Sunday Message - Pastor Tony Augustus (July 23, 2017) | Life Bible Church

In India, why are you here? Because, you know,

your money works 65 times more. Your $1 is our

$65. And we have built 118 church buildings,

schools, school buildings. And your generous

people have given to us. And, you know, the kingdom

of God, the family of God is one. We are just

one family. And we appreciate what you're doing.

I didn't know how we will reach the masses of

India. And I always said, God, how will we reach

1 .25 billion people in a small land area? I

didn't even know where they are. They are not

spotted on the map. Nobody knows the names of

those villages, no roads. But God had everything

planned. And he opened the door for me to start

speaking on popular television channels. And

I started speaking to millions of people. I'll

speak and all over India, millions of people

will hear the gospel. People started hearing

and they started coming to the Lord. And our

church planting became very easy. Just last year,

we found out that this channel that we were using

and we were preaching the gospel, they wanted

to close the door for us. And we were paying

$2 ,000 for one slot. And they said, well, only

thing we can do is we double the price. And they

will not be able to do this. And they doubled

the price on us. And so we had to say no. We

had only one week. We were sad about it that

we will not be preaching on television. But we

got a phone call. And that phone call was from

another very popular television channel. And

they said, we just want to know if you would

be interested to do a program. Your program,

Glory to God, is a very popular program. Would

you be interested doing half an hour program

on our channel? And I thought they will say $5

,000 or so. And I said, how much money you want

for half an hour? Yes, we are interested because

this is our last week. We are interested. And

you know what they said? $500. So we took that

channel and again, Same way millions of people

started hearing the gospel. And we are on that

channel with the result. We got another channel

for the evening. And this is a new Christian

channel that they started. And they're only charging

$200 for the evening per episode. So we are twice

every week. And I raised 52 episodes. in India

for our evening channel. And 52, here in America,

when I travel, I ask people, hey, we need 52

people to stand with us so that we can preach.

And people here, they say, hey, yes, we will

give you one slot. I met a guy who has pledged.

4 ,000 every year, that means eight programs.

So we are almost up to 30 programs I already

have. And if one of you want to do a program,

we have a brochure like this. And you just sign

up your sheet and you become a pledge donor for

one program. You sponsor and I preach. We have

worship team. We do eight minutes of worship.

Then we preach and then we lead them to Christ.

And amazing things are happening. And we are

getting the doors open and planting new churches

everywhere. It's a harvest time in India. More

things are happening even though the doors are

being closed. Many people are facing persecution

in India. Persecution started, but persecution

is designed by God for the church to grow. And

we thank God for everything that's happening

there, and we appreciate you. We're building

buildings everywhere. We don't build, you know,

massive buildings. We're building in the villages

when people sponsor us. And for 10 ,000 US dollars,

we do a church building. Many individuals have

done a building in India. When we completed the

building, the building was a blessing, not for

only one village, but for many villages around

that village. And great things are happening.

Pastors, hundreds and thousands of young people

want to pastor churches. There was a time 20

years ago, nobody wanted to be a pastor. Now

everyone wants to be a pastor. So continue to

pray a prayer that God will keep these doors

open. You know, a survey in the Western world,

you talk. To 100 people about Jesus. You go to

100 people. And ask them. Can I talk about Jesus?

92 of them will say no. I'm not interested. In

India. You talk to 100 people. 92 will hear it.

Only 8 people will say no. So. It's a harvest

time there. People are hungry. And. I'm busy.

Asking people here to pray for us, stand with

us as the Lord leads you. Yeah. One day after

I arrived in Los Angeles, I was getting ready

to catch my flight to go to Anchorage. I was

taking a shower in the tub. I slipped. And I

fell like this and landed on my left shoulder.

I hurt it so bad that I couldn't even shake it.

Couldn't even move it. And I had to catch a flight

to go to Anchorage. Went there. They took me

to a hospital. And every day I had to go for

therapy. For 15 days I was there. And I was all

the time only thinking this. How will I play

the tambourine? How will I play the tambourine?

But God has healed me. I am okay now. Some folks

may ask me. Some folks may ask me. Some folks

may say, who is this Jesus you talk about every

day? He's my savior. He sets me free. Now listen

while I tell you what he means to me. He is my

everything. He is my all. He is my everything.

He gave himself for me. Made everything new.

He is my everything. Now how about you? From

earth to glory, he's all I need. My breath, my

sunshine, my friend. Indeed, my joy, my peace,

my life. He turns it through. He's my everything.

