0 (1s): Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us this morning. Online it's a little different for me and the band and just like last week, we're going to go ahead and we're going to worship here. We're going to trust that you're going to worship with us at home. You know, we'll remember that it doesn't matter where we're at. God is everywhere. Omnipresent. We can praise him from the rooftops, from the empty rooms to the living rooms, to the bedrooms. He's worthy to be praised. So...
0 (1s): Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us this morning. Online it's a little different for me and the band and just like last week, we're going to go ahead and we're going to worship here. We're going to trust that you're going to worship with us at home. You know, we'll remember that it doesn't matter where we're at. God is everywhere. Omnipresent. We can praise him from the rooftops, from the empty rooms to the living rooms, to the bedrooms. He's worthy to be praised. So wherever you are, join us worship with us this morning and we'll get it going, Lord, please accept our worship this morning. 0 (45s): As pleasing we come to you, we humbly confess that we have nothing to offer. Lord. Everything we have is because of you. We praise you. We worship you in Jesus name. Amen. 1 (1m 6s): . 1 (6m 21s): Hi, 2 (11m 30s): 1 (11m 42s): 0 (15m 51s): Lord, we thank you this morning for your great gift of grace to each one of us. We thank you, Lord, that you've made it obvious to everywhere. We look at your creation, cries out of a creator. I pray this morning that you'd help us all to remove the scales from our eyes. Only you can remove Lord that we could see that every day we'd sent your presence. Remember who we serve and worship. Pray that you'd bless your word this morning. 0 (16m 32s): You anointed. You'd give us ears to hear what you want to say to us. We ask in Jesus name. Amen 3 (16m 42s): For let's see here flows of you standing there in the back. We've got a couple of seats right up, over here in front. And then I think we have a seat right back there in the back free. Now I'm just having fun with you anyway. It's great to be here. You guys, and let's let's, let's go ahead and pray and Lord God, we thank you father that you, that you do see all Lord God that you do know all. And just thank you father, that you have equipped us as believers with everything that we need to address and face the challenges that come before us. Even if we feel powerless, even if we feel like there's a we're out of control, like we don't have control or God, these are, these are the opportunities father for us to lean on you completely. 3 (17m 27s): And to see your power work in your grace abound father, we pray for your Holy spirit to move through this message this morning. And for those who don't know you father, we pray Lord God, that they will be receptive to your Holy Spirit's call to become a member of your family in Jesus name. We pray amen. What happens in when everything is going really smooth and there you are driving, and you're finally on cruise control and things are going really well. What happens in life? I'll tell you what happens. Suddenly a big cow gets in the middle of the road and you have to go left or right, or have lots of hamburger meat. 3 (18m 9s): And you know, that works much better in Texas, but anyway, but the reality is that's what life is about. We have, we, we never had a stay on cruise control forever. There's just things that happen. Even if you think you're doing everything correct. We live in a fallen world and things happen. I know I was challenged once I was a Western regional coordinator for an organization called Rutherford Institute, and that was coordinated litigation in 14 Western States out of our, out of the Sacramento office and everything was going really smooth. I had this network of attorneys developed and Aaron's going great coordinating over 40% of their active litigation. 3 (18m 50s): And what happens? The national office calls me and says, Brad, we're shutting down the last regional offices, including yours, but don't worry. We have a promotion for you. Why don't you hit up our public affairs office in Washington, DC you'll have a higher salary, larger staff, larger office. You'll be the face of the organization. You'll be literally the media and media rep for all television and radio throughout the country. For all of our litigation. Of course, I don't have to pray about that. You know, I mean, right. When something is just like, so obviously God was closing, wonder opening it elements. You don't have to pray about that. Yes. Yeah. And I had insomnia. 3 (19m 31s): I couldn't sleep. Couldn't sleep the next night couldn't sleep the next night. Why? Because I was wrestling with the Lord. I knew that if I prayed that God was going to probably challenge me to take the rough path and not the easy path. That's just what happens in my life. You know, when, when you pray, I usually very rarely feel led to go the easy way. It's this thing called faith that needs stretching going this way. And so I went ahead and prayed and that's what I should've done from the beginning. But I prayed. And when I did the Lord gave me this question, which is Brad what does Isaiah I put on your heart real pointed, really clear. 