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Well, good morning everyone. Welcome to Mountain Baptist Church. Take your song books and turn to song 472. Song 472. No, we're not singing Christmas songs. We are soon done with that here in just a little bit. We'll sing, This Is My Father's World. Song 472, if you would stand, and we'll sing song 472. This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears. All nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres. This is my Father's world. I rest me in the thaw of rocks and trees, of skies and seas. His hand the wonders wrought. This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise. The morning line, the lily white declare their Maker's praise. This is my Father's world. He shines in all that's fair. In the rustling grass I hear Him pass. He speaks to me everywhere. This is my Father's world. Oh, let me ne'er forget the wrong seems of so strong. God is the ruler yet. This is my Father's world. The battle is not done. Jesus, who died, shall be satisfied. And earth and heaven be one. All right, let's pray. Heavenly Father, Lord, we just want to thank you, God, for today. It's just a beautiful day to meet in your house and hear your word preached. I pray, Lord, that you would receive all the honor and glory out of everything that's said and done. We ask all of us in Jesus' name, amen. All right, this time we'll have the children come up, and we're going to have a Christmas children's singing event. I don't know what it is. Come on up, David. All right. Can you read it? Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head, The stars in the sky look down where he lay, The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay, The cattle are mowing, the poor baby wakes, But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes, I love thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky, And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay, Close by me forever and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, And take us to heaven to live with thee there. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed, and this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria, and all went to be taxed if he went into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary, his espousewife, being great with child. Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright, Round yon virgin, mother and child, Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Silent night, holy night, Shepherds play at thy side, Glorious trees from heaven afar, Heaven evolving, hallelujah, Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born, Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love to life, Radiate him from thy holy face, With the God of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord at thy birth, Jesus, Lord at thy birth. And so it was that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for him in the end. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Go down there on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere, Go down there on the mountain, Where Jesus Christ is born, While shepherds can't bear watching, For silent flock by night, People throughout the heavens, They're shown a holy light. Go down there on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere, Go down there on the mountain, Where Jesus Christ is born, While shepherds can't endure, With lo above the earth, Bring out the angels chorus, Let them the Savior's birth. Go down there on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere, Go down there on the mountain, That Jesus Christ is born, Down in the lonely manger, The humble Christ was born, And God sent us salvation, That blessed Christmas morn. Go down there on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere, Go down there on the mountain, That Jesus Christ is born. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, A Savior which is Christ the Lord, And this shall be a sign unto you, Ye shall find the bay draft and swaddling closed, Laying in a manger. And suddenly there was with a multitude of the heavenly host, Praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace good will toward men. Amen. That's good. I'll turn this off. So, welcome to Mountain Baptist Church. So, I know we're a couple days late on that, but you know what? It's the Christmas season. So, we're just a couple days after Christmas there. So, actually this Sunday is closer to Christmas than last Sunday, if you really think about it. So, but that was good. I always love hearing the girls. I say that because it's a lot of girls. But my girls, but also the rest of the girls in the church, and then a few boys there. So, we're changing that though. But anyway, good job everybody. And so, just some things on the calendar here. The next upcoming event is this coming Thursday evening. We're planning on doing a New Year's Eve party. And so, that's going to really, it's going to start at 8 p.m., go till midnight. So, however you guys want to do it. And if you want to just come for a little bit, and you don't want to stay till midnight, that's fine. But we'll be playing some games, maybe having some popcorn preaching for the men, if anybody, or the young men, if anybody has like a 10-minute sermon, or anything like that they want to preach, have that ready to go. And so, but just a good time of fellowship, and we'll try to have some snacks and stuff like that. But it's not going to be like a dinner, because it's 8 o'clock. So, I don't know who you are if you eat at 8 o'clock. If you eat your dinner at 8 o'clock, it's too late. So, you go to bed too late, if you're eating that late. But maybe when I, yeah, when I was younger, I think 8 o'clock is when I actually ate dinner, when I was in college. But anyway, so that's coming up on the events there. And then the women's prayer meeting will be on January 2nd there. So, the first Saturday of the year, the women will be having their prayer meeting there. So, everything today is as usual, as far as the services are concerned, this morning and this afternoon. Soul winning at 1 p.m. And then our chapter memory, at least until Friday, will be 2 Timothy 2, and then we'll be switching into 2 Timothy 3, once the new year starts. And then Joshua 1-8 is our memory verse 4 this week. And this is one I don't have memorized, although I know what it says. So, this is one I need to memorize myself. It's a longer one, but it says, The book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein. For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. So, it's a good verse, especially coming into the new year here, as far as meditating on God's Word, knowing it so that it will be prosperous and have good success. And really, that's the only way that you're going to have success. You can't trust in the government and everything that's going on today. Really, the Word of God is where you're going to have success. So, that's our memory verse 4 this week. I think, do we have any birthdays? Is there any birthdays coming up in January 1st, 2nd? I don't think so. I mean, my birthday is in January, but it's at the end there. Who else is born in January? Anybody else born in January? I'm the only cool kid, is Luke. I think Luke is, yeah. I think you're right. We're the cool kids. Like, literally cool, because it's cold. So, I don't think so. We'll have to get Ms. Joyce when she gets back, when they can make it back into church. Obviously, they've been sick and with all that stuff, so obviously, I understand why they're out. But I'll be praying for them and anybody else that can't make it, for sicknesses and stuff like that. I know the Symes family is out again this week, or at least today, just being cautious with sickness and stuff like that. So, that's going around. So, I'm glad to have the house back in out of quarantine. So, I missed you guys. Obviously, I was joking with Brother Levi. I called him up and I was like, hey, I just want to let you know we missed you at church, which means where were you? No, I'm just kidding. But obviously, they've been recovering and all that stuff, so it's good to see them. But we've been kind of dealing with that with a lot of families. So, just being a prayer for those that are still recovering or getting sick and stuff like that. Tis the season. I think that's it for announcements that all I can think of as far as that goes. Let me know on the temperature. I mean, I don't want to turn the heat up too much because once everybody gets in here and once I start going, that hot air starts flowing. So, it gets hot in here real quick, so I'd rather it be a little colder than burning up in here. But let me know. We could always turn the heat up a little bit more if we need to. So, there's that. But again, good job, children, with the choir and all that. I know that you guys have been practicing that for a little while now. And so, I noticed some of you had that memorized. So, I noticed you weren't looking at any sheet or anything like that. So, that's impressive too. But yeah, so definitely very pleased with that. And I think that's about it. Are we going to do some Christmas songs? Are you done? I'm done. Christmas is over. Not until next year. My brother Dave will come and sing one more song. And then who's reading the passage this morning? Did anyone pick? Well, someone's going to come. All right. Take your song books and turn to song 434. We'll sing Oh Little Town. Oh, wait. No, we're not. Turn over to song 449. We're going to sing Dwelling in Beulah Land. Eleven months. All right. We'll sing Dwelling in Beulah Land, song 449. Far away the noise of strife upon my ear