You Can Be Faithful - 9/6/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

Welcome to the podcast of Meadows

Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. We're so glad you joined us

today. If you enjoy today's message, be

sure to subscribe, follow, and share

with your friends. Now, let's join

Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from

God.

>> I appreciate that good singing tonight.

and uh

just thinking today she sung Sister

Amber has such a beautiful voice. These

other young ladies sung this morning.

Man, I'm telling you, these churches

don't have any singers at all. And we

got a church full of them.

>> You ought to thank God for that. Amen.

And I was thinking earlier today as

well. I've been praying for the

preacher, Brother Robert, and was

thinking about how the Lord has blessed

our church, Brother Todd being here and

Brother Robert being here and their

wisdom. they've imparted into me and I

appreciate that very much and uh I need

that. Amen. I want to tell you this. I'm

not just going to get it from anywhere.

>> Amen. And uh there's some people that's

tried to put some things in me that

well, just for lack of a better way to

put it, it wasn't worth it coming out of

their lips and so it really wasn't worth

putting in. Amen. And but I'm thankful

for men that when they say something,

they're serious and they mean what they

say. Amen. And those men have shaped and

molded my life. And I appreciate it. God

has blessed our church. He has blessed

our church. And do not listen to me,

church. Do not take it for granted. Do

not take it for granted. And I

appreciate each one of you. And you all

have a part. Amen. You leave your seats

empty. Amen. And I'm thankful for you

being here. And I mean that from the

depths of my heart. 1 Samuel tonight, if

you have a Bible, invite you to turn

with me there. 1 Samuel chapter number

8.

and uh message that I worked on some

time ago. Never preached it and uh just

felt the Lord lead me back there this

afternoon. He gave me some more

thoughts, really finished it out for me

and sort of halfbaked, but we're going

to try to give you what the Lord's put

on our heart uh this evening. 1st Samuel

chapter number eight. We actually begin

reading chapter 7. when you find your

place, if you would stand on reference

to the reading of God's word if you're

able and if you're able and we'll read

just several verses of scripture here

and then we'll try to share a thought

with you this evening. 1st Samuel

chapter 7 verse number 15. And the Bible

says, "And Samuel judged Israel all the

days of his life. And he went from year

to year in circuit to Bethl and Gilgal

and Mispa and judged Israel in all those

places. And his return was to Rama, for

there was his house. And there he judged

Israel. And there he built an altar unto

the Lord. And it came to pass when

Samuel was old that he made his sons

judges over Israel." Now the name of his

firstborn was Joel. The name of his

second Abaya. They were judges in

Beerseba. And his sons walked not in his

ways, but turned aside after Lucer and

took bribes and perverted judgment. Now

th those of you that know your Bible,

that sounds familiar, don't it? Sounds

familiar. Matter of fact, just a few

chapters prior, we read of Eli's sons.

What were their names? Hoffni and

Phineas. And you know what? They had

done the very same thing. I'm going to

tell you this. It matters who you let

your children get around.

>> Notice this in the text. Verse four.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered

themselves together and came to Samuel

unto Rama and said unto him, Behold,

thou are old, and thy sons walk not in

thy ways. Now make us a king to judge us

like all the nations. But the thing

displeased Samuel when they said, Give

us a king to judge us. Notice this. And

Samuel prayed unto the Lord. Now,

Father, I ask God, tonight, Lord, as

we've come for this service, for this

hour, Lord, I ask you, God, tonight that

you would help us to have an open ear

and attentive heart to the word of God

tonight. Lord, I realize, God, that

Lord, there's weight, Lord, to this

service just like every other service.

And God, I cannot stand here alone

tonight. I can't afford to. And God, I

ask you, Lord, tonight, you'd remove the

flesh from me, clothe me in my calling,

give me uncction and liberty to preach

and demonstration of the spirit tonight.

And God, I ask you, God, for every need

that's present. Lord, I thank you, God,

for how you bless our church. Lord, I I

say again, thank you for all the ladies

that sing so beautifully in this church

and for our choir, how you blessed our

choir and the wisdom that's sitting on

these pews. God, I count myself

unworthy, Lord, to be numbered with

these precious people. But God, I'm

thankful to be here. And Lord, I ask

you, God, to help us tonight. Please

touch us, Father, I pray. Give us wisdom

to receive with meekness the engrafted

word. Get glory to yourself. save the

sinner nearest hell for what you do.

Well, thank you because we ask it in

Jesus name. Amen. And amen. You can be

seated. Thank you for standing this

evening. I notice in this text it is

mentioned. We read verses 15-1 17 of

chapter 7 and it's prefaced with this

statement. The message is our text is

tonight with verse 15 where you Bible

says and Samuel judged Israel all the

days of his life. And that verse every

time I read this passage jumps off the

page at me. Now I'll be honest with you.

We I was thinking today about the theme

that we have for this year and we our

verse there. Moreover, it's required in

stewards that a man be found faithful.

And this is the thought the Lord put on

my heart this afternoon. If you'll just

give me a few moments of your time, I'll

let you go home. All right? Please

listen to me tonight. All right? And

this is the burden that God put on my

heart. This is the thought that came to

my mind out of this text based on verse

15. Samuel judged Israel all the days of

his life. The thought of the message

tonight is this. You can be faithful.

>> You can. All right? And beyond what you

think, all right? It is possible.

The Lord wouldn't ask it of you if it

wasn't possible.

>> You said, "Preacher, how is that?" Well,

I'm saying the Bible tells Philippians

Philippians 4:13

4:13, the most misqued, misrepresented,

amen verse in all the word of God. I can

do all things through Christ which

strengthenth me. You know what that is?