3 (20m 12s): And the answer was to make sure people got the help they needed here on the West coast. That was a passion on my heart. The next question was, what do I choose to follow the passions on my heart or something else? So with boldness and courage, I stepped up and I said, Lord, I will face the challenges I will boldly go. I will do exactly on several conditions. And isn't that what we are sometimes in life, we say yes to we're going to do it, but I'm scared. That's okay because God's stretching us. And when he stretches us, it's not supposed to just really be, you know, when you're, when you're lifting weights, I had some, maybe some guys here in the audience here, weightlifters, you know, we lifted the weights. 3 (20m 54s): You lift it with. So it's easy. No, you lift as hard and you're stretching those tit, those muscles and everything. Well, that's what God does with us spiritually. When we go through situations where we have to stretch our faith. And so I says, God, I've just, I got a few things here. One, I want to make sure that we have a free office space indefinitely donated free in Sacramento, a free computer system donated, you know, keep me on the radio stations for free. There were two, a rate, two radio stations. At the time we have to use the black Lord in just three months. And I'm never going to charge anyone at any time for any legal work I ever do. Ever. I thought it was very reasonable with my business model. 3 (21m 35s): And anyway, God, he knows where he knew I was at. He knew exactly where I was and he takes us right where we are in that great that God knows inside and out. He says, so he took care of everything. I get a call out of the blue. We're shutting down the other for the office. It's the last month I get a call. I didn't tell anyone about the free office space I was looking for. I thought I don't have to. I told God, God doesn't provide it fine done. It's not at him. And I'm getting on my boat and I'm leaving Nineveh. Okay. I'm just from head to Barcelona. I'm just, I was already, you know, it's anyway. Yeah. 3 (22m 15s): Biblical analogy there. Okay. Gotcha. So, so there, so, so what happens? I get a call answer. The phone guy says, yeah, I heard you needed office space to have office space for you. Free office space. Now did I say praise the Lord? Thank you. No, this was my ticket to avoid going to Nineveh. Okay. The office space. So instead I raised my voice and said, well, Hey, how'd, you know, I need office space. Well, my secretary who's my tone quickly comes in, says, put him on hold, put him on hold. She goes, yeah. I just, I Brad, you didn't know this, but I knew there before we knew they were shutting down our office, I knew our lease was going to expire here. 3 (22m 55s): So I thought I would surprise you. And so I called KYC radio and I asked him to put in an announcement that we're looking for free office space too, because yes, we need office space. But that's how God works in the computer. I told one person computer system, we needed. One person goes, Oh yeah, I've got a computer system for you. The boat is not leaving. It's going to stay in it. So it's how God works. Radio stations. They said, Oh, we'll keep you on. And now by God's grace, we have a half hour radio show and it's heard on over 500 stations and transmitters across the country for free the, the commentary. 3 (23m 40s): We have the legal EDS for that over. Well, I'll say over 790, plus at least radio stations Monday through Friday, it's for free. I mean, this is how God works. And we now have offices. Pacific justice. Now has offices went to theaters anyway. I've I don't know how many offices, but coast to coast, Miami New York, Dallas, Mississippi, Denver, Seattle, Salem, foreign, California, Reno, Nevada, all donated office space. It's it's what God does. It's when we let go, we let God, he goes beyond what we can think or imagine when you're facing things in life. 3 (24m 23s): Remember none of this takes God by surprise. If you feel out of control, it's obviously it's a great time for those spiritual muscles to be stretched called faith. And we could put our trust and hope in the Lord. Now, why is this a good introduction? It's a good intro because what we're going to talk today is about perilous times from God's word. If you turn, if you will, to second Timothy chapter three second, Timothy chapter three, verse one, are you don't bother turning there. Just trust. I mean, I'm a lawyer. So that was a joke. That's good. You guys laughed. Okay, good. 3 (25m 4s): Yeah. It starts off what I love about this. This is understood by many to be the last writings of the apostle Paul. So this is, this is the last two chapters. We're going to finish all chapter four for time, but this is the last two chapters of the last letter of the apostle Paul and Guest who he's writing it to. He's really addressing it to us, I believe. And here's why here's the first verse, but understand this, that in the last days there will come times of diff difficulty or perilous times. That's, that's not, I think, written to the early church. I think it's written to the last days. I think it's written to us. 3 (25m 46s): And yet we act as though some, some strange things happening and we see crazy things happening our world, right? And yet Paul makes it really clear of the word of God, makes it very clear that we're to face these things. Verse two also love it. That he doesn't leave it just obscure. Like what does he mean by perilous? Well, he actually says it real clearly here. Verse two for people who we lovers of self don't. We see that in our society, what's the most common picture for someone to take, what's it called? 