I’ve Got Something That’s Real - 7/12/26 - 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 faithful men and uh

that uh have earned their honor and uh

believe as Paul said them that rule well

are worthy of double honor and uh and

you you honor the man of God today.

Thank you. Thank you preacher for your

faithful service through the years. And

u I tell you what, we got to stay with

it. Amen. Got to stay with it. And I

love how the Lord puts things together.

Acts chapter number 26. And I want to

read just three verses. If you will,

when you find your place, if you would

stand. Uh I know what time it is, but

you'll be all right. Somebody say amen.

>> And uh we're going to preach just as

long as the Lord wants us to. And uh be

honest with you, I didn't preach

Wednesday. I didn't preach last Sunday.

And uh just sort of feel weird just to

be real honest with you. Uh but uh I

tell you what, I'm glad to be back. And

I'll say this, and I told you this last

Sunday. I tell you this again, you ain't

gonna hear any better preaching we heard

last Sunday.

>> You ain't. Amen. And uh I appreciate the

man of God coming and sharing the word

of God with us. And uh but I'm here and

I'm going to preach. I'm going to do my

best. All right. So listen. All right.

So let's look in the text. Acts chapter

Acts 26 · chapter mention

26. Did you find your place? Say amen.

>> Amen.

>> Acts chapter 26. Notice verse number 27.

Acts 26 · chapter mention

Acts chap 26 verse number 27. This is

the apostle Paul speaking in the text.

He says, "King Agria, believest thou the

prophets? I know that thou believest."

Verse 28, "Then Agria said unto Paul,

almost thou persuadeest me to be a

Christian." There's been a lot of

preaching down through the years done on

that verse. Almost. I tell you what,

it's a tragedy that so many people have

been to that place where it was an

almost. But you know what? A almost

ain't going to get you into heaven.

>> Listen to what the Bible said in verse

29. This is the thought for today. And

Paul said, 'I would to God that not only

thou, but also all that hear me this day

were both almost and all together,

notice these next four words, such as I

am, except these bonds.

And uh I want to pray, ask the Lord to

help us, give you the introduction, then

we'll give you the thought this morning.

You pray for me as we go to the Lord in

prayer. Father, thank you so much for

this great day, for your great

blessings, for the spirit of God that's

on the inside, for the power that he

gives. And Lord, we ask Lord right now

that you would remove the flesh far from

us. Clothe us in our calling. Father, I

ask you, Lord, that you would anoint me

with the Holy Ghost of God. set a watch

about my lips of clay this morning that

I'd say nothing that I ought not say but

everything that you would have me to say

and that you alone would get glory out

of this service. I pray that we would

see no man save Jesus only and that you

would help us to receive with meekness

the engrafted word. Open our eyes that

we may behold wondrous things in thy

law. And God, I pray more than anything

this morning, Lord, that you would be

exalted and this church, Lord, would be

edified and strengthened for the work

that you've called us to do. Lord, would

you help us this morning? We pray. Save

the sinner nearest hell. And for what

you do, we'll thank you for it because

we ask it in Jesus name. God's children

said, "Amen. Thank you for standing. You

may be seated this morning." Acts

Acts 26 · chapter mention

chapter 26 opens up to us the passage of

the apostle Paul and his meeting with

King Agrippa who is the ruler over the

Jews at this point in time and the book

of acts. Paul has completed his first

and his second missionary journeys at

this point and he had set his heart

toward Jerusalem and when he went there

the Holy Ghost made him aware of the

fact that bonds and affliction he said

himself would abide him. when he got

there. And that's exactly what happened.

They placed him in hold when he arrived

there and they began to afflict him. And

really in in every case that they tried

to bring against him, they could bring

no accusation that had any proof with

it. I want to say this this morning, if

you're living right this morning and

doing right, there is nothing the world

can do about that. And you ought to

thank God for it. And you ought to

rejoice. Amen. You may have everybody

against you, but I'll tell you this. If

you do right, Amen. If the world falls,

just do right. And let me say this,

it'll be all right come the end. Amen.

But I notice in this text that Paul has

come to agria here in the text and the

Bible reveals to us. He has given his

testimony here in the text. We're going

to look back at that in just a few

minutes. But I notice here in the text

that Paul mentions the prophets. Now

verse 27, he says, "King Agria,

believest thou the prophets. I I know

that thou believest. This man Agrippa

was a wise man in Jewish culture. He was

a man who was schooled in Jewish custom.

