:07.620 by just kind of an overwhelming sense of sadness, 00:21:07.620 --> 00:21:09.950 just about the way that things have gone. 00:21:09.950 --> 00:21:12.820 The only real bright spot was I went on vacation 00:21:12.820 --> 00:21:15.140 with my wife in August, and I can honestly say 00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:17.310 it was the best vacation I've ever had in my life. 00:21:17.310 --> 00:21:19.360 And so that was a bright spot. 00:21:19.360 --> 00:21:21.430 But you know what, I was still able 00:21:21.430 --> 00:21:22.820 during the second half of this year 00:21:22.820 --> 00:21:25.790 to get up and preach my hardest. 00:21:25.790 --> 00:21:28.450 Every single service, I preached hard. 00:21:28.450 --> 00:21:30.650 Every single service, I preached from the heart, 00:21:30.650 --> 00:21:32.930 and I gave it everything I had. 00:21:32.930 --> 00:21:37.580 And the important thing is the church continued to thrive. 00:21:37.580 --> 00:21:39.320 So it's funny, like the first half of the year, 00:21:39.320 --> 00:21:42.120 everything's going good, the church thrived. 00:21:42.120 --> 00:21:44.590 Second half of the year, everything going bad, 00:21:44.590 --> 00:21:47.810 church continued to thrive, the work never flagged. 00:21:47.810 --> 00:21:51.310 And so if you would flip to Philippians chapter four, 00:21:51.310 --> 00:21:55.850 Philippians chapter four, and in case anybody cares, 00:21:55.850 --> 00:22:00.080 I'm feeling much better now, so I'm over it. 00:22:00.080 --> 00:22:03.570 I'm excited, I feel great, I'm in a great place, 00:22:03.570 --> 00:22:06.370 I'm filled with joy, I'm ready for next year, 00:22:06.370 --> 00:22:09.020 I'm pumped about it. 00:22:09.020 --> 00:22:11.650 But this is the verse that popped into my mind, 00:22:11.650 --> 00:22:13.890 Philippians chapter four, verse 11, 00:22:13.890 --> 00:22:15.580 not that I speak in respect of want, 00:22:15.580 --> 00:22:17.580 but I've learned in whatsoever state I am, 00:22:17.580 --> 00:22:19.430 therewith to be content. 00:22:19.430 --> 00:22:21.590 I know both how to be abased, 00:22:21.590 --> 00:22:23.310 and I know how to abound. 00:22:23.310 --> 00:22:24.970 Everywhere and in all things, 00:22:24.970 --> 00:22:27.890 I'm instructed both to be full and to be hungry, 00:22:27.890 --> 00:22:30.590 both to abound and to suffer need. 00:22:30.590 --> 00:22:33.550 I can do all things through Christ with strength in me. 00:22:33.550 --> 00:22:36.520 And I think that what God was trying to teach me this year, 00:22:36.520 --> 00:22:38.920 because it was so poetic, 00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:40.250 like how could it be a coincidence 00:22:40.250 --> 00:22:42.100 that it was almost to the day, 00:22:42.100 --> 00:22:45.330 the first half of the year is just everything's winning. 00:22:45.330 --> 00:22:48.760 And then the second half of the year is just all problems. 00:22:48.760 --> 00:22:51.630 And I'll tell you why it's because God's trying to show us 00:22:51.630 --> 00:22:54.410 that, hey, sometimes things are gonna be really good. 00:22:54.410 --> 00:22:57.670 Sometimes things are gonna be really hard, but guess what? 00:22:57.670 --> 00:23:01.050 You can serve God maximum and thrive 00:23:01.050 --> 00:23:03.320 and do great things in both situations. 00:23:03.320 --> 00:23:07.490 You gotta learn both how to be abased and how to abound. 00:23:07.490 --> 00:23:11.040 You gotta learn how to be full and how to be hungry. 00:23:11.040 --> 00:23:14.000 And that is life because if you can only serve God 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:16.380 when everything you touch is turned into gold, 00:23:16.380 --> 00:23:18.600 well, you are not gonna make it, my friend. 