4 (26m 16s): Selfie? It's not a 3 (26m 17s): UAE or they it's a selfie. Right? And lovers of self lovers of money. Don't we see that that's part of our culture materialism and, and it's very apparent. And we see it around the world and we see it around the world now arrogant, abusive disobedient to their parents. Now I used to say, you know, things that disobedient to parents, you know, I thought, well, this is the end of the world's happening. 3 (26m 58s): All these teenagers are just so rebellious. Well, that's part of growing up in a way you've becoming your own person. I get that. But what we're talking about here is rebelling, not just becoming their own person, but disobedient to the parents and the teachings of their parents pulling away from the faith of their parents. We see that statistically, like we've never seen it ever in us. History is greater now than it was even back in the late sixties. And they're the, the counter, the cultural revolution it's happening at a very fast clip in our society. The fastest growing religion in America today are nuns. Now I'm not talking about the ladies with the black, you know, thing and the okay. 3 (27m 40s): And the Catholic church. No, no. I mean, there are none there, nothing. They don't believe in anything you say, Oh, you're an atheist. No, you are you this? No, I'm just nothing. That's the fastest growing religion, turning away from the parent teaching of their family and their parents. Ungrateful ungrateful. It's interesting because I think the synonym for an ungrateful is entitlement. You don't need to be grateful for something. If you're entitled to it. If, if you're owed it, if you're dessert, if you deserve it, do we have that in our society? Is that a part of what's? Our children are learning and our government schools in particular and our universities, actually a lot of private quote, Christian universities. 3 (28m 27s): I know there's a number here in the state of California, frankly, that need to be called out because of this, this, this new thinking of, of entitlement, very progressive quote unquote philosophy that goes totally against the teachings of scripture and the word of God. So it's unholy. What's that? Holy being separate from God and what's righteous. And what's good. A turning from God heartless on a, on a peaceable slanderous without self-control. When I was a kid, self-control was a good thing. 3 (29m 8s): It's what we learned. Right? Self-control exercise. Self-control what do they teach you? What's our society embracing. Now I'll tell you right now, we're all indoctrinated. I'm going to say the first few words and you're going to repeat it. If it feels right. Good do it. We're programmed. And our society does that. What God's word says no, no. Self-control is a good thing. We're human beings. God has given us moral choice. And with that comes a responsibility and self control. And our society is just, if it's a log as someone, you know, wants to, or it feels like this is something they're there they desire to do, then that's who they are. 3 (29m 51s): They should do it. Well, no, no. That's called temptation. We should turn from temptation because temptation leads to sin and see it. Sin leads to destruction and death. And that's what the stats show the statistics lovers. I was always, sorry. We'll keep here without self-control brutal. No loving good. Instead of what's hip in our society is, is to love that, which is evil and it's evil to, and instead to, to hate that, which is good. We see it in our society today. When I was growing up, there are two kinds of people. Pretty much there were those who went to church and those who are knowing that they should be going to church. 