May 31, 2020 Sun am 1 Cor 9:19-24
Hey, man. A man truly it is a blessing to be able to come out and share. What does save the Lord and I'm always inspired. I'm one of those people when the sun isn't out. I'm just not in my best mood. And so I was awakened this morning. I just took a picture of a tulip that I had planted. You know, how you just waiting on things to to show their Worth or to show their purpose and as I was coming out the house today, I made sure to take a picture of it and send it to Sister Damaris a picture of that tulip as it Bloom this morning. It was it was that I guess it was such a beautiful thing to see that somehow God always has a way of supplying us with hope even if it is just to observe the beauty of a flower that is blooming leaning toward the Sun the source of its energy and its life and it made me think about myself and how I communicate with the source of my life how I depend. The source of my life and how I need that Source of Life to fulfill my purpose. So again, I think it's a wonderful thing today that we have the opportunity to come out and share what the saying the Lord before I do begin today. I am reminded in that I believe is your Bible Begins the first divisional song This Way Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of Sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his Delight is in the law and in it. Does he meditate both day and night his relationship with God's word is constant and saw it being the case. I found out even in my growing up and had older men to tell me if you want to really know the measure of a man or what it is. That's within a man just add pressure. Because whatever there he is that is contained within that vessel when enough pressure is applied. Whatever is on the inside it will come out and it will be exposed and I think we all need to bear in mind that you know as we watch what's going on in the world. We live in today. I think we all need to be reminded. We are not we are not the only Witnesses of what's happening in this world someone else.
Cancel I give you this encouragement in terms of being careful about what it is that we do save believe. The Bible says in Psalms 19 and 14 to the words of David and I believed in this because it's careful in this way. Whatever is inside of me spiritually will eventually come out and so with that in mind. I said all time before I get a chance to speak. I like to quote the scripture let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart. Be acceptable in God's eyes on God sees and Witnesses everything that we do in the world today live. God is also watching us the message that we have today is increasing spiritual influence. During difficult times. It is important for all of us when we are Christians believe it or not to realize that we have the potential to influence for the for the good. We all have within us something that can be built upon as a foundation to share and spread those things that are good and so far today, we had written to our hearing and 1st Corinthians 9:19 through 24 and repeat all of that for you. But Paul is teaching us how to be prepared and to be conscious of the Evangelistic opportunities that come to us and that often times we miss because we are looking for something in particular. Sometimes we look for something that's just like us before we can explain what it is that we feel or think or believe in reality as a Christian. I should be looking for people that are not prisoners people that are not Believers people that don't understand the word of God the way that I do. Those are the opportunities that Paul is talking about Eddie saying you don't it really didn't matter and it still doesn't matter whether that person is Jew or Greek. It doesn't matter whether that person is it does not matter what their socioeconomic Category or demographic is but the challenge is how do I put myself in the ability and or position to approach them about the it's over the first number 22. Paul says that I am made all things. All things there's a way even if I didn't grow up in in in in in New York City. There's a way that I can learn to communicate with someone from Brooklyn easily as I can learn to communicate from someone in Manhattan. And so Paul is trying to say that through the power of Jesus Christ. I can be made something versatile. I could be made something that is not constructed by a certain category because I'm African-American that I can only talk about the African-American the scripture tells me that indicate with everyone and through Christ. I can be made all things. To make that possible we often quote the scripture in Philippians 4 and 13. I can do all things. through Christ Who has strengthened me protected Matthew chapter 10 and 16 was Jesus sent his Believers how he sent them out with this understanding? Be wise as serpents but yet harmless. as doves drinks And compassion I don't often combined together, but it is a fantastic combination when it comes to helping people that need to be healed as of today. I am reminded.
Overtime and I know some people over here goes another one of his stories. It is true.
