1 Corinthians 16 - 1/7/26 - 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

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with your friends. Now, let's join

Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from

God.

I want to look at one verse tonight, two

verses if the Lord help us for just a

moment of time and consider a thought

here this evening. And uh the

opposition, I want to tell you this, the

opposition to the church in this day and

time, I believe, is at an all-time high.

And the devil does not want this thing

going forward. And uh the quicker we

realize that, the better off we'll be.

And uh it's time to prepare ourselves.

Amen. and to get ourselves ready and to

go forward for the glory of God in these

days. And if you're not going forward,

amen, you're going backward. Amen. And

we need God to help us.

>> And uh it's going to take strength. It's

going to take training and a

willingness, amen, to serve. I want to

look tonight here in uh the text 1

1 Corinthians 16:13

Corinthians 16 verse 13 and 14. 1

1 Corinthians 16:13

Corinthians 16 verse 13 and 14.

And uh I'll be honest with you, I've

kind of been a little bit out of my

comfort zone the last several uh weeks,

just not really having a specific place

to go to. I generally don't like to

teach or preach off the cuff in

different uh meetings. I'm I've studied

not when I say off the cuff, I mean just

different text every service. And I feel

like sometimes I'm just cherrypicking

things that I want to say, but that's

not the truth. I'm just trying to tell

you what the Lord's told me and uh where

he's led me to. And I want to look here

at this thought tonight in these verses.

Notice verse 13. And uh Lord willing,

we'll get started back in a series here

uh directly. And so you uh Sherman can

be annoyed at me for preaching in the

same book every week for 6 months or a

year. And uh he fussed me. He's the

first person when I came to this church.

He said, "Now you can't just bore us to

death with series all the time now. You

got to change it up a little bit." And

uh I got to pick on you, brother. You

got to mess with you a little bit. But

uh I appreciate you. Amen. and our

faithful door greeter. Somebody say,

"Amen."

>> 1 Corinthians 16:13,

1 Corinthians 16:13

the Bible says, "Watch ye stand fast in

the faith. Quit ye like men. Be strong.

Let all your things be done with

charity." Notice verse 15 and 16.

Tonight, we'll not preach on these, but

just notice the verse there. The Bible

says, "I beseech you, brethren, you know

the house of Stephanus, that it is the

first fruits of Aaya, and that they have

addicted themselves to the ministry of

the saints, that you submit yourselves

unto such, and to everyone that helpketh

with us, and labor." I love that wording

in verse number 15. I'm not going to

preach there tonight, but boy, I could.

If you're addicted to anything, what are

you addicted to tonight?

Bible says that the house of Stephanus

was addicted to the ministry of the

saints, taking care of God's people. And

uh I can tell you what, there's nothing

more rewarding in this life than that

right there. And uh you say, "Preacher,

well, how is that?" Well, James chapter

James 1 · chapter mention

1, the last verse says, "Pure pure

religion and undefiled before God and

the father is this, to look on the

widows in their affliction and to keep

himself unspotted from the world."

taking care of the people of God. That's

the highest calling.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. And uh if you love if you love the

church, Amen. It's a good sign you love

Christ. Amen. I want to look at this

thought here tonight. Consider in verse

number 13 and 14. And uh really there's

a this is a closing admonition, I guess

you would say, of the Apostle Paul here

uh to the Corinthian church in his first

letter. And uh I notice in this tonight

just considering by in the chapter

leading up to this point I note there's

some things that he's dealing with. I

love the ending of the epistles because

a lot of times um the chap the last

chapters of these epistles are the etc

chapters of the Bible. And what I mean

by that is is Paul is just dealing with

miscellaneous topics in every verse.

It's a different subject. And uh I was

thinking about you look at the book of

Thessalonians 1 Thessalonians 5. He

deals with a lot of different subjects

uh in that chapter and much the same in

this one. I want to point out uh these

two tonight. But I notice here in this

chapter concerning the leading up to

this there he begins with the membership

of the church and their giving in verses

one down through verse number seven.

He's talking about the church at

Corenth. And he says in verse one now

concerning the collection for the saints

as I have given order to the churches of

Galatia. Even so do ye upon the first

day of the week. Let every one of you

lay by him in store as God hath

prospered him that there be no

gatherings when I come. And so he has

orchestrated here the principle of

giving in the house of God uh to take

care of the church and its needs as well

as the people of the church and its

needs. Those uh people that do not have

uh to take care of themselves. And so he

deals with that all the way down through

uh verse number seven. his desire to

come and see them uh to spend some time

with them. And to the best of my

knowledge, Paul never made it to Corinth

to see these people according to

scripture. Now, I may be wrong about

that, but that's what I've discovered uh

from my study. And so, he writes these

letters unto them. And so, you notice

not only he deals with the membership uh

and their giving in this chapter, but he

also deals with the ministry. And in

this ministry that's been given to him,

he deals with this great door. Notice

that in verse number eight and n he

says, "But I will tarry at Ephesus until

Pentecost." And notice verse 9. He says,

"For a great door and effectual is open

unto me, and there are many

adversaries." And uh this verse gives me

comfort many days in my life because the

truth is the greatest doors come with

the greatest adversaries.

>> The greatest opportunities come with the

greatest opposition. It's a fact

tonight. It's a fact of the word of God.

Where the most effectual work is taking

place, there is going to be the greatest

desire of the enemy to hinder the work

of God. But Paul said, "I'm going to

stay at Ephesus until Pentecost because

there's an open door." And I'll say

this, where God's given you an open

door, you ought to stay there until he

closes it. Amen. And then you move on

again after that. So I notice not only

the membership and the ministry, but

then he mentions the men here in the

text. Verse number 10 through 12.