The Bible literally tells us that in the

beginning of the chapter and Agria had

learned all of this so he could be

prepared to be king. And Paul says,

"Look, I know you've read it. You've

seen it. You know, Grippa that this is

true and you believe." In verse 28, Paul

here, Regria makes his response to Paul.

After he mentions the prophets, those

those prophecies that were given of

Christ, he p he speaks of his

persuasion. In verse 28, look what the

Bible says. Then a group of said unto

Paul, almost thou persuadest me to be a

Christian. Or such to say on the

intellectual side, the Apostle Paul, you

have laid the case so well that it is

definitely indeed uh striking to me that

this is true. And he says, "Almost, you

persuade me to be a Christian." I'll say

this this morning. It does not matter

how much intellectual ability you have

to lay the case before a sinner until

the Holy Ghost of God deals with their

heart and opens to them the word of God

and reveals to them that they have need

of salvation. They will not come to

Jesus. Amen. And we see that though

there was persuasion in the text, there

was no profession here in the text from

this man Agria. And I believe by this

text unless a grippa somewhere along

last way later on got saved. He's in

hell this very morning and he is there

burning. But that's not the message this

morning. I want you to notice verse

number 29. Paul's response to a gripper.

Look what the Bible says. He said, "I

would to God that not only thou, but

also all that hear me this day were both

almost and alltogether

such as I am."

You say, "Preacher, what does that

mean?" Well, Paul says basically, in

other words, he says, "I wish that I

could give you what I've got."

Amen. And from this preacher's heart

this morning, I wish I could give you

what I've got. I want to preach on this

thought for just a little while this

morning on I've got something that's

real.

Paul said in the text, he said, "I would

to God that not only thou, not only you,

Agrippa, but everybody that listens."

Agria's wife was there, Fesus was there,

all these others that are gathered

around. Paul says, "I would to God that

everybody in this building," he said,

"not," he said, "We're not both almost

and all together." He said, "All the way

just as I am, such as I am, except these

bonds." Paul says, "I wish every one of

you saved."

I want to say this to you this morning.

And I wish everybody in here had what I

got.

>> Amen.

>> Right.

>> BUT YOU SAY, "PREACHER, WHAT IS IT

THAT'S REAL? How how can I know what

I've got is real?"

>> I think there's five things in this

chapter that we can take directly from

the text that'll tell us whether or not

what you've got's real. I want to say

this. If you ain't got something real in

this day and time, you ain't going to

make it.

>> John said it this way in his epistle,

brother Codwell. He said, "They went out

from us because they what? They were not

of us." Amen. And if you're not real

this morning, you're not going to make

it to very far in this race. And when I

look at this text, I'm reminded Paul

gives his testimony over and over and

over again. And he tells the story here

this morning. And and I want to

highlight just five things this morning

quickly and we'll be done this morning.

I know what time it is. Just buckle up.

All right? We going to preach. All

right? It's been a week. Somebody say,

"Amen. I'm going to turn loose for a few

minutes if nothing else. Amen. I notice

in this text, if what we got's real,

there's a place where it's going to have

to start. You know what? I believe in

this text, Paul reveals to us, number

one, that there must be, if it's going

to be real, there must be a supernatural

conversion.

>> Say, "What do you mean, preacher?" Well,

the Bible says here in the text after

Paul describes, we mentioned it in

Sunday school, he describes his will to

them in verse 9, that he thought to do

many things contrary to Jesus Christ of

Nazareth. His works is described in

verse number 10 that he put saints to

death. He punished them often. Verse

number 11, verse 12, he was on his way

to Damascus. You know, he had those

letters of approval from the chief

priest in his hand to persecute

Christians. And we notice that after his

will and his works, he is working

against the kingdom of God and standing

against Jesus. You see, there was one

day that a wonder met him right before

his eyes. In verse 13, he said, "At

midday, oh king, I saw in the way a

light from heaven above the brightness

of the sun, shining round about me, and

with them which journey with me." And

notice the word that was given unto him.