is falling. Then I know the sins of earth beset on every hand. Doubt and fear and things of earth in vain to me are calling. None of these shall move me from Beulah Land. I'm living on the mountain underneath a cloudless sky. I'm drinking at the fountain that never shall run dry. Oh, yes, I'm feasting on the manna from a bountiful supply, for I am dwelling in Beulah Land. Far below the storm of doubt upon the world is beating. Sons of men in battle long, the enemy withstand. Safe am I within the castle of God's word retreating. Nothing then can reach me. Tis Beulah Land. I'm living on the mountain underneath a cloudless sky. I'm drinking at the fountain that never shall run dry. Oh, yes, I'm feasting on the manna from a bountiful supply, for I am dwelling in Beulah Land. Let the stormy breezes blow. Cannot alarm me. I am safely sheltered here protected by God's hand. Here the sun is always shining. Here there's naught can harm me. I am safe forever in Beulah Land. I'm living on the mountain underneath a cloudless sky. I'm drinking at the fountain that never shall run dry. Oh, yes, I'm feasting on the manna from a bountiful supply, for I am dwelling in Beulah Land. Viewing here the works of God, I sink in contemplation. Hearing now His blessed voice, I see the way He planned. Dwelling in the Spirit here, I learn of full salvation. Gladly will I tarry in Beulah Land. I'm living on the mountain underneath a cloudless sky. I'm drinking at the fountain that never shall run dry. Oh, yes, I'm feasting on the manna from a bountiful supply, for I am dwelling in Beulah Land. All right, if you would take your Bibles and turn to Philippians chapter number three. Philippians chapter number three, we'll have brother Anthony come and read that for us. Philippians chapter three. The Bible reads, finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord, to write the same things to you. To me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof, he might trust in the flesh, I more. Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, in Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ? Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I may know him, in the power of his resurrection, in the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformal unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God and Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded, and if any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk, so as ye have us for an ensemble. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Let us pray. Dear heavenly Father and Lord, thank you for this morning and this time we can gather again in your house and hear your word preached. I pray that you would be with Pastor Robinson and fill him with your Holy Spirit. Help us all to learn. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Amen. So you're there in Philippians chapter 3, and I want you to look down at verse 12. Verse 12 there, it says, And so the sermon I want to preach this morning, going into the new year, is setting marks for the new year. So setting marks for the new year. And this verse definitely should ring out, verse 13 anyway, forgetting those things were behind, right? You know, I think everybody wants to forget about 2020. You know, but honestly, 2020 was a good year as far as we had more souls saved than years past. There's a lot of good things I could look back at 2020. Obviously there's some crazy stuff and just annoying things that happened. But, you know, I don't really have the loathing for 2020 as everybody else does, I guess. But 2021 is just going to be completely awesome, right? So, no, but all that to say is that going into 2021 and just going into any new year, I love the new year, the reset of a new year, because it really is a reset button mentally, where you're stating, okay, you know, I may not have met my goals or met my, you know, and a mark is kind of like a goal, right? You're pressing toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. So that's the mark, right? When you think of, you know, you're pressing toward what God wants you to, you're the goal God wants you to get to. But you really need to set up marks, plural, meaning like you need to have certain things that you're going to set up going into the new year saying, this is my goal. This is what I'm going to try to get accomplished. Because if you don't set it, if you don't set that mark in front of you, you're not going to get there, okay? You have to have a goal. You ever see the old cartoons where they put like Bugs Bunny will have a carrot in front of him and he'll be like running after the carrot? You know, there's some goal that he's going after, right? Or just something that you're looking forward to. And I'm going to give you some just different ones that I always look at when I'm going into the new year. But I think everybody should be looking at as far as setting up a mark so that you can try to attain it, okay? And so, but if you don't set up a goal, I don't think anything is going to happen. Meaning that you're just not going to accomplish great things. You're not going to push yourself, right? Because in order to press toward a mark, you have to have a mark that you're pressing toward, okay? So the first thing that I think about is diet and exercise, okay? And you're like, oh man, are you really going to go there? Yeah, I'm going to go there because I'm preaching against myself right now. But every year, I think it's just because you have Thanksgiving and you have Christmas back to back and there's just all these goodies and I just feel like Jabba the Hutt after the holidays. And I just, like that beginning of the year, I just really need to set a mark and say here's what I'm going to do. And so my mark for the next three months going into the new year is I want to lose 20 pounds. And I don't need to lose 20 pounds, but that's my mark that I'm setting, okay? So I'm setting that mark and some of you are like, you're going to lose a little more than that. You might want to set that mark a little higher there, brother. But here's the thing, when it comes to this, we could probably all be in better shape. I know you're probably already in great shape and you don't need to worry about it. But I'm speaking to people like myself that when you get into these holidays, you start eating stuff that is not exactly the most nutritious stuff and it's stuff that you don't really need, your body doesn't need, and you get into this lethargic mode. And right now, I'm in this mode of like, if something's on the ground, you need to pick it up and you're like, I don't want to do it. I'm that out of shape right now that I don't even want to pick up that thing I dropped over there, right? And that's bad. Okay, now go to 1 Timothy 4. 1 Timothy 4. 1 Timothy 4 and verse 8. Now this isn't the most important. I bring this up first to get it out of the way. Okay, because obviously there's a lot, there's more godly things that you should be setting marks on. But I don't want you to think that this is not important at all. Okay, because if you're out of shape or if you get winded just to pick up a pencil, then you're not going to do like these great things for God as far as going out soul winning all the time or doing these things that you need to do because you're just going to be tired, lethargic, all this stuff, right? And diet and exercise will help this immensely. Okay, now in verse 8 here it says, But bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable unto all things. Having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. Now, what people usually read when they read this, you know, the old Baptists that say that their belt is not a belt, it's a fence around a chicken graveyard. You know, when they use that, when they're talking about that, they use this verse and be like, bodily exercise is not profitable. That's not what it says, okay? And so it says, And what it's comparing it to is obviously bodily exercise is little compared to godly exercise, right? Because godly exercise and what you do dealing with godly or spiritual things, it has eternal value, right? But bodily exercise does profit a little bit, okay? Because there's a lot of things that you need to have some bodily exercise in order to do some godly things, okay? And anybody that goes soul-winding in West Virginia knows that when you're going up and down hills, going up and down stairs, that, you know what, if you're out of shape, it may take you a little longer. And you may not knock as many doors. Or it may be a little harder to give the gospel when you're just like trying to catch your breath, okay? Now, that being said, you know, exercise is something that, I'll say this, I don't have a problem with exercise because I've kind of gotten into a routine, okay? Meaning this is that I go every week, I have a set schedule. But see, here's the thing, if you don't have a schedule, you end up not going to do it, okay? So when it comes to exercise, you have to have a regimen. You can't be like, well, I'm just going to try to work out throughout the day, you know? You know, that lazy boy, I'm just going to like, you know, do some tricep, you know, work out with the lazy boy thing. You know, like, no, you have to have a set time during a day of like, okay, 30 minutes, 40 minutes. I'm just dedicating to doing some exercise, okay? That could be walking on a treadmill, you know? That could be, you know, God forbid, running on a treadmill, okay? Now, I say treadmill right now because it's 10 degrees outside, okay? And you're probably not going to go running outside. But that means is that you need to have some kind of