There's the men and the gospel. Here you

notice verse 10. The Bible says, "Now if

Timoth has come, see that he may be with

you without fear, for he workketh the

work of the Lord as I also do." And so

he here is vindicating Timothy to the

Corinthian church. He is he is possibly

going to come by. And he's telling the

church, all right, if he comes by, you

receive him because uh you don't despise

him because of his age. That's why he

told Timothy in his epistle, he said,

"Let no man despise thy youth, but be

thou an example of the believers." And

he's telling this church, he said,

"Look, he's coming and you need to

receive him gladly." Notice that. He

said, "See that he may be with you

without fear." He's timid. Amen. But

he's doing the work of God. Notice that

in verse 10. For he worketh the work of

the Lord as I also do. And so Paul

vindicates the ministry of Timothy. And

he says further in verse 11, "Let no man

therefore despise him, but conduct him

forth in peace that he may come unto me,

for I look for him with the brethren."

And so they were to receive him in peace

and allow him to minister unto them as

the Apostle Paul ministered to them in

these writings. But they were also to

send him forth in peace that he might

come unto Paul again as well. And so he

mentions Timothy in verses 10 and 11.

Then he mentions Apollos in verse 12. He

says, "As touching our brother Apollos,

I greatly desired to him to come unto

you with the brethren, but his will was

not at all to come at this time, but he

will come when he shall have convenient

time." And so Paul here addresses the

the the thought, the hearing that they

had had that uh Paulus was going to come

unto them, said he's not quite ready at

this time. And I find it interesting

that the subject matter literally just

changes completely 180 degrees into

verse 13. He's given them all of this

information about everything that's

going on at the church and he just drops

this bomb of truth right in the middle

of this letter. And I love that. You

know what? That's what we need

sometimes, ain't it?

>> Right.

>> We need a bomb of truth to just blow up

all of our plans, ideas, and thoughts.

Amen. I think it helps us. Amen. And I

noticed that. Notice verse 13. He

begins, "Watch ye stand fast in the

faith. Quit ye like men. Be strong. Let

all your things be done with charity."

And what I find interesting about this

subject here in the middle of this

number one, I would say that these two

verses are the central point. Now,

they're the central point of the

chapter. This chapter has 24 verses.

here in verse 13 and 14, right in the

middle of this chapter. Paul gives this

admonition. But I'll say this, not only

it's central in the chapter as we read

it physically, but it's central in the

context of this this scripture. You

think about this. Everything that Paul

is telling them in this chapter

surrounding these two verses is leading

off of these verses. He is talking to

them not only uh it's not only

picturesque uh central in the chapter

and in the context but it's also what he

what he's dealing with here is what

should be central in their character.

These principles in verse 13 and 14 is

the focus of the Christian.

>> Amen.

>> And I notice not only that it's central,

it's central here in the chapter in the

context of what he's dealing with that

everything in this chapter is founded

upon this. But it and it should be

central in our character. He wanted it

to be central in their character. But

also note that it's a command. Notice in

verse 13, you don't see any suggestion.

You don't see any question. There's not

a a exhortation to try. Amen. The Bible

doesn't say try to be holy.

>> It says be holy. Amen. The Bible does

not say try to be righteous or try to be

Amen. Try to follow the Lord. But it

tells us that we are to do it. Amen.

Right?

>> You say, "Well, how is that? I'm just

trying to serve God." Well, the thing

about it is you either are or you're

not.

>> Right?

>> Amen. That's what it comes down to

tonight. And in this, this is a command.

You see, Paul's not asking for an

attempt. And when I preach to you, I'm

not asking for an attempt for you to do

right. Amen.

>> I'm not asking for an attempt, but what

I am preaching for, and what the Holy

Ghost is calling for is apprehension of

truth. Amen.

>> And not only apprehension, but

application of that truth. You're right.

>> Amen. If you receive truth, Amen. If you

apprehend it, you take hold of it, it's

only going to be right that you're going

to apply it. You're

>> right.

>> Amen. It's like hooking a plow to a

tractor, amen, and sitting there and

looking at it. Amen. And never doing

anything with it.

>> It ain't going to do any good. It can be

hooked to the tractor from now on, but

until you let it in the ground, Amen.

>> Well, I had the intention of doing that.

Well, intentions don't get anything

done. Amen.

>> Amen. That's right. And so I notice here

it's a command. He's not asking for an

attempt, but he's asking for them to

apprehend this truth and to apply these

principles. And I notice this thirdly,

and I'll give you the thought tonight. I

see it's not only central, it's a

command, but I see it is Christ. And you

say, "What do you mean by that?" Well,

verse 13 and 14 literally are the

embodiment of everything that Christ is

and everything that Christ did. He

exemplified these principles in every

part of his life. If anybody was aware,

Christ was aware. If anybody was firm,

Christ was firm. If anybody was a man,

Amen. Christ was a man.

>> If anybody had strength, Christ was full

of strength and he possessed all

strength. Amen. And if anybody has ever

loved anybody, Christ loved everybody.

>> And so these principles are Jesus

tonight. And so I want to give you this

tonight concerning this admonition here

in the text. Paul's last admonition, I I

pinned this in my notes earlier today.

Paul's last admonition in these two

verses is sufficient instruction for

total success in the church of God.

>> If you obey what's in those two verses,

you can have total and complete success

in your Christian life. I'm convinced

the further I go along, which ain't very

far, but I'm getting further every day.

Somebody say amen. I'm convinced the

further I go along, the Christian life

really is simple.

>> Amen.

>> It's hearing truth and heeding truth.

>> Amen. It's receiving it and obeying it.

>> The problem is, amen, we don't have a

problem receiving it many times, but we

have a problem with obedience,

>> right?

>> And so, notice this. I want to give you

these five principles here in our text

tonight. Verse 13 and 14. And I could

deal on down to verse number 16. Really,

I believe in the context it goes all the

way to verse 16. But I want to deal with

just these two tonight for sake of time.