00:23:18.600 --> 00:23:21.350 You're gonna wash up because let's face it, 00:23:21.350 --> 00:23:26.530 life is about 50/50 if you're living for God. 00:23:26.530 --> 00:23:27.660 Now, if you're not living for God, 00:23:27.660 --> 00:23:32.330 you might just have 100% bad, 100% negative, 00:23:32.330 --> 00:23:33.930 100% lameness. 00:23:33.930 --> 00:23:36.480 But let me tell you something, if you love the Lord, 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:39.040 if you're serving God, then you know what? 00:23:39.040 --> 00:23:41.110 It's gonna be about 50/50. 00:23:41.110 --> 00:23:43.450 And the Bible even says this in Ecclesiastes, 00:23:43.450 --> 00:23:45.200 you know, don't get too excited on the good, 00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:47.220 I'm paraphrasing, but don't get too excited 00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:49.690 on the good days, don't get too down on the bad days, 00:23:49.690 --> 00:23:50.530 'cause you know what? 00:23:50.530 --> 00:23:52.360 The Lord has set the one against the other. 00:23:52.360 --> 00:23:53.650 You know, if it's a good day today, 00:23:53.650 --> 00:23:54.620 it'll be a bad day tomorrow. 00:23:54.620 --> 00:23:56.470 If it's a bad day today, it'll be a good day tomorrow. 00:23:56.470 --> 00:24:00.040 You know, we have got to learn as Paul did 00:24:00.040 --> 00:24:04.050 in whatsoever state we're in to be content. 00:24:04.050 --> 00:24:06.530 You know, for you Spanish speakers to be contento, 00:24:06.530 --> 00:24:08.750 you know, in all these situations, 00:24:08.750 --> 00:24:17.880 and to have joy in tribulation and joy in affliction. 00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:20.670 The work of God never slowed down. 00:24:20.670 --> 00:24:22.780 The sermons never slowed down. 00:24:22.780 --> 00:24:24.750 The preaching, I don't think there's a big difference 00:24:24.750 --> 00:24:26.600 in the preaching from the first half of the year 00:24:26.600 --> 00:24:27.430 to the second half of the year. 00:24:27.430 --> 00:24:29.640 The preaching was the preaching. 00:24:29.640 --> 00:24:31.860 The soul winning was the soul winning. 00:24:31.860 --> 00:24:33.780 The mission strips were the mission strips. 00:24:33.780 --> 00:24:34.660 You know what? 00:24:34.660 --> 00:24:36.730 God can do a great work. 00:24:36.730 --> 00:24:37.560 And you know what? 00:24:37.560 --> 00:24:40.400 Expecting our lives to be perfect all the time, 00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:46.510 and expecting to be happy 100% of the time is unrealistic. 00:24:46.510 --> 00:24:48.960 You know, we should just be thankful 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:51.090 that God gives us so many good times, 00:24:51.090 --> 00:24:57.420 and so much joy, and that life can be so beautiful at times. 00:24:57.420 --> 00:25:00.730 Acts chapter 20 verse 24, you don't have to turn there. 00:25:00.730 --> 00:25:03.560 If you would turn to 2 Timothy chapter two, 00:25:03.560 --> 00:25:07.320 Acts 20, 24 says, "But none of these things move me, 00:25:07.320 --> 00:25:09.500 neither count on my life dear unto myself, 00:25:09.500 --> 00:25:11.730 so that I might finish my course with joy, 00:25:11.730 --> 00:25:14.420 and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, 00:25:14.420 --> 00:25:17.320 to testify the gospel of the grace of God." 00:25:17.320 --> 00:25:19.640 We can't let these things move us. 00:25:19.640 --> 00:25:22.940 These obstacles, these hardships, these setbacks, 00:25:22.940 --> 00:25:27.050 we've got to be steadfast, we've got to keep going. 00:25:27.050 --> 00:25:28.510 Zechariah chapter four, verse six, 00:25:28.510 --> 00:25:30.150 "Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, 00:25:30.150 --> 00:25:32.790 this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, 00:25:32.790 --> 00:25:34.940 not by might nor by power, 00:25:34.940 --> 00:25:40.040 but by my spirit sayeth the Lord of hosts." 