That is your life fulfilling the will of

God. Because you can't do it yourself.

>> Amen. But with his help,

>> you can be faithful. Amen. And when I

look at this text tonight, I find some

things here in the verses that I want to

share with you tonight. We see Samuel is

described and I'm going to move quickly.

So stay with me tonight. Samuel is

described number one in verse number 15

as a pastor. You notice it there, verse

15, Samuel judged Israel all the days of

his life. And his pastorship is

described, his pastoral ministry is

described as faithful all the days of

his life. From the time that Hannah left

him down at the temple with Eli, he was

raised to be a judge. He was raised to

be a shepherd over the house of Israel.

And from THE TIME THAT HE WAS THERE

UNTIL THE TIME THAT HE BREATHED HIS LAST

BREATH, THE Bible says under the

inspiration of the Holy Ghost that he

judged Israel all the days of his life.

He was a faithful pastor. But I say this

in verse 16. Not only was he a faithful

pastor, but he was a fervent preacher.

The Bible said in verse 16, "And he went

from year to year in circuit to Bethl

and Gilgal and Mispa and judged Israel

and all those places." Samuel didn't

stay in one place and make the people

come to him, but he went to the people.

And what did he go to the people with?

He went to the people with a message of

the glory of God and that they needed to

repent and be right with God. You say,

"How is that?" Well, turn back with me a

chapter in chapter number seven. Listen

to what Samuel says to the children of

Israel in verse three. And Samuel spake

unto all the house of Israel, saying,

"If you do return unto the Lord with all

your hearts, then put away the strange

gods and asteroth from among you, and

prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and

serve him only, and he will deliver you

out of the hand of the Philistines."

Samuel spent his life telling these

children that they need to stay right

with God. I want to say this to you this

morning. And I know that you get tired

of the preacher preaching on sin, but

you know what's the one thing you're

going to deal with from now until you

take your last breath?

>> That's sin.

>> You going to deal with it. And so I'm

going to have to preach on. Amen. And so

here, he is fervent in his preaching.

He's faithful in his pastoring. But I

think this is what Mark Samuel as much

to me as anything in verse 17 of our

text chapter 7. And his return was to

Rama. Notice this. For there was his

what? House. And there he judged Israel,

and there he built an altar unto the

Lord. Now, to make a long story short,

he is faithful in his pastoral ministry,

is fervent in his preaching ministry.

But I want TO SAY THIS, HIS family was

involved in his praying ministry. You

say, "How is that?" Well, notice it

again in verse 17. and his return was to

reign of for there was his house. That

was his family. THAT WAS HIS CHILDREN.

THAT WAS HIS DWELLING PLACE. AND THE

BIBLE SAYS AT HIS DWELLING PLACE, LOOK

WHAT it says there. He built an altar

unto the Lord. And so at home, Samuel

prayed. He prayed not just for the

nation, but he prayed for his family.

AND NO DOUBT IN MY MIND, Samuel tried

his best to raise them in the nurture

and admonition of the Lord. We come to

our text in chapter 8 and the Bible

describes first of all his age is

mentioned in verse one. It came to pass

when Samuel was old, not only his age,

but you notice his appointment. He made

his sons judges over Israel. Now, we

could say tonight, well, Samuel's trying

to keep it all in the family. Well, you

just understand that's the way God

designed this thing. Say, what do you

mean, preacher? Well, the Levites were

responsible for the house of God. Amen.

And so when Samuel appointed his

children, they were the ones that would

carry on the ministry down at the

temple, they were the ones that he had

appointed here in this text. And I don't

think Samuel was not right with God when

he appointed his children to this

office. I don't think Eli was not right

with God when he appointed his children.

I just think that Eli had gotten out of

touch with reality and refused to

correct his children. I don't think

that's the case with Samuel. Notice in

the text. All right. We see his age. We

see his appointment. We see the atrocity

of his children. Verse two. Now the name

of his first were born was Joel and the

name of his second abide. They were

judges in Beeba. And his sons, notice

this, walked not. What's the next three

words? In his ways. You see, I don't

think Samuel had a problem with truth. I

don't think Samuel had a problem with

teaching. I think as is if there was

anybody in your Bible that we could

label as a righteous man, a holy man, a

man that walked with God, I believe it

was Samuel. I don't think Samuel left

his children behind. I don't think the

ministry caused Samuel to put them on

the back burner. But here's what I

think. I think Samuel's children decided

what they were going to do when they got

older because they recognized how the

people treated Samuel.

>> Say, "How is that?" Well, I've seen that

firsthand in my own life.

You know why a lot of preachers kids

though they'll have a calling on their

life but they refuse to go to the

ministry is because they see how the

people of God

>> treat their mom and daddy.

>> Amen.

>> Amen friend.

>> And the atrocity is THAT HIS SONS WALKED

NOT IN HIS WAYS. There was not a problem

with truth. Samuel's ways were the way

of truth. There was not A PROBLEM WITH

TEACHING. THEY KNEW the way of Samuel.

Amen. They knew exactly how they were

supposed to live. SAMUEL HAD LIVED HIS

LIFE BEFORE HIM. SAMUEL had preached his

life before them. And instead of walking

in his ways, they decided they were

going to do their own thing. And in

verse three, look what your Bible says.

His sons walked not in his ways, but

turned aside after Lucer and took bribes

and perverted judgment.

So they're guilty of bribery. They're

guilty of desiring money, over

fulfilling the office of the priest.

They perverted judgment. They were

biased. Boy, we seeing that a lot in

this day and time.

>> I tell you, I ain't got I ain't got no

confidence in the judicial system of

this country.