Notice number one tonight with me

concerning this admonition here uh Paul

gives to the church. There's number one,

there's a patient perception that's

mentioned in verse 13. He says, "Watch

ye." Now, when you think about this

statement tonight, what Paul is

literally applying this to, he is using

it in the masculine sense. We notice

that in the verse when he uses the

phrase quit you like me, but he's also

not only using it in the masculine

sense, but he's also you using it in the

sense of a warrior that is going to a

battle. It's much the same principle

that he uses in the book of Ephesians

when he talks about the armor of God.

And it's the same expression that he

would share with us that we are warriors

that are in a battle. Amen. We fight a

battle every day of our life whether you

like it or not. We don't like to admit

that. Amen. But the moment that you wake

up in the morning until the time that

you lay your head on the pillow at

night, and I'll be honest with you, I've

come to find it here lately, even

sometimes in between that time, there's

a battle that we're facing around the

clock. We are in a battle. And so the

first admonition he gives is that there

is to be patient perception. Now what

does that mean? Well, that word watch

there, the phrase watch means this. It

means to keep awake or to be vigilant.

And Matthew Henry said this, and I like

what he said. He said, "The Christian is

in constant danger." Constant. It does

not stop. You You say, "Preacher, well,

I thought when I got saved that all of

that was supposed to subside." Well, I

wish it was that way. Amen. But the

enemy is constantly raged. Now, the

constant danger, it comes from different

places in our life. There's, you know,

we we think of the big three, sin, self,

and Satan. But I'll be honest with you,

a lot of times it's all three at the

same time,

>> right?

>> Amen. The devil is pushing on our self,

and our self is pushing on us to sin.

And so, because of that, we are in

danger. And all three of those are

present at the hardest moments of our

tenure on this earth. You understand

that every day of our life, we are faced

with something. And often times it's

new,

>> right?

>> And and here's the thing about it now.

The tactics are old,

>> but the temptations are new every time.

>> Just like God's mercies are new, the

devil's temptations

are new every day.

If you get victory in one place, you

just better watch out because the moment

you turn away from that and say, "Thank

you, Lord, for giving me victory there,"

you're going to walk right into

something else.

>> Amen. You're going to come headlong with

something else. And the admonition is

here to watch. Now, what are we watching

for? I would there's many things tonight

that we could we could say, you know, we

we look at those those three truths

there, sin, self, and Satan. So,

basically, we're to watch ourselves and

the influence of sin in our lives. But

it goes much further than that. In

scripture, the Bible commands us. Jesus

told us in Matthew chapter number 24 and

verse number 42, he said, "Watch ye, for

you know neither the day nor the hour

where the son of man cometh.

>> You don't know when the Lord's coming

back. He could be here at any moment in

time." And the truth is that's the

biggest event of him that we're waiting

on.

>> Amen. And so in the moment when we're

watching oursel and we're watching sin

in our life, trying to keep it out and

we're trying to guard ourselves from the

influence of Satan all that time, we're

to be giving credence and watching unto

the coming of Jesus.

>> Right?

>> We got to be open eyes, don't we?

>> Amen.

>> He told us to watch because he's coming.

But he also told us told those disciples

in chapter 26 in verse number 42 he said

watch and pray lest you enter into

temptation. Why is that? The spirit

indeed is willing but the flesh is weak.

You see there's a watching unto eternity

but there's also a watching that's

present. We're watching for a moment

that's that's to come. We're not expect

not to expect it at any moment per se in

the sense of uh you know we don't know

when the Lord's coming but we're also to

expect it at any moment. You're right.

>> You know what I'm saying tonight? To be

ready always.

>> I'll say this tonight. In the broader

sense, we're to be watching over our

family.

>> Dads, we're to watch our children. Men,

we're to watch the church. Christians,

we're to watch other Christians. You

say, "Preacher, well, I'm not supposed

to keep my brother in check." Well, the

Bible teaches us that,

>> right? that we're to exhort one another,

to encourage one another. And if we see

a brother stumble, Paul said that we're

to restore such a one in the spirit of

meekness, considering yourself, lest you

also be tempted. I'm saying Christianity

is not a place for blind people.

>> Amen. I'm not talking about physically.

>> You're right.

>> But what's our problem? We're a bunch of

Christians walking around with glasses

on. Amen.

>> We need to be watching. I'm not knocking

you if you got glasses on tonight. But I

am knocking Tilly. Amen. It's messed

with me. Amen. He come the other night.

We had meeting over there at New Hope

and I got up there and preached and he

was sitting what? Two rows back. Two

rows back. I preached the entire sermon

and he was saying amen just like he

always does.

And I still didn't know it was him. All

because of the glasses.

And so I'm sorry, brother. I had to just

throw that out there. But

where was I at? Amen. I'll never recover

from that, will I? Amen.

>> Oh yeah. Perception. Amen. You need a

clear perception. You see? See, here's

the thing about it in this day and time.

This is where we all most often fail.

Because where distraction is, there is

not clear perception. Where defilement

is, there's not clear perception. Where

division is, there is not clear

perception. And the Bible teaches us,

Peter said this way in first Peter

1 Peter 5 · chapter mention

chapter 5 and verse number eight. What

was his first admonition? He said, "Be

sober,

>> right?

>> Be vigilant, for your adversary, the

devil, is as a walking line is as a

roaring lion walking about seeking whom

he may devour." And if we are constantly

filled and moved by something else, we

are not watching

>> for the enemy.

>> So, there is a patient perception. I'll

say this tonight. It's just like the

hunter. If there's going to be a side of

anything that we're going to to take in

or if we're going to bag that game,

amen, we're going to have to be patient

in our perception.

>> Right?

>> The same way it is in battle. You think

about the the enemy. You think about the

war war and the sense of this world that

we're acquainted with in this day and

time. All the tools that men have in

order to fight battles. You understand

the Christian life. The Christian battle

is the same way it's always been.