And when we were all fallen to the

earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me

and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul,

Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is

hard for thee to kick against the

priests. You say, preacher, what is

that? Well, that day on the Damascus

ROAD, PAUL MET FACE TO FACE WITH THE

VERY WORD OF GOD HIMSELF. AMEN. Jesus

Christ incarnate showed up in his way of

life. Amen. LET ME SAY THIS. JESUS WOULD

HAVE HAD JUST AS MUCH RIGHT TO TAKE HIS

LIFE ON DAMASCUS ROAD. But friend, HE

DIDN'T TAKE HIS LIFE. HE SAVED HIS LIFE.

AMEN. Because the son of man came to

give life and life more abundantly. And

there on that road that day, that light

that shined from heaven shine down into

the heart of THE APOSTLE BY PAUL WHO

THEN WAS SAUL. AMEN. And in the text,

the Bible says that this word brought

about salvation. Verse 15, notice what

your Bible SAID. PAUL SAID, "WHO ART

THOU LORD?"

You see, he was calling that one he was

looking at

>> Lord. I've had people ask me this,

"Preacher, where was it that Paul prayed

and asked Jesus to forgive him?" Well,

you see, it's all wrapped up in that

word Lord.

>> Right?

>> You see, when he heard the word of God,

it wasn't time to pray. He knew what

he'd done.

>> Amen. When he heard the word of God, he

knew exactly who was speaking. So you

know what his response was? Lord,

>> you see he revealed in this text the

repentance in his heart. You say, "What

is that?" Well, for a conversion number,

the first thing that there's got to be

Christ has got to be present. Hey

friend, if you've got saved, you ain't

got saved by any other person or any

other book. Amen. Than Christ the word

himself. Amen. For whosoever shall call

upon the name of the Lord, what is that

name? That is Jesus Christ. Amen. PETER

SAID IT THIS WAY IN ACTS CHAPTER 4. For

Acts 4 · chapter mention

there's none other name under heaven

given AMONG MEN WHEREBY YOU MUST BE

SAVED WHICH IS Jesus Christ. Amen. That

is the one who is present for his

conversion. And out of Christ being

present there was a change that was

purposed. In the text the Bible said in

verse 15 after he responds Jesus said I

am Jesus whom thou persecutest. Verse 16

notice this. But rise. You see, out of

that supernatural conversion, there is a

sovereign commission.

>> You see, if what you got's real, first

of all, you going to have to be

converted. Amen. You'll have to be

saved. Amen. For the heart man believeth

under righteous with a mouth confession

is made unto salvation. And before that

happens, nothing else going to happen in

your life. But I'll say this. You say,

"Preacher, well, I I believe I'm saved."

Let me ask you something. There's some

things that come along after salvation

that come along to all of us. You say,

"Preacher, well, I'm not I'm not called

to preach." Well, you understand there

is a call that's in the heart of every

child of God who is born again, and that

is a call to serve.

>> Amen. Paul said to the Roman church in

Romans chapter 12, he said, "I beseech

Romans 12 · chapter mention

you therefore, brethren, by the mercies

of God, that you present your bodies a

living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto

God, which is your reasonable service."

You see in the text, Jesus here meets

him and changes him in a moment. Amen.

And out of that conversion, there is a

commission. Verse 16. But rise and stand

upon thy feet. For I have appeared unto

thee for this purpose, to make thee a

minister and a witness, both of these

things which thou has seen, and of those

things in the which I will appear unto

thee. You see, this commission brought a

deliverance to him. Verse 17, look what

the Bible says. Delivering thee from the

people and from the Gentiles. You say,

preacher, what is that? WELL, I'LL SAY

THIS. SALVATION will save you from hell.

Amen. But that commission, what it'll do

for you is it'll deliver you from the

world.

>> Amen. Hey, if you're still living in the

world, you're still yolked up with this

world, YOU'RE STILL LOOKING, ACTING, AND

TALKING LIKE THE WORLD. AMEN. YOU MAY

NOT ever been delivered.

>> He told Paul in the text, he told Saul,

he said, "Look, I'm delivering thee."

Notice this. From the people and from

the Gentiles. You know what we were when

we were lost? Amen. Preacher preached

about it last Sunday. We were in

bondage. Amen. We were serving this old

sinful world. We were serving our flesh.

We were serving the devil. We were

serving this world. Amen. And out of

this, Paul is Saul is given deliverance.

Delivering thee from the people and from

the Gentiles. But isn't it interesting?