3 (30m 33s): Right? That's what I grew up with. Yeah. I know we should give you one. Church I just our society today, not that Church saves us, but it's just, it's an indicator oftentimes of our desire to, to be close and to fellowship. Fellowship is a part of healthy, spiritual growth as Christians. And yet our society today are those who go to church and then you have, and they have those who despise churches and what they stand for and what they teach and a very large part of our culture society. And then those, even those who go to church, you have those. When I was a kid, I'm selling an old man, this is not good when I was a child. Let me tell you no, but it was always thinking like two groups of Christians, you got those, the sprinkle and those that dunk. 3 (31m 20s): And that's the big divider. That was my mind thinking I was a kid and I wasn't sure about the sprinklers. Okay, boy, have things changed. The real question today is, is your church one that believes that Jesus is the way the truth and the life that no one comes to the father, but to faith in Jesus, is your church, or is it, or is it more of a universal status that decides to dilute the word and believe just everything sort of gets there. We see main did not mainline denominations falling into this deception. We also see, you know, is your church one that believes that the Bible is the Holy word of God and you don't need to apologize for this, but it live by it because this is God's word. 3 (32m 3s): Or do you believe, are you part of a church that decides to dilute, cross out, tear out and modify what the word of God says? That's where we are in our society today. Unlike at any time in world history, do we have a tearing away among the churches from those who are followers of Jesus and the Holy word of God and those that follow something else. And then love is a good treacherous. Reckless this verse for swollen with conceit pride. Pride is basically saying that I know more than God. I know that I know the way and I'm, and I know what's best for me more than God. That's sort of the conceit. 3 (32m 44s): It's pride lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God. I'll never forget. When I, the Supreme court decision regarding same-sex marriage came out from the Supreme court. It was a five to four decision, very close, actually. And the majority of the decision wrote that not only was equal protection, the basis of it. And I thought that's probably how they're going to go with the equal protection clause. We'll get into the details of that. But instead, they went much farther than that. And they said they defined a sexual fulfillment as a fundamental right. Individuals' sexual fulfillment. I looked at this, I thought this makes bigamy, polygamy, BCL. 3 (33m 30s): I mean, my mind started going, going off the edge there, thinking this just opens up the flood gate for all kinds of just immoral activity and justifying it as a constitutional fundamental, right? What's the fundamental, right? By the way, it's something given to us by our creator. How can you ignore the laws of nature? And nature's God the source of our fundamental rights in claiming something that goes totally against those rights. It's, it's, it's crazy. It makes no sense. And yet that's what we see facing us today. And that's what the Supreme court ruled. It basically, it was like, they shook their fist at God and say, we'd rather be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of you. 3 (34m 22s): First five, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. I remember I was on an airplane. You know, those people that they talk and talk on the airplane and you're just like, I wish it'd be quiet so you can CA that's me. Okay. Right here. It just happened. So I'm sitting here talking with this guy and I said, somehow it comes up. I said, if you don't mind me asking, I said, what'd you do you have religious background? And he says, he goes, no, I'm not religious, but I am very spiritual. So we know it. We know the language, we know the lingo, right? Spiritual, it's very hip to be spiritual. So I said, well, what does it mean? What do you, what do you believe? 3 (35m 2s): Well, I just really feel that I'm at one and at peace with the universe. Okay. And where does that come from? What's 1 (35m 17s): That's it. 3 (35m 20s): Okay. So there's nothing to this cloud. It's just a cloud. It's a floating, it's a floating cloud. There's no nothing, no substance. And our society embraces sort of this spiritual ism as an alternative because it makes you feel good. Doesn't it? You feel like you're, you're somewhere, even though you really know where, but it makes you feel better. Right? And, and yet it's a deception. And yet it says, but denying its power, it has no power because, or does not come from our, our mind. It doesn't come from our, our own energy. Doesn't come from the universe. Power comes through Jesus Christ and the powerful working of our creator. 3 (36m 5s): One thing I love about being a Christian and I'm a lawyer too. I'm sorry. Okay. Let me just tell you something about lawyers. It's the 99% out there. They give us 1% of bad reputation. No one laughed at that one. That was a lawyer joke. Okay. Very good. Thank you. Some courtesy. Laughter. Appreciate it. Okay. But anyway, I keep talking about before I lost my place. This is not good. Okay. So beginning, back onto where I was. All right, here we go. But the thing is, is that God wants us to recognize that we need to understand that. 3 (36m 49s): Like I said, all power comes from him. I have a very logical mind. So as a Christian it's makes sense because we have a history. We have God, two thirds of the prophecy has already been fulfilled. We have 12 eye witnesses that gave their lives. The concept