00:25:40.040 --> 00:25:43.540 Second Timothy chapter two, verse one, 00:25:43.540 --> 00:25:46.020 the Bible reads, "Thou therefore, my son, 00:25:46.020 --> 00:25:49.420 be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 00:25:49.420 --> 00:25:50.690 And the things that thou hast heard of me 00:25:50.690 --> 00:25:52.160 among many witnesses, 00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:54.370 the same commit thou to faithful men 00:25:54.370 --> 00:25:56.680 who shall be able to teach others also. 00:25:56.680 --> 00:26:00.470 Thou therefore, endure hardness 00:26:00.470 --> 00:26:03.030 as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." 00:26:03.030 --> 00:26:04.880 So we said, number one, in the midst of adversity, 00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:07.240 we can do our greatest works for God. 00:26:07.240 --> 00:26:09.570 Paul did some of his greatest works for God. 00:26:09.570 --> 00:26:14.200 In tribulation, in affliction, literal prison, 00:26:14.200 --> 00:26:17.160 shipwreck, not having food, right? 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:18.480 Being out on the street, et cetera. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:22.060 Number two, God will ultimately deliver us from evil. 00:26:22.060 --> 00:26:23.250 Number three, we should not wait 00:26:23.250 --> 00:26:25.760 till things are perfect to start serving God. 00:26:25.760 --> 00:26:27.480 You're just never gonna end up getting serious 00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:28.710 about your walk with God 00:26:28.710 --> 00:26:31.120 if you're waiting for things to be perfect. 00:26:31.120 --> 00:26:34.000 Number four, there are gonna be up and down times, 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:36.880 which is why we should endure hardness 00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:39.250 as a good soldier of Jesus Christ 00:26:39.250 --> 00:26:43.750 and not expect it to always be good. 00:26:43.750 --> 00:26:46.790 But number five, what we need to realize is 00:26:46.790 --> 00:26:52.450 we are motivating other people by our works. 00:26:52.450 --> 00:26:56.090 And sometimes other people need to see us 00:26:56.090 --> 00:26:58.990 go through hard things and power through 00:26:58.990 --> 00:27:04.240 and come out the other side and it inspires them as well. 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:05.220 The Bible says in verse two, 00:27:05.220 --> 00:27:08.210 the things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses, 00:27:08.210 --> 00:27:10.670 the same commit thou to faithful men 00:27:10.670 --> 00:27:13.290 who shall be able to teach others also. 00:27:13.290 --> 00:27:17.570 And what we see is we see that not only faithful word 00:27:17.570 --> 00:27:20.130 got excited about having their greatest year. 00:27:20.130 --> 00:27:22.380 'Cause I was ringing that bell at the beginning of the year, 00:27:22.380 --> 00:27:24.060 this is gonna be the greatest year, 00:27:24.060 --> 00:27:25.260 this is gonna be the best year ever. 00:27:25.260 --> 00:27:28.990 And right away I noticed, 00:27:28.990 --> 00:27:31.460 just specifically Pastor Shelley, 00:27:31.460 --> 00:27:34.340 it was like he got on that program. 00:27:34.340 --> 00:27:37.420 You could tell he started just pulling out all the stops, 00:27:37.420 --> 00:27:41.810 draining all the bank accounts, going crazy and just, 00:27:41.810 --> 00:27:44.660 I mean, he just gave it everything this year, I could tell. 00:27:44.660 --> 00:27:46.830 And I could just see there were just so many events, 00:27:46.830 --> 00:27:48.960 so many things, so much of a push. 00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:51.360 And of course, you know, the incredible results 00:27:51.360 --> 00:27:54.880 that I talked about at the beginning of the sermon. 