Now how about you? He fills my soul with joy

along like air. He fills me through and through

each night and day. I mount my head with oil,

my cup of flow. My GC. very good this morning.

You are a good church. Brad, you must have done

some good work. Jenny, you look good in this

background. Hallelujah. Thank you very much for

coming to India. You people have been a blessing

to India. But it's your time to come back. It's

your time to come back. And I believe God has

given this church Half a million souls from the

million souls that we have in mind. We are praying

for a million souls. And God has given hundreds

of thousands of souls to you in India. Keep praying

for us. Keep praying for us. You know, many people

are praying, Jesus comes soon, Jesus comes soon.

And we are praying, God, could you wait another

day? Give us some more opportunity to get some

more people in the kingdom. We are praying like

that. Because many of our relatives, many of

our friends, our neighbors are going to hell.

And we don't want to see them go to hell. But

just pray with us. I want to speak to you from

1 Corinthians 9 chapter. 24th verse. That's going

to be my key scripture. 1 Corinthians 9 chapter

24 verse and I've asked Mark to read my references

and it reads like this. 1 Corinthians 9 24. Listen

to this. Do you not know that those who run in

a race all run? Do you not know? This is an amazing

way the man of God is writing. He's saying, this

is simple, everybody knows it. He said, this

is very simple, everybody knows it, that those

who run the race... But one who receives the

prize, run in such a way that you may win. He's

saying, run in such a way, not just to run. But

run in such a way that you win. The plan of God

for everyone is to make him a winner. He doesn't

want you to be just a runner. Just run. Just

go to church. Just read Bible. Just say I'm a

Christian. But God wants you to be a winner.

Everyone should be a winner. Poor, rich, small

or big. From India, from America. God wants everyone

from his kingdom to be a winner. And Paul is

saying, God wants you to be a winner. And I'm

going to speak to you, how can you be a winner?

And I'm going to ask you to read a few scriptures.

And the first scripture that I am going to ask

Mark to read is Psalm. 19th chapter. Psalm 19

chapter and verse 5. Listen to this one. Psalm

19 and verse 5. Which is like a bridegroom coming

out of his chamber and rejoices like a strong

man to run the race. Strong man when they run

the race the very first point is very important.

The other translation says like a champion. Every

Christian runner, while running the race, you

should not doubt, I don't know if I'm going to

win, but you should run as if you are already

a champion. As if you already have the crown,

as you already have the medal. I don't know if

I'm going to win, but like a champion, now number

one thing, what does a champion do? Like a champion

who is ready. No. Rejoices. Rejoices. At the

time of running, you can think, oh, I don't know.

There's so many people. There are people better

than me. I think I'm going to lose it. If you

think like this. You are not going to be a champion.

But the number one thing that when you run your

race, it may be a tough race. People may ridicule

you. People may stand against you. Nobody likes

you. But while you're running, you run joyfully.

I started preaching the gospel in a very tough

situation and circumstances. Not knowing anything,

without any money. I lived with my entire family

in cardboard box outside on the street. And I

was a preacher. People come to me and ridicule

me. But you know, I was running like a winner.

I was running like a champion. I was running

joyfully. Folks, you don't have to have a million

dollars in your bank to be happy. But you could

rejoice in God without all these things. You

want to be a champion? You want to be a winner?

You need to know this thing that when you run

the race, you run joyfully. Rejoice! Whether

you have your Sunday school or your church or

your house or you're a teacher or preacher or

you are in the kitchen or you're cleaning the

building, whatever you are doing, just rejoice

doing it. I like it. A lot of people say, well,

I hate Sunday school teaching, but I'm doing

it 20 years. I hate it. That's why you are not

doing any good. Because you do something that

you don't like. You're not happy, you're not

rejoicing. But when you run the race, you rejoice.

You know, as a pastor, I've always liked, many,

many years I pastor a church, I've always liked

people who will say, Pastor, thank you very much

for giving me this job. I love it. And so does

God. He likes, he loves people who will say,

I love it. You are a winner. You're a champion.

God's looking for champions. God wants every

individual to be a champion. The second thing

in the same scripture. Read this portion again,

Mark. And he rejoices like a strong man to run

its race. Whose race? Ah, everybody should know

that don't run somebody else's race. You have

your own race. You have your own race. And I

tell you, everyone sitting in this room, there's

nobody who doesn't have a race. God has given

you your own race. And the problem is that we

tend to run somebody else's race. I want to be

a healer. I want to be a preacher. I want to

be a guitarist. I want to be a drum player. You

ask God, what's the race you've kept for me?