that Jesus has been not only risen from the dead, but they saw him risen from the dead, from an evidentiary perspective. It makes sense. Even the understanding of the, the origins of the universe and the development correlates with the science correlates, with what we've learned, it makes complete sense. And then we also have the witness and the power of the gospel transformation in our lives and what we've seen. 3 (37m 34s): And yet that's shunned by the world to follow something else. None of this takes God by surprise. And it shouldn't take us by surprise. And yet the word says in verse five, avoid such people. No, Whoa, wait a minute. We, as believers are not to avoid people who don't know the Lord, right? So we're talking about, we're talking about people that are invading the church. That's very different. Actual, these are people eating the Church with these attitudes and philosophies and ideas. And that's why the church has to be strong too, for extra rotation. We're going to see that in a moment. Now, if we were to stop right here, be terrible. Wouldn't it it'd be like this terrible cycle. 3 (38m 15s): Do you know the world's coming to an end? Now let's go out and have some coffee. What's really awesome. Is that starting in verse, verse 10, we have a whole blueprint of victory and miss these hard times. So let's continue. Let's go on right here. But you have followed my teaching, my conduct, my, my aim until in life, my faith, my patients, my love, my steadfastness. Now notice that word love is right there. I always say, then he has my persecutions and sufferings. Love is right there. Missed all these things have challenged. How can we love when we're going through persecution? Right? 3 (38m 55s): Instead, you know, long suffering stays is another word used for steadfastness. How can we love? We can't love in these situations. Can we not on our own, but through Jesus, we can. The more of a church is persecuted. The more we're trounced on the more we're attacked, the stronger our testimony, because the more resilient and more evident is the love of Christ. And it baffles the world. When we are able to love those that hate us, able to turn the other cheek. We're able to walk the extra mile. These, these are coming from from Jesus. And we can do that as followers of Jesus, verse 11, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch and a code them. 3 (39m 38s): And it lists what persecution is. I had toured yet from them all the Lord rescued me, wait a minute. How did Lord rescue them? You guys know what Paul went through, right? He had a shipwrecked stone poison, flogged near death or died. I mean, the guy, you really can't get much more persecution than what this guy went through. I mean, he didn't end his life even with a big mansion. I mean, he didn't have a nice ending. Yeah. You know, and his power from his testimony was all the more powerful because of all that he went through it. Wasn't about avoiding persecution. It didn't say the Lord prevented me from going through persecution as the Lord delivered me for what? We're a purpose to continue to share the good news of Jesus to share the gospel and the life changing opportunity to hope in Christ, verse 12. 3 (40m 26s): He see, he reveals that. He says, indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ. Jesus will be persecuted. Isn't that a great promise. You're going to be persecuted. Now let me know if you're like, well, I don't want this promise. We don't live for this world. We live for a whole nother world. This is a train station. This is temporary. And, and we're going to be suffering persecution. Verse 13 while evil people and imposters will go from bad to worse deceiving and being deceived posters is he, there's going to be imposters in the Church right? Who are deceiving. I've seen him on television before for you continue in what you've learned and from an F and have firmly believed knowing from whom you've learned it. 3 (41m 15s): And now from childhood you've, you've been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ. Jesus. What are the sacred writings? Is it from some ancient something? No, it's the Bible God's word. And so we're supposed to, to, to clean to it. We're supposed to, to, to learn from it and, and, and, and to grow from it. Verse 15 and now, and how from childhood, you have been acquainted with the sacred rice, which we would like your wife to Christ for salvation through faith in Christ. Jesus. All scripture is breathed out by God profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training and righteousness. 3 (42m 3s): Would you say that the Bible is pretty, has it all together? I mean, this is the most important book. Good read. This is, this is it. And oftentimes we neglect the word don't we so much of our time. We, or we could be religious about it. I remember my life. It was a time I read one chapter a day. If I didn't have time, I read the chapter and the presence of many witnesses, trust, phase one managers or and quickly go through it and say, okay, what one thing did you get out of it? I don't know. I was too busy reading it. You ever been done that before? It's called religion and death. God doesn't want religion. He wants a relationship. It's better. I think to read one verse and to be open to the spirit of God than to go through this big rigid ritual. 