Amen. When that deliverance comes,

there's a new direction that takes

place. Notice the last part of the

verse. Your Bible says that he delivered

thee from the people and from the

Gentiles. Notice this. unto whom now I

send thee. You know why God saved you?

You know why God commissioned you to

serve him? Because the same world he's

delivered you out of is the same world

he wants to send you back into.

>> Amen. The same people, the same crowd,

amen, that you used to run with when you

was in this world. Oh, I feel HAPPY THIS

MORNING. THE SAME PEOPLE THAT you used

to sin with, the same crowd THAT YOU

USED TO FOLLOW. You see, Jesus brought

YOU OUT THAT HE MIGHT SEND YOU BACK.

AMEN. Not for them to influence you, BUT

FOR YOU TO INFLUENCE THEM WITH WHAT?

With the gospel. With the GOOD NEWS OF

JESUS CHRIST. PAUL SAID, "HE TOOK ME

OUT." OH, BUT HE SENT ME RIGHT BACK.

WHY? BECAUSE HE MADE A DIFFERENCE ON THE

INSIDE. AMEN.

>> And if you ain't never been delivered

from THIS WORLD AND HAD YOUR DIRECTION

CHANGED, I doubt you got anything real.

Amen. Hey, friend, if you've never

turned from sin, Amen. Paul told that

THESSALONIAN CHURCH, IT'S WHAT HE SAID.

HE SAID, "YOU TURN TO GOD FROM IDOLS."

AMEN. And you know what they did? THEY

TURNED TO GOD FROM IDOLS TO SERVE THE

living and true God. Amen. And it was

that deliverance that gave them a new

direction. Amen.

I've got something that's real.

>> Oh, friend, I've been delivered.

Hallelujah. Bless his name. I'll tell

you this. I've got a new direction. I'm

not going to this world for sin, but I'm

going to this world with salvation.

Amen.

>> Oh, bless his name. You see, he gave him

a new direction. Look what he says. Unto

whom now I send thee. Verse 18, to open

their eyes. What happened to Paul? He

had to have his eyes open, didn't he?

That light blinded him. You know what he

had to do? He had to go find Ananas.

Amen. Have his sight be given to him.

But you know, you see that's not the

physical, that's not the truth of the

text. It's the spiritual truth. Amen. is

that open the spiritual eyes to open

their eyes to turn them from darkness to

light from the power of Satan unto God

that they may receive forgiveness of

sins and inheritance among them which

are sanctified by faith that is in me.

You see, friend, if you've got something

that's real, I can promise you this

morning, there has been a supernatural

conversion just like the Apostle Paul.

BUT THERE WILL BE AND I PROMISE YOU

THERE WILL BE AND THERE IS A SOVEREIGN

COMMISSION ON YOUR life this morning.

I say this thirdly. All right. If you

ain't help me preach up to this point,

you definitely ain't going to help me

now. All right,

y'all. All right. Y'all better than 3:00

in the morning. Wake up. All right, we

going to preach.

You see, there's a sovereign there's a

supernatural conversion. There's a

sovereign commission. But I think about

this. I say this thirdly, we see in

Paul's life, there's a simple

compliance. You say, "What do you mean,

preacher?" Well, you see, God saved HIM.

GOD SENT HIM out to serve. But what

happens now? The Bible said in verse 19,

look what he says to Agria. Whereupon,

oh king Agria, I was not disobedient.

Notice that I was not disobedient unto

the heavenly vision, but showed first

unto them of Damascus and at Jerusalem

and throughout all the coast of Judea,

and then to the Gentiles that they

should repent and turn to God and do

works meat for repentance. You see, when

God gave him the commission, his heart

was WILLFULLY COMPLIANT. LET ME SAY this

to you, friend. If you've ever felt the

call of God on your life, if you've ever

felt the move of God on your life, there

is only one response that you can have,

and that's Lord, whatever you want me to

do, I'LL DO IT. LORD, WHEREVER YOU WANT

ME TO GO, I'LL GO. LORD, WHATEVER,

HOWEVER, WHENEVER, WHEREVER, LORD, I AM

WILLING. AMEN.

>> SAID, "PREACHER, WELL, I don't want to

do those things." Well, you may not be

real.

I tell you this, I told a young man this

week, I said, "If it's God's will, you

won't be able to get away from it. But

if it's not, you'll be miserable if you

try to."

