Growing up in Christ - Dwight Mast

Well, good afternoon. It's been great to be here a what a privilege

to listen to that singing. You guys did a phenomenal job, and thank

you for that. I wanted to stand up, but I kept my seat.

That was incredible. Thank you for being here this weekend. It was

a joy to fly all the way across the country and spend a few days

with you guys. I feel like I've learned to know you a little bit

better and met some new people, some new friends and even a text and

I haven't never met before us. It was good to meet you, John,

good to share this weekend with you. So what do you say to

bring this together? How can you add to what's been said, what's been

studied, what's been read? Before we go any farther, can we stand

for prayer? Please, Father and Heaven. We thank you again that we

can gather around your word this afternoon. Thank you for this wonderful program that

was given with enthusiasm, with conviction from the souls and the hearts and lives

of men and women that love you and serve you and want to find theirselves

in your presence. Thank You for the message of song, and just thank

you that we can just praise and worship your name tonight. Thank you for

each and everyone that has gathered here. And Lord, as we look briefly

into your word again on the subject of growing up in Christ, may we

just be strengthened encourage in our Christian lives. Jesus name Amen may be seated.

So there was an elderly carpenter that made some plans to retire. He

told his employer he said, this is I'm done. I'm ready to retire.

I'm ready to lay it down, take my nail bag off, lay

my hammer down. I'm gonna spend some time with my family. I'm gonna

do a little fishing. I'm gonna do a little honey. He knew he

had missed a paycheck, but he was ready to retire. This contractor was

sorry to see him go. He had worked for him for many, many

years, and he had built a many a house and he was a good

employer or employee. This contractor asked him one more final favor. He said,

will you build me one more house as a personal favor to me.

So this elderly carpenter thought about it for a little bit and he finally decided

that yes, he would. He rolled the plans out, and he looked

at the drawings and he lost heart. But he plowed forward. He got

the concrete poured, and his morale was waning. He put a few walls

up. He cut every corner he could cut, he did. He did

a very poor job of constructing this house. He used inferior materials. And

I'm not a builder. But instead of making sure the crown went up,

he didn't pay attention. He just threw some walls together and build a house

he was ready to get done. He paid no attention to quality. It

was a very sad end to his career. When this man finished this house

and his boss, his employer, came to inspect the house. His boss

of many years reached into his pocket and pulled out the key to the front

door and said, this is your house, my if to you. This

man slowly turned around and looked at the structure of what he had just built.

What a shock, What a shame. If he had only known that

he was building his own house that he was going to retire in, he

would have spent so much more time on the small details. He would have

picked through the lumber a little bit better. If only he had known.

Now he had to live in a home, live in a house that he

had built none too well. This afternoon, young people, you are building

a house. Think about yourselves as a carpenter. Every day you hammer a

nail in, and you build a wall, you put a board up in

the house that you are building. This is the only life you will ever

build. Build it wisely. Your life tomorrow will result will be the result

of your attitudes and your choices you make today growing up in Christ. Has

there been growth in your life this weekend? Has this been a good opportunity

for you to stand up on your feet and grab a hold of what it

means to be a Christian and what it means to follow God? Have you

built a few walls these last few days? Have you pound a few more

nails in the building that you call your house? And how can you take

this and continue to grow, continue to move forward in your Christian life.

There are approximately one hundred and sixty eight hours in each week. The average

person will spend about fifty six hours a week sleeping. Some of you more

me and John all less twenty four hours. Twenty four of those hours are

spent in eating and brushing your teeth and other necessities of life. Fifty hours

are supposed to be spent in working. Probably some of you air think TJ's

wife said, he gets home at eight o'clock some nights, fifty hours working

or traveling to work. So that means you have left thirty five hours a

week of discretionary time, time that you don't have something you have to do.

That's only five hours per day, five hours per day. Where are

you investing your hours? How are you investing your hours? It's been said

that if I was to follow you around for about ten days, I could

tell you what is the most important thing in your life. You may not

like what I tell you, but it would be the truth. Remember where

you invest your time reveals what is most important to you. So as you

reflect on this weekend, remember to find your identity in Christ, stand on

the truth, and never sell out. Remember the secret of Paul's success Jesus

the way, the truth and the life. Stay on course with a hunger

and thirst for righteousness, and be humble, teachable young people that spend time

in the Word of God and with his people. And as we heard this

afternoon, meditate on God's precepts. Meditate means to take what you read and

think about it, analyze it, study it, dig deep into what it

means. Remember, young people this afternoon, that we can be more than

conquerors. And I want to turn to that scripture, First Corinthians fifteen.

I know you're tired. I know it's spent a long weekend, a lot

of preaching, but a few scriptures. First Corinthians fifteen and verse fifty seven.

But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus

Christ. First number fifty eight says, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be

ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Forasmuch

as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord, is

that where you find yourself this afternoon, as young people, steadfast, unmovable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord, living in victory, living

lives of victory. Yes, Ephesians, chapter one. I'm not going to

make a lot of comment on this chapter. On these verses, pay attention

to what the Word of God is saying, first number three, blessed be

the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us

with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen

us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy

and without blame before Him and love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of

children by Jesus Christ, to himself, according to the good pleasure of his

will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath

made us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood,

the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace. Wherein

he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto

us some mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he

hath purposed in himself, first number ten, that in the dispensation of the

fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ.

Note this, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even

in Him, first eleven. And whom he also, and whom also we

have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh

all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to

the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ, and whom he

also trusted. After that you the Word of truth, the Gospel of your

salvation, and whom also after that you believed you re sealed with the Holy

spirit of promised note verse fourteen. Which is our earnest, which is the

earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise

of His Glory, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Forasmuch as

you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord, and I

trust you were encouraged this weekend to find yourself in the Word of God.

I'm going to read something that was written by Daryl Petersheim. Any time where

concessions are applauded and compromise is glorified, it is time to be strong.

To be strong on the principles that are proven, on the standards that stand,

on values that have value, and on truce that are timeless. It

is time to stand up and stand out. We don't need more superstars and

celebrities. We need men to be heroes of honor, examples of character,

role models of integrity and inspirations of Godliness. It's time to be strong.

We have the power if we will receive it. We have the call if

we will answer it. We have the duty if we will obey it.

So take courage, friend. There is nothing to fear, nothing to dread,

and nothing regret. For God Almighty is on our side. We are

more than conquerors if only we will choose to be strong. And that's the

encouragement that I want to leave with each and every one of you gathered and

here of this afternoon. Don't shrink back at the task at hand, put

it in four wheel drive and plow forward. You can do this. We

can be more than conquerors. Move forward in the presence and power of God.

Continue to grow in your Christian life. Be the best person you can

be in the Kingdom of God. May God bless you each. Today is

truly a joy to be together with a group of young people like you,

guys, God bless you.