3 (42m 48s): I got to read the whole Bible in one year. So I got to quickly do I didn't make time. Walk with God and let him speak to you in his word. He's talking to you in his word and is it has a trustworthy will verse 16. All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training racist, that the man of God may be complete equipped for every good work. Did she love these absolutes and God's word. We can put our hands, our trust completely. And when he teaches us and tells us in his word, it's proven itself, time and time again, and the testimonies and the evidence is overwhelming. 3 (43m 33s): If we'd only listen and hear what God has to tell us, we're going to face tough times. Verse four, chapter four, verse one. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ. Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead and by his appearing and his kingdom. Would you say what he's about to say is pretty important? I mean, I don't, I don't, there's not many times in scripture. I see this kind of an intro to an exhortation, to a command verse two. We see what that command is. Preach the word. Pretty awesome. Isn't it preach the word whenever you feel like it? 3 (44m 16s): No, no, no. Preach the word. Be ready. The in season and out of season. In other words, when you see the results and when you don't see the results, DePaul always see the great results. When they're about to just read acts chapter 22, you know, it was, he was preaching and they wanted a fling. Dustin, the air traffic cooks. They wanted the guy dead. He didn't base his ministry on results. His ministry was on faith in Jesus. God's the one who moves Gaza. Results person is a great that God doesn't count on us for results. What does he want from us? He wants to obedience and we can put our trust in him, preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke and exhort with complete patience and teaching. 3 (45m 7s): I'll never forget. There was one guy. I was getting my house in citrus Heights and it was a for sale by owner. And I was writing down the number. He says, Hey dude, you want to commit? Obviously, dude, he goes, Hey, you want to come in and see the house? And my uncle's not here, but he really needs it. So I go in and watch, look at it and everything. And, and, and I said, wow, this, this ad on here had this big add on with the slanted roof, but it's okay. The floor matched it. So it was fine. So it's all slanted. I said, well, you could, you could have a church service here. He goes, Oh, are you a Christian? I go, yeah. Are you? He goes, no, I go, well, what are you going? Well, you don't want to know. I said, well, yeah, I do. No. I thought I'm not gonna be able to get this house anyway. 3 (45m 48s): And by the way, I ended up getting the house. So it was like, like a total God thing, another story. So I sit down with him and he goes, cause I was, since I went to college, I learned some new ways of thinking, Oh, well there are no absolutes. Yeah. And how it may be right for you, but it may not be right for me. And he goes, yeah. And how everything is relative. Yeah. I said, well, let me tell you that's wrong. And I went through and I went through the apologetics and I gave him the, the bridge diagram, you know, man on one side, God, since separating, you know, and then I gave him more than a carpet. But the book later on, more than a carpenter and his eyes were just glassed over. And I thought, what a waste of my time. 3 (46m 31s): And that's what my attitude was. I'm going to be honest with you. It wasn't like a whole Lord just work in his life. No, I thought kids hopeless rebel. What a waste of my time. And I shared this story. A number of times with people saying, nonetheless, we still need to share the good word. Even if we know people have rejected it and they're not going to, well, you don't have it. About 17 years later, someone knocks on my door. I wasn't there. Someone else answered the door. He says, yeah, yeah. I'm here to see brags on here. Okay. Well, he shared with me gospel about 17 years ago here in this house. And I didn't accept it and made some bad decisions. I went to prison, but when I was in prison, I remember what he shared with me. 3 (47m 14s): And I gave my life to Christ. I'm now out of prison. I'm now in full-time ministry. I just wanted to come by and thank you for taking the time. And when I heard that, I was like, Chris, where are you going to be like happier praise the Lord. Well, you know what the Holy spirit did. First thing was brought to my mind exactly what I said and felt afterwards, which was what a waste of my time. I wish I hadn't bothered that. So reality is it's not a waste. So, and let the Lord do the reaping. Let God, let God move in his, through his Holy spirit. And maybe someone else down the road will, will lead them to cry. So the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. 