>> Man, I I pity anybody that has to go and

stand before that crowd being not

guilty. I tell you this day and time,

it's the not guilty that get locked up

and those guilty that getting set free.

>> We You better be on notice, friend. I'm

telling you, it's coming.

>> Yeah.

>> People like us just trying to work and

live our life and go to the house of

God, we going to be under attack before

long. We already are.

>> Not preaching that tonight, but you need

to know that. All right. We notice that

out of the atrocity of the sinfulness of

his children. We see the argument of the

people of Israel. The Bible says, "And

all the elders of Israel gathered

themselves together and came to Samuel

unto Rama." So they COME TO SAMUEL'S

HOUSE. THEY COME TO HIS DWELLING place

where he would be with all his family.

Notice verse five. And said unto him,

"Behold, thou art old. Thy sons walk not

in thy ways. Now make us a king to judge

us like all the nations. I'm gonna give

you four things here in this text

directly and then I'll give you the

message tonight. All right, I'm going

somewhere. Just hang with me. They come

to Samuel and they have this argument.

They have this plan that they've thought

up and they have taken the occasion of

somebody else's sin and used it against

the man of God. Notice what happens in

this text. Number one, they questioned

the capability of Samuel. Verse five,

and he and they said unto him, what's

those next four words? Behold, thou art

old. Now, this is a Charlie Branch

original quote here. All right? And I'm

going to quote myself tonight. All

right? Somebody else probably said it,

but I'm going to quote myself. Okay? Let

me say this. Age does not constitute

ability, but nor does it constitute

inability.

>> Amen.

>> Did you hear what I said? Age does not

constitute ability, but it also does not

constitute inability. I've seen a lot of

people make excuses. Well, preacher, I

I'm too far gone to do that. That's your

problem. You was too far gone to that

when you was young. Now you got older

and you believe in the same old lie.

Here's what you've done. You spent your

whole life believing, "Well, that ain't

for me."

Let me say something to you. The

greatest biblical example I find of age

have nothing to do with ability is

Caleb. The book of Judges, we read about

him. Judges chapter 1, Joshua chapter

Judges 1 · chapter mention Joshua 14 · chapter mention

14. Caleb when God spoke to him and

Joshua, Joshua and Caleb were the only

two that believed the messengers when

they came back or they they rejected the

messengers and said, "Hey, look, we're

going over there. Amen. We can take it.

We'd be more than able."

>> Amen.

>> And because of that, they live to see

the land of Canaan. That's right.

>> Joshua goes off the scene and Caleb,

this is what happens to him. Joshua 14,

you'll read there in the text that

Joshua Caleb said this said, "I want

that mountain." He's talking about the

Mount of Hebbr. 85 years old, Caleb gets

up and goes and takes the mountain for

himself.

85 years old. I'm saying he didn't allow

his age to hinder his ability because

why? HE HAD A DREAM THAT GOD had put in

his heart and he didn't care if it took

him 20 years, 30 years, took him 45

years wandering in the wilderness. He

said, "I know what God's promised and

I'm going there to get it."

>> Amen, friend.

>> Let me say this. Samuel had not been

hindered. Samuel had just as much of the

touch of God on his life as he'd ever

had. Matter of fact, in this text, he's

the only one that's GOING TO DO THE

RIGHT THING.

SO, we can say this, the capability

argument was not relevant. Let me say

this. Age has nothing to do with the

call of God.

I

>> had some people argue with me about

young preachers and when they're ready

to preach. I'll tell you when they're

ready to preach is when they get called.

>> Amen.

>> They need to start preaching then and

then they need to preach until they get

it figured out.

>> Amen.

>> Because it's a call and it's not a

lesson.

>> Amen. Amen, friend. That's right.

>> It's a calling. So, it's not to do with

capability. That argument is irrelevant.

But I want to say this. Not only do they

bring up the capability argument,

they're going to stack up the

accusations against Samuel to make it

look like there's no way he can get

around it. Well, look what happens here

in the text. Not only the capability

argument, but then there is the

corruption argument in the text. and

said unto him, "Behold, thou art old,

listen to this, and thy sons walk not in

thy ways." Now, they've already accused

Samuel being too old to do what he's

always done. You're too far gone. You're

has been, you're by gone. But Samuel,

not only that, but your children are not

walking in your footsteps. They're not

doing what you did, Samuel. They're not

We're really concerned about the state

of our country. Oh, boy.

All them people come to you, preacher,

we're really concerned about the state

of our church because of the way your

children are acting.

You ain't never heard that before.

I'm going to tell you something, friend.

When children are grown and gone and

they're making their own decisions, that

don't fall back on mom and daddy if they

raised them right.

>> You listen to me. I'm going to do my

best to raise them two babies in the

nurture and admonition of the Lord, but

when they get old enough and they get

out of my house, they got to make their

own decisions. And you know what? What

they do will be on them.

>> And furthermore, if they make a decision

while they're in my house that endangers

me and my wife,

>> they have to I have to do that. YOU SAY,

"WHY IS THAT, PREACHER?" Because my

responsibility number one is to her.

>> Amen.

>> Amen, friend. AND GOD GAVE ME HER FIRST.

AND IF THEY'RE BREAKING HER HEART, HEY,

and they're walking IN THEIR OWN WAYS,

THEY CAN ALWAYS COME BACK IF THEY WANT

TO get right. WELL, LET ME SAY SOMETHING

TO YOU. IF THEY AIN'T GOT NO WILL AND

end to repent, they ain't got no place

to live in my house.

>> AND UNTIL THEY DECIDE TO GET RIGHT, THEY

GOING to have to figure out how to make

it on their own.