00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:58.300 And so I feel like this whole concept 00:27:58.300 --> 00:27:59.720 of the greatest year ever, 00:27:59.720 --> 00:28:01.560 sort of rubbed off on other people, 00:28:01.560 --> 00:28:04.610 even though it was kind of a personal thing for me, 00:28:04.610 --> 00:28:08.050 actually coming from a negative place for me, 00:28:08.050 --> 00:28:12.900 you know, coming from anger and bitterness and resentment, 00:28:12.900 --> 00:28:14.630 and me being upset and saying, you know, 00:28:14.630 --> 00:28:17.030 I've got to overcome the evil with good 00:28:17.030 --> 00:28:18.620 and have the greatest year ever. 00:28:18.620 --> 00:28:19.930 But then other people 00:28:19.930 --> 00:28:22.150 who didn't even really go through those things, 00:28:22.150 --> 00:28:26.110 you know, the Pastor Mejia's of this world and pastors, 00:28:26.110 --> 00:28:28.600 you know, they got on board too. 00:28:28.600 --> 00:28:30.150 They ramped up too. 00:28:30.150 --> 00:28:32.350 They pulled out all the stops too. 00:28:32.350 --> 00:28:33.860 And there's so many great things 00:28:33.860 --> 00:28:35.980 that have happened this year. 00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:38.650 And, you know, all the things that we mentioned. 00:28:38.650 --> 00:28:42.720 But, you know, also you look at our guy down in Tucson, 00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:45.530 right, also trained and ordained and sent out. 00:28:45.530 --> 00:28:47.630 Pastor Corbin Russell. 00:28:47.630 --> 00:28:51.320 And, you know, he's literally planting other churches 00:28:51.320 --> 00:28:55.070 and starting other works in Boise, Idaho 00:28:55.070 --> 00:28:56.570 and St. Louis, Missouri. 00:28:56.570 --> 00:29:01.050 I mean, people really worked hard this year, 00:29:01.050 --> 00:29:04.200 pushed themselves, obviously people in our church 00:29:04.200 --> 00:29:05.790 were super motivated this year. 00:29:05.790 --> 00:29:09.530 Y'all pushed yourselves and went out to the mission field 00:29:09.530 --> 00:29:13.840 and ramped up on Omi TV and locally door to door here 00:29:13.840 --> 00:29:15.100 and going places. 00:29:15.100 --> 00:29:18.880 I mean, it just, everybody caught this vision, 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:22.390 not just our church, other pastors, other churches, 00:29:22.390 --> 00:29:24.280 other works. 00:29:24.280 --> 00:29:28.470 And so, you know, we got to commit the things 00:29:28.470 --> 00:29:31.120 that we've learned to other faithful men 00:29:31.120 --> 00:29:32.800 who will be able to teach others also, 00:29:32.800 --> 00:29:36.080 ultimately, none of us is really gonna do it all ourselves. 00:29:36.080 --> 00:29:37.700 We got to pass it on to other people 00:29:37.700 --> 00:29:40.930 and get other people going as well. 00:29:40.930 --> 00:29:43.770 All of us are gonna be gone someday, right? 00:29:43.770 --> 00:29:45.400 And those of you that are older 00:29:45.400 --> 00:29:47.220 are probably starting to think about that. 00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:48.440 Young people maybe feel like, 00:29:48.440 --> 00:29:49.770 "Oh, that's way off in the future." 00:29:49.770 --> 00:29:52.740 But you know, we're all gonna be gone someday. 00:29:52.740 --> 00:29:55.210 And so we got to pass on the teachings, 00:29:55.210 --> 00:29:59.140 pass on the vision to the next generation. 00:29:59.140 --> 00:30:02.360 And when we do the works, when we go through the fire, 00:30:02.360 --> 00:30:03.780 when we go through the affliction, you know, 00:30:03.780 --> 00:30:07.750 we end up motivating other people too. 00:30:07.750 --> 00:30:11.270 Not just motivating ourselves, but motivating other people. 