3 (48m 5s): Do we see it? There's churches in this town probably that fits this criteria very well. We have denominations that have pledged to be followers of this and to do this verse four. And we'll turn away from listening to the truth. What is the truth? This the word of God and wander off into myths. As for you always be sober-minded enduring suffering. Do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. Sometimes in life we say, well, that's, I don't really have a ministry to talk about pastor Steve, pastor Steve we're rooting for you, pastor Steve. 3 (48m 48s): No, no. They're talking about you. If you've given your life to Jesus, the way God wants to work in your life, how do you know if God has a ministry for you? Ask yourself two questions there. One, have I received Jesus, my Lord and savior. And number two is my heartbeat. Cause otherwise God to take you home, he's a gracious God heaven so much better than this place. He has a purpose. Even this one lady, I know she was going blind and she loved Jesus. She says, I can't even do anything. And I says, this is a prayer warrior. You can be a primary, like never before she goes, you're right. And she was a prayer warrior all the way up until the time she passed away, two months later, it's a living for Jesus and not ourselves. 3 (49m 31s): And, and also I, when I was 16 years old, I w too much time on this cause time. But I loved the Lord. I was in my little Opal GT driving motorcycle hits me head on, goes through my windshield smashes through this whole part of my head, I was going 55 on a, how fast he was going, rushed me to Parkland general hospital. I was in ICU. I had major brain damage. How many people can say I had major brain damage? Not many. My parents were told quote from the doctor. I was struggling to live critical condition. They said your son has had major brain damage. 3 (50m 11s): Even if he lives, he still could be a vegetable. You may still have to pull the cord and quote. And yet Californians. Our God is a great recycler. He loves to take that, which the world throws away, do something new. And that's what he did in my life and incredible healing buddy, by the act of God, do I still have the same brain? No. I think my kids will tell you. I'm a little weird. I got my idiosyncrasies, but, but the reality is it's not about us. It's what God wants to do with us. It's not about what gifts we have. It's not about, it's not about who we are. It's about whose we are. We realize it's about who we are in Christ and not about this other stuff. 3 (50m 53s): We have freedom. There's freedom in Christ because it's not about us. It's about who we are in Christ and what he wants to do with what he's given us at this time. And this day, by the way, I supposed to have serious problems with, with logic, reasoning, analytical skills and speech communications, the left frontal lobe. This whole thing was like was swelling. I've had to cut a large hole just for the swelling. You could see the swelling of the brain. Talk to a neurologist. I'll tell you that's not a minor head injury. I ended up getting my degree in finance at Texas a and M university. That's where I learned my manners. And that was a joke. You could say, you're not supposed to do that guys. I could just sit here. 3 (51m 33s): And I graduate with a finance degree, logic reasoning, 3.8, six in my major, put myself through school. Undergrad worked two years, went to one of the top 20 law schools in the country graduated the top half of my class by God's grace, because it's not about us. It's about him and what he wants to do through us and, and following his direction. It's exciting. Being a Christian. You want purpose in life, become a member of the family, of other living and powerful God that created life. Verse six for I'm already being poured out as a drink offering at the time of my departure has come. 3 (52m 16s): What's that mean? I'm about to die. People say really important things right before they're going to die. Here's what he says. I have fought the good fight I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. There is laid up for me, the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that day. Wait a minute, Paul, you're the Zola bin Ladin of the early church. Your name needs to be saw. It used to persecute the Christians. You are the biggest loser. The righteous judge giving you a crown of righteous. Yes. You know why? Because it wasn't based on who he was or what he'd done based on who who's. He was that he'd received Jesus Christ as his Lord and savior. And he was washed clean by the blood of the lamb. 3 (52m 59s): What about the rest of us? Oh, he responds to that. But the rest of the verse, it says, and not only to me far as awarding the crown, but also to all who have loved his appearing. You, what I love about this is that he didn't say all people who've went to confession or went to church camp or goes to church all the time, or even set a certain prayer a certain time. It's loved his appearing. There's a relationship. And you may not have a relationship with the Lord. You may have gone through religion. You may be a religious person all your life. But if you knew that Jesus was coming back tomorrow at 2:30 PM and no one knows the day of the time I get that, this is hypothetical. 