>> Here's what's happened. And we had a

generation of parents that decided,

well, my kids are going to do what they

want to do, and so I'm just going to try

to protect them from a distance. What

you're doing is aiding in a bedding is

what you're doing.

>> Amen, preacher. That's right.

>> I'm going to tell you something tonight.

The reason why the jails and prison

houses are setting full is because mom

and daddy patted them on the head when

they were 25 years old and said, "Oh,

you'll be all right. You'll figure it

out."

>> Ain't never worked a day in our life.

God help a sorry outfit. That that kills

me, friend. I ain't got no use for some

a young man that won't work.

>> Amen.

>> Sit in his mom and daddy's basement and

play video games till he's 30. God help

his sorry soul. He needs to get right

with God or get saved or something.

Amen. And if I was his daddy, I'd run

him out with a switch or a belt or

something. Amen. If he wants to be a

child, we'll treat him like one. Amen.

>> You say, "Preacher, that's awful big

talk." Well, I'm telling you this. I

watched my grandpa do it with my daddy

and I watched my daddy do it with me.

And friend, I don't intend to change it.

That's right.

>> Now, if my children do, that's up to

them. I want to tell you this. We got a

responsibility.

>> And let me remind you, the corruption of

your children, let me say this to you,

Mom and Daddy. If you raise them right,

and they go their own way, that ain't on

you. You say, "How is that?" Well, they

got their own will.

>> And if they want to try the world,

though, you've told them time and time

again not to go there. If they want to

try the world, here's what they going to

find out. It's It was a lot better back

at mom and Daddy's. It was a lot better

back at home. And you know what? They

need a place to come back to with a mama

that loves them and a daddy that'll CARE

FOR THEM. AMEN. HEY, FRIEND, IF THEY

DECIDE to come back and get right, you

receive them with OPEN ARMS. BUT UNTIL

THEY DO, FRIEND, YOU DON'T LET THEM STEP

FOOT IN YOUR HOUSE UNTIL THEY decided to

get straightened out.

>> Amen.

>> Cuz corruption is not a question in this

matter. You see, they've taken an

occasion here in the text. Let me say

this. All right, this goes over into the

church, okay? We're seeing a lot of this

right now. All right, you listening to

me? I'm preaching tonight. Y'all right?

>> We've seen a lot of this here lately.

Okay. A lot of the upper class preachers

in our movement, the independent Baptist

movement, are dropping out like flies

right now. I mean, one right after the

other, it seems like. And this is what

people are doing. Well, they're saying,

"Man, since they're not right, we don't

want a pastor.

>> We don't want nobody to have authority

over us." Let me say this. Corruption of

past or present authority does not

denote the command for there to be

authority in place.

>> Just because, and I'll say his name

tonight, just because Kenny Baldwin fell

out does not mean that Crossroads

Baptist Church does not need a pastor

from here on out.

>> Just because I blow out in this church

does not mean y'all can go on without a

pastor. WELL, THE PASTOR HURT ME. WELL,

THAT DON'T MEAN YOU DON'T NEED ONE.

>> AMEN.

>> THAT DON'T CHANGE THE POSITION. ISRAEL

SAYS, "WELL, SAMUEL, YOUR CHILDREN AIN'T

DOING RIGHT, SO WE DON'T WANT JUDGES no

more. WE WANT A KING." Notice their

reason. Oh, friend. This is where the

rubber meets the road. Listen to this

now. They argue about capability. They

argue about the corruption of his

children. I want to say this. Their

argument comes down to conformity.

Notice the text. Verse number five. and

thy sons walk not in thy ways. Now make

us a king to judge us. What's what's it

say? Like all the nations.

Like all the nations. Hey friend, the

church world, this apostate church world

has bought into this hook, line, and

sinker.

They're seeing what's working out there

in the world. They get them a

motivational speaker with a little

platform. Amen. And they'll put them out

in front and they'll put them in a

t-shirt and shorts. Amen. and they'll

let them give you a motivational speech

and tell you you're all right and you

don't need salvation and you don't need

forgiveness and you're really okay. You

just need a little bit of reformation

and and start your life over and you'll

be okay

because they don't want a king

or they don't want a judge. They want a

king. We want what the world has.

>> You listening to me? Hey friend, God's

people ain't never supposed to have what

the world's got. Right?

>> Matter of fact, he saved you so he could

bring you out.

>> Love not the world, John said, neither

the things that are in the world. If any

man love the world, WHAT DID HE SAY? The

love of the father is not in him.

>> We're not adopting their methods. WE'RE

NOT ADOPTING THEIR MUSIC. WE'RE NOT

ADOPTING THEIR IDEOLOGIES. I DON'T WANT

THEIR MEN.

>> AMEN.

>> I don't care how manly he is. If he

walks out there in the world and acts

like a fool. Amen. AND THAT'S THE

DESCRIPTION OF A man in this part of the

world. A good old boy. That ain't a man.

>> Can't give up his alcohol and quaint

can't quit living loose.

Wants to talk slang to every woman that

passes him by. That ain't a man.

>> And what we've got today is we got a

people that's went the other direction.

Instead of being what a real man is,

they just want men to not even be

masculine at all. Right.

>> Well, it's the world's ideology.

>> WE WANT A KING LIKE THE WORLD'S GOT.

>> Corruption of current or past authority

does not remove the need for that

authority. But let me say this. This

conformity idea, Israel was never closer

to God than they were in the days of the

judges.

From the time that Moses brought them

out of Egypt, Joshua led them into

Canaan's land. God did more for them in

the days of the judges.

And you say, "Preacher, but God was

going to make Jesus king. There wasn't

supposed to be a king until Jesus came."

>> Amen.