00:30:11.270 --> 00:30:14.210 If you would flip over to Philippians chapter one, 00:30:14.210 --> 00:30:17.440 and I'm gonna start reading it while you turn there. 00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:20.390 But in Philippians chapter one, it says in verse 12, 00:30:20.390 --> 00:30:22.940 "But I would you should understand, brethren, 00:30:22.940 --> 00:30:24.540 that the things which happened unto me 00:30:24.540 --> 00:30:27.750 have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel, 00:30:27.750 --> 00:30:31.350 so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace 00:30:31.350 --> 00:30:33.230 and in all other places. 00:30:33.230 --> 00:30:35.110 And many of the brethren in the Lord, 00:30:35.110 --> 00:30:37.630 waxing confident by my bonds, 00:30:37.630 --> 00:30:41.080 are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 00:30:41.080 --> 00:30:44.420 Notice, Paul being put in prison 00:30:44.420 --> 00:30:47.090 actually made people preach more. 00:30:47.090 --> 00:30:48.610 It gave them more boldness. 00:30:48.610 --> 00:30:49.680 It gave them more courage. 00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:51.610 You think it could have like a chilling effect 00:30:51.610 --> 00:30:52.440 where people would be like, 00:30:52.440 --> 00:30:54.820 "Oh, well, if Paul went to prison, 00:30:54.820 --> 00:30:56.350 maybe we should all slow down. 00:30:56.350 --> 00:30:57.550 Maybe we should all back off. 00:30:57.550 --> 00:31:01.410 We don't want to end up in the huskow ourselves." 00:31:01.410 --> 00:31:04.100 But yet it had the opposite effect 00:31:04.100 --> 00:31:07.060 where many of the brethren in the Lord, verse 14, 00:31:07.060 --> 00:31:10.950 waxed confident because of his bonds. 00:31:10.950 --> 00:31:11.910 Because why? 00:31:11.910 --> 00:31:12.930 I don't think it's just because, 00:31:12.930 --> 00:31:15.570 oh, a preacher went to prison, great. 00:31:15.570 --> 00:31:16.390 I want to go to prison too. 00:31:16.390 --> 00:31:19.300 Nobody wants to go to prison. 00:31:19.300 --> 00:31:22.420 Why are they waxing confident because of Paul's bonds? 00:31:22.420 --> 00:31:24.970 Wouldn't that make them wax cowardly? 00:31:24.970 --> 00:31:26.550 Wouldn't that make them scared? 00:31:26.550 --> 00:31:29.120 Wouldn't that make them not want to preach hard 00:31:29.120 --> 00:31:31.280 because they see what happens to the guy who does preach hard? 00:31:31.280 --> 00:31:35.930 No, because they saw Paul in that situation 00:31:35.930 --> 00:31:38.480 continuing to push, 00:31:38.480 --> 00:31:40.740 continuing to preach. 00:31:40.740 --> 00:31:42.750 I mean, look, when Paul's in prison, 00:31:42.750 --> 00:31:46.030 he's singing praises in Philippi, 00:31:46.030 --> 00:31:48.590 the Philippian jailer, right? 00:31:48.590 --> 00:31:52.870 He's in Philippi, he's singing praises to God in the jail. 00:31:52.870 --> 00:31:54.260 The other prisoners heard him. 00:31:54.260 --> 00:31:56.560 I mean, this is the kind of thing that gets around. 00:31:56.560 --> 00:31:59.390 Hey, we're still talking about it 2,000 years later. 00:31:59.390 --> 00:32:03.660 Paul and Silas getting a beating, physically beaten, 00:32:03.660 --> 00:32:07.070 physically incarcerated, persecuted attack, 00:32:07.070 --> 00:32:10.400 but he just doesn't stop. 00:32:10.400 --> 00:32:12.090 He's singing praises to God. 00:32:12.090 --> 00:32:12.990 He's got joy. 00:32:12.990 --> 00:32:14.250 He's winning souls. 00:32:14.250 --> 00:32:17.400 He's baptizing people in the middle of the night. 00:32:17.400 --> 00:32:18.480 And you know what? 00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:20.570 That is what inspired, it's not that they're just, 00:32:20.570 --> 00:32:22.570 oh, they just wax confident by his bonds 00:32:22.570 --> 00:32:24.380 'cause they saw him go to prison. 