Pep talk for the persecuted

Suffer for our faith, the lessons are good to know in advance because we will suffer for our faith.

Say this with me: we will suffer for our faith.

We will suffer for our faith.

I've been in the ministry now 40 years, and I'm going to tell you, I have been literally ridiculed and cut to pieces in some of my ministry.

At Open Door Baptist Church, I was really labeled the Jim Jones.

They said, uh oh, you better look out.

Pastor Daniel's going to bring out the Kool-Aid because we were growing so fast and God blessing so much.

I mean, they said all things about me.

They said that, hey, the reason God was blessing us there just like he's doing here financially.

And you know what they used to say about our church?

They used to say, you know, have you heard about that preacher over at Open Door?

No, what?

Oh, he gets them in a gym and he locks the doors and he won't let them out until they give him so much money.

I said, that sounds like a pretty good idea.

I learned some things by some of those criticisms.

But it's just amazing how people are gonna criticize you.

So let's go.

Let's look at these lessons.

Well, this is good.

Number one, as Christians, we should expect trials.

Verse 12.

Look at it.

Boy, this is good.

Verse 12 says, Count it not strange.

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you.

Another translation puts it, Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your testing as though some strange thing was happening to you.

But in spite of these words, we often still are surprised when a big storm comes.

Or we're persecuted, aren't we?

Why has this happened to me?

Duh! What did he just say?

It's God's will for us to be persecuted sometimes.

So don't think it's strange.

Don't be caught off guard.

Now watch.

We're often surprised, and let me tell you what we're often surprised by, and I'm just talking about me.

I'm using me as a person.

You know, I I've preached all my life for 40 plus years now.

That we're gonna suffer, we're gonna face trials.

Now, we don't really know what suffering is in America compared to those in China and third world countries.

I forgot how many thousands of Christians are killed every year for their faith.

We don't see that happening in America.

Starting to, maybe a little bit, with some of the terrorist situations, trying to.

Actually, that is not true.

We have seen some people where they came in and just killed them right there in the church.

So it's starting to come to America.

But we've not seen that kind of persecution.

We've not seen the kind of persecution that Peter's writing about with Nero here that was in charge.

We've not seen that kind of persecution yet.

We may.

We could.

But here's what he's saying.

And here's what I don't understand.

When we say, oh, we're going to endure trials, okay.

But notice something here.

I use the word intensity.

We don't understand the intensity of our trials.

Notice what Peter says.

He doesn't just say we're going to endure a trial.

Like Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2.3.

He says, a fiery trial.

I don't mind a trial, Peter, but why does it have to be fiery?

That's Shadrach, Meshach, and Nebednego about that fiery trial.

Literally.

Amen.

So the intensity of the trial, we don't know for sure, but I think he was talking about Nero because he had unleashed on the church at the unbelievable persecution in Rome.

You know what Nero did, and I know it's horrible every time I mentioned it, but he would take Christians and he would cover them with pitch.

Pitch was a form of kind of an oil mixture.

And then he'd set them on fire and put them upon trees to light his garden while he was having parties.

Or he would go into a big arena like Brian Denham's Stadium, and he would just have Christians and throw them out there and have lines, open them up, and just let them just tear them to pieces while people cheered at that.

God help us.

But that was the cruelty that we're talking about here.

And here's the thing: the intense of the suffering.

And the question is, every one of us asks, where is God in all this?

Where's God?

Why would he allow this to happen?

Why is this happening?

Those are good questions.

Those are good questions.

But don't be surprised at the intensity of your trial.

Listen to what Peter says.

Look at verse 17 and 18.

For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God.

And if it is first, hey, it begins at us.

What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Here's what he's saying.

Hey, if we've got to go through that kind of, hey, judgment, if we got to go through that kind of refining process, what about those that don't know God?

God help them at their judgment.

Wow, that's powerful.

Look at what he says.

And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

In other words, it's tough when you're going through the refining process, but you ought to be thankful that you're not going to be at the final judgment in hell.

Peter's giving them a great exhortation.

He's giving them a pep rally.

He's giving them a pep talk.