>> You know what happened when they put a

king up? You know what they started

doing? Fighting all the time. You know

how they won wars with judges? Well,

let's just turn back a chapter.

The Philistines were coming up against

Israel, chapter 7. And the children of

Israel in verse number eight said to

Samuel, "Cease not to cry unto the Lord

our God for us, that he will save us out

of the hand of the Philistines." And

Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered

it for a burnt offering holy unto the

Lord. And Samuel cried unto the Lord for

Israel. And the Lord heard him. And as

Samuel was offering up the burnt

offering, the Philistines drew near to

battle against Israel. But the Lord

thundered with a great thunder on that

day upon the Philistines and discomed

them, and they were smitten before

Israel. with Samuel. They didn't even

have to lift a finger.

>> They just went to Samuel and said,

"Samuel, please beg God on our behalf.

Pray for us. We need deliverance." They

didn't have to re lift a finger. But you

know what they going to do with Saul?

They going to fight and fight

>> and fight and fight. You know what

they're going to do with David? They're

going to fight and fight and fight. And

David is going to finally bring rest.

He's going to deal with the Philistines

after a while. But Solomon still there's

going to be war after Solomon. One king.

Then after Solomon goes out, war after

war after war, captivity after captivity

after captivity. God never wanted him to

have a king.

I hope you're with me tonight.

>> It was not a question of conformity. And

this leads into the conflict. I've

already given you this sort of. Notice

verse 20 20 of chapter number 8. They

asked Samuel that we may also be like

all the nations and that our king may

judge us and go out before us and fight

our battles. They wanted a king to fight

their battles. But what they didn't

realize is that God was fighting their

battles to this point.

>> You see, they wanted something that

looked pretty. And here's what I'm

seeing this day and time. And people are

attracted to branding. Y'all remember

that message I preached here at the

church some time ago about Babel and I

preached on the thought um rebellion.

Why rebellion brings confusion? Y'all

remember that?

You see that? This world is desiring a

brand. They want they want somebody

that's got their name in lights. They

want somebody that's got something to

offer them. They want somebody that's

got a proven track record of fixing

their problems.

>> Well, I'll tell you who it is. It's the

Lord.

But the problem is he don't have a

brand.

>> And the thing is, if you going to get

help from him, you got to do it his way.

>> That's right. Amen,

>> friend. They there's places you can go,

friend. I I mean, you can find anywhere

to tell you, well, you'll be okay if

you'll just do this, this, and this. And

if you don't really want to do that, if

you'll just do part of it, you'll get

half help. It's a seeker sensitive

culture. That's what we've got is a

seeker sensitive culture. And that's not

just the world. That is the church.

Do what you want to do. It'll turn out

the best it can.

And I want to say this, you can conform

and you want a king to deal with your

conflicts, but you'll wish that you'd

have just stayed with the judge.

You say, "What is that?" Well, it's it's

the pastor. It's God's ordained method.

I want to say this three things. I'm

done. Built a big old foundation. Put a

little teepee on.

You can be faithful. So, what do you

mean, preacher? You can be faithful.

Well, notice what Samuel does in the

text. Verse number six. The thing

displeased Samuel when they said, "Give

us a king to judge us." But notice what

Samuel does. Samuel don't go home and

pout. Because you know what Samuel's a

real pastor.

>> He don't go home and pout. But you know

what he does? He goes home and prays.

>> Look at it. And Samuel prayed unto the

Lord. The entirety of this chapter is

Samuel's conversation with God. And then

Samuel speaking to the children of

Israel what God has said. I want to say

this three things tonight and I'll be

done. You can be faithful. Number one,

in spite of the corruption of the people

around you.

>> Why? You say, "What do you mean?" Well,

Samuel was the only one in this text

right with God. His children's out of

out of touch with reality. They're

taking bribes. They're they're they're

they are seeking uh in the text, what's

the word there uh that it used? They are

seeking after Lucer. They are seeking to

fill their own pockets. They're

perverting judgment. And then not only

that, the children of Israel, they're

looking for any occasion they can get to

dethrone Samuel. Let me say this. Any

hierarchy in the church to dethrone the

pastor, that ain't a God.

>> You know who takes up and sets down

pastors?

That's right.

>> That ain't your job.

>> Amen.

>> Sheep don't pick the shepherd.

>> But yet somehow that's why way we work

things. And I understand all that, but

but that just ain't biblical.

I'm just being real. You can talk to

that man right there. Him and I both

knew from both of our ends that when I

showed up here is because God put me

here.

>> And I look, I'm not pumping myself up.

I'm not pumping him up. But when him and

I talked on the phone, he clicked with

me and I clicked with him. And it was a

moment in time. I didn't know him from

Adam.

>> God knew where he wanted me.

God puts the shepherd with the sheep

that he wants to shepherd with.

>> I say this, you can be faithful in spite

of the corruption of those around you.

Samuel didn't allow his children to

affect him. You know, I've seen a lot of

preachers doing this damn time. got one

right now that I love as much as any man

I've ever loved in my life. And a matter

of fact, at a time in my life when we

were struggling, when we didn't know

what was going on, my my family, we come

out of the Southern Baptist and we was

getting away from the contemporary and

all of that stuff. This man used to

blister our hide service after service.

And my other parts of my family, they

would come and tell us about how he

blistered our hide about the

contemporary music and all of that.

And just the other day, I got seeing a

sermon that he preached and what he did

that entire sermon was tiptoe around

this matter of contemporary music where

he used to blister our hide over it. And

it absolutely broke my heart. I love

this man probably as much probably as

much as any preacher I've ever known in

my life. Still love him. Still love him

the same way. But it just made me sick

to listen to him tiptoe around the

truth. This is basically in essence what

he said. He's talking about a particular

song and a particular emotional reaction

that this song has everywhere that it

gets sung. He said, "Well," he said, "I

can't deny the fact that it has an

emotional draw to it." He said, "But

we're just not going to do that here."