I want to run that race. That you kept me. Other

translators say, who's ready to run his course.

What is course? Everyone has a different course.

You go to college. In college, you get the course.

Science people have different course. Geography

people have different course. English students

have different course. Your courses are different.

The science student cannot do the geography course.

This, their course. And folks, let me tell you,

everyone has been given a course, a job, a run,

a race to run. And if you are happy in doing

it, God, because you gave me this to do, I'm

happy to do it. You run the race happily, joyfully,

and God blesses you. Number three, Hebrew 12.

One. Hebrews 12, 1. Therefore we also, since

we are surrounded by a great cloud of witness,

let us lay aside every weight and every sin which

easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance.

What? I don't know when I'm going to be. The

elder of the church, when is my name going to

be in the flyer, in folder? I don't know when

I'm going to be promoted. I don't know when I

will have my house completed. I don't know when

I'm going to be able to buy a Hummer. Have patience.

And if you don't have patience, you are a patient.

A lot of people today in the kingdom of God,

because of not having patience, they're like

a patient of hospital, complaining. I don't have

that. I don't have this. I don't have that. You

continue to run the race and say, I'm believing.

Do you remember? Do you remember the man? Came

to hire the laborers. He hired some in the morning.

Some in the afternoon. And he came one hour before

the finish time. This is amazing parable. These

parables are written in the eastern culture.

So you have to understand the culture to understand

the parable. You know, this man came one hour

before the finish time. That's four o 'clock

in the evening. And he was surprised. There was

a guy who was standing. And he asked a question.

How come you're still standing? He said, because

I didn't get a job. Nobody hired me. He said,

I understand that. But you should have gone home.

Half of the people who are not hired, this is

what happened in the Eastern culture. They're

very sad. Some of them cry and walk back 15 miles

to go to their village. And they go back and

tell the people in the house, I didn't get the

job. I have no money. It's a bad day for them.

But the man comes one hour before the finish

time. And he said, how come you're still standing?

He said, I'm waiting. I'm waiting. Four o 'clock,

till four o 'clock you're waiting. And the man

liked this guy. He said, this man wants to work.

And I want to tell you in the similar way, God

also likes those people who have got nothing,

but they're waiting. You can't preach any message,

but you are waiting. God loves people who are

patient. You run the race with patience. You'll

win the race because you have patience. Very

important for everyone who wants to win the race

to have patience. And you know, the man hired

him and said, you go and whatever is good, I

will give it to you. The guy didn't barter. The

man who came in the morning, he bartered. But

this guy didn't. No problem. Whatever you give.

I am patient man. You give me anything you want.

And he got more than anybody else. I want to

tell you, if you're waiting for your time, your

turn, God is not unfaithful to forget the labor

of your love and what you have done in the church,

what you're doing in your family. You have been

a faithful husband. You have been a faithful

wife. You have been a faithful member of the

church. Faithfully you come. Faithfully you give.

Faithfully you clean the building. But do it

joyfully. I am glad that I get to clean this

building. People will come to worship in this

building. I am so happy. That's my job. And I

love it. And I like it. And I'm patiently waiting

one day God will make me owner of Bicton. Number

four. Second verse, number four. Second verse,

the same 12th chapter, and read the verse two.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of

our faith. When you run, there's tendency to

look at others. How are they running? How is

he running? Is he pretty close to me? Am I going

to be a winner? Hey, you're very far from me.

I'm much ahead of you. These things are very

bad. Don't look to anybody. The person who succeeded

you or the person who is behind you. Don't look

to the mob. Don't look to the crowd. And don't

even hear what the crowd is saying. You're looking

unto Jesus. That's what Paul says. Paul says,

I'm not looking to anybody. Looking to the mark.

Not this mark smucker, but the mark. Number five.

You're already the fifth one. Number five is

Philippians 3, 13, and 14. Philippians 3, 13,

and 14. Listen to this one. Brethren, I do not

count myself to have apprehended, but one thing

I do. When you run a very good race, when you

are a good runner, when you are a champion. When

you are winning, you should do like this. He

said, I don't say I've got it. I'm the best preacher.

I'm the best guitar player. Nobody plays drum

like me. Nobody can lead worship like me. My

house is the largest and biggest house. I make

more money than anybody else. I am simply running.