regimen where you're saying, I'm going to do this, I'm setting this aside, and it's not a matter of like, whenever I find time, because you won't find time, okay? And you say, well, you've been working out for a long time. You always want to go to the gym. No, I don't, especially when it's at 6.30 in the morning. I'd rather be sleeping, okay? I'd rather be doing a lot of things than going to the gym. But you know what? Once you do it, there's a lot to be said about exercise and how it releases endorphins and just makes you feel happier, feel better during the day. I recommend doing it in the morning. You know, it's not fun and it's hard to get used to. But you know what? You work out in the morning. The rest of your day, it just kind of like gets you ready, okay, for the rest of the day. But you say, well, I don't want to do it in the morning. I'll do it in the afternoon. Well, that's fine. That's fine too, okay? But what I'm saying here is that there's a lot to say about bodily exercise and how that will just give you energy. And you're like, how can it give me energy? I feel like I can't move. The soreness will pass, okay? You know, when you first start working out, you're going to be really sore. You're not going to be able to move, especially that second day. Anybody that's ever worked out knows that second day after you've worked out, not the first day after. The second day is when it hits you. And then you're like, I can't move. I can't do this. Well, that goes away eventually. And eventually, you'll get to the point where you're barely ever sore. And every once in a while, you get sore because you like hit it really hard or something like that. And you say, well, does that mean I need to do bench press? You want me to do 315 on bench? No, that's not what I'm saying. And it's not that you have to do what I do, okay? Any type of working out will help you. But cardio working, you know, for example, we do this competition every year where we do 200 push-ups a day for the month of November. Well, now I'm trying to do 100 push-ups just every day in general, okay? Not 200, 100, okay? But there's a lot of things you can just do with bodily exercise. You say, well, I don't have a workout bench and I'm not in this place. You could do push-ups anywhere, okay? You can do different things that are just body movement type stuff, okay? And you could do sit-ups, you can do other things. You could do air squats. You know, I hate air squats. I hate squats. But you can do a lot of things that are just body movement type stuff. And if you do that on a consistent basis every week, every day of the week, right? Let's say every day of the week you just said, hey, I'm going to do 10 air squats. Well, that's going to get like cake like that and you're going to do 50 air squats. And same thing with push-ups, all that. And you first start doing it and you're like, man, I'm doing 10. I feel like I'm going to die. And then you get to the point where you can do 50 in a row and it's not that bad, right? And then you'll see the results because it's consistency that matters. When it comes to working out, it's consistency. It's not a matter of like how much you do at the very beginning. You don't kill yourself at the beginning. You just keep going at it and just being consistent with it and it will work in the end. And you'll feel better, okay? And you say, well, how do you? I don't know that I'll feel better. You won't know unless you try it. Listen, I can't show you that. I can't just show you the feeling of a workout when you get done and you feel just invigorated after you did a workout. And it was a hard workout but you just feel the energy that you have because of that. And so you can only find it out when you actually do it yourself. Now go to Ecclesiastes chapter 10. Now I'm going to really step on some toes because I'm going to talk about dieting. Talk about our diet, okay? I can't believe you're coming at me. I'm coming at myself, okay? You're like, why do you preach these sermons at the beginning of the year? Because I'm preaching that myself, that's why. If you don't know this, I kind of have a sweet tooth. I like all things that are sweet, okay? So maybe not all things but I do like sweet things and all that. So this is something where I have to really watch myself. I have to really just basically cut myself off to it. It's one of those things that it's almost like, you know how alcoholics can't be around alcohol? It's like you got to pretty much do that with me with sweets. You got to just cut me off completely and just get it away from me or I'll just indulge myself in it, okay? Now this is an interesting verse. Ecclesiastes chapter 10 verse 16 says, Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child and thy princes eat in the morning. Okay, we're not supposed to eat in the morning? Well, let's read a little further because it's going to explain what it means by eating in the morning, okay? Verse 17, Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles and thy princes eat in due season. Notice this, for strength and not for drunkenness, okay? So the key here is what it's meaning here is that if you just get up in the morning and you don't have to do anything and you're just eating this like he-man breakfast, you know, of just like donuts and bagels and all this other stuff and you're not going to burn that off at all. You don't actually need all that. That's what it's talking about because you're basically eating not for strength but for drunkenness, right? And what does that mean? Basically, you're eating for pleasure. You're not eating because you actually need that for sustenance. And when it comes to dieting, this is the thing that you got to get in your head. You're eating for sustenance. You're eating because your body needs it to survive, okay? And you got to get it out of your mind that, hey, I want to eat this because it tastes good, okay? Because if you keep that in your mind, then yeah, I mean, dieting is going to be horrible. But if you get into your mind and say, you know what, I'm just eating this just so that I have some strength, that I'm not hungry, and then I'm going to go on my day. But my problem is when it comes to this is that I like food. And, you know, before I was married, I would literally sit at work thinking about what I'm going to eat for dinner. Like that was what I was looking forward to in life. And you're like, your life is sad. Okay, it wasn't the only thing I was looking forward to. Obviously, there's other things that I did besides eat, okay? But that would be something I'd be like, what am I going to eat for dinner? I cannot wait to get home and eat this, you know? And you're just like waiting for it, thinking about it. That's a problem, okay? If that is like what's on your mind, you know, as far as when I'm going to eat, I can't wait to eat that. It's going to taste so good. But when you're dieting and you're definitely, when you're on a stricter diet, listen, you're like, I can't wait to eat that broccoli. I can't wait to eat that just plain chicken with broccoli and, you know, it's just going to taste so good. No, you choke it down and you eat it and you get on with your life, all right? It's sustenance, okay? And here's the thing, you know, it's different for everybody. Maybe some of you can diet and it's just like this really gradual thing. Listen, I got to go all out or nothing, right? I got to hate my life. You know, the Bible says to hate your life, okay? So these are Bible verses I'm teaching you right here that you need the, he that hated not his own life, you know? It's not worthy to be his disciple. I'm joking a little bit there, okay? Now, obviously, the thing is, though, when it comes to dieting, you have to get to the point where you're just like, you know what? It's going to be painful because dieting is the hardest thing. Exercise isn't that hard because it's just like a little portion of your day. Dieting is the whole day, 24-7, right? And you know what? You're at night and you want to eat and you've got these hunger pains. Just go to sleep hungry and just, you know, endure the pain, okay? I'm giving you some advice because this is something no one diets and enjoys it, okay? Because, listen, you cut out anything, your body's like, what are you doing to me? I thought we were friends. You know, I'm serious. It's just like one of these things where it's like, I don't care how many calories you take out, you take out a little bit of calories and your body's like, what are you doing to me? You know, this is not what we were doing. And it's going to fight it and it's not going to like it and it's going to be painful, okay? Now, painful, I use that facetiously a little bit, right? Because you're not literally writhing in pain, okay? But it is an uncomfortable thing when you're dieting. So that being said, you know, when I think of dieting here, go to Hebrew chapter 11. And here's the thing, you know, we have pastry time and I'm not saying, like, you're in sin for eating a bagel this morning. You notice I didn't eat anything because I got to preach on this. So all you that ate that, I'm preaching that to you. No. Obviously, I'm not saying this is sinful to eat something in the morning, to like eat a pastry or eat this or that. But what I'm saying here is that when it comes to food that is not for sustenance and it's just because it tastes good, let's be honest with you, a Risi cup, there's nothing nutritious about that. But it is delicious, okay? Right? I mean, does anyone say, you know what, I really need some sustenance, I need something right now, give me a Risi cup. No, right? That's not something, it's