Let me tell you something. God has given

a command. Amen. And this command

requires compliance. Amen. We are to be

obedient. You see, Paul was obedient to

this commission that he went to all the

places. You think about, you say,

"Preacher, well, how is that the

commission?" Well, remember what Acts 18

says. He said, "And you shall receive

power after that the Holy Ghost has come

upon you, and you shall be witnesses

unto me, Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria,

unto the uttermost parts of the earth."

You know what? Paul wasn't Saul wasn't

there when they said Acts 18, was he? He

wasn't there for that. But you know

what? When he got saved, he got the same

commission they did as anybody in the

building. This morning I'm saying,

friend, if you're SAVED BY THE GRACE OF

GOD, YOU'VE GOT THE SAME commission and

you should have the same compliance.

>> You say, "Preacher, I know I'm saved and

I know God wants me to do something, BUT

I'M JUST NOT I'M NOT REALLY sure about

it yet." Well, let me tell you this. If

you're not serving him, you ain't got no

rights to assurance of your salvation.

You got to be right with him.

>> You know why people struggle with

doubts? Because they're not living for

them.

Amen, friend. That's right. You see, he

was complying in the places, but I'll

say this. He was complying in his

preaching. He said that they should

repent. Let me say this. Repentance is I

listen to me, friend. You better not If

you miss everything else I say, do not

miss what I'm fixing to tell you this

morning. Repentance is still necessary

for salvation. If there is no

repentance, Milton Taylor said it this

way. THERE IS NO REGENERATION. THAT

MEANS there is no salvation. If you

don't realize that you're a sinner and

repent of that sin, YOU CANNOT YOU

CANNOT YOU WILL NOT BE SAVED, FRIEND.

>> And the GOSPEL IS A GOSPEL OF

REPENTANCE.

>> He said you turn to God from us. YOU GOT

TO TURN AWAY FROM THIS WORLD. YOU GOT TO

LET GO OF THE WORLD. YOU GOT TO LET GO

OF YOUR FLESH. YOU GOT TO LET GO OF

YOURSELF. YOU CAN'T HANG ON TO JESUS AND

HANG ON TO THIS WORLD. IF YOU'VE NEVER

BEEN SAVED, FRIEND, IF YOU'VE NEVER

REPENTED OF YOUR SINS, THAT IS THE

GOSPEL MESSAGE. THAT IS THE REAL message

of truth

that they should repent. Notice this.

And turn to God. And do works. Notice

that. And do works. Paul said, "I'm

preaching exactly what I'm doing." Amen.

And do works. What'd he say? Meet for

repentance. I'll say this. I've got

something that's real. Oh, hallelujah.

Because I've been supernaturally

converted. I've been sovereignly

commissioned. But I'll tell you this,

I'm just simply compliant to whatever he

asks.

You say, "Preacher, can you really

honestly say that I had to pray before I

preach this sermon to settle it? Because

you know what? I want my heart that way.

If God wants me to go up there to Canada

with this brother, you know what? I'm

going to do my best to go. If God wants

me to go across the sea over there to

Africa, amen, and go over there and

preach in the jungle somewhere, I'm

gonna do my best to go. If God wants me

to move states and preach somewhere

else, if God wants me to spend THE REST

OF MY LIFE in this pullpit, IN THIS

PLACE, PASTORING THIS CHURCH, I JUST

WANT TO DO WHAT GOD SAYS. YOU SEE,

THAT'S THE MOST SIMPLE WAY TO LIVE. WHEN

YOU JUST LEAVE IT UP TO GOD, GOD, WHAT

YOU'VE TOLD ME, THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO

DO UNTIL YOU TELL ME TO DO SOMETHING

DIFFERENT. SOMEBODY HELP ME PREACH THIS

MORNING. YOU JUST DO WHAT GOD SAYS UNTIL

GOD TELLS YOU TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

AMEN.

>> You walk in THE LIGHT THAT GOD HAS GIVEN

YOU FOR TODAY and he'll give you new

LIFE FOR TOMORROW AND HE'LL GIVE YOU NEW

LIFE for the NEXT DAY, BUT YOU WALK IN

WHAT HE SHOWED YOU TODAY AND DO WHAT YOU

KNOW YOU ARE supposed to do before him

today.

He was simply compliant. I like this

one. All right, I'm moving. We still

going to get out of here a decent time.