And I think sometime what I sit on the porch and read my Bible and watching people run up and do whatever it is to do going down the street and you know, how many Evangelistic opportunities I miss myself because I get comfortable when I'm sitting in my comfort zone and I began to think of a worship service at the Brookfield Church of Christ where it is that I attend kind of stretches out in a lot of directions sometimes in the Brookfield area. I don't know if I was watching a gorilla glue commercial or what it was but we were all in our comfort zone because we have our own seat and we have our favorite.
The cake with people in priority sometimes a person first because I didn't get to speak to them last weekend and we have I will comfort zone spiritually silverback gorilla and worship time and I know a lot of people wouldn't chaos shows up. We all have a plan as I was told before I think it was Mike Tyson and said we all have a plan until we get punched in the face in Evangelistic opportunity a chance to help somebody we missed out on it because number one we are not prepared. What's secondarily? We don't rely always on what we know internally even spiritually. Sometimes we are so intimidated by what we see that we act in the opposite way that we trained to act.
It's broken and sanctuary in during this time a small child that I've noticed in my Congregation of scary mentioned anything like that, but I haven't had but when I observe how he Interactive. I could tell that he had an understanding of compassion. And so it was that Vision that help me the kind of understand. How do we combine through a child I learned how do we combine the strengths and the compassion that we have been taught we have been bored with internally. How do you use that to help the other people that we know are confused and soul my little buddy. little Max supermax maxed up with all of his courage observe something about the silverback gorilla and the gorilla is screaming and hollering and and you know it it's actually trying to communicate like humans into a primate humans may look like them. It's so based on that principle. He's using all the communication method that he has to try to get his message across but we can't understand him. but somehow
I've all the madness and I know some parents with Abel. Where's the child's mother? We start blaming all the children's mothers about what the children are doing. We need to be cognizant of Buffalo noticed and around to protect a child a small cab. Then why wouldn't humans have enough sense to combine all of their resources to protect their you
nonetheless old Little Mix supermax maxed up walked over to the gorilla. Because he saw something no one else song. Did the Browns food? It was a safety pin. stuck in the gorillas foot not like that. You would expect does not have pain. But he did something found a way in between his toes. The reality of it is to pull it out. His hands being the tools of survival for him have been so better and so warm and so broken and so swollen. Then he couldn't use his fingers. They will no longer. He had lost his dexterity or whatever the case is, but he couldn't help himself. It took a child to approach him and put him at ease and to reach and to pull out that thing. To have the compassion to have the infancy.
To help me move his pain into settle him. When we think about trying to approach people. and we think about How we are going to move about in the world today? And give the best advantage. To them that are without Christ. We have to come to a point where we realize that we have not outgrown what we knew. askew is it a fact that Jesus taught in this message has a certain amount of Matthew 5 and I believe its first number 8. Jesus taught us the blessed are the pure in heart. for this day that shall see God. In Matthew chapter 18 manufactured in the in the first three verses that are available there. They were arguing and trying to figure out who would be the greatest in the Kingdom. Who would be that person that would be the most effective in terms of being a Christian and an evangelist be that person that Jesus would recognize more or less was what they were after as being the best at doing what the Lord expect their by receiving a particular reward for themselves today. We end up with this proposition. Making ourselves better and more effective in reaching the lost. It being able to do this. Sometimes you have to take yourself back. You have to take yourself back to a time you haven't yet learned. How to view other people in certain ways I can take myself back to a time in my life when with me and my little cousin would sit on the kitchen floor. My grandmother would put some newspaper on the kitchen floor and it and me and my little cousin when we sit down and I'll little diapers tank tops and in to put a paper plate for each one and we both get a piece of chicken in a spoonful of string beans a slice of white bread and we always had to have that Dixie cup with the red Kool-Aid Man. We didn't care if other people had Air Jordans and Nikes and all that kind of thing. We haven't yet learned to be materialistic back at that time. We didn't care if other people were different sizes than us or if they had disabilities because we hadn't learned that it would be an inconvenience as we move throughout life if we have to help someone else and use our resources in time. So I'm glad that that I had that Vision somewhat in my head and I do appreciate little Max Max tub supermax with showing me how to combine strength and compassion even in the times of Chaos.