We don't have scopes and long range

missiles.

>> Amen. We don't have all of the newness.

Amen. It's still fought and still

learned and still done the exact same

way it's always been. You're

>> right.

>> It it requires steady attendance. And so

there is patient perception here

tonight. Notice second of all here in

the text, not only patient perception,

we're to be watchful, but there also is

an admonition here of a permanent

position. And look what he says in verse

number 13. Watch ye stand fast

in what?

>> In the faith. You know, there's some

things in our life that ought not

change.

>> Amen. There is some things that about

who we are and what we believe that are

non-negotiables.

And I think where we've lost it in this

church world today is we've adopted the

mentality of the world that everything's

debatable.

>> Right.

>> Well, there's just some things that's

not up for debate tonight. Amen. There's

there's ideas, Amen. And and our our

world, Amen. I'm not going to harp on

this very long, but they've tried to

redefine marriage. Amen. And and bring a

question where God put a period. Amen.

But we know the truth tonight. That's

settled.

>> Amen. There's no if and buts about it.

Amen. It's settled tonight. That is not

arguable. But I'll tell you this,

greater than anything else in this

world, this truth ought to be settled to

us. What does he say? He says that we

are to stand fast in the faith. Well,

that standing fast means to persevere.

But persevere in our language gives us

the idea of a person running a race. We

think we got to persist and persevere

until the end. But this truth goes

beyond that. It's not talking about

moving. But if you look at the

definition of this word in its fullness,

it means to stand still. Means to be

stationary or to persist. And so when he

says here in the text to stand fast,

he's telling us there's some things that

you're to stand firm on and stay still.

>> Right?

>> You know, we we get we get our mind

crossed up sometimes talking about and

I've even said this tonight that we're

always to be moving forward, but that's

not in progressivism. Amen.

>> That's in sanctification is what that

is. We're to be moving forward, getting

more like Christ. Amen. I think a lot of

people are moving forward and staying on

the same level.

>> You're right.

>> Amen. The Christian life is like a

staircase. If you're moving forward,

you're going up. Somebody say amen.

You're not going to be going forward and

staying in the same place. But there is

going to be an elevation. And so I'll

say this tonight. He tells us to stand

fast in the faith. What is that? That's

the gospel.

>> That's Jesus Christ. That's the death,

the burial, and the resurrection of

Jesus. That is the faith. Amen.

>> What is that faith? Well, it's our final

authority. You're

>> right.

>> It's what we believe tonight. Everything

else hinges on the gospel. Somebody say,

"Amen. That is what our life hinges

upon. If the gospel moves, then we're

not then we then we're moved.

>> Amen. That's right. If the gospel

changes, then we have to change. You're

right.

>> But you know what? It doesn't change.

You're

>> right.

>> Amen. Jesus Christ the same yesterday,

today, and forever. Amen. Hey, he's not

going to change. And so, he is our final

authority. I'll say this, he's not only

this this position, it it gives us our

final authority, but it's our faith

acquisition. And I I say that for sake

of literation, but it's also a point I

want to make. This is what we're

striving for.

>> You're right.

>> What' Paul say? Said that I may know

him. This is what we've zeroed in on.

This is what we're heading towards. This

is where we're going. You know, tonight,

if you don't have a plan with your life,

if you don't have a plan in whatever it

is you're doing, you're probably not

going to get anything done.

>> You're right.

>> Our acquisition is him.

>> It's the faith.

>> Amen. That's where we're headed. It's

our final authority. It's what we're

standing on. But it's also where we're

going.

>> Isn't that interesting? It's what we're

standing on right now. But even far out

yonder, the same thing we're standing on

is what we're headed towards. You know

what that is? That's a path, ain't it?

>> Right.

>> Amen.

>> Notice this. It's not only our final

authority and our faith's acquisition,

but it's our future's assurance.

>> That when you get out there, Amen. When

you've when you've when you stood on it

here, when it's the final authority here

and it's what you're aiming for out

there, when you get out there, man, I'm

telling you, I feel something down on

the inside of me. Amen. When you get out

there, the assurance that you have here,

hey, knowing what you've been aiming for

all THIS TIME, IT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING

TO GET. IT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED

WHEN YOU get there. Amen. Hallelujah.

Have you ever made a trip sometimes and

you had all this excitement

thinking, "Man, this is going to be

awesome." Man, I do that when me and dad

used to go look at bulldozers,

thinking, man, this is just going to be

the ticket to our work. Amen. I remember

we get there and the guy with the seller

talk it up. Man, this looks great. You

know, it's a great machine. It's

perfect. You know, if you talk a truck

or something like that, you know, man,

there's nothing wrong with it. It's

clean title, no rust. You know what I'm

talking about, man. Amen. You get there

and the thing's literally falling all to

pieces. Amen. Is that not the way it is?

>> But I'll tell you this, it ain't going

to be this way with this thing, is it?

>> Hey, when we get there, it's going to be

better than we ever could have dreamed.

>> Amen. When when we what we are laying

our eyes on right now, we see it a far

off. But I'll tell you this, when we get

there,

>> Amen.

>> Amen. When faith becomes silent, man,

I'm telling you, the half that ain't

never been told, that's why I want to

have a permanent position.

>> Yes.

>> I'm just going to stay here. Amen.

>> Right. just going to stay in the path

because I'm headed somewhere. I'll say

this. We need to get a lock tight vice

grip hold on the faith.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. Take hold of it. What what what

Paul say to lay hold on eternal life

where unto that are called. That is the

faith. That's the gospel. That eternal

life that Jesus came to impart, we're to

grab hold and hang on tight. Amen.