I'm not saying this. It's important that when

you run the race, the guy has written 13 books.

The guy has preached the gospel everywhere. And

this guy, he has been trained, educated at the

feet of Gamaliel, a very popular teacher of those

days. He's a Pharisee. He has memorized five

books of Bible. But he said, I don't say that

I've got it. I have it. That's very important.

Folks, a lot of people are not able to win the

race because they brag about their running. You

should see how I run. Don't brag about your running,

even though you're running very good. Even though

you're the best. But he said, I don't say I'm

the best. But what I'm doing, I'm simply running.

And not counting myself the best. Folks, if the

whole church, the entire church is running a

race like that, you will be nothing but heaven.

And that's what the plan of God is, for you to

run like the man of God. And the sixth thing

is amazing. You want to read the sixth thing?

That's Luke's Gospel, 19th chapter, fourth verse.

Luke 19 and 4, the sixth thing. You should run

your race. You should run joyfully. You should

run with endurance. You should run looking to

Jesus. And you should run not by bragging. But

counting yourself nothing. A broken heart is

very important. Humbleness is very important

for us to win the race. You will be a winner

if you're a humble man. Okay, listen to this

one. So he ran ahead and climbed up in a sycamore

tree. So he ran ahead. This is fourth verse.

He ran ahead, but don't ask me to read verse

3. Somebody's running very good, but you would

read what happened behind. The third verse is

very bad. Bible says in third verse, he wanted

to see Jesus, but he could not. I wanted to build

a house, but I could not. I wanted to buy a boat,

but I could not. I wanted to play guitar. I have

been with big musicians. I've never learned an

instrument. I could not. But I don't worry. I

can play tambourine. The guy could not. He wanted

to win the crowd. He wanted to say Jesus Christ.

People pushed him out. He said, get out from

here. They kicked him out. Moreover, in those

days, the publicans were considered the worst

people. Nobody wanted to do anything with publicans.

And he was a chief publican. Nobody wants him

to come in the crowd. Nobody accepts him. Nobody

loves him. Everybody kicks him out. When he is

kicked, he's not loved by people. He's pushed

out. He's still running. I'm running. If you

were there, you would say, well, I tried to go

to church. They don't like me. I wanted to be

a Christian. I don't think they want me. My mother

-in -law doesn't like me. So that's why I've

changed my road. I'm not running anymore. I'm

sitting here. You continue to run. A runner who

is a winner, a champion, a mighty man, he continues

to run no matter what. This one, Zacchaeus, he

not only ran the race, but he won the race. His

house had a title, the house of a drunkard. Sinner.

But Jesus changed the title. And now the house

is called. The house. Of Abraham's son. House

of salvation. Everything will change. And you'll

be a champion. You'll be a winner. People will

love you. People will hug you. People want to

sit with you. They would want to fellowship with

you. If you continue to run, no matter what has

happened yesterday, what people said, little

thing happens. You're in the Sunday school. People

didn't like your teaching. And somebody came

and complained, Pastor, here's the key on my

wardrobe. Give it to somebody else. I don't want

to be a Sunday school teacher anymore. Because

people complain. You continue to run, sister.

You are going to be a champion one day. The last

one, icing on the cake. Ready? I like icing on

the cake. The last one is the icing on the cake,

and that's 1 Corinthians again. 1 Corinthians

9, 26 and 27. Listen to this. What is Paul saying?

Therefore I run thus, not with uncertainty, thus

I fight, not with the one who beats the air.

I fight. Oh, so this is what you're teaching

here in America. This is the teaching that you

brought from India, that a runner should fight.

And then he's saying he boxes. That's why people

box each other. They punch each other. He said,

I punch. Punching makes you a winner. Listen

to this, how he punches. Therefore I run this,

not with uncertainty, thus I fight, not as the

one who beats the air. But I discipline my body

and bring it under subjection. Who do I punch?

When I'm running, while I'm running, my mind

says, you're a fool. You go to this church. Every

month you're giving $6 ,000. You're a fool. Your

business is so big. You can buy other things

with this money. Your mind is saying. So what

I do? I have a punch. Boom. My mouth says, did

you hear what he said? You also call him by name.

I punch my mouth. Your mouth is wanting to say

something. Your mind is wanting to say something.

Your eyes is wanting to say something. Your feet

want to say something. Your hands want to say.