He said, Christians, you don't understand.

You ought to be excited about your persecution because it could be a lot worse.

Can I get an O me?

A lot worse.

That's what he's basically saying.

If God's people suffer so much in this life, what do you think hell will be like for those who do not obey the gospel?

And then, secondly, we're often surprised by the purpose of the trials.

Look at the purpose in verse 12.

Peter says, for that this fiery ordeal comes upon us for testing.

Most of us flatter ourselves into thinking that we're doing reasonably well in our Christian life and that we don't need any intense trials to test our faith.

But we don't know ourselves, the really, we don't comprehend really the depth of our own sin.

We really don't.

The average Christian in America today, we do not understand how much worldliness is in us.

I knew I wouldn't get one amen on that.

We are so encompassed with worldliness we don't even know the depth of it.

We laugh at stuff that 20 years ago we couldn't even watch.

Hello?

Come on now, let's be honest.

We kind of turn our faces or turn our backs or just say, here's what we say.

It is what it is.

Baloney.

It is what you make it.

It is what you accept.

And we see this here.

We don't even know the depth of our own sin.

We don't know the extent of our own self-trust.

Most of us put most of our trust in ourselves instead of God.

Hello?

Come on.

You know when we holler for God?

When we, hey, when we hit our face first, bam.

Or here's what I pray.

Lord, I'll call you if I need you.

And we justify it.

Well, God, you've made me.

God, you've given me my gifts.

You've given me my talent.

You've given me my abilities.

So I'm going to go do it.

Instead of every day, Lord, thank you for the abilities that you've given me.

It's not me.

It's not about me, it's about Him.

Not I, but Christ.

Say that with me, church.

Not I, but Christ.

So we see that.

We don't even know the shallowness of our joy.

I think the Christian church is so shallow of real joy that they don't even understand what joy really is.

If we understand what joy really is, then we could understand what persecution is.

Because the, what does James say?

Count it all joy.

When you fall into divers temptations and trials.

Count it all joy.

Hey, when the first time you get a trial, do you jump up and down and say, Woo! Hallelujah! I got a trial.

I got a fiery trial.

No, you know what we say?

Ah, not me! Or we say, how, where's the back door?

How can I get out of this trial?

I'm bailing.

Oh, that's what it's to stand for Christ, not me.

I'll just stay over here and mind my own business.

You don't have any business if you're Christ.

Hey, if you know Christ, you don't have any business.

It's his business.

Can I get an Amen?

But that's true.

And that's what we do.

And if we're Christians, our faith must be tested and refined through trials.

Remember what you've heard me say time and time again?

Faith must be tested before it can be trusted.

Amen.

And so we see this is what how Peter's really giving truth to the Christians.

So the Lord graciously sends trials to test our faith.

Now, hey, we see, we don't understand the intensity, we see the purpose for our testing, but also look, we see the source of the trials.

Peter readers here were catching persecution from their former friends.

Remember, look at verse 4.

Go back to verse 4.

Remember what it said?

Wherein they think it's strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.

In other words, you're no longer partying with them, you're no longer doing all the ungodly things that y'all were doing before you got saved.

So now they think you're weird and they think you're crazy and they think you've lost it.

Is that not what the world thinks about us?

Every show you see that that portrays a Christian, they make us look like we're uneducated and stupid and crazy.

But that's not the case, is it?

No.

Not if we understand why we're going through this persecution.

Hey, so think it not strange when your friends start persecuting you.

Hello?

Come on now.

You know, it's one thing when people outside start persecuting me or criticizing me, but what about when your loved ones and and your friends start criticizing you?

Oh, loved ones wouldn't do that.

Hello, they're usually the first to start.

Right?

Hello?

Oh, you're going over to that crazy church over there.

That's CCW.

They're crazy over there.

Yeah.

Well, okay.

Thank you.

I still love you.

But they must have reason, don't they know?

Hey, don't our friends know that we love them?

And the reason that we're reaching out to them is to give them the joy of the Lord that we have.

I'm going to tell you something, folks.

There's a major difference between what I was in the world and what I am now in Christ.