>> Get us a hold on that thing. It's why

Jude said in Jude verse number three, he

said, "We're to earnestly contend for

the faith that's once delivered for the

saints." I'll tell you this, if you

hanging on to it, amen, and it gets to

shaken all around, you know what it's

going to look like? You're fighting.

Amen.

>> Right?

>> I tell you what, the world's going to

try to shake us up. The devil's going to

try to shake us up. Amen. Friends,

family, and all of that other everything

else going to try to shake us up. Let me

tell you something. Just keep your

position. Don't change. Just stay with

it. Amen. Don't back up on the doctrines

of this Bible.

That ought not be quiet tonight. Amen.

That ought to be that's that's that's

foundational. Amen. What Paul say in 1

Corinthians 3, for other foundation can

no man lay,

>> right?

>> Than that that is laid. You're

>> right.

>> Which is Christ Jesus. Peter said in

Acts chapter 4, he said, "For there's

Acts 4 · chapter mention

none other name under heaven given among

men whereby we must be saved." Amen.

It's his name. He is the faith and that

is our permanent position. Amen.

>> Not changing. Hallelujah.

Notice not only our patient perception

and our permanent position, we've been

given this foundation according to

Romans chapter number five and verse

number two. We stand there by grace

through faith on this foundation of

faith. Notice verse three or the third

thing. It's verse 13. You see he says,

"Watch ye stand fast in the faith. Quit

you like men." So there is our

perception, our position. Now there's

our posture. We're to have a p

persistent

posture. So what does he say? He says,

"Quit you like men." Now, I've heard men

preach this and I actually listened to a

message today out of this text and he

preached it a lot better than I did, but

he preached it out of context. Amen. He

talked about some things you ought to

quit like a man. Amen. And it was good.

I enjoyed it. Amen. But that's not what

this is saying. Amen. That word quit

there in the text literally means this.

It means to be a man.

He says, "Quit you like men." That's

speaking of bravery. That's speaking of

boldness. It means to equip yourself or

to armor up. Amen. Put on the Lord Jesus

Christ, Paul said, and make no provision

for the flesh to fulfill it in the lust

thereof. Hey, we're if we put him on,

our posture, amen, is going to fit that

armor. You ever studied about that armor

in the word of God?

>> That Roman soldier, you know that armor?

My daddy, I'll never forget him

preaching this as long as I live. He was

preaching through the armor of God over

there in the book of Ephesians and he

said this. He said, "You know that

armor," he said, "It was made to fit."

>> Right?

>> Amen. It didn't fit just an old lazy fat

slob. Amen.

>> Right.

>> But it was made for somebody that to

fit. And you know what? The muscles,

Amen. And that thing, if you didn't feel

it out, you weren't going to be able to

work with it.

>> Right.

>> Amen. And that's the way it is with this

tonight. If you don't fit this truth,

the armor is not gonna not going to help

you, but it's going to hurt you.

>> You're right.

>> Amen.

>> You ever wore something that don't fit?

Amen. Y'all dead as a hammer tonight.

Y'all going to have to come on help me a

little bit. Amen. You get chapped and

charred. Amen. And all kinds of other

stuff. Amen. You get hurt because it

don't fit. You're

>> right.

>> But I'll tell you this, the armor is not

the problem.

>> You're right.

>> Amen.

>> It's the one wearing it.

>> You're right. And if our posture is

right, the armor will fit. Amen. We're

to be a man. Hey, don't be fearful.

Don't be fake. Amen.

>> It ain't It's not time to be fake. Amen.

We don't need fake nice guys. We need

men that'll be real. Amen. And right.

>> Amen. Here's what I'm seeing in this day

and time. We got a lot of men that's

real.

>> Amen. We got a lot of men that's real.

But you know what the problem? You can

be real all you want to be real, but if

you ain't right, your realness don't

amount to nothing.

>> You're right.

>> Amen.

>> That's right. Tonight, you've got to be

right with the word of God. And then if

you're real on the terms of that, that

means you got to believe it, but you

also got to believe it. Amen.

>> You got to love it, but you have to live

it. Amen.

>> It's got to be more than just black

black ink on white paper, but it's got

to be life. And everything that you are,

it is this that makes the posture. What

did Paul describe the last days as? He

said they have a form of godliness,

>> but denying the power thereof.

>> Right?

>> Amen. They have an image, but you see

the posture is not within. Look what he

says. He says, "Quit you like a man.

Quit you like men."

You know what I say this, a man will

stand, but I'll say this. A godly man

will stand and stay.

>> You're right.

>> Amen.

A man will stand on anything.

>> We sit all over this country. Yeah,

>> there's a man up there in New York right

now that's standing for demonic ideas

and beliefs that if they're not dealt

with, they will send this country to

destruction faster than we can blink.

>> Right?

>> He's standing for it. That'll make it

right. You're

>> right.

>> Somebody say amen right there.

>> What I'm saying is it's right for us to

stand. We got to stand in the right

place and on the right thing. We got to

have the right posture

>> and we got to stay. You know, I don't

want to ever I don't want my kids to

grow up and say, "My daddy believed that

when I was little, but he don't believe

it no more."

>> That's good.

>> My daddy did that when I was little, but

he don't do it no more.

>> I don't want a a person in this

congregation to ever say that that

preacher used to preach on that, but he

don't preach it no more.

>> Good.

>> Amen. I want it to stay the same.

>> I want to stand on it, but I'm going to

stay with it. Amen. We ought to make

that our resolve. Hey, that's not just

for men. That's for all of us,

>> right?

>> And don't mistake the message tonight.

He's using it in the masculine sense

because that's what we're that's who

we're warriors in this time. And the

principle applies across the board for

all of us,

>> right?

>> Amen.

>> To stand.