not going to be good for your blood sugar, it's not going to be good for anything, right? No, but it tastes good. And I think of, when it comes to dieting, this is the verse that I think of right here. In verse, look at verse 24, it says, But by faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Listen, that Risi cup tastes good for a season. And it's gone. Right? It's like you eat it and you're like, ah, that tasted good. And it's in your stomach and your body's just taking all this sugar and turning it into fat. See, it's pleasurable for a season, but then, afterwards, the judgment. Right? And I'm joking a little bit, but here's the thing, there is a lot of truth to that. Sin is pleasurable for a season, but the consequences of sin is never worth that pleasure. Okay? That pleasure that's for a season, you know, it just never compares to that. Sin will always take you farther than you want to go. It'll cost you more than you want to pay. Right? And the same thing goes with eating junk food, eating things like that. Yeah, it's pleasurable for a season. And you know what? You've got to get into this mindset of that. You've got to get into this mindset and be like, yeah, I'll eat that, but I'm going to regret it the moment I eat it. It's like eating McDonald's. Right? You're like, ah, I want some McDonald's. And then you eat it and you're like, why did I do that to myself? In Burger King, I do that like every two years because that place is an abomination. And every once in a while I'll be like, you know what? I haven't eaten there in two years. Maybe it's not that bad. I eat it and I'm like, that's why I haven't eaten there in two years. And the thing is that you know, right? You just know like, hey, this is a bad choice. This is not going to be good. I'm not going to, you know, I'm definitely going to regret this, you know, at the end of it. And you've got to get that mindset to where you nip it in the bud before you realize that it's a bad choice or that you feel the consequences of it. You just have to do that. So, all right, dieting is out of the way. Okay? But here's the thing. If you don't set a goal, I'm talking like detailed goal, like this many pounds, right? In this many months, right? I'm saying I want to lose 20 pounds in three months. That's my goal. Okay? That's my goal. So I'm not saying that should be your goal. Okay? My goal is this. It's detailed, right? That means I am setting that mark. And by the time baby James comes, I want to be 20 pounds lighter. Okay? And so that being said, you've got to set that mark or you're not going to press toward it. Okay? So go to Deuteronomy Chapter 8. Deuteronomy Chapter 8. So now off the physical stuff, off the dieting, okay? So you guys can eat your bagels now. I have to say this though because honestly, you know, it's something that I do every year. It's a reset button. It's a good reset button. And it's just your body needs that reset of, okay, it's time to get serious on this. Because listen, am I going to fall back into eating sweets? Yeah, Thanksgiving is going to come again. Right? And Christmas is going to come again. But as long as I have that reset to where I'm like, okay, I'm keeping it in check. What if I never kept it in check? Okay? It's going to get bigger and bigger and bigger. And next thing you know, I'm going to be bigger in this pulpit. Okay? And I'm semi-joking about that but I don't know. I don't know how far it would go, okay, if I didn't try to keep it in check every year. So I don't want to take it that far. Okay? The older you get, the harder it is to lose weight. Okay? Get that in your mind. So listen. And you say, well, I'm not a young buck anymore. Well, you're not getting any younger. Okay? That means it gets harder every single year you go. Okay? So you've got to do it now. It's only going to get harder. Okay? That's the mindset you've got to have. All right. Deuteronomy chapter 8. The next thing is Bible reading. Okay? When I think of coming into the new year, I think of Bible reading. Increasing Bible reading or at least maintaining it. Okay? As far as what you're reading. Now, in verse 3 here, Deuteronomy 8 and verse 3, it says, And he humbled thee and suffered thee to hunger and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. So it's a very famous verse. And obviously, Jesus brings this up when he was tempted in the wilderness. He says, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God, or every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. And so this is a very famous verse. But what you have to understand is that he's likening the word of God to bread. And think about the famous prayer, the model prayer that Jesus said, right? And what is one of the things that we're supposed to be praying for? Give us this day our daily bread. Daily bread. Okay? So that means on a daily basis, you should be reading the Bible. Okay? Go to Revelation chapter 1. Revelation chapter 1 and verse 3. Revelation chapter 1 and verse 3. So on a daily basis, if you're eating every day, you should be reading your Bible every day. I'll say this, if you're eating three times a day, you should be reading your Bible three times a day. That's a high mark. Set the mark. If you don't set the mark, you won't press toward it. And the thing is that you've got to think about, spiritually speaking, if you don't read the word of God, you're going to be famished. Just as much as if you don't eat bread every day, you're going to be famished. And listen, I do do the keto type low carb diet. But listen, give us this day our daily bread. I will never say, whether it's paleo, keto, or whatever, that bread is bad. Okay? I just will never say that because Jesus said, I am the bread of life. Okay? So, but that being said, Wonder Bread and Ezekiel Bread are two different things. Okay? So, let's get that out of the way. Now, but that being said, is that daily bread, so as much as you're eating, you should be trying to read your Bible. Okay? You say, well, I eat pretty quick. Okay. Some people read quick. Okay? So, think about it. You eat three times a day, but you're not, like, eating for, like, two hours, are you? I mean, so you're saying, well, how much do I need to read? Well, think about it. How long does it take you to eat? Right? Maybe 30 minutes. I don't know. Like, if you're a slow eater taking your time, 30 minutes to eat. So, that's an hour and a half a day. And if you read the Bible an hour and a half a day, okay? Now, if you, I'm a slow reader, but technically you're supposed to be able to get through the Bible. If you read 15 minutes a day, you're supposed to get through the Bible in a year. Okay? An hour would be four times, and an hour and a half would be six. That means that if you read the Bible for an hour and a half and you were a pretty, you know, decent reader, then you'd get through the Bible six times. Okay? If you ate and read the same amount, okay? And so, that's a lot. Okay? If you're a slow reader, let's say it's four times. I mean, that's where I'd say a pastor should be, right? At least four times in a year, okay? But how about this? In Revelation 1, verse 3, notice what it says. It says, Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein, for the time is at hand. I believe also that hearing it is a blessing. Meaning this is that some, you know, if you say, well, you know, I'm a slow reader, or I just have trouble in some of these passages, listen to it. Get the audio Bible. There's so many apps out there today, and with the smartphones and all that stuff that you have, that listening to it should be easy. Okay? And just, you know, put the money down, get the Scorby app, get Alexander Scorby, whatever you want. Obviously, you could have Darth Vader reading it for you, for all I care, because I'm pretty sure James Earl Jones, like, has a version of it. I don't care who's reading it. It's God's word, right? And here's the thing. I like Alexander Scorby because I believe he took the time. He's given it the reverence it deserves when he's reading it, and I'm not one of those people that likes it to be dramatized, okay? So, but if you like to dramatize versions, that's fine. But here's the thing. You know what? If you're, I don't know what your commute is to work. Sometimes you work from home, so I guess that wouldn't work out too well. But if you're driving 30 minutes a day, let's say just 30 minutes there, 30 minutes back, that's an hour that you could just be listening to the Bible. That means four times a year just going to work, going to and from work, okay? I'm going to be honest with you. That's what I do. When my truck's on and I'm not, I don't have people in there with me, because obviously if we're going out soloing, I'm not going to listen to the Bible and be like, God, you need to stop talking. We're listening to the Bible right now. So I'm not saying like every single time I'm in the truck. But when I'm going somewhere, the score will be on. You know what that is? Habit. You say, well, you're not going to pick up everything, because you're going to be thinking about other things. You're going to pick up more when you're not listening to it, okay? And so, listen, audio Bible, reading your Bible. I believe both are good. Both are great. I have a goal, okay? So my goal obviously is every year to at least get through the Bible four times a year, okay? As a pastor, I believe that's my minimum goal. That's what I need to be at, okay? And with my audio and reading and all that stuff, I'm definitely doing that or above, okay? Now, my other goal is I want to read this year. I want to read through the Greek New Testament twice. Now, I've already almost