Major difference.

I have peace, I have joy, I have real joy.

The joy of the Lord is my strength.

They don't understand that.

We care about them.

I want them to know the joy that we found in Christ.

Hey, but remember what Jesus said, John 15.

I think I've got it there for you.

Verses 18 and 19.

Remember what Christ said?

He said, The world hates me.

And he warned that if the world hates me, they're going to hate you.

Isn't that what he said?

That's exactly what he said.

So don't be fooled.

Don't be surprised if former friends persecute you.

Now, secondly, we often think it's strange when we catch opposition from those in the church.

Look, not only do we get opposition from our friends, we get opposition from those in the church.

Oh, you're kidding me?

No.

I know I wished everybody in the church got along with everybody.

That would be very nice, wouldn't it?

Wouldn't that maybe be Christ-like?

Just a thought.

But remember what Jesus said about that?

Jesus told the disciples that they would be persecuted by the religious crowd.

In fact, he said in Mark 13, 9, I think I've got that on there too, he said, you're going to be flogged by the religious folks.

In fact, he was flogged by the religious folks.

He was whipped with the cat of nine-tails.

And then he went on to say, and oh, by the way, the same people that, hey, he said, the same people that crucified me, the religious leaders, it was their fathers that killed the prophets.

Matthew 2, 31.

Hello! That doesn't speak very highly of the religious crowd.

That's the problem.

They were religious but lost.

They had religion but no relationship.

What an awesome God.

So, wow.

Religious people.

I wrote this to myself.

Now I'm not talking about just preaching stuff.

I'm talking about I've lived it, I've seen it.

But not to the extent that Peter and them were talking.

But it's pretty obvious.

Religious people often hide their sin behind a mask of spirituality.

The scribes and Pharisees thought they were the most rel most spiritual of all.

But yet they were the most lost of all.

So lost that they crucified the Savior.

God help us to see the truth.

Number two, second mistake.

Not only as Christians we should expect trials, but number two, as Christians we should exalt in trials.

Look at verse 13 and 14.

But rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering, that when this glory shall be revealed, you may be glad and also with exceeding joy.

If ye be reproached, reviled, insulted for the name of Christ, happy are ye for the spirit of glory and of God rest upon you.

On their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

This is where the hard stuff gets harder.

Right here.

Enduring trials is one thing, but now watch.

Exalting yourself in the midst of the trial, in other words, how in how to have that joy and victory over a trial in the midst of the trial, that is humanly impossible.

Let me go ahead and tell you.

That is humanly impossible.

You have to be spirit-filled of an awesome God with the person of the Holy Spirit to be able to exalt during a major trial in your life.

But we see this.

Only God can supernaturally give us great joy in the midst of trials.

We may not rejoice in the trial itself.

I'm not talking about that, which we know would be very self-destructive, but we can rejoice in the ultimate good that will come out of that trial.

And that's what Paul is saying.

And watch this in Romans chapter 5, verse 3 and 4.

Romans 5:3

Listen to what Paul said.

We exalt in our tribulations.

Wow.

Knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance.

Now watch.

And perseverance, proven, hey, brings proven character.

And proven character, hope.

So there's a reason for these testings and these trials.

It's to build character in our lives.

It's to build our faith.

And as your faith builds, your character builds.

Man, that's good.

James put it this way.

And we see James said, count it all joy.

But notice what Peter uses here.

Peter uses the word rejoice or some synonym four times in two verses.

Rejoice, glad, joy, happy.

And then he uses the word exceeding joy.

I looked that word up.

Exceedingly.

It means it's Galileo.

It means to jump for joy.

Y'all thought I was just making a funny a while ago when I said I jumped up and oh, thank you for this trial.

Well, that's what exceedingly means to jump for joy in the context of a trial.

That's hard, folks.

I don't know if I've ever jumped for joy in a trial.

I've been thankful.

But to jump for joy, when's the last time you jumped for joy?

Probably at an athletic event.

Hello.

Just a thought.

I don't know why I wasn't gonna say that, but it just came out.

I've watched you jump for joy in those things.