What did he tell them in the book of

Ephesians? He said in Ephesians, he

said, "Be strong in the Lord

>> in the power of his might." He said,

"Stand therefore with your loins g about

truth having on the breastplate of

righteousness and them feet shaw with

the preparation of the gospel peace and

that belt of truth." He lists all those

all that armor. But what's the most

important thing? He says, "Stand having

done all to stand." There ought to be a

persistent posture. You know, I want it

to be like it was in 1st Samuel chapter

number 9 and verse number six, I believe

it is, when uh they was looking for a

preacher and that man came and got Saul

and chapter 9 verse number six, he he

said, "There is in this city a man of

God."

Could could somebody say that about your

house?

>> Come on.

>> Could somebody say that about this

church?

>> Good.

>> You know, I don't want to lose that.

>> Amen. Amen.

>> There is in this city a man of God that

ain't just a preacher.

>> That's good.

>> That ain't just a man.

>> You're right.

>> I was thinking about this the other day.

I was going to actually say something

about this on Sunday, but you know,

there's there's something that Miss

Modina, Brother Paul Cisk, and there was

a few others I was thinking about that

y'all don't know about, but those two

have in common. Probably I don't even

know if they ever knew each other, but

I'll tell you this, they operate the

same way.

>> All right. They believe the same thing

and they operate the same way. And

that's by faith and on their knees in

prayer.

>> Yeah.

>> Two totally different worlds.

>> But they believe and behave the same

way.

>> I tell you this, that's what it's going

to take.

>> You're right.

>> Persistent posture.

That posture is a posture of prayer.

>> Yes.

>> That posture is a posture of praise.

>> Notice this.

there. I I can't get over that. There is

in this city a man of God.

Notice verse number the fourth thought

here in our verse, verse 13. Quit you

like men. Be strong. So there's a

persistent posture that we ought to

have. We're to equip ourselves to be a

man. Be bold. Don't be fearful, afraid,

or fake. Be real and right.

I got to give you this before I move off

of that. I'll say this. A man number one

tonight, he's touchable. What do you

mean by that? Well, when God deals with

him, puts his finger on him, you know

what? He don't just back up to that

thing.

>> Good.

>> But when God touches him, it's like that

potter in the clay.

>> Yes.

>> That vessel was marred,

>> painful, agonizing.

A man of God's touchable. But I'll say

this, a man of God's trustworthy.

>> Yes.

>> Amen. and you can depend on him. He's

faithful. What's our verse? It's

required in stewards that a man be found

faithful. He's trustworthy. But I'll say

this, man of God's not only touchable

and truthful or trustworthy,

but he's teachable.

>> I'll tell you this, the reason why

people aren't teachable in this day and

time is because they're not touchable.

>> You're right.

>> You can't teach people anything because

they won't let God touch them.

>> You're right.

He said, "Quit, you like me." Man will

admit the fact he don't know it all.

>> You're right.

>> Man will admit the fact he needs to

learn. Man admit the fact that he ain't

got it all together.

>> Yeah.

>> I'll tell you the days that helped me

the most for my daddy growing up is when

he looked at me and said, "Son, I'll be

honest with you. I don't know. I don't

really know what to tell you right now,

but I'll tell you this. I'm going to

pray and you need to pray and we need to

figure this thing out."

>> Yes.

>> I'll tell you what, that helped me as

much as more than anything else she ever

told me. Amen.

>> We ain't got it figured out.

>> But you know what? The posture don't

change.

>> Amen.

>> What we do have figured out,

don't back up on it. Notice this. I'm I

moved tonight. He says, "Be strong."

There's there's prominent power.

Prominent power. Be strong. What does

that mean? Well, strong means to empower

or to increase in vigor. Of course, we

know tonight this is spiritual, not

physical.

It's hidden power. It's not visible.

It's not inherent, but it's attained.

>> Something you wasn't born with.

Something that you just didn't get.

Something you don't just stumble across,

but it requires effort. You see,

Ephesians 6:10, be strong, the Lord in

Ephesians 6:10

the power of his might. You see the

strength that we have, it's endued.

You're

>> right.

>> It's given to us.

>> Yes.

>> But you understand that strength is

given to you without measure. But the

difference of how strong you are is how

much of that strength you employ.

>> You're right.

>> You see, see strength was in dude. What?

Acts chapter 1 verse number eight. He

Acts 1 · chapter mention

told him said, "You shall receive power

after that the Holy Ghost come upon

you." So it's spiritual strength. It's

Holy Ghost. You shall receive power

after that the Holy Ghost has come upon

you. Shall be witnesses. You know the

verse. Well, what comes out of that? Why

is it that people who are saved and have

that strength endued to them do not use

it? Well, it's endued, but most people

don't employ it. You're

>> right.

>> It's the same the same idea of having um

you know, having a machine that can do a

do a do a job, you know, at your

workplace or something, does something,

but if you don't use that,

>> you know, you think about everything

used to be made by hand. Now you have,

you know, a machine that's able to do

those things, you know, clothing, things

of that nature when when, you know,

ladies and men men would have to sit for

hours and sew. And then there would be a

machine that you hook in the wall and

you just move that thing around. A lot

less labor involved in that.

>> It's a lot quicker to go that way. Well,

you see, here's the thing about the

Christian life. God's given us power,

>> right?

>> We're given the operation. We know how

this thing ought to go, but what

happens? We try to do it ourselves.

>> That's right.

We've been endued with power, but we

don't employ it.

Notice that he says, "Be strong.

Be strong." It's not something that that

you just get.

And and I like what John said. You

remember what John said, 1 John 2, he

said, I said, "I've written unto you

young men because you are strong and

you've overcome the wicked one." But you

know, he wasn't talking about their

inherent strength. It's not youth that

just brings strength in the spiritual

world. Their strength come from the

Lord. Amen. That's where their power

comes from. That's where our strength

comes from. And if we do not employ

that, you see this strength is

sovereign. It comes from God. It's

spiritual. It is the Holy Ghost within

us. It is imp it is employed through

scripture.