Y'all dead. I'm just going to take how

long I want. Amen.

I'm serious. Amen. I'm going to take how

long I want.

It's been too long, Sister Biddy.

You see, fourthly, I see out of this

simple compliance, Paul mentions

something else in this text. Remember,

he's testifying all this to a grippa. He

says, "I want all of you to be such as I

am." Well, this is what Paul is. He's

been converted. He's been commissioned.

He's compliant. But see that, notice

this fourthly, verse number 21, he says,

"For these causes the Jews caught me in

the temple and went about to kill me."

Verse 22, "Having therefore obtained

help of God." What's the next two words?

I continue.

You see, Paul was steadily continuing.

He had steady continuence in his life.

You want to know if what you got's real?

You're staying with it.

You're not in and out. In and out.

You don't know what you got's real. It's

going to take some faithful continuing.

You say, "How how do you express that?"

Well, turn with me to the book of

Romans.

Romans,

chapter number three.

Listen to what he says. Actually,

Romans, I think it's Romans, maybe it's

Romans 2. Let's look here. Yeah, Romans

2, verse number

verse number five. Notice this. Paul's

talking to the Jews. All right. He's

talking to everybody in chapter 2.

Chapter 3 talks to the Jews. Look what

he says. Verse number five. But after

thy hardness and impenitent heart,

treasures up in thyself wrath against

the day of wrath, and revelation of the

righteous judgment of God, who will

render to every man according to his

deeds. Notice verse seven. To them who

by patient what? Continuence in what?

Welldoing, seek for glory and honor and

immortality, eternal life. But unto them

that are contentious, and do not obey

the truth, but obey unrighteousness,

indignation, and wrath, tribulation, and

anguish upon every soul of man that

doeth evil of the Jew first, and also of

the Gentile, but glory and honor and

peace to every man that workketh good to

the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.

For there is no respect of persons with

God. Patient continuous. You know what?

God honors faithfulness.

He's not so much interested about the

size of what you got going on as he is

interested in you being steady with.

>> Amen.

>> He's not so much interested about the

quantity. You hear me say all the time,

he is interested in the quality of your

ministry, of your Christian life. Hey

friend, and that's going to require you.

That's going to cost you something if

you're going to steadily continue. Paul

said it there in Acts chapter number 20.

He said, "But none of these things move

me." All of those beatings, all of those

whapons, all of those mockings, all of

those imprisonments. HE SAID, "NOT ANY

OF THAT moves me." He said, "I don't

count my life dear to myself." He said,

"But I might FINISH MY COURSE WITH JOY."

And you know what? HE WAS ABLE TO DO

THAT CUZ HE TOLD TIMOTHY, HE SAID, "I'VE

FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT. I HAVE FINISHED MY

COURSE. I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH." YOU KNOW

WHAT HE DID? HE JUST STAYED WITH IT.

BLESS HIS NAME. HALLELUJAH. HEY FRIEND,

YOU CAN STAY WITH IT. I CAN STAY WITH

IT. PATIENTLY CONTINUE. AMEN.

>> How did it continue? Notice the text.

Acts 26 verse 22. Having therefore

Acts 26:22

obtained help of God. I continue. He

said in the book of 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4, he said, "Therefore, seeing

we have this ministry of we as we have

received mercy, we faint not."

You ain't going to continue without his

help.

>> Let me ask you, you got something that's

real.

If you got something that's real, you'll

stay with him.

>> Amen. I'm not saying you won't mess up.

I'm not saying you won't make mistakes.

But I'll tell you this, the Bible says a

just man fallth seven times, but he

riseth up again. You won't stay down.

YOU'LL GET UP AND YOU WILL GO ON FOR THE

GLORY OF GOD. AMEN.

>> STEADY, CONTINUENCE. He had the spirit,

having therefore obtained help of God.

But I'll say this, he had the

scriptures.

You won't stay, you won't stay with it

without the scriptures. Look what he

says. I continue this day, witnessing

both to small and great. Notice this,

saying none other things than those

which the prophets and Moses did say

should come. You know what Paul was

looking for? He was looking for an

eternity.

Right now didn't bother him because his

eyes wasn't on the right now. He was

looking for that city. Amen. He was

looking for an eternity. He was looking

into the word of God and seeing that

there's something in this life that's

better to come. That's why he said in

the book of Romans, he said that we

can't even imagine. He said what the

glory that's going to be revealed in us.