Y'all look like a bunch of Comanche Indians.

Come to church.

Don't chase that rabbit, preacher.

Okay, I won't chase it.

Now, he brings out three reasons.

Ready?

This is good.

Three reasons why we can exalt in trials.

I had to, whoo! This is good.

This is worth you being here if you don't hear anything else.

Why do we jump for joy in trials?

Here it is, number one.

It leads us to deeper fellowship with Christ.

Look at verse 13.

The Greek word there is coin an eo.

It means to fellowship.

So what we're saying here is that we're fellowship, you and I are fellowshipping with the sufferings of Christ.

Now he died for our sins, whereas our death cannot pay for anyone's sins.

We know that.

But even so, when we suffer on behalf of the gospel, watch this.

We join with our Savior in suffering unjustly by the hands of those that, hey, rejected Christ.

In other words, we suffer from those that do not know Christ.

Just like he did.

It's gonna happen.

But that's okay.

We join with him.

It makes us realize what he really went through, so what it means.

I mean, we we think we suffer.

Can you imagine how he suffered for us?

But that's what it means.

Whenever we suffer on behalf of the gospel, the Lord comes.

Now, watch this.

Whoo, this is gonna get good.

Whenever, let me tell you what I learned from here.

Why I can be, I can exalt myself during trials.

Whenever I stand up for Christ, when I'm being persecuted, Jesus stands up for me.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

When they stood up and were thrown in the fiery furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar came over, and when he looked into the fiery furnace, he said, one, two, three, four.

Who's that fourth man?

Hey, hey, how many did we throw in the fiery furnace?

Oh, King, I promise we only threw three.

Why, who's that fourth man?

Jesus.

Jesus is what?

Awesome.

Remember when they were stoning Stephen?

Stephen stood up.

They started stoning him.

Killing him.

And we look, and all of a sudden heaven opens up.

And Jesus, who's just normally seated at the right hand of God the Father, I might have a rugged spindle.

Jesus is standing up for Stephen! I don't think he felt a rock.

I really don't believe he did.

I get to heaven, I'm gonna say, Stephen, did you feel even one lick?

I don't think he did.

I think he was just easing himself on.

I think he, I'm gonna say, I think he saw Jesus standing up for him.

And I think, Jesus, you know what I think?

Now this is just what I think.

Jesus was saying, it's time for you to come to me.

I think he was reaching down.

When he reached down, if I could sing right now, I'd cut it loose when he reached down to his hand for me.

That's old.

Y'all don't even anybody remember that old, oh, oh, oh, when he reached down his hand for me.

That's what I believe.

And then you remember what Paul told Timothy when everybody walked out on him?

Let me tell you what he told him.

I'll read it to you.

Here's what he said.

And I love this.

He said, in Acts 23.11, as he stood trial for his life in Rome, though the others deserted him, and Paul reported to Timothy how the Lord stood with him and strengthened him in 2 Timothy 4.17.

Acts 18, 19.

Excuse me, Acts chapter 18, verse 9 and 10.

Acts 18:9

Listen to what Paul says.

Do not be afraid, but go, I meant to Peter, do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am, God says to Paul, for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.

I rejoice.

I personally rejoice when I realize that in a small way, when I am sharing in the fellowship of Christ's suffering, just a little bit that we do, he is standing with us.

Folks, that ought to get a Baptist excited.

Notice the second thing.

Not only does it lead us to a deeper fellowship with Christ, but it leads us to a deeper level of joy.

What's this?

At his coming.

Verse 13.

At the revelation of his glory, you may rejoice with exaltation, he says.

Christ and his glory are now hidden from human sight.

We can guess about it, we can think about it, but we don't have any clue what kind of glory is going to happen when Jesus Christ steps out of heaven and comes for his bride.

The rapture of the church.

Oh, can you imagine, church?

Can you imagine?

Paul put it this way in Romans 8.18.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Ha ha! Can you imagine?

I can only imagine.

Which brings me to see the third thing.

Not only does it bring us to a deeper fellowship with Christ, but it reveals to us a deeper joy, knowing that one day we're going to be with Him.