The spirit of God has no foundation to

work in your life without the word of

God.

>> Right? You can have all the power in the

world invested in you by being saved and

having the spirit of God within. But it

is the scripture in which the Holy

Spirit writes the pages of your life

upon.

>> Right?

>> But what do we do? We just set that book

aside.

I I'll write my own story today, Lord.

>> It's sovereign. It's spiritual. It's

scriptural. It's sanctifying. This

strength sets you apart. Think about

Samson. You know, we have the image in

our mind and the kids Bibles. I had one

of them. Kids Bibles picture Samson's

looking like Arie,

some big old buff guy. But I'll tell you

what, I don't believe Samson was that

way. I think he was just a small guy.

And I think the Holy Ghost gave him

power.

>> Bible says the spirit of God began to

move him.

>> Right?

>> God empowered him. He was different. Why

is that? Because God put the power on

him. God made him distinct. God made him

different. He didn't just look like

somebody that lifted weights all the

time.

>> Right?

>> You know what? Real spiritual people,

what you'll notice about them is they

have no distinction of themselves. They

look just like the rest of us.

>> Right?

>> They might dress different. I'll say

this, the further we go along in this

world today. All of that's going to get

more and it's going to get farther and

farther and farther out. The world's

going to keep going farther and farther

and farther away. And Christians are

going to have to look more different.

Amen. We're peculiar people. But what

I'm trying to say tonight is this is

spiritual people, holy people that have

power and it's prominent in their life.

You get around them and it ain't nothing

they say. It ain't nothing they do. But

just being around them, you know that

God's power

>> is on their life. You're

>> right.

>> I'll say it again. Sister Modina is one

of those people.

>> You're right.

>> You get around her and the Holy Ghost

was just there.

>> Yeah.

>> My grandmother was like that. My

great-grandmother was like that. My

great granny's the reason probably that

my family saved and preaching. My my

brother and my daddy and myself all

preaching and and and I know it was her

prayers that put salvation in our life.

>> Amen.

>> Just a bunch of farm kids.

And God saved us out of that.

>> Called us, saved us, sealed us, called

us to the ministry. And it was because

of a woman of WOMEN THAT HAD THE HOLY

GHOST DRIPPING OFF THEIR LIVES. AMEN.

>> That imprint,

you see, the power was there, but it

wasn't just there. It was prominent,

>> right?

>> It had precedence.

You've got power tonight.

>> It's in you.

>> But is it prominent?

Is that what everybody sees?

You see, I'm afraid I don't want people

to get to the end. I don't want to get

to the end of my ministry and people

look at me and say, "Well, he was the

Bible expositor."

Now, I I'm thankful for the word of God,

and I love it, and I love to to to

expositionally teach and preach the word

of God, but I'll tell you this, that

book without the power of God is just as

dead as yesterday or tomorrow's

newspaper.

>> Without God's presence, WITHOUT GOD'S

POWER, WE'LL NEVER GET anything out of

that Bible.

>> RIGHT? AND POWER HAS TO BE PROMINENT. IT

HAS TO BE PREEMINENT IN EVERYTHING THAT

WE DO, BUT more importantly in who we

are.

>> Right?

>> Be strong.

>> I'll remind you again, it's not

inherited, but it's inherent, but it's

attained. It's cultivated.

It's endued. It's it's increased by

steady use. You remember Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 5 · chapter mention

5. Hebrews chapter 5 verse number 14

Hebrews 5 · chapter mention

said though he said even to them that

strong meat belongth to them that are

full age. You remember what we talked

about there a few weeks ago Sunday

school it belongth to them who are full

age. He said what did he say? He said to

them who by reason of use have exercised

their exercised their senses to discern

both good and evil.

>> Power belongs to people who's willing

willing to work for it.

>> You're right.

>> If you give five minutes a day to your

Bible study and two minutes a day to

prayer, you're probably not going to

have power. You're right.

>> If you give that much to prayer and to

Bible study a day, you probably don't do

it every day.

>> Here's here's what I'm saying to you.

Power belongs to those who invest time

in it.

>> Yes.

>> To receive it.

It's got to be prominent in your life.

It it's increased by steady use

according to Hebrews chapter 5 verse

Hebrews 5 · chapter mention

number 14. It's also increased by

obedience according to Philippians

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2 verse number 12. Paul said, he

told that Philippian church, he said,

"To work out your own salvation with

fear and trembling."

>> You're right.

>> How's that done? He said, he said, "As

you've always obeyed, Amen. Not now." He

said, "I'm in my absence." He said, "You

obeyed in my presence, but now in my

absence," he said, you're going to have

to work out your own s your work out

your own salvation with fear and tremor.

Can't have somebody holding you by the

hand all the time.

>> Right?

>> Y'all don't have to have a preacher, a

Sunday school teacher, or somebody to

hold you by the hand. You ought to have

a spiritual life for yourself,

>> right?

>> You can't live off somebody else's

power. You can't live off somebody

else's prayer life. I'll be honest with

you. I think sometimes in our church,

I'll be real honest with you, can you

with tonight? I think we're operating

off the prayers of some faithful saints

of God tonight.

>> You're right.

>> No, matter of fact, I know we are.

>> You're right.

>> Cuz this young generation ain't got time

to pray.

>> You're right, brother.

They ain't got time to come to church

for different events other than Sunday

morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday

night. They ain't no way they got time

to pray.

>> Good.

>> I'm being honest with you.

>> Come on.

>> Okay. And what are we going to do when

the faithful prayers are gone?

>> You're right.

>> I feel like this is something every

every service I preach, Brother Rick,

feels like it's something comes up every

time. What are we going to do when the

next generation has to take it?

Be strong.

Prominent power. Y'all right tonight. I

got one more.

>> Y'all hand to one more.