Amen. When we are with our creator,

amen, and the scriptures is what allowed

him to continue.

>> Paul said, I wish that all of you could

be as I am. I've got something that's

real.

give you this and I'm done.

He steadily continued. Let me ask you,

you know what the sad thing is? Next

year at this time, there may be some of

you that's here today that won't be

here.

You say, "Preacher, does that mean we're

quit that we quit?" No, it don't have to

mean that. It could mean that you're

somewhere else preaching the gospel.

Could mean that you're somewhere else

serving God. But you know who determines

that?

That's your choice. Notice this. You

say, "Preacher, I I still I I just

preacher, I I don't know." Well, I think

there's one more thing.

And I'll say this. I've seen this.

And and scripture even preaches this in

that rich man that was in hell.

Notice what the Bible says in verse

number 29. again after a Grippa speaks

to him said almost thou persuadest me to

be a Christian Paul said I would to God

that not only thou but that all that

hear me this day were both almost and

altogether such as I am except these

bonds I'll say this if you got something

that's real there's a spiritual cry

you say what is that well it's a cry to

lost souls

that your heart you want them to be

saved

you say preacher I I don't know what

that's like. Well, I tell you this. If

you live your life and you die lost,

you'll know what it's like when you get

to hell.

>> Right?

>> Say, "What do you mean?" Well, that rich

man in Luke 16, remember what he told

Abraham? He said, "Father Abraham, send

Lazarus."

Amen. Send him to my brethren.

He said, "Lest they come to this place

of torment." You know, all the while he

lived his life

fair and sumptuously every day. The

Bible says

living it up and living it well. He

didn't have a care in the world. But you

know what? When he got to hell, he got a

burden for them others that he knew was

lost. Let me say this. If you're saved

by the grace of God, you have a burden

for him. Now,

the brother said it there just a minute

ago and it ain't been able to leave my

mind since he made the statement. He

said, "We love them people up there."

Let me ask you something.

Have you ever loved a sinner?

Have you ever loved a sinner enough to

weep tears over their soul? Have you

ever loved a sinner enough to stay up at

night praying that they get saved?

Paul looked all those people in the face

and he said, "I would to God." That's

why he said in Romans, he said, "I could

wish myself were cursed from Christ."

Paul said, "I wish I myself could die

and even be lost so my brethren could be

saved."

You say, "Preacher, WHAT IS THAT?" HE

HAD something that was real.

Every head's bowed and every eye closed.

You know, I'm afraid of in this day and

time, we're satisfied with checking a

box. You come to church, you might even

have made it to Sunday school this

morning. You know what you're going to

do? You're going to walk out here. You

going to check a box? Well, I made it

another day. But all around you, at the

gas pump, at the restaurant,

at the places you go, even your family

gatherings, there's people that are lost

without God. And you are completely

unmoved.

You say, "Preacher, what does that say?"

Well, it does. It says this. It either

says that you don't care about him

because you're not saved, or you don't

care about him because you're not right

with God.

Let me tell you this.

If you're real, it'll break your heart

when sinners get up and walk out of here

lost.

Last Sunday, my heart was broken.

I'm going to be real transparent with

you, church. My heart was broken. Not by

the fact, not so much by the fact that

sinners got up here and walked out of

here lost. All them people that wouldn't

raise their hand, they knew they're

saved. What broke my heart is is

seemingly some of you didn't even care.

Say, why is that? Well, I didn't see no

tears come on your face. Say, '

Preacher, well, I don't cry. WELL, WHY

DIDN'T YOU COME TO THIS ALTAR AND PRAY

FOR THEIR SOUL? I'M SAYING THESE PEOPLE,

THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE LAST CHANCE.

You're look sitting there in the pew

looking at your phone. God help you. Let

me ask you something. Is it real? Is it

real? If it's real to you, it'll be more

than one time in six months coming to

church. If it's real to you, it'll be

more so than just Sunday morning. It'll

be more so than even Sunday morning,

Sunday night, and Wednesday night. It's

every single day from the time that you

RISE UP TO THE TIME THAT YOU LAY YOUR

HEAD DOWN. IT'S REAL, FRIEND. OH,

FRIEND, I'M SO GLAD THAT IN MY HEART OF

HEARTS, NO, I'M NOT PERFECT. NOBODY IS.