For the joy.

That's why Jesus said in John 15, 11, These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, that your joy might be full.

You understand this?

That's what he means, these things.

What?

The truth.

The truths that we're learning this morning of the Word of God.

That's why you can joy in your tribulations.

Knowing that it's working for you a far greater reward in glory.

How can we exalt in trials because they lead us to a deeper experience?

Now watch this of God's spirit.

Look what he says.

If you are reproached, insulted, ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed.

But now watch.

Because, he says in verse 14, the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

God's glory is the manifestation of his majesty and his perfect attributes.

In other words, all that God is, we have.

Think about that.

And really what he's talking about there is Galatians 5, 22 and 23.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance, self-control.

Against such, there's nothing to compare with.

All that is manifested in us.

When the spirit of glory rests on a believer, something of God's attributes, all those that I just quoted, shines through us.

In fact, Peter's overall meaning then is that if we suffer, what's this?

Rejection because of our stand for Christ, something of the Lord will be seen in us.

Stephen.

Saul, when Stephen saw this, as they saw his face, they literally, when they saw Stephen's face, said they saw an angel.

Wow.

What a testimony.

Yes, he's being stoned.

I've been there with people that have died.

I've been right there by when they died.

And I'm telling you something, folks, there's a peace and a presence of the high power of the Holy Spirit of God that you can't explain unless you're there.

It takes God's spirit to make us exalt in trials.

My tendency and your tendency is to groan and look for the escape hatch.

Amen.

But if we will see the trials, especially the persecutions, that's what he's talking about right here.

It leads us to deeper fellowship with Christ, deeper joy at his coming, and a deeper experience of his spirit.

Which brings me to the third lesson.

First lesson, expect trials, hard lesson, second one, exalt in trials number three.

As Christians, we should examine ourselves in trials.

Look at verses 18.

I'm at 15 through 18.

But let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evildoer or as a busybody in other men's matters.

Stop right there.

I want you to understand something right here.

This is amazing to me.

In fact, it just takes me back.

None of you, a murderer, do you know what a murderer is?

Yes.

Thief?

Yes.

Evildoer?

Yes.

And then all of a sudden, he throws busybody in there with those three.

Hello?

For you that have been putting your nose in other people's business?

Hello?

For us that have been putting our nose in other people's business, we're listed right there with murderers and thieves and evildoers.

Really?

Think about that.

Oh, have you heard?

Oh, we need to pray for so and so.

Well, pray right then.

Don't go tell them what you're thinking.

Just pray.

Hello?

Just pray.

Have you heard about Brother Danny?

No.

Pray.

And if you're really that concerned about Brother Danny, come see Brother Danny.

I won't bite.

Hard.

My wife said that, Rosemary.

Did you hear that?

I cannot believe that.

That sweet little redheaded said that.

I cannot believe it.

Lord, that's a first.

Busybody, a meddler in other men's affairs.

Be not deceived.

God is not mocked.

For whatsoever man soweth, that shall he reap.

If I brought persecution of civil judgment on myself because I disobeyed God or broke the law, okay?

And now I'm reaping the consequences, and you will, you can be sure, Numbers 23, 16, your sins will find you out.

Then I need to repent.

Can I get an amen?

But I shouldn't sniffle about it.

I'm suffering for the cause of Christ when really I'm suffering because of my sin.

Hello?

Come on, come on.

I knew that would be the hard one.

Sometimes our sufferings because we bring it on ourselves.

Amen?

Oh me.

Can we say oh me?

Oh me.

Number two.

Verse 16.

Number one is the trial due to some known sin in my life, verse 15.

Number two, how can I glorify God in this trial?

If there's no sin in my life, and I'm suffering because I took a stand for Christ, then I should make sure that my testimony is revealing who Christ really is.

Can I get an amen?

Don't be a baby about it.

Don't be, don't pout about it.

Don't say, why is me?

Just say thank you, Lord, and help me.

Amen.

When the Sanhedrin, when Peter and John were beaten by the Sanhedrin for preaching Christ, they went on their way rejoicing.