been through it once. I've got a couple more books. So I've got Acts, 2 Corinthians, and I'm finishing up Romans right now. And I'll have read through the Greek New Testament. My goal is to read through it two times this coming year, okay? That's a goal I have, okay? You may have different goals, okay? Maybe you're learning Spanish and you're like, hey, I want to get through the reign of Valera Gomez or something like that. Or maybe you're not speaking another language. You're just like, I'm just going to read through the Bible. That's fine, but here's the thing. All that's good, but you've got to have goals, okay? You have to have goals when it comes to your Bible reading or it's not going to happen, okay? And listen, if you want, I have some, like, bookmarks that have a Bible reading schedule. I have for men and women or boys and girls. So if any of you want some of these, I have two sets for both boys and girls. And so if anyone says, hey, I'd like to have that and I want that schedule, I'll hand it to you right now. And if I run out, I'll get you more, okay? Because this is very important that we have our Bible reading, okay? Go to Deuteronomy 17. Deuteronomy 17 and verse 19, dealing with a king, the Bible says in Deuteronomy 17 and verse 19, Deuteronomy 17 and verse 19, it says, And it shall be with him, dealing with the book of the law, right? Because actually, verse 18, it says, And it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law and a book out of that which is before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes to do them. And listen, if you don't read it, how are you going to know what's in there, okay? And you say, well, you know, my goal, I haven't read through the Bible once. That should be your goal this year. And you say, well, you know, I'm kind of ashamed that I haven't read through it. Listen, this is the time to do it? And listen, if you've read through the Bible once, you're above most Christians. Sad to say, but you're above most Christians because most Christians have never read it through cover to cover. Okay, how many pastors that are around here, whether saved or lost, have never read through the Bible cover to cover? It is unbelievable, okay? I'm saying that a pastor should have read it at least ten times before he starts pastoring and be reading it at least four times a year, but these people haven't even read through it once. And they're pastors. But how many in the pew have not read cover to cover? I'm talking first chronicles, second chronicles, first kings, second kings. Be like, I read Matthew. You need to keep going. You need to read through those. You need to read Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, right? Not just Psalms and Proverbs. There's a lot more there, okay? And you need to at least read through it once. And here's the thing. Get a schedule. And these bookmarks are scheduled to get through in a year, okay? And just stick to that schedule and go there and be like, well, let's say you get to the end of the year and you're like, I just didn't quite make it. There's like one book I missed. Then do it next year. But listen, getting through most of the Bible in a year is better than not getting through it at all, okay? But you need to set that mark, okay? It's like the end of this year I wanted to get through the New Testament in Greek, okay? And I just don't think I'm going to be able to do it. I just don't have the time. You know, I have a few more days left here to get through like two books. And Acts is not the smallest book in the Bible and it's not the easiest one either. The grammar there is a little harder. So I just don't think I'm going to be able to get it done. But here's the thing. I'm going to get it done by January. And then I'm going to go two more times through. That's my goal. So if my goal is two more times through, do you think I'm going to get through it at least once? I almost guarantee you I'm going to get through it at least once if that's my goal to get through it twice, okay? So you've got to set the goal high. And if you don't make the goal, don't beat yourself up. Because you've done more than you probably would have done if you wouldn't have set a goal at all. So you need to have the Bible reading there. The Bible says in 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 13, it says, Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. So reading needs to be there. Because how many times did Jesus say to the Pharisees, he says, Have ye not read? You do greatly err not knowing the scriptures. Why? Because you have not read. You know why a lot of Christians look at our church as some hateful group that just, you know, that doesn't represent Christianity? Because they don't know what the Bible says. They have no idea that that's what it says. So when you start saying something that the Bible says, to them, that's completely foreign to them of Christianity. Because they know Christianity from the movies. They know Christianity from the TV and from what Hollywood tells them that Christianity is. But they've never read it themselves. And you know what? Let it not be said of us that we are regurgitating something that's not in the Bible. Okay? But you know what? People say that because they've never read it. And you go out, so many people are like, Oh, I've read through it. I know it. Well, when you tell me that you know it, then you tell me that you haven't read it. People are like, Oh, I've already read through it. I know all of that. You're just, I mean, you're just telling me that you have never read it then. Because if you read through it once, you'll know that there's so much there that you're like, Wow, I need to get back there. I need to read it again. Because no one reads through the Bible once and says that's enough. Now, there's pastors that do that, but they're fools. Any pastor would read through it and be like, I read through it once, now I'm just going to read commentaries. You're a fool. You're a fool if you think that one time is enough. That's ridiculous. And listen, I read through it four times a year at least, and I think that's not enough. Sometimes, you know, I'm just like, Man, I need to read it more. Do you know how many books where I'm just like reading through it and they're like, Man, I feel like I don't know this. But I've read through it scores of times. Because the Bible is deep. The Bible is spiritual. And, you know, anybody that thinks that he knows something as he ought, knows nothing yet as he ought to know. So, reading. We need to be on top of that. Because I could say to you now and be like, Well, I've read more than most pastors have read in their whole lifetime. It's time for me to eat, drink, and be married. Right? I don't need to read anymore. That's ridiculous. I need to read more this year than I read last year. And I need to study. I need to study more than I did last year. You know, that's the goal, right, is to do more every single year. Now, go to Psalm 1, Psalm 1, because when it comes to reading, the next thing I think about, they're like, Is this your priority list? Diet, not being fat. That's my first priority. Don't be fat. Second is reading the Bible and memorizing it. You say, That's what you think about? I'm just telling you what I think about. I'm not saying that should be the priority. Obviously, reading and memorizing the Bible should be above exercise and diet. But, personally, when the New Year comes, I'm like, It's dieting. It's time to shed some weight. Now, in Psalm 1 here, in verse 1, it says, Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. So, not only should you be reading the Bible, but you need to be meditating upon it. And how much more could you meditate upon the Word of God when you have it committed to memory? Meaning, it's hard to meditate on something if you're forgetting what you read. If you're just like, Oh, I read that, and you're kind of thinking about it. But how much more if you have it memorized, and you can literally just quote it off in your mind as far as a passage of the Bible? And you say, Well, does the Bible say to memorize verses, or to be able to quote verses, or to memorize chapters or books of the Bible? It doesn't say that. It says meditate on the Word of God. But here's the thing. Are you just trying to do the bare minimum? Because you know what the Bible says? That if you do that which is your duty, what are you supposed to call yourself? An unprofitable servant. So, if the Bible doesn't tell me to memorize whole books of the Bible, doesn't tell me to memorize verses, you know what? Maybe that means, and I dare to say it, maybe you're being a little profitable. Right? And God forbid that we should be profitable, right? The thing is, is that we shouldn't just be looking at what's the minimum, right? The reading, right? What's the minimum? He says to read it daily, right? You should be reading the Bible daily, but it doesn't give you a set time. It doesn't say how many times you should go through the Bible. But listen, are you trying to find the minimum, or are you trying to go above and beyond? Because I'd rather be above and beyond and do things that God didn't tell me to do. And so, that's what I think about memorization. Obviously, meditating, but here's the thing. I can meditate a lot better if it's committed to memory. I can think about it and recall it a lot more if it's committed to memory. In Joshua chapter 1, verse 8, this is a memory verse. Joshua 1, 8 says this, it says, The book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein. And then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. So, the thing is that if you're going to