>> Prominent power. Be strong. Then there's

the last one. This This is where it gets

better. Amen. And this ain't bad. Amen.

This ought to be what you love. Amen.

I tell you what, when I got saved and

got right with God,

later on life, I got really right with

God and got surrendered to his will. You

know what? There ain't been preaching

I've heard since then I thought was too

hard.

>> Right.

>> There's been some preaching I thought,

well, that ain't biblical. Amen. But

there's been that I never heard a sermon

I thought, man, that's too harsh.

It's just right.

>> You're right.

>> Notice this verse 14. Let all your

things be done with charity.

There's a prevailing passion

that we are to have. And why is that

passion prevailing? Well, notice the

verse. There's the outlets in verse 14.

Let all your things I don't know about

you, that sounds like everything to me.

>> You're right.

>> That's every outlet.

>> Every relationship, every employment,

everything that you are, and everything

that you do summed up in that verse.

>> You're right.

>> Let all your things, every outlet, every

operation, look what he says. Let all

your things be done.

This ought to be the seasoning on top of

every meal. This ought to be the staple

of every event. It ought to be the

center point of everything that goes on

in your life.

What is it? Well, because he's talking

to the church. You know what it is? It's

oneness.

>> Notice the verse. Let all your things be

done with charity. That charity in the

church is brotherly kindness. What did

Jesus say to the disciples? He said, "By

this, amen. By this shall all men know

that you're my disciples." When you have

because you have love one to another,

charity. Every outlet is designed, the

operation of every false facet of life

is designed to be done with oneness.

That oneness first of all comes between

you and Christ.

>> Right?

>> There's got to be fellowship.

>> There has to be closeness. There has to

be Christian fellowship between you and

your master. And then it goes beyond

that. Not just to fellowship with the

Lord, but it goes to fellowship with the

brethren.

>> You got to be right with God and right

with the church. Now, oh man, people

don't like to hear that, but I'll say

this. If you're not right with a church,

you're not right with God.

>> You're right.

>> That's the book.

>> If you are not right I'll say this. If

you're not right with a family member or

a spouse, you're not right with God.

Come on.

>> WHAT DID THE BIBLE teach us? That we if

we if we go apart, if we mess up in our

marriage, what would it do? It hinder

our prayers. Right.

>> Amen.

Say, it's important.

Why does that happen? Because we don't

have love.

>> You're right.

>> What does the Bible say? Love will hide

a multitude of sins. Love is the is the

ingredient that God operates his mercy

upon.

>> Yes.

The long-suffering hand of God towards

sinners is is BECAUSE OF WHAT? HIS LOVE

for

>> The only reason God would give us a

chance to serve him is because he loves

us.

>> You're right.

>> THE ONLY REASON GOD WOULD GIVE US A

CHANCE TO TRY to live the Christian life

the best we can is because he loves us.

He knows how big of a failure we are.

>> You're right.

>> Amen.

>> On our best day, WE MISS IT EVERY 5

SECONDS. SOMEBODY SAY, "AMEN."

>> You're right. I think to myself some

days, man, could you be any more stupid?

Amen.

You know what this life comes down to?

It comes down to operating in the realm

of God's holiness.

>> You're right.

>> And that's where his love is. I'll say

this tonight, and I'm done.

Paul points out here and really it's

pointed out in all the word of God. But

God has designed the church so that the

church must be reliant on Christ.

>> Yes.

>> Amen.

>> The church must be relied on Christ. But

don't miss this. It's also dependent on

Christian brotherhood.

>> You're right.

>> It's dependent on us.

>> You're right.

>> What did the Bible say? It please God by

the foolishness of preaching to save

them that would believe. I don't know

about you, but you don't have preaching

without a preacher and a people to

preach to. You're

>> right.

>> You don't have fellowship. You don't

have Christianity without Christians.

This thing ain't just throw away and

pick it up again somewhere else down

along the way. It's not. It don't work

that way.

>> You're right.

>> This thing's holy. It's the eternal

purpose, by the way. It's what Jesus

died for.

>> It is. Amen.

>> He died for the church. You're

>> right.

>> The grace dispensation. Just get a hold

of this tonight. The mystery that has

been hid from all the prophets. And God

loved his men.

>> Yes.

>> Every one of them. He loved John the

Baptist. He said there's not been a man

born of woman greater.

>> You're right.

>> Than John the Baptist. But you remember

what he said? He that's least in the

kingdom of God is greater.

>> Y.

>> He loved Moses. He loved Noah. He loved

David. He loved Abraham, Isaac, and

Jacob. He loved Solomon, and everyone

that followed him. Let me tell you this.

He hid what we're doing tonight from all

of them.

>> Yes, you're right.

>> How do we treat him?

>> The admonition of the apostle here, I'll

say it again tonight. This last

admonition that he interjects in the

central point of this chapter is

sufficient instruction for total

success.

If you apply verse 13 and 14,

sky's is the limit.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. I believe that tonight.

>> Just that

it's enough. Amen. Father, thank you for

this time tonight.

Thank you for these truths, Lord. I

believe it with every fiber in my being.

And God, I know if I should falter,

Lord, if I should fail and Lord, some

way, somehow I get put out of this thing

because of a mistake that I made.

Lord, I know tonight and I want these

people to know that this is still right.

>> Regardless of who fails it, of who

misses it, and who makes it,

>> it's still right. Lord, I pray you'd

help us to apply it. Not just to

apprehend it, but to apply it. Lord, I

love you. Thank you for loving us and

giving us this wonderful church. And

Lord, I know it's not perfect, but God,

I know one day you're going to make us

perfect.

>> Amen.

>> And so, Lord, help us to strive to be

until you come. Lord, we love you. Bless

us as we depart in Jesus name. And God's

children say it.

>> Amen.

>> I love each and every one of you. I hope

you have a good rest of your week.

>> 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.

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