I'm like, "So, basically, what you're

saying is it's okay, but we're just not

going to do that here."

Talk about an uncertain sound.

>> Talk about something that's confusing.

Let me say this. We don't need any more

confusion.

>> Amen.

We don't need any more blurred lines.

>> We don't need any more straddling the

fence. That's one thing I'm trying to

adopt myself. I don't want you to be

confused about where I stand on

anything.

>> Amen.

>> I want you to know and that's and if

that takes leaning to the right on some

things, I'm always going to heir on the

side of caution.

>> Amen. Amen.

>> Because you can stay faithful in spite

of the corruption of those around you.

I'll say this. Second of all, you can be

faithful in spite of the compromise of

the church. Said, "What do you mean?"

Well, the whole nation come to Samuel

and said, "Look, we're done with your

way of doing things. We want a king."

And you know what? It's getting that way

real hot and heavy.

The churches that I've known in my short

ministry, I'm watching them turn over

just like just like the tide just

rolling over, just laying down, just

giving everything up. Everything they

preach and believe so long, they just

turn over. Thank God for the ones that

ain't. Amen. But I want to say this, you

can stay faithful to the Lord in spite

of what they're doing. You say,

"Preacher, but the king thing, it

worked."

Well, let me ask you something. Does

just because something works, does that

make it right?

There's a lot of churches that claim to

be what we are and they do things

differently than we do and they say,

"Well, we're having the same results."

Well, here's what you're going to notice

in this church and in this text. Three,

this is the the third thing. I'm give

you this. I'm done. All right. You see,

you can be faithful in spite of

corruption. You can be faithful in spite

of compromise. But you can also be

faithful in spite of consent that brings

change. Say, "What do you mean?" Well,

listen to what God says in this text.

Israel had already made up their mind

what they were going to do. And you know

what scares me to death about me

pastoring in this church is that if we

all decide to do something in our heart

and we get bent in our mind that we're

going that way, you know what? God just

might let us.

>> Notice the text verse number nine, 1st

Samuel 8, God says to Samuel or not

notice this verse number seven. All

right. 1st Samuel 8:7. And the Lord said

unto Samuel, hearken unto the voice of

the people and all that they say unto

thee, for they have not rejected thee.

Notice this, but they have rejected me

that I should not reign over them. You

see, they had a king. God was their

king. It was a theocracy. And God was

the one ruling over them. And he was

SPEAKING THROUGH HIS DELEGATE Samuel to

give them the commands that they were to

operate by. God says, "Samuel, they've

not rejected you." Though Samuel's heart

was broken, they rejected me. Notice

verse eight. According to all the works

which they have done since the day that

I brought them up out of Egypt, even

unto this day, wherewith they have

forsaken me, and served other gods, so

do they also unto thee. Verse number

nine, listen to this. Now listen to

this.

Now therefore, hearken unto their voice.

Do you hear what God's saying?

>> This ain't what God wants. But God says,

Samuel, you do what they want.

>> But listen to what he said in verse n.

How be it yet protest solemnly unto them

and show them the manner of the king

that shall reign over them. Samuel said,

God says, Samuel, look, you let them

have what they want, but you tell them

this ain't what I want for them.

If we could put it on a billboard, I'll

tell you, pastors are not listening to

that. All over this country, THEY'RE

SAYING, "PREACHER, WELL, IT WORKS." LET

ME ASK YOU SOMETHING. DOES THAT MEAN

THAT GOD APPROVES OF IT?

WHY DO WE WANT TO LOCK ARMS WITH PEOPLE

WHO DON'T CARE ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BIBLE

AND SAY, "WELL, it's working."

>> I'M SAYING THE PRINCIPLE OF THE MATTER

IS THIS IS JUST BECAUSE GOD ALLOWS IT TO

GO ON DOES NOT MEAN THAT GOD APPROVES of

it.

>> And you know what? Here's what they say.

Here's what they say. Well, I don't have

any conviction about that.

preacher, God's not convicted me over

that or other pastors, they'll tell me

like this, "Well, uh, when we started, I

was a little uneasy about it." But I

realized that was just me.

You know what they did? They drunk the

Kool-Aid just like everybody around the

house.

>> And you know what's happened? Pastors

have become more influenced by their

congregation than the congregation is

influencing the pas or the pastor is

influencing the congregation.

>> Amen.

>> Let me say that right. All right. It the

pastor has become more influenced by the

congregation than the congregation is

being influenced by the pastor because

here's what he knows. The paycheck in

his pocket, he'll lose it if he don't if

he if he keeps preaching

what the whole congregation's going

against.

>> Let me say something to you. You're not

paying my checks.

>> Amen.

>> And if he sees fit to stop paying them,

you know what I'm going to do? I'm going

to go get me a job and I'm going to keep

preaching.

>> Amen.

>> Cuz he called me. And what mama CALLED

AND PAPA SENT, GOD CALLED ME

>> AND GOD COMMISSIONED ME. AND THERE AIN'T

NOBODY THAT CAN STOP me unless I allow

him to.

>> Come on, preacher.

>> But you know what? Here's the thing.

Scares me to death. This scares me

absolutely to death. Is that I would do

something that God's against. that God

says, "Well, the whole church wants to

go that way, and you're just trying to

go with them." Y'all go ahead.