3 (53m 40s): Okay. If you knew that two 30 he's coming back, what would you be thinking and feeling? Would you be loving his appearing or would you be saying to yourself, Oh shoot. At three 30, I've got a big real estate deal. I've got a corporate merger. I've got this big data I'm going on or would it possibly also be, Oh shoot, he's not going to take me. He's not going to take me. I I've got this ugly closet, this dark ugly closet. W and by the way, just for the record, everyone has a dark ugly closet. Okay. But you see, but all, but this mine's really bad. I've got stuff here. So shameful. So disgraceful, I can't even forgive myself. How can God forgive me? 3 (54m 22s): You know what you're really doing? When you say that it's like walking up to Jesus on the cross. Let's just say, he's he's right here at lacrosse bleeding and dying in pain and agony for our sins, gasping in pain and agony to bear our sins on the cross, to pay for our death penalty for our sins on the cross that he's paying for. And we walk up to him and we say, nice try Jesus. But you see, for me, that's just not good enough. In other CROs, his response to that lie was revealed when he said it is finished. 3 (55m 5s): And all's we have to do in humility is to believe it and receive it. Receive his gift of payment for our sins on the cross and surrender our lives at the foot of the cross to be a follower of Jesus. And he will separate that ugly sin. As far as the East is from the West. He will wipe, you will wash you clean from, with his blood on the cross. He will wash you clean and pure in his eyes and receive you as a child of the living God for eternity. Awesome. Some of you may, what I just shared that may just felt convicted. There's a good chance. 3 (55m 45s): That's the Holy spirit. Speaking to you, giving you the call right now to receive Jesus. And we're going to give you that opportunity to do that right now. Let's please bow your heads, father. I thank you, Lord God that you are on the throne. Thank you, Lord God, that you are the way the truth and the life through Jesus Christ, your son, and that no one comes to the father. No one gets clean. No one gets redeemed, but through faith in Jesus Christ, Lord got to pray for the believers, hearing this father right now that we will be exhorted not to follow into the, the trappings of this world. Oh Lord God, where we're tempted. And we fall, Lord God, bill that put us back up, father, Lord. And, and to be followers you Lord God, not to give up, not to turn to the left or right, but to keep her eyes on you and to share your good news father, many people right now watching this broadcast or here, even here. 3 (56m 35s): And they say to themselves, I really felt convicted when he said about shame, about not having that personal relationship, playing religion, but never receiving Jesus in a personal way and surrender my life to him as my Lord and savior. If I would pray right now, father for your Holy spirit father, to speak to them in their hearts. And w and, and if you're one of those people out there right now, just pray this prayer with me, right? Where you are just say, Lord Jesus, I'm a sinner. You know, all the garbage in my life, all the shame. And right now in faith, I receive your full payment for my sin on the cross, through Jesus Christ. 3 (57m 21s): I thank you for forgiving me for covering all my sin through dying on the cross in my place. And I receive that forgiveness right now. Thank you for forgiving me and I surrender my life to you. I want to be a follower of Jesus from now on. Thank you for being my Lord and my savior from this day forward in Jesus name. Amen. Now, if you just prayed that parameter to tell you, Satan is really ticked off because he just lost his hand, a dominion in your life in a he's hoping you. So you're going to forget what just happened. So what I'm gonna exhort you to do is to, is to contact someone, maybe contact us. 3 (58m 1s): Church give them a call, talk to them, let them know that you just made that decision that you want to grow, because we need each other as we're going to grow as Christians and they'll help you. They'll give you some, some good counsel on how to grow as a Christian and be a follower of Jesus. As we move forward today, this is not the time to hesitate. This is not the time to fear. Fear is gripping our nation, but we have not received a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and discipline, or sound mind through faith in Christ, brothers and sisters. Let us live that faith as we move forward. Amen. 2 (59m 8s): 1 (59m 35s): stop. 1 (1h 7m 46s): . 0 (1h 10m 3s): And remember, there's not much else to say, but that you are worthy. The one true and Holy God, thank you for your word this morning. Thank you for speaking to us. We pray that you would be with us this week. Give us strength to walk hard after you let me pray in Jesus name. Amen. Everybody have a great week.