meditate day and night, you need to have it in your mind. And memorizing is the best way to keep it in your mind. Because you don't want to be thinking about something and then be thinking about it wrong, right? Let's say you read a passage. Sometimes you read a passage and you're thinking about it like, Man, that's kind of strange. I wonder how that works. Then you read it again and you're like, Oh, I didn't actually say that. Right? You kind of read it wrong or you read over a word or something like that. You're like, Oh, okay, that's why I'm confused about what's being said there. So, you don't want to meditate on something that's like wrong, right? That's not actually what the Bible says. So, if you commit it to memory and you take the time and make sure that you're memorizing it word for word what it says, then when you're thinking about it later, you can have confidence and say, You know what? This is what it says. I'm thinking about it. And then when you're reading through the Bible and you're reading through the Gospels or you're reading through the Old Testament, you have these chapters committed to memory. You have these verses committed to memory. You know what's going to happen? That stuff's going to come to your mind as you're reading it. You'll be like, That fits there. That fits there. This goes over here. This is here. So, that is very important. And as a preacher, if you're going to be a pastor one day, you better memorize the Bible because have fun writing sermons if you don't have Bible memorized. Have fun writing three sermons a week and not having Bible memorized. Because you can think of a topic, but then, I mean, Esau is great, but Esau only goes so far, right? That search engine on there to the point where it's memory. And you say, Well, I know it says this over here. I know it says this over here. And I'm going to pull this in and it's Bible memory. That's how I can actually write three sermons a week without pulling my hair out or just taking four hours a day to do it. It's because there's a lot of memory that's involved. I remember where that's at. I remember the passages. Whatever. And so, as a preacher, if you're going to be a pastor one day, or even a deacon that's going to be preaching at a church, then you need to have some Bible memorized. Go to John 14. John 14 and verse 26. The other thing to think about, too, is that when you go out soul winning, if you don't have it memorized, you're going to have to go through the Bible. And listen, I'm all for you opening the Bible. And by the way, you need to open up the Bible when you're going out soul winning. At least a few verses. So I'm not against quoting the Bible. Now, if that's the only way that you can, they can't read. They can't see. They've got cataracts on their eyes. I don't know. There's cases where people just can't see what you're showing them there, right? I still think you should have it open. People that can't see, I'll still have it open to be like, hey, this is legit. I'm not just selling you a bill of goods here. Open up the Bible. Show it to them. But here's the thing. When you're out soul winning, the Holy Ghost will help you figure out what should be said and where. I'm not saying He's going to talk to you. It's not like He's like, Jason, you need to go to this verse over here. No, He's not oddly talking to me. But you know what happens? I remember a verse. It comes to memory. I'm just like, oh, okay. That's a good verse to go here. They'll ask a question and be like, boom, verse comes to mind. This is where it needs to go. And this is something that happens all the time out soul winning. In John 14, verse 26, it says, But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, notice this, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. So if you don't know what Jesus said unto you, how's He going to bring it to remembrance? It doesn't say that He's going to tell you things that you've never heard. That's what people think. Well, the Holy Ghost told me to do this. It's like, no, He didn't. It's not in the Bible. Then He didn't tell you to do that. But if you don't have it in your memory, how can you bring it to remembrance? You have to have it in your memory before you can do that. So if you only have John 3.16 memorized, He can use it. He'll bring that to your remembrance. But wouldn't you rather have whole books of the Bible in your Rolodex to where the Holy Ghost can just start pulling stuff out of there? You're like, well, I can't quote it off strongly. I had it memorized at one time. You'll be surprised. There's some times where I'll quote off a verse and be like, where did that come from? Now, it doesn't mean I never memorized it though. It's not like, whoa, man, I never memorized that verse. Where'd that come from? I don't even remember that verse. That verse is in the Bible? How'd that come out of my mouth? That's not what I'm saying. But I've had stuff memorized, but I haven't quoted it off in a long time, and all of a sudden, I'll just verbatim get it out. Because it's in there. It's in your memory. When you memorize a book, it is in there. But the Holy Ghost can draw it out. And by the way, the Bible says in Ephesians 6, verse 17, it says, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. So the Holy Ghost is using the word of God and using that as a sword. But listen, if you don't have the word of God dwelling in you, if you don't have it memorized, then he can't draw that out. He can draw to remember what it says as far as your memory. Because a lot of times you read something and you're like, I remember it said something like this. Or you can remember where it was at somewhere. And that's fine. That works too. Because you can go there and turn there and be like, all right, here's what it says exactly. But how much more if you can remember it exactly how it said it? Now go to Psalm 126, because another thing I think of is reading, memorizing. How about soul winning? Soul winning. So you're setting marks here, right? What's your memorization plan? Okay, if you're not going to do 2 Timothy, the book of 2 Timothy, which is fine, we just kind of put that on there. If you want to jump on the bandwagon as far as if anybody's doing it, you know, we have a church chapter we're doing, right? But if you're like, hey, I don't want to do 2 Timothy. I want to do this. That's fine. You're like, I want to do 5 Leman. Do 5 Leman. I want to do 2 John. Do 2 John. Right? I want to do Matthew. Do Matthew. Right? Have a goal. But it should be a goal where it's something that seems like you can't attain it. Right? Don't set goals down here and be like, I'm going to do 5 Leman this year. That's it. You know? No, have a goal to say, hey, I'm going to memorize this many chapters this year. Or maybe these books right here I'm going to memorize. Get on it. And if you don't make that goal, I almost guarantee you're going to have some of it done. And that's more than you would have done if you didn't set a goal. Okay? The idea here is setting a mark. If you don't set that mark, you won't do it. And why not start at the beginning of the year and say, you know what? I'm forgetting those things which I failed at last year. You know, I had all these things I was going to do. I didn't end up doing those. Clean slate. Start fresh. You're like, I was doing this book, but I just got bogged down. Just start fresh. Start a different book. Start off completely fresh on something else. Get that done. And then maybe you'll come back and you'll have the motivation to finish what you didn't get done last year. Okay? Now, in Psalm 126, in verse 5 here, it says, They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. And this verse right here is really showing you that, hey, listen, if you go forth, bearing precious seed, which by the way is the Word of God, the incorruptible seed, and you're weeping, meaning that you're compassionate, you're not just going out there like this stoic rock that doesn't care about people, okay? You actually care about the people you're talking to, you're bearing the Word of God, and it's saying you will doubtless come again with rejoicing. Now, it doesn't tell you when. You notice that? It doesn't say, well, you will definitely get someone saved in a year. Maybe not. Okay? But here's the thing. You need to keep going. And some of you say, well, I've never won anybody to Christ. Okay. Make that your goal this year. One person. One person. That's it. One person. Get one person saved this year. That's your goal. But you say, well, I've won people to Christ. Okay. How many? Okay. Now, again, don't take this too far to be like you've got to have a certain number or anything like that, okay? But here's the thing. The Bible says this in Matthew 13, dealing with fruitful Christians, it says in verse 23, He that received seed in the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it, and which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Okay? So basically it's stating that, and I believe this is kind of like a seasonal thing. If you think of a tree and the fruit it bears in a season, right? That every year, you know, some people are winning thirty people. Some people are winning sixty. Some people are winning a hundred, right? So you may say, well, I won this many this past year. This year I want to try to do this, right? And you're trying to up it. Now, I personally, my problem is I don't usually keep track of the ones I, you know, because we're kind of just keeping track as a church, and that's fine, because I don't think it's about, we should really just be focusing on like I personally won this person. I prayed with this person to