What's this?

That they have been considered worthy to suffer shame for his name.

Acts 5, 41.

The name, look at verse 16, the name Christian there.

This is interesting.

Only appears three times in the Bible.

Acts here, 16.

I meant 1 Peter here, then Acts 11, 26, and Acts 26, 28.

You know what it means?

Little Christ.

Little Christ.

And it was a derogatory term the pagans applied to the church.

Not a bad identification, is it?

I'm not ashamed to be a part of God's church.

Amen.

I'm a little Christ.

Amen.

Amen.

You ought to wear the badge of a Christian high and lifted up.

It ought to be the badge of honor.

I'm a Christian.

And I'm not ashamed.

I'm not ashamed.

And then number three, verses 17 and 18.

Have I considered the depth of my sin and the eternal perspective in this trial?

Peter pulls out an Old Testament concept and applies it to the church.

In the Old Testament, when God did a work of purification and judgment, he began at the sanctuary and moved outward.

Several scriptures, Ezekiel 9, Jeremiah 25, Malachi 3.

And then in 1 Corinthians 11, listen to what Paul told the Corinthians that they needed to do, and they were in pretty bad shape, to be honest with you.

He said, Judge your own lives by dealing with your own sin so that you will not be condemned along with the world.

He says, Hey, deal with your sin.

Search me, O God, know my heart, try me, know my thoughts, see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way of everlasting.

Psalms 139, 23 and 24.

Deal with it.

Get it out.

Get it out.

God's purifying process must begin with his people before it falls on the world.

1 John 1.9, if I confess my sins, he is faithful and just to forgive my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

Deal with it.

Turn from it.

Peter's teaching that trials, that the trials God's people go through for refining are the initial stage of God's judgment.

You know, I never had understood this until now.

Well, I understood it, but not in the context.

In other words, the refining process of our sanctification process after we get saved.

Okay, no, follow me here.

As God basically, let me tell you what the picture God gave me.

As God cuts out the cancer of sin in my life, okay?

So that he's making me more like him.

He brings sin to my attention, and it's my responsibility to cut it out.

If you get a diagnosis of cancer and they say we can cut it out, what you're gonna do?

You're gonna cut it out, aren't you?

So when God reveals that sin to each of our lives, we're to cut it out.

Turn from it.

Get rid of it.

Now watch this.

That is the beginning process of judgment that will ultimately take place at the beam of judgment seat for the Christian and the great white throne judgment for the lost.

Is that not good?

So we're in the process right now.

God is purging us.

God is refining us.

God is allowing to cut the cancer of sin out of our lives.

So that one day when we stand before Him, we can hear Him say, Well done.

My good and faithful servant.

Enter into the joy of the Lord.

You with me, church?

That's not good, church?

Is that not deep, church?

You want some deep things, handle that.

So that's what we see right here.

One of the hard lessons we all need to learn about in hard times.

So, the first hard lesson, expect trials, second, exalt in trials, third, examine ourselves in trials, and then the last one, and I'm through.

The fourth hard lesson.

As Christians, are you ready?

We should entrust ourselves to God in trials.

Verse 19.

Wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him and well-doing as unto a faithful creator.

Wow.

Where else can we go?

Amen.

Where else can we go?

If we suffer for our faith in Christ, then we can know that it is according to God's will.

Thus we can entrust ourselves to him as the faithful creator and continue to do what is right.

Now, the word entrust there is a banking term.

And it means to deposit one's valuables to another for safekeeping.

I thought to my, ooh.

And Paul used the noun when he told Timothy, listen to what he told Timothy, 2 Timothy 1.12.

I know in whom I have believed.

I am convinced, persuaded, that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

Listen to what Jesus said in Luke 23, 46, same word, Father, unto your hands I commit.

I entrust my spirit.

This is the only time in the New Testament God is called the Creator.

Only time.

Isn't that interesting?

Only time.

Only time.

If God created the universe by the word of his power and he did, Hebrews 11, 3, don't you think that he can keep us?

Think about that.

Doesn't matter what you're going through.

He's got you.

I've got cancer.