BUT IN MY HEART OF HEARTS, I HAVE A

DESIRE TO JUST DO THE WILL OF GOD, TO

JUST BE OBEDIENT TO HIM AND TO SEE

SINNERS SAVED. AND EVERY TIME I WATCH A

LOST SOUL WALK OUT THESE DOORS, IT

BREAKS MY HEART BECAUSE I KNOW IT MIGHT

BE THE LAST TIME.

Let me ask you, is it real?

I've got something that's real, church.

And I don't have to have you to tell me

that because Jesus done told me,

>> and if you've got something that's real

in your life, it ain't going to be me

that tells you that. Hey, children,

listen to me. It ain't going to be your

parents that tell you're okay. It ain't

even going to be this preacher. It ain't

going to be your friends that say

there's something different in you. If

you're real, you need to mark it down

between you and the God of heaven, that

he has revealed to you that you belong

to him and he has showed you that if

you've got something that's real, you

have to comply.

You have to not only comply, but you

have to continue

and you're going to have to cry out for

sinners. Let me ask you this morning,

she begins to play.

There's people on this altar praying for

you this morning, sinner. You say,

"Preacher, I've never been saved. Would

you pray for me? Let me ask you.

Be real honest, sinner.

Has there ever been a day in your life

when you repented of your sin?

When you truly recognized

that you were lost without God

and you truly asked the Lord to save

you?

And let me ask you this. Has there been

a difference?

Because you know what the Bible says? If

any man be in Christ, he's a new

creature. Old things are passed away.

Behold, all things are become new. Let

me let me ask you this. Has there been a

difference?

Preacher, would you pray for me? I don't

know that I'm saved. There's nobody

looking around but me. Just be honest

between you and God. Preacher, I don't

know that I'm saved. Slip your hand up.

We'll pray for you. We'll pray for you.

There's a whole altar full of people

praying for you this morning. You do not

need to leave this place lost.

Let me ask you this, child of God.

How real are you?

Say, preacher, I know I'm saved. I know

God saved me, but he's dealt with my

heart even this morning that I need to

draw near to him because he had I know

that commission you're talking about,

preacher, I'm not doing all that I

should be. Preacher, would you pray for

me? You just slip your hand up. We'll

pray for you this morning. There's

nobody looking around but me. God sees

that. God sees those hands. Let me tell

you this. It's your choice.

It's your choice.

You are the one that's going to have to

decide. Paul looked at a grippa and he

said, "I wish that you and everybody

here

was almost and alltogether such as I

am."

Why? Cuz I've got something that's real.

Let me ask you this, church. How many of

you know you got something that's real

today? Just slip your hand up and

testify to the Lord. Preacher, I know

I've got something that's real.

Yes. Bless his name. That's good. Praise

God. Let me tell you,

won't you resolve this week to live it

more so than you ever have? Won't you

resolve this week? Go find you a sinner.

Win them to God.

Said, "Preacher, that's hard."

No, the hard part's already been done.

Jesus took Calvary for you. He died for

you. All he asked for you to do is live

for him.

Give your life to him. Father, Lord, I

thank you today for the truth of your

word. Lord, I thank you that I know I've

got something that's real today.

Not because of anything that I've done,

but Lord, because of what you've done in

me. And Lord, I know without a shadow of

a doubt, God, you've made a difference

in my life. And I bless your name for

that. Thank you for it. I ask, God, you

would help us in this invitation.

Give us grace and mercy. Lord, we

realize that we're nothing without you.

God, we know that on our very best day,

we're failures.

Lord, I've messed up so much. God, I've

failed you so many times,

but Lord, I know I've got something real

in my heart today because you put it in

there. And Lord, nobody can take it from

me. And I thank you for that. Thank you

for giving me life. Thank you for giving

me the spirit of God on the inside to

guide me into all truth and reveal to me

how I am to live through the pages of

the word of God. Lord, I thank you for

that. God, I pray for these here today

that are lost. Lord, you know every

heart. God, I pray they wouldn't leave

here that way today. And God, for those

that need to draw near to you, I pray

you'd help them to do so. And Lord, we

give you thanks for what you do because

we ask it in Jesus name. Amen.

>> Thank you for joining our service today.

We'd love it if you 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.