You take your fist. You punch them. Punch. Punching

is very important in running the race. But don't

punch your wife if you want. If you want to punch

anybody, punch yourself. And often we want to

punch somebody else. But God wants you to run

a race punching yourself. And if you punch your

body, you will keep yourself under control and

you'll be a winner. To be a winner, run your

race. To be a winner, run with joy. To be a winner,

run with patience. To be a winner, looking to

the master. Your winning point. To be a winner,

don't count yourself everything. Humble yourself

while you run. Even if you're ahead of everybody

else, still be humble. To win your race, you

run no matter what people are saying. To win

your race, punch your mind, your brain, your

eyes, your hand, your thoughts, your plans, and

you'll be a winner. The intention of God is for

every one of us to be a winner. Winner in your

job, winner in the church, winner in Sunday school,

winner in preaching, winner in relationship,

winner in the town, winner in the village. Thus,

we all become winners because the plan of God

for us is to be a winner. Folks, this is a winner's

church. You are a winner's church for whole Oregon.

You are a winner's church for whole America.

You are a winner's church for the whole world.

Let the world see you, the way you're running.

And they may copy your running. And the name

of God be glorified. Shall we bow our head and

pray for a moment? If you want to be a winner,

everybody bow your head and close your eyes.

If anybody says, oh, I know I have lots of complaints.

I'm not very happy. I'm not counting myself nothing.

I am full of proud. I talk very arrogant and

proud. I beat other people. Sorry, God, help

me to be a winner. And he will help you to be

a winner. Is there anybody who will say, Brother

Tony, you pray for me. And if you're here, just

lift up your hand and I'm going to pray for you.

Just lift up your hand. That means you want prayer.

God bless you. God bless you. Just lift up your

hand. And I'm going to pray. God bless you. God

bless you. God bless you. Anybody else, just

lift up your hand. I'm going to pray for you.

I'm going to pray. God bless you. God bless you.

God bless you. God bless you. God bless you.

God bless you. God bless you. God bless you.

God bless you. Just keep sitting and just put

your right hand on your heart and say, God, I

want to be a winner. Let's every one of us pray.

Precious Heavenly Father, thank you for your

intention for us to be a winner, not just a runner.

We ask you, Lord, to make us winner. Help us,

Lord. Help us, Lord, to be a winner and make

us very happy running this race. In Jesus' name,

we ask this prayer. Amen. And if there's anybody

who wants to become a partner, you can meet me,

pray for me. And thank you very much, church.

Thank you very much. God bless you. Would you

stand with me? Just stay standing, would you?

Let me just say this. Not only for Tony, but

for everyone of our missionaries and for those

of you that are, and this church is rich with

people that have taken a nation on their heart

and give their lives. at least part of a significant

amount of their lives to sustain, pour into orphanages,

pour into pastors, building churches. So proud

of you guys. I know the Lord continues to add

people to this body that have already in their

journey adopted, if you will, another country,

another place. And I just want to... Encourage

you of the word today. Keep running with that.

Keep sustaining that. We're behind you. We're

grateful you're part of this body, but we also

want to just acknowledge that gift and that grace

and proud of you for hearing the Lord as you

sow in, not only in this house, but over the

wall. Let's just ask the Lord this morning as...

As the healing team begins to come forward on

my left, let's just ask the Lord to really take

that word and drop it deep down inside of us

this morning. Jesus, you make us winners. Lord,

without you, we can do nothing. That's what your

word says in the gospel. Without you, we can

do nothing. But Lord, with you, we can do exceedingly

abundantly beyond. Lord, we're more than a conqueror.

Lord, we're winners, as the scripture says. And

Lord, we want to begin to continue to be motivated

to... Respond like the winners that we are. Lord

not because we made ourselves righteous. But

because you did. You've taken. All of the hindrances.

And Lord we just set aside those things. The

voices of other people we set aside. The shortcomings

we set aside. The past. And Lord we look to you.

And we look. to the finish, let us be everything

that you paid for. Thank you for the grace that

enables us. Thank you for the body of Christ

that comes to be grace. Thank you, Holy Spirit,

that you minister to us, even now. Lord, put

that anointing on us that we would look around

us in our own life. And say, where could I be

running better? What's limited me? What's hindered

me? And help me step out of those entanglements

that I could serve, that I could love, that I

could give, that I could be more like Christ

to his body and to the world that doesn't know

him. Jesus, you're working that into us. We bless

you this morning. We bless you this morning,

Jesus. Thank you for blessing us. In your precious

name, amen. If you are interested in hearing

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go to www .lifebiblechurch .org or call us at

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