I would like to share as quickly as I can. A couple of things that I think will help us to become more effective and more influential Member One is the knowledge that we have in the truth. to know the truth But you know sometimes in the Bible is the Old Testament in particular it will say something in this reflected in this way referring to a relationship between a man and a woman and honestly to know the truth is to have a relationship with the truth the Bible say and he knew he could not get any closer to her as they were so intimately in twine, and so knowing the truth suggested you need an intimate relationship with the knowledge about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There's some scriptures that can be shared episode. John 14 and 6. And ye shall know the truth. It says and he shall this is important as well to do all the homework to do our to do our papers to do to write a paper for us to graduate. Spiritually. Jesus said you shall know the truth or experienced this rate of ajanta India. Larity of Salvation. He says I am the way I am the truth. I am I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto the father, but by me we need to have an intimate relationship with him to get to the father now. I know this is well. Sometimes people know better. But they choose not to do better. And so I want you to read Romans chapter 1 it will get back to Roma's here. If it's if it's time for Miss Romans chapter 1 verse 28, we definitely will be back into this territory as we explore our second point, but this is what the scripture says. And even this was retired to knowing the truth about the Lord it is Romans chapter 1 verse number 28 is where we are currently. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge.
God gave them over to a reprobate mind. To do those things which are not convenient to make you old man. You have that choice now if you choose to take God out of the truth, then that is on you. Accountability and it doesn't matter if God said something that you don't like or agree with and I've noticed this as well in the Bible unless it applies to them. What are the plastic someone else we don't have a problem with this so much at that point? Bubbling in a plastic film they're ready to erase it and take it out. Now this I know for Keith and myself. Knowledge of the knowledge in the truth is not the same as knowledge of the truth. Getting in the Bible is a totally different thing that knowing where the Bible is it. So over time in my life. I will never forget evangelist name Elijah Gary. He preached a sermon one Sunday and I was reading the scripture for him back in that day. The young man used to go find the scriptures for preachers know they didn't have iPods and things like that. That's how I learned to navigate the scripture. But none the less. I know too much to be quiet. And after that sermon, he tells me to get in the Pulpit myself because I had spent time learning and it had an intimate relationship with the truth. I was okay with that and I meant that child I was ready and I'm glad he gave that challenge to me, but I know that there are some that perhaps black. A full knowledge of the Scripture it can be easily misdirected. But I Rely solely on the word of God. I think for myself when I say this as well. I choose not to follow denominationalism because of what the word of God sex and practice are governed by the word of God as well for me to say that I would be a member of inconsistent. That's not something I can allow myself to do as matter fact. I don't want to be a part of someone's Ministries and call myself trying to find my way to heaven if you get the opportunity and I hope you have read this scripture in Acts the fourth chapter. and Burgess number 12 The Bible tells us neither. Is there salvation in any other for there is no other name under heaven. Giving them on men. Whereby we must be saved the Bible does not give me a choice on what God Said. The word of God is about obeying.
Bring up the things that are said even ask for in 12. Why am I?
What's the scripture says in Acts? 4:12 Heaven given among men? It's going to provide me salvation. Why am I doing that when God's word in truth is where we all need to place ourselves. And so after we have gained that knowledge and truth and I hope that we do. Yeah, spend the time in there. Paul told his young Protege study to show thyself approved unto God not the other people. That's why I try not to because I would rather show a man where the truth is than Corporal. I want him to know how to navigate to scripture and find out what God has in store for him. So after the truth in terms of knowledge, I've got in truth only said that he is a truth to my knowledge is in Christ. It is not in some new philosophy. It is not in some man-made religion. It is not in a catechism of Scots manual or LSD and justice Bible, if you will, it's not their salvation is not there and I even challenge this if you are a member of
Ask them if they're willing to take their name off the building.
knowledge in true
confidence intrude I'm a man. That believes the word of God as it is stated. I have no reason to try to change what God has already said in fact, where would I get the Authority for even the audacity to do so? The Bible tells us also. In Galatians chapter 1 and this is why you need to know the truth. Well so that you can have confidence in the truth just in case not just in case no because there was that will challenge you and try to convince you that what God's word says as his 7 is not right in the area of galatia. He says I'm Amazed. I'm almost there from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. I've been gone that long already doing something else.
like Moses when he What word of God? But by the time he got back the people decided Well worship God.