And you know what? I'm convinced there's

a lot of churches in this country today

that is not operating in the fullness of

what God has for them is because they've

chose to walk away from the fullness of

what God has revealed to them.

>> That's right.

>> We know what's right.

>> People don't like when you call it the

old time way. I don't even like calling

it that because it's just the right way.

>> Amen.

separation,

>> holiness,

>> holy living,

>> clean living,

>> all of that stuff that the world says is

crazy.

>> God ain't changed his mind about it.

>> God ain't lowered the dress standard.

>> God ain't lowered the music standard.

Let me say this. God has not lowered the

salvation standard. It is still

repentance. WITHOUT REPENTANCE, there is

no remission.

YOU CAN'T TELL A SINNER, just believe.

>> Just believe. No, friend. They got to

know they're lost.

>> Amen.

>> And if they KNOW THEY'RE LOST, THEY CAN

THEN know him. And that lost sinner can

meet the LORD AND HE CAN SAVE THEM. AND

THEN AND ONLY THEN REPENTANCE AND FAITH

COME TOGETHER AND THEN SALVATION IS

WORKED IN.

>> But you know what? They're trying to

change that.

You just pray a prayer,

write your name on a card,

you can join the church, we'll baptize

you. Let me say this, baptism ain't

never constituted salvation.

>> That's right.

>> If you ain't never been saved, you ain't

got no business being baptized.

>> That's right.

>> Let me say this. If you got saved since

you've been baptized, you need to be

baptized again

>> because your baptism was no good. That's

>> right.

You can be faithful in spite of

corruption. You can be faithful in spite

of compromise. And you can be faithful

in spite of the consent. Let me say

this. Samuel, let's go back to the

verse. Let's see it from the text. Verse

15. And Samuel did what? Judged Israel

all the days of his life. You know what?

Samuel lives several chapters after

this, doesn't he? He lives for quite a

period after this. But you know what?

Even in spite Israel, the fact that

Israel didn't want his position, he

didn't quit being a judge. I don't know

about you, but that just makes me want

to blow up with joy. You know what? This

world can tell me, "Preacher, that

pastor title, that's really outdated.

We got the internet preacher. We got all

the scripture. We got all the preaching

we need. We really don't even need that

church preacher. We can do it at home."

You think that's not a big thing? You

just go look up social media for a

little while. You'll find out it's a

real big thing.

>> Cuz you know what? People are tired of

people in high positions like this

getting caught doing things that people

that are in prison and serving life

sentences for are doing in the church

house.

>> They're tired of it. You know what? I

don't blame them. But what did we

already say? That does not denote just

because somebody sins does not denote

the fact that there is a need for

authority.

>> Amen.

>> Just because a pastor hurts you doesn't

mean that you don't need a pastor.

>> Amen.

>> Let me say this, child. Just because

your mama or your daddy hurts you does

not mean that you don't need them.

>> You still need them. They're still your

parents.

>> I want to leave you with this tonight.

You see, Samuel had won Israel victory

without even fighting. king would not do

better. Samuel had prayed for them when

they didn't deserve prayer. A king

wouldn't do that. Samuel had been there

for them in their dark hours. And Samuel

had traveled around and treated himself.

He acted just as a servant to the

people. Samuel did not elevate himself.

But you know what a king would do?

>> That's right.

>> He would elevate himself. You know what

got Saul took down? It's because he

decided it was right to spare a gag when

God says, "You kill them all."

>> And you know what? That's what happens

when you elevate a man. That's what

these modern preachers have become. They

become kings. Sit on their little

throne. They're untouchable. Let me say

this. They're just like you and me. But

they don't think that.

>> That's right.

>> That's why they do these things because

they think nobody's going to catch them.

Nobody's going to find out about them.

Let me say this. What God said, God says

that those things that are hidden,

they'll be soon uncovered.

You're not too high and mighty to have

your sin laid before the world.

>> I know it's a hard message tonight, but

boy is the truth.

>> You can be faithful, but you going to

have to be faithful in spite of these

things.

>> Cuz you know what? People around you are

going to be corrupt.

I tell you, when all that went down

early this summer, man, I'm telling you,

he was the last person I thought that

would be involved with all that.

last person. I I didn't like the

direction he was going in, but they

didn't change how he used to preach.

I listen to that man preach all over

this country on the internet, preach

things, preach them just as straight as

I do, rip people's heart off, and then

be involved in something like that. You

know what that does? That puts a fear of

God in me.

Here's the thing about it. You say, "Why

does that put the fear of God in you,

preacher? Are you worried about doing

something like that?" No. This is what

that lets me know. It lets me know that

there's other people hiding. And you

know what I have the responsibility to

bring men of God in this church to

preach to you. That's right.

>> And nobody expected that. And you know

what I have to do? I have to pray and

stay right with God enough to know when

to get somebody and when not to get

somebody.

>> Amen.

>> Because you know what? I don't want to

bring somebody in front of these

children that years down the road's

going to fall out. Well, they got saved

under his preaching.

>> You know what they do? They spend a

lifetime doubting.

>> Let me say this to you, child of God.

Your salvation is not based upon who

gave the gospel to you.

>> That's right.

>> The devil himself could give you the

gospel. And you know what? It's still

the gospel.

>> That's right.

>> He'll not do that.

>> A lot of these men will preach just

because it fills the pocketbook. And

really, for a lack of a better way to

put it, for them, it's an easy way to do

it. They're talented. They can sing.

They got charisma. They can preach. They

can draw a crowd. They can do all that.

And they do it because it it does write

a good paycheck

on those levels. Well, let me say this

to you. That don't constitute the touch

of God.

>> That's right.

>> And here's what you got to do. You got

to make sure your confidence is in him.