00:32:24.380 --> 00:32:25.300 We want to go to prison too. 00:32:25.300 --> 00:32:26.120 No, no, no. 00:32:26.120 --> 00:32:27.680 They saw that and they got inspired. 00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:31.890 Like, wow, this guy is still going. 00:32:31.890 --> 00:32:35.830 This guy is joyful in his tribulation. 00:32:35.830 --> 00:32:37.640 This guy is not gonna let, 00:32:37.640 --> 00:32:39.500 and you know, when you see other people 00:32:39.500 --> 00:32:41.610 power through obstacles, 00:32:41.610 --> 00:32:42.660 you think to yourself, you know what? 00:32:42.660 --> 00:32:45.820 I can power through some obstacles too. 00:32:45.820 --> 00:32:48.660 You know, other people can make it, so can I. 00:32:48.660 --> 00:32:50.850 If they can do it, so can I. 00:32:50.850 --> 00:32:53.450 And of course, you know, we're all the same. 00:32:53.450 --> 00:32:55.060 We're all human. 00:32:55.060 --> 00:32:59.550 We all have the same like passions as the Bible says, 00:32:59.550 --> 00:33:01.160 as Elijah and everybody else. 00:33:01.160 --> 00:33:03.640 You know, it's just that we're just people. 00:33:03.640 --> 00:33:07.000 And so we can inspire other people if we don't quit. 00:33:07.000 --> 00:33:08.900 And again, you know, I'm talking about our church 00:33:08.900 --> 00:33:10.860 'cause it's a 20 year anniversary 00:33:10.860 --> 00:33:12.250 and it's a big day for us. 00:33:12.250 --> 00:33:13.730 And we're talking about the greatest year. 00:33:13.730 --> 00:33:14.620 But you know what? 00:33:14.620 --> 00:33:16.880 Apply all this to yourself personally. 00:33:16.880 --> 00:33:17.690 Yeah, let's think about it as church. 00:33:17.690 --> 00:33:21.760 But how about you personally, okay? 00:33:21.760 --> 00:33:23.830 In the midst of your personal adversity 00:33:23.830 --> 00:33:26.470 that maybe other people may not even know about, 00:33:26.470 --> 00:33:28.960 you can do your greatest works for God. 00:33:28.960 --> 00:33:33.240 God's ultimately gonna deliver you from evil. 00:33:33.240 --> 00:33:35.260 You should not wait until things are perfect 00:33:35.260 --> 00:33:36.750 to start serving God. 00:33:36.750 --> 00:33:38.570 You are gonna have up and down times. 00:33:38.570 --> 00:33:39.410 And you know what? 00:33:39.410 --> 00:33:41.210 You are motivating other people. 00:33:41.210 --> 00:33:43.170 You say, I don't know, I'm really? 00:33:43.170 --> 00:33:44.830 'Cause I don't think I'm motivated. 00:33:44.830 --> 00:33:47.820 Look, people are looking at you. 00:33:47.820 --> 00:33:50.680 Even the lowliest church member, 00:33:50.680 --> 00:33:52.290 I guarantee you somebody's looking at you. 00:33:52.290 --> 00:33:53.810 Somebody's seeing you. 00:33:53.810 --> 00:33:55.180 Somebody's watching you. 00:33:55.180 --> 00:33:57.920 Somebody sees what you're doing and gets motivated. 00:33:57.920 --> 00:33:58.720 Because you know what? 00:33:58.720 --> 00:34:00.100 We motivate each other. 00:34:00.100 --> 00:34:01.970 And iron sharpens iron. 00:34:01.970 --> 00:34:02.790 And you know what? 00:34:02.790 --> 00:34:06.370 The more people show up, the more motivating it is. 00:34:06.370 --> 00:34:07.880 The more people show up to church. 00:34:07.880 --> 00:34:09.530 The more people show up to soul winning. 00:34:09.530 --> 00:34:11.430 The more people keep a good attitude. 00:34:11.430 --> 00:34:12.890 The more people are excited. 00:34:12.890 --> 00:34:14.890 The more people are doing works for God. 00:34:14.890 --> 00:34:16.080 It snowballs. 00:34:16.080 --> 00:34:18.530 And you know what, every single person who participates 00:34:18.530 --> 00:34:20.620 is a part of it, you know? 00:34:20.620 --> 00:34:23.860 And God even talks about it in the church. 