He's got you.

I've lost my job.

He's gotcha.

My family's falling apart.

He's gotcha.

I just lost my mother in an accident.

He's gotcha.

It doesn't matter what you go through.

He's gotcha.

Because you have deposited yourself, your life, into his bank.

And you know what's so exciting about it?

He will never leave you comfortless.

He sent his precious Holy Spirit to take up residence and to reside in you.

To keep you.

To confirm you.

To complete you.

To consecrate you.

And to catch you when you go down.

Because when the righteous fall, they get back up.

And it's the Holy Spirit of God bringing you up.

Can I get an amen, Church?

Say this with me.

He's got me.

Come on, He's got me.

Come on, Church.

He's got me.

Every head bow, every eye close.

Glory.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you for your word.

It never returns void.

Father, we love you this morning.

I just sense in my spirit this morning there's a lot of people right now going through some tough stuff.

If you're in some tough stuff right now, would you just raise your hand all over this building?

Right now.

Come on, don't be ashamed.

Let's stand to our feet.

Let's stand to our feet.

All right.

Every one of you just raised your hand.

I want you to step out.

I want you right down here with us.

Come on.

Come on, right now, all of us.

Hey, even if you know you're fixing to go through some rough stuff.

Come on.

Come on.

Right now.

Come on.

We're going to have prayer time right now.

Yes.

Yes.

Come on.

That's it.

That's it.

I know we got several people going through cancer.

I know all that.

I know that.

Come on.

Come on.

We're right there with them.

Thank God for our church.

Thank God for our church family.

Not only does God have us, we have each other too.

Can I get an amen?

So good to have Darren Hyde back, isn't it?

Amen.

Let's give him a hand.

Love you, buddy.

Scared us.

Good to have you back.

We've missed him.

Anybody else?

Come on.

Jesus is passing by this morning.

I'm telling you, he's passing by.

And he's wanting to grab a hold of someone this morning.

He's wanting you to be encouraged.

He's wanting you to realize that he loves you and that he's got you and he's not gonna let go of you.

And I don't care what you're going through right now.

At the mention of his name, at the mention of his name, it can be changed just like that.

Nothing is impossible with my God.

Luke 137.

Nothing.

Philippians 4.13.

I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

Anyone else before we pray?

Come on.

Anyone else?

Anyone else?

Let's pray right now.

Susan, come here.

I want you to pray for us.

Come here.

Amen.

Pray for us.

Pray.

Yes, I pray you.

Yes, Lord, I pray.

God, make the needs, meet the need.

God, in the Jesus' name.

In Jesus' name, meet these needs.

Meet these names.

Meet these names.

Meet these needs.

Meet these needs.

God, we're not enough.

We checked out.

We come to you as you're as you are a good idea.

We ask a strong edge.

And with every head still bowed and eye closed, you may be here this morning.

And you've never received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

I'm going to give you that opportunity right now, watching online.

I know there's a lot of people watching online.

So, Father, right now I want to ask you if you're not sure you're saved this morning.

That's the first step.

I want you to pray this prayer.

We call it the Sinner's Prayer.

It's the prayer that the thief prayed on the cross that day.

Would you pray it silently as I pray it out loud?

Dear Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner and I can't save myself.

But right now, Lord Jesus, I'm asking you to come into my heart and my life and to save me and to change me.

Thank you, Lord, for saving me.

Lord, I love you.

Now help me to live for you.

In Jesus' name with every head bowed and every eye closed.

If you prayed that prayer, we will not embarrass you in any way.

But if you prayed that prayer, would you just slide your hand up and say, Pastor, I prayed it with you.

Yes, God bless you over here.

Yes, God bless you.

Anyone else?

Yes, God bless you.

Anyone else?

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah.

Father, we thank you for those three.

Lord, you're awesome, God.

Now, Lord, we pray that you meet every need here this morning that has acknowledged they need help.

And I know you will.

I know you will.

You'll do it in your time and in your way.

But let us realize that we accept that.

So, Father, we love you this morning.

We exalt you this morning.

And we give you glory this morning.