that extent. But here's the thing. You can keep track and be like, hey, you know what? I'm going to try to up my game a little bit this year on soul winning. You know, I got thirty last year. I want to get sixty this year. I want to get a hundred or whatever the case may be. Or I won one person. I want to win two people this year, right? Well, I haven't won anybody, one person. Just let that be your goal and let that be something you're thinking about throughout the year and be like, I need to win that one person. That was my goal at the beginning of the year. I need to win that one person. And listen, that should be the goal for everybody that's never won anybody. You should never be like, I want thirty this year. I've never won anybody, but I want thirty, right? No. Now, if you won thirty your first year of trying to go out and do it, then praise the Lord, right? But here's the thing. Start off with one because, listen, that first one's always the hardest. It's always the hardest to get that first one. But you know what? It's kind of like a waterfall after that. And it gets a little easier. But you know what? Sometimes maybe that one, it's like you get that one and then it's just a long time and you get another one. And it's a long time and you get another one. And it seems like for you it's just like it's dragging, it's harder. You know what? Consistency. Keep doing it. Because here's the thing. If for twenty years you won one person, that's twenty people you won to Christ. That's more than most people. One person's more than most Christians. Okay? So what I'm saying here is that set some goals when it comes to soul winning. Whether it's the amount of time that you go out or it's just the amount of people that you win, however you want to set it, you know. Because I think if you set more time to go out, you're going to end up winning more people because you're running into more people. You have more opportunity. But that being said is that that should be a goal this year. How about studying doctrine? Okay? Go to 2 Timothy chapter 2. 2 Timothy chapter 2. 2 Timothy chapter 2. I'm going to try to hurry through these. I only have two more points here. The one here is just studying specific doctrines, okay? Notice what the Bible says here in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 14. Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness. The Bible says here to study to show thyself approved unto God, and that we're supposed to be rightly dividing the word of truth. Okay? So studying the Bible and studying doctrine in particular, it says in 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 6, 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 6, it says, it says, If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereinto thou hast attained, but refused profane and old wives' fables, and exercised thyself rather unto godliness. And the thing is that good doctrine, it says in Titus, you know, young men likewise exhort to be sober-minded in all things, showing thyself a pattern of good works, in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity. Right? So doctrine should be something that you're looking at as far as I want to understand doctrine. I want to study doctrine. Okay? This should be a goal. Okay? You say, well, where do I start? Well, go to Hebrews chapter 6. Hebrews chapter 6. Okay? I'll give you a list of things to start on. You say, well, I already know what our church believes, but have you studied it? I heard a sermon on it, but have you studied it? Okay? There's a difference between hearing a sermon on a subject and studying it out yourself. Okay? And I'm all for, you know, obviously that's my goal is to give you good doctrine and to give you a good sermon outline to where you know a doctrine and you have some verses on that, but you need to study that out yourself. You need to be like those in Thessalonica that were searching the scriptures daily whether those things were so. Okay? Meaning that you need to put in the study. You say, well, where do I start? Well, Hebrews chapter 6 and verse 1 here, it says this. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ. Okay? So now we're talking about the principle. What's the principle? It means like the foundational doctrine. Right? Let us go on unto perfection. So it's basically saying we don't want, we're leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ. Right? We're leaving the foundational doctrine and we want to go on unto perfection. Right? We want to go on to things that are like, you know, outside the foundational truth. Right? Or foundational doctrines. It says not laying again the foundation. So what we're saying, what is about the state here is what the principle doctrines are. Does that make sense? This is principle. This is foundational. These are the first things you should be knowing. And the first thing is salvation. Repentance from dead works and the faith toward God. Number one, understand the doctrine of salvation. Understand the doctrine, the fact that you are repentant from dead works, meaning works don't save you. It's by grace through faith and that knot of yourselves that is the gift of God and a knot of works that any man should boast. Know that doctrine. Listen, you say, well, I know that doctrine. Know it more. This year, find some other verses on it. Just know that doctrine. Get that doctrine down pat. Understand what the word repent means. Understand what all these passages mean. Understand what James 2 is talking about when it says faith without works is dead. Understand what Philippians 2 means when it says that work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Know what those passages say and know salvation down pat. That's what you should be studying. These are first principles. Then, of the doctrine of baptisms, plural. So you say, well, after I study in the salvation, I got that nailed down, I'm getting all these trouble passages, understanding them when it comes to salvation. Okay, well, understand what the doctrine of baptisms is talking about. You say, I didn't know there was more than one. That's why you need to study it because there is more than one baptism. There's baptism of water. There's baptism of Jesus actually going to the grave, his body going to the tomb, his soul going to hell and raising again from the dead. There's the baptism that happens spiritually. There's the Holy Ghost baptism, the baptism of the Holy Ghost. There's four right there. I even got into the Old Testament where they were baptized under the cloud. There's five. So, baptisms, know those doctrines. Laying on of hands, know that doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Understand the resurrection, that Jesus is the firstfruits, that we are the first resurrection at his coming, and then come at the end, which would be the second resurrection of both the just and the unjust. Know that doctrine. Know of eternal judgment, whether it's the judgment seat of Christ or it's the great white throne judgment, right? These are foundational, okay? You're saying, well, I don't really know those. That's what I'm telling you. We need to know these doctrines. And listen, you'd be saying, well, I know, you know, you just told me what they mean. Well, see, knowing a sermon or hearing a sermon about it, meaning I've done the study and I'm showing it to you, is different than you doing the study and knowing it for yourself, okay? And I'm not saying you don't know it. I'm not here to say, like, no one in here has ever studied this out. I'm saying if you haven't, do it. That should be a goal. And listen, you should have certain doctrines. You're like, I want this doctrine. You know, I really want to know baptisms, right? I want to know how they answer all the baptism passages, whether it's Acts 2 38, whether it's 1 Peter chapter 3, right? And you're like, I want to understand baptisms, right? You know, whether it's the spiritual baptism, whether it's the water baptism. And by the way, the earth was baptized in water. There are six, okay? So, see, just off the top of my head, those are all those. But see, there's all kinds that you can look into there. Now, that being said is that, and it says, in this will we do, if God permit, dealing with going on to perfection. So those are foundational doctrines. Then come to me and talk to me about end times prophecy, okay? Then come talk to me about some ancillary things in the Bible or things that are more in the details. Then come talk to me about the two witnesses, okay? Because if you have all that down, then you're going to have no problem understanding everything else, right? Because it's going to be this strong foundation. And you know what that means is that all the other doctrines that you get into when you get into these deep doctrines, they can't contradict that foundation, right? That foundation's unmovable. And now when you're looking at these other doctrines, you know what that is? A presupposition going into deep doctrine. And that's what you need to have. But you've got to set a mark to say, I'm going to know that doctrine. I'm going to know that one. You don't have to do them all at once, okay? Just pick salvation. Just pick the baptism one. Just pick laying on of hands and look up all the places laying on hands is used and figure out what it means, okay? But notice salvation is first, okay? So that means when you know salvation, the water baptism doesn't save you. And laying on of hands doesn't actually save you. And you go into these things and you're like, okay, you can't contradict the other doctrines. Now the last one I'm going to get to here is church attendance. Go to Hebrews chapter 10. Now I rarely preach on this, to be honest with you. Because here's the thing. When it comes to church attendance, if you don't want to be here, then I don't want you to be here, okay? That's not because I don't care about you. I want people to be here because they want to be here. I'm not going to drag anybody to church and I'm not going to just beg people to come to church. I'll beg people to get saved. I'll basically just persuade them and do whatever they need me to do in order for them to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. I'll do that. But when it comes to church, I want you to be here because you want to be here. But that's a hard issue. That's something that you need to set a mark and say, you know what? I want church attendance to be a priority and I'm going to make this something of a goal, right? Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 23, it says, Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering to provoke unto love and to good works. I'm sorry. I skipped over. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful to that promise. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching. So this is a verse basically stating why we don't forsake the assembly. Why? Because we need to provoke one another unto love and to good works. And so much the more when we see the day approaching, meaning this is that, we're only getting closer to the end. Okay? Whether it's to the end of your life or whether it's the end of the world, you know, so much the more we need to have the assembly to where we can provoke one another to love and to good works. Okay? So one of the big reasons why church is there is for that reason. Okay? And here's the thing. You say, well, what's your stance? When would you say someone's forsaking the assembly? Well, I'll say this. If someone's coming to church every week, I don't believe they're forsaking the assembly. Okay? You're like, you're preaching that way? Now, I've heard a priest that if you don't come all three services and Sunday school, then you're not, then you're forsaking the assembly. I don't believe that. Okay? Now, do I think that it's better? Because there's a difference between not forsaking the assemblies and doing all you can. Does that make sense? Right? Not forsaking the assembly. If you're forsaking the assemblies, that's like you're not at church. Like, I haven't seen you in like a month. I haven't seen you in like two months. And by the way, this is outside of being sick or not physically able to come. Okay? I'm not talking about that. Okay? So if you're like laid up or you can't make it because of some like physical problem, that's not what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about it's inconvenient. I don't feel like going. It's harder to go. Whatever the case may be. Right? And it's easy for me to preach on this because I can't miss. It's a big deal for me to have to miss because that means I have to get someone else to preach for me. And I can't just like hide under the radar, you know, and just be like, I'm just not going to make it there today. No one's going to know what was going on. No. If I miss, okay, then I have to be like, I'm going to miss today and everybody's going to want to know why. Okay? Wouldn't everybody want to know why Pastor Robinson isn't here today? Like there's going to be some, is he alive? Did he die? Like what happened? Right? Whatever the case may be, they're going to want to know why I'm not here. But that being said, it's easier for someone in the church to basically say, okay, I'm going to fly under the radar. I'm not going to make it today. And all of us would probably think, well, you know, maybe they're not feeling well. Maybe this is going on. Right? But it could very well be that I just don't feel like going. I'm tired. Or whatever the case may be. Okay? Because here's the thing, this should be a goal that you say, okay, I'm going to try to, and whatever the goal may be. Right? I'm going to be there at all three services during the week. Or maybe you're saying, well, I'm going to be there for two. And you can mix-match whichever one you want to be at. Right? But you're like, I'm going to be at two services every week. And, you know, and some, you know, obviously are already at every service and all that. And that's fine. But here's the thing. The question you have to ask yourself when it comes to this is, is church, should you be at church more right now or less? Okay? And you say, well, your sermons are boring. Okay, that's fine. You know? And you can think that. Right? But here's the thing. When it says about not forsaking the assembly, does it say anything about preaching right there? Now, obviously, preaching is a part of it. Right? Because he gave some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the church. Right? Or the body of Christ. So, obviously, the preaching is part of it. He's manifested his word through preaching. But, you know what? When it's talking about this passage about not forsaking, it's talking about all of us. It's talking about all of us being together and provoking one another to love and to good works. It didn't say anything about a pastor in there. They're like, do it for the pastor. And listen, and like I said, I want people to be here because they want to be here. So I'm not here to, like, pressure you and be, like, twisting your arm to come or make you feel bad. Listen, you should want to come because you want to for God. Okay? And for, you know, the fellowship, to be honest with you. The fellowship of God's people and for God himself. Okay? I don't want you to come here for me. Okay? Now, that can be part of it, right? Because I am a member. Okay? I am a member of the church. Okay? So if you want to come to see me, great. But if it's not me and it's someone else and you want to fellowship with other people, you know what? That's a great reason. And that is the reason, one of the big reasons why it says not to forsake because, listen, you can listen to sermons online. But sermons online, that's doctrine, that's teaching, and that's all good, right? But there's a difference between that and being here. Okay? Being around people, being uplifted because you're going to have those weeks where you're not going to be in a good mood. You're getting pushed down by the world and just everything's coming down on you but then you come here and you just have a good time or you get to talk to somebody and it just lifts you up. Okay? That's why Wednesday night's a really good night. And, listen, I don't think anybody likes coming on. No, I'm just kidding. Wednesday's hard, right? Because you work all day and it's like, I got to get there on Wednesday. That's a hard day. Okay? It's a hard day to get here on Wednesday. But you know what? Every Wednesday, I leave and I'm like, I'm glad I was here. Okay? You're like, you were preaching. Yeah, but I'm not talking about the preaching. Although, listen, when I preach, I still get enjoyment. I'm still reading it and hearing it myself, right? So it's not like I'm not hearing teaching. And if anything, I'm getting Bible reading as I'm going through it. But you know what? Every Wednesday, I come out of there and I'm like, man, I'm glad I went. I'm glad I was there. I'm glad I got to see some of my church members. I got to talk to them in the middle of the week. And it's just a nice little break between the world. And you know what? It's just something that we need to always be setting as a goal. And, you know, treat it as if you can't miss. Treat it as if you had to make, to tell everybody why. Now, I'm not saying to tell everybody, okay? I'm not saying to like confess your sins or fall to people, okay? About church attendance. What I'm saying is just kind of have that in the back of your mind. Because before I pastored, it was a lot easier to miss. Okay? There was times I was just like, I don't feel like going. I'm not going. And you know what? When you do that, and I fell into that trap too, it's like, well, you know, it's easier to miss the next time. Soul winning is the same way. You miss soul winning a week, one week, the next week's harder. You miss that week, the next week's even harder. It's just the way it is, and that's for everybody, okay? It's not saying like you're a weak Christian. That's just the way it is. Like, you get out of that, it's hard for everybody. I don't care who you are. But these are some goals. And you say, well, I have different marks. I have different goals. That's fine, okay? The whole idea here is to have a mark, okay? On whatever the case is. I'm just giving you the ones I look at, okay? Personally, these are like the big ones I look at. And you may have different ones, and that's great. But set that mark. So let's end with a word prayer. The heavenly Father, we thank you for today. And thank you for your word. And just pray that you be with us throughout the rest of this year. But also going into the new year, and just pray to the Lord that you'd help us to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. But also that we'd set specific marks in our walk with you during this year. And even if it's physical things, Lord, in our lives, just help us to obtain into those marks. And Lord, just help us through that. Give us mercy and grace through that. And Lord, just be with us throughout the rest of the day. And Lord, we love you. And pray also in Jesus Christ's name. Amen. So Brother Dave will come and sing one more song, and then we'll be dismissed. All right, take your song books and turn to song 448. Song 448. This is a song I don't know super well, but Pastor asked me to sing it.