00:34:23.860 --> 00:34:26.290 Sometimes the members that get the least attention 00:34:26.290 --> 00:34:29.550 are sometimes some of the most important key players 00:34:29.550 --> 00:34:32.150 behind the scenes. 00:34:32.150 --> 00:34:34.590 And so we all have a role to play. 00:34:34.590 --> 00:34:39.480 We all are motivating other people when we do the works 00:34:39.480 --> 00:34:41.990 and push through the hard times. 00:34:41.990 --> 00:34:46.660 And so in conclusion, to sum up the year in two words, 00:34:46.660 --> 00:34:50.320 I just want to sum up the entire year in two words, two words 00:34:50.320 --> 00:34:52.250 for you, OK? 00:34:52.250 --> 00:34:54.910 We won. 00:34:54.910 --> 00:34:55.610 It's that simple. 00:34:55.610 --> 00:34:58.490 We won. 00:34:58.490 --> 00:35:01.690 And I got a Bible verse for this as well. 00:35:01.690 --> 00:35:05.290 1 Corinthians 15.57 says, "But thanks be to God, 00:35:05.290 --> 00:35:10.520 which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 00:35:10.520 --> 00:35:14.180 God gave us the victory. 00:35:14.180 --> 00:35:18.700 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, 00:35:18.700 --> 00:35:20.620 always abounding in the work of the Lord, 00:35:20.620 --> 00:35:22.840 for as much as you know that your labor is not 00:35:22.840 --> 00:35:25.000 in vain in the Lord." 00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:27.300 And you know, I guarantee you that the enemies 00:35:27.300 --> 00:35:29.270 that are out there, you know what they think? 00:35:29.270 --> 00:35:30.830 'Cause I get up and say, "We won." 00:35:30.830 --> 00:35:34.360 'Cause we did win by every objective metric. 00:35:34.360 --> 00:35:37.780 Pastor Shelley brought up this battle in Texas. 00:35:37.780 --> 00:35:38.730 What was it called? 00:35:38.730 --> 00:35:41.290 Oh, now I just had a brain blip. 00:35:41.290 --> 00:35:42.640 Any Civil War buffs out there? 00:35:42.640 --> 00:35:44.900 The Battle of Something Ranch? 00:35:44.900 --> 00:35:46.960 Palmetto Ranch? 00:35:46.960 --> 00:35:49.350 Who knows what I'm talking about? 00:35:49.350 --> 00:35:52.390 No one knows what I'm talking about. 00:35:52.390 --> 00:35:57.830 Well, after, and forgive me if I screw this up, 00:35:57.830 --> 00:35:59.150 'cause I'm doing this on the fly 00:35:59.150 --> 00:36:01.820 and I'm having a senior moment here, 00:36:01.820 --> 00:36:08.080 but after General Lee had already surrendered 00:36:08.080 --> 00:36:10.770 to General Grant, like the Civil War's over, 00:36:10.770 --> 00:36:12.750 it gives them the sword, it's all over, 00:36:12.750 --> 00:36:16.420 there were some people in Texas who hadn't got the memo 00:36:16.420 --> 00:36:18.170 that the battle was over. 00:36:18.170 --> 00:36:21.340 And so there was this final battle of the Civil War 00:36:21.340 --> 00:36:24.530 that took place called the Battle of Palmetto Ranch 00:36:24.530 --> 00:36:26.240 and somebody died and everything. 00:36:26.240 --> 00:36:29.230 And it was just like a totally meaningless battle 00:36:29.230 --> 00:36:30.950 because the war was already over. 00:36:30.950 --> 00:36:34.070 It's sort of like these Japanese that didn't get the memo 00:36:34.070 --> 00:36:36.970 that World War II was over and they're still like refusing 00:36:36.970 --> 00:36:39.800 to surrender years later on some island or something 00:36:39.800 --> 00:36:43.080 'cause they never realized that Japan was defeated 00:36:43.080 --> 00:36:44.770 and they just hadn't gotten the word. 00:36:44.770 --> 00:36:46.320 You know, that's how our enemies, 00:36:46.320 --> 00:36:48.460 some of our enemies are like that. 00:36:48.460 --> 00:36:52.100 You know, they think, and they're probably saying, 00:36:52.100 --> 00:36:53.540 you won? 00:36:53.540 --> 00:36:56.760 Well, it ain't over yet. 00:36:56.760 --> 00:36:59.130 You know, the Palmetto Ranch crowd. 