We will worship God but we'll use some stuff that he used to tell us was okay, but we've determined that now it is okay and so he came down. I just have that feeling inside. Sometimes he didn't recognize the sound of worship the way it was. It wasn't the same thing when you left. Then he found what he came back something happened. First number 7 Galatians chapter 1 6 and 7 verse number 7, which is not nothing but
There be some that trouble you. And would pervert the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a Bill Winston just because they said it people want to believe. Just because they said it people want to contain it. That's not what scripture supports confidence in the truth comes from sticking with the truth. It's so for those of us that think the world was somebody go through the trouble on changing what's in the Bible. and if it can be someone that you wouldn't expect to do it, there are people that we hold in very high esteem was it they be in our present or our history that do things that I know for a fact
there's someone in the listening audience today that is not aware. Of what I'm about to show you. Wake me up in an hour history here in America. There have been people that maybe you didn't think even cared about what the Bible say. but they changed it. and so for this example
Just added. I didn't want to say it was named first. I wanted to be able to show some of them and to check if I did just like everybody else and something you going to do this right away. When I get through saying is you going to go to Google is you going you going to send it to somebody else and you going to bookmark?
Legend says The life and morals of Jesus of Nazareth commonly referred to as the Jefferson Bible. Is one of two religious Works constructed by Thomas Jefferson, the third president one of the architects of the Constitution of the United States of America. The first the philosophy of Jesus of Nazareth was completed in 1804 and we know that the church was established upon Jesus's death. This is in the Bible. 88033 button 1804 Thomas Jefferson completed his work until the first one no copies exist today II the life and morals of Jesus of Nazareth was completed in 1820 and listen to the technique. by cutting and pasting sounds like something that we do.
By cutting and pasting with a razor and blue sections from the New Testament as extractions of the doctrine of Jesus. Jefferson's condensed composition.
excludes all miracles by Jesus and most mentions of the supernatural including sections of the four gospels that contain the resurrection and most other Miracles and passages that portray Jesus. That's divine.
How enlightening can a man ever become to the point where he can take the resurrection out of the Bible itself. If there is no Resurrection salvation for you cannot be buried with him in baptism and walk in the newness of so without him. We cannot be saved without him in our baptism baptized in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy Ghost without that we can't even be buried with him and raised with him the very resurrection of Jesus Christ.
the Bible
I don't do that to stay.
IPad challenges. I'm just going to leave that there for your viewing. I've had many challenges from people that have tried to convince me.
That it's okay.
To do your own thing. I don't believe you. I spoke up with my confidence in the truth on this one day and that led me to three different things that are challenges for us currently. in the world today number one a person told me but I don't have to worry about going to heaven or not cuz my grandmother got her own church.
And I listen. Paul was telling us.
Come as a child. To get into the kingdom you must be able to change some of the things that you're thinking and so in his mind because his grandmother had her own church. He was going to heaven to buy Depot. And I said, well, I don't know.
How is that until I showed Acts chapter 4 verse number 12, you know that no salvation is provided. What name is given among men under happy? That means there's nobody on Earth can name but Church other than Christ to die for. It kind of looked at me. You got a little bit of a struggle with it. and then he went on to say the grandma had been preaching for so long better now She was ready. to be a bishop
Okay. Well, she's ready to be a bishop. how to draw he said wait so long then after while they make you a b****.
I don't notice. This is how it works. I'm thinking to myself my goodness funny things happen in the spiritual wait there incorrect. So I took him to Second To Me. Navigate to show him. The qualifications that the Apostle Paul pointed out to Timothy because he wanted that young Protege