You know why Samuel made it when the

whole world was falling around around

him? is because in spite of the

corruption, in spite of the compromise,

and in spite of the change that God

said, Samuel, let them do what they

want. You know who his eyes were on?

And you know what? He was looking at

somebody that though the whole world was

changing. He would never move.

I don't know what your future holds, but

I'll tell you this. I know who holds

your future.

>> Right?

>> You say, "Preacher, things are changing

around me, and it seems like God's

allowing it." Well, you just remember

he's not changing,

>> right?

>> That book ain't moved an inch,

>> right?

>> It ain't. Them standards are still in

there. Salvation's still in there.

Spirit of God to indwelling inside a

believer still in there. And it's still

going to require every bit of that to be

right with God. People can say they can

do without it, but at the end of the

day, you know better.

You can be faithful. Every head bowed,

every eye closed.

Every head bowed and every eye closed

tonight. These altars are open.

Let me ask you something tonight.

You can be faithful, but let's be real.

Do you want to be?

You know the reason why mo why some of

you struggle with it? I won't say most

of you. You're faithful. You're on

Sunday night. You know why some of you

struggle with it?

Because you don't really want it.

>> You know it's going to cost you

something. You say, "Preacher, what it

cost Samuel?" Well, it cost him his

kids.

his kids didn't do what he wanted them

to do. So, you know what he do had to

do? He had to unseat them.

This is what I you know what I want you

to remember about that. God could have

raised up somebody else to took Samuel's

place instead of his children. And you

know what? Samuel would have done just

like Eli. He would have mentored him and

put him in that place. Eli's children

wouldn't fit. And so Hannah gave Samuel.

And you know what God knew? God knew

Samuel would take the place of Eli's

children. Eli raised him in the nurture

and admonition of the Lord there at the

house of God and God blessed him. Samuel

would have done the same thing. But you

know what? The nation of Israel, they

wanted something different. You know,

the reason why some of you aren't

faithful is because you're sitting

around looking for something different.

You're scrolling Facebook looking for a

church somewhere else that's a little

closer to what you want.

You're looking for a preacher that

preaches a little more like you'd like

to hear.

Looking for a choir that sings the songs

you like to sing?

Looking for something that just suits

you a little better? Well, let me say

this. Just cuz they do it and get by

with it don't mean God's in it.

But let me tell you this. If you're

saved by the grace of God, you know

without a shadow of a doubt that we have

the Holy Spirit of God working in this

place every single service. Let me ask

you, how much is it worth to you?

How much is it worth to you? I'm telling

you, I'm operating this thing the best I

to my the best of my ability because I

want that to stay.

And whatever that costs me, I don't care

what the brethren think. Whatever that

costs me, I want it to stay.

I don't care what the world says. Care

what the brethren say. They can

compromise. They can fall out. And even

my own family, though they be corrupt

around me. And I'm thankful I don't have

any of that right now. I'm praying that

God keeps it out. But I want to say

this. I'd rather have the Holy Ghost of

God working in every single service.

I'd rather see God change and move

things around in other places, but I'd

rather him stay working here the same

way. We don't want no kings.

We just want God. As she begins to play

tonight,

some are on the altar tonight, others

need to come.

Don't sell out, child of God. You can be

faithful.

You can. It's possible.

Those of you that's in your sunset years

of life, don't quit now. Don't back up

now.

Those of you that's in your middle age,

just cuz your children are growing on

up, don't back up your standard just cuz

they're starting to push against you.

Matter of fact, you probably need to

tighten them up a little bit.

If they're rebelling against you, maybe

y ought to just show them, hey, we're

serious about this thing.

Maybe y'all tighten it down a little

bit.

You young people,

don't let your friends,

cousins, those family members that you

have, don't let them hinder you

from the Holy Spirit moving in your

life.

If you have a mom or daddy maybe that's

not on board with the church house,

you make sure that you stay on board

with God

and he'll keep you in the right place.

He'll keep you in the right place.

You can be faithful. You can.

It's not beyond your reach, child of

God. It's not

you can tonight. Father, thank you.

Thank you for this place.

And Lord, I am so grateful, Lord, humbly

in my heart tonight. I'm so grateful for

the liberty, Lord, you've given me to

preach in this place.

And God, to preach the whole council of

the word of God and just tell it like it

is.

Lord, I realize that I can't do that

myself

because Lord, my flesh is utterly

corrupt. And in my flesh, God, I would

go the way of the world. Lord, I would

certainly compromise. I would certainly

be corrupt. And God, I would certainly

lead in a way that's away from you.

But God, would you please keep us in a

place close to you?

God, help us never to get, Lord, in one

mindset, Lord, that we are just going to

go away from you collectively.

Oh father, please keep us where your

holy spirit work with us and in us and

on us Lord and through us.

God don't ever permit us to go away from

you.

Cuz Lord, I know Father that

Lord, if we get in our mind what we want

to do, sometimes you'll just let us do

it.

Lord, please keep us from what would

harm us. Lord, I sure love you and I

thank you for this church. Thank you for

these people. I pray for those that was

here lost this morning. Oh God, please

would you not let them live, God, this

week in that lost state. God, I pray

they'd find somebody and get saved.

Lord, I ask you, God, that you bless our

church and continue to strengthen us and

help us these days. We'll give you

praise for it because we ask it in Jesus

name. Amen.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you'd join us in person

the next time you are able at Meadows

Baptist Church. Our physical address is

2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North

Carolina. Our service times are Sunday

school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning

worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening

worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday

evening Bible study at 7:00 p.m. For

more information, visit us at

meadowsbaptisturch.com.

Thanks again for tuning in.