00:36:59.130 --> 00:37:02.290 I hope I have that word right. 00:37:02.290 --> 00:37:03.810 Did somebody Google it? 00:37:03.810 --> 00:37:05.550 All right. 00:37:05.550 --> 00:37:08.340 So the Palmetto Ranch, you know, 00:37:08.340 --> 00:37:12.820 we can just call the XNIFB Palmetto Ranch. 00:37:12.820 --> 00:37:17.210 You know, some of these haters that think it's not over. 00:37:17.210 --> 00:37:18.140 Oh, it ain't over yet. 00:37:18.140 --> 00:37:21.280 Well, here's why it actually is over. 00:37:21.280 --> 00:37:23.130 Let me tell you why it actually is over. 00:37:23.130 --> 00:37:25.000 Because no one can ever take away from us 00:37:25.000 --> 00:37:28.620 what we already accomplished this year. 00:37:28.620 --> 00:37:31.450 And we accomplished more in this year 00:37:31.450 --> 00:37:34.900 than a lot of y'all are gonna do in your entire lives. 00:37:34.900 --> 00:37:37.810 And no one can take away what we've already done. 00:37:37.810 --> 00:37:39.590 Those souls are going to heaven 00:37:39.590 --> 00:37:44.740 and no man can pluck them out of Christ's hand. 00:37:44.740 --> 00:37:47.260 So yeah, it is over and we won, you know. 00:37:47.260 --> 00:37:50.790 And they think that their little movie 00:37:50.790 --> 00:37:53.680 is just gonna just sink our battleship. 00:37:53.680 --> 00:37:58.110 Sorry folks, it's too little, too late. 00:37:58.110 --> 00:38:00.650 You are as always Paul Wittenberger, 00:38:00.650 --> 00:38:04.870 a day late and a dollar short. 00:38:04.870 --> 00:38:06.690 And let me tell you something, my friend. 00:38:06.690 --> 00:38:11.720 We won, it's over and I don't care what happens tomorrow. 00:38:11.720 --> 00:38:12.990 I don't care what happens. 00:38:12.990 --> 00:38:14.540 I don't have to hang my hope 00:38:14.540 --> 00:38:16.660 on some pipe dream of the future. 00:38:16.660 --> 00:38:17.490 You know what? 00:38:17.490 --> 00:38:19.790 I can walk out into that lobby 00:38:19.790 --> 00:38:23.030 and I can fall over dead right now 00:38:23.030 --> 00:38:25.830 and say this was the greatest year ever. 00:38:25.830 --> 00:38:28.050 And nobody can ever take that away from us, 00:38:28.050 --> 00:38:31.050 what we achieved and all the souls that have been saved 00:38:31.050 --> 00:38:32.810 and all the works that have been done. 00:38:32.810 --> 00:38:37.570 I say, praise God. 00:38:37.570 --> 00:38:41.720 And you know what I say next year, let's do it again. 00:38:41.720 --> 00:38:43.020 Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer. 00:38:43.020 --> 00:38:44.920 Father, we thank you so much for your word, Lord. 00:38:44.920 --> 00:38:47.470 We thank you so much for giving us the victory. 00:38:47.470 --> 00:38:52.860 Thank you so much for helping us in difficult times this year, Lord, helping us figure out 00:38:52.860 --> 00:38:54.330 our building situation. 00:38:54.330 --> 00:38:58.490 And Lord, you blessed us beyond anything we ever even hoped for with that regard. 00:38:58.490 --> 00:39:01.470 And we're super thankful, Lord, for our building. 00:39:01.470 --> 00:39:06.500 We're super thankful for leading us to the lost souls that were receptive, Lord, and 00:39:06.500 --> 00:39:15.470 just blessing us logistically and Lord God, I only did a tiny fraction of the work personally 00:39:15.470 --> 00:39:16.440 this year. 00:39:16.440 --> 00:39:23.100 Thank you to the other 99% of this church who got the 99% of the salvations, Lord, and 00:39:23.100 --> 00:39:26.260 all the hard work that was put in by everybody, Lord. 00:39:26.260 --> 00:39:30.900 And thank you so much for blessing us in such a powerful way and Lord, please bless us again 00:39:30.900 --> 00:39:32.020 next year. 00:39:32.020 --> 00:39:33.020 And in Jesus' name we pray. 00:39:33.020 --> 00:39:33.120 Amen.