And all God's people said, Can we give Him a clap offering this morning?

Amen.

Woo! Glory! Glory! Yes! That's what it's all about, church.

You may be seated.

I'm gonna ask the ushers to come down.

And those that are ready for baptism, I'm gonna ask them to go get ready for our baptismal service.

I want to say this is the time we go to the Lord with a giving back to him our tithes and our offerings.

Thank you for the way you're giving.

Do you understand what's about to take place?

We're about to start moving dirt and bringing the steel for that new building.

Let's give Jesus a fly, Paul Fred.

Just had another huge gift financially.

Unbelievable.

Unbelievable.

Our goal is by the time we finish the building, it's gonna take about a year, wouldn't you say, Paul?

About a year at least.

But hopefully, as we build, when we finish, it'll be paid for.

Can I get an amen?

Can I get an amen?

Debt free.

We're in bondage to no one but Jesus.

Can I get an amen?

No one but Jesus.

I tell you, that feels good as a pastor.

I can go home and go to bed.

I don't have to worry about money.

Amen.

For the way you give.

And I'm gonna tell you, for you that are covenant members, tithing members, giving members, giving people, I know God's blessing you and your business for doing that.

Or he would be a liar.

He's blessing you unbelievably.

That's why you're able to give more.

I know that.

I that's the way I lived all my life.

So thank you.

I don't take that for granted.

Thank you for the way you're giving.

You see your money where God's money, not your money, it's God's money.

Where it's going back into our community and helping people.

You see it.

You ain't seen anything yet.

The soccer is just one thing that we're gonna be doing there.

With conventions and we're gonna be reaching hundreds with the gospel coming to us.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I mean that.

Lord, we thank you for the givers.

We thank you that we remember that.

Don't take it for granted.

Deuteronomy 8.18, thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that gives thee power to get wealth.

So, God, we give back not what's ours, but what's yours.

Rightfully yours.

At least 10%.

We give back to you.

It's yours.

For your church, for your ministry, for your missions.

Lord, we love you.

We thank you.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

And speaking of missions, I think, Jason, do we have that video ready from Deedra?

Okay?

I want you to, Deedra sent us this yesterday.

She's on the field.

I want you to see what's happening with our missions directory.

Hey, can you believe that this little church in in Westover is now in Africa having such an impact?

To God be the glory.

That's what we do here, folks.

We are at home and abroad.

And now, one of the greatest things in the church, two ordinances that we hold to.

One, the Lord's Supper that we do quarterly, and then also baptism.

The Bible says in Romans 6, 4, therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death.

That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Baptism has nothing to do with salvation.

Nothing.

No, that water does not wash away your sins.

Only the blood of Jesus Christ can wash away your sins, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.

Ephesians 1:7.

Ephesians 1:7

But what we do know that does, it pictures when you go under that water, you are burying your old way of living, and you're being raised to walk a new life.

A life like Jesus Christ.

It is an outward testimony of a magnificent, unbelievable trans hey, transformation of the heart.

It really is.

It's a beautiful picture.

And I'm very excited about inviting Mr.

Barry to come and baptize his son.

Yes, yes.

Amen, brother.

Don't drown me, Dad.

Don't drown me.

Woo! Amen, Clay.

Love you.

God bless you, buddy.

God bless you.

Isn't that exciting?

Isn't that exciting?

Nothing more.

Rewarding.

And boy, what that was such an enlightenment there.

Now he's not only his dad, but his brother in Christ.

That's beautiful.

That's beautiful.

Aren't you glad you came to church today?

Aren't you glad you came to church today?

Now, for all of you that can't, we've got some of the best marinated baked chicken you've ever gonna put in your mouth.

You're the reason I've tasted it.

I have to taste stuff before y'all eat it.

I don't want you to get sick.

And my wife made strawberry cake, peanut butter cake.

Didn't even leave me a piece by my coffee this morning.

That's okay.

I stole one when I got here.

So, but anyway, we want you to stay in fellowship with us.

Uh, we love you so much.

I think we have a few announcements.

Do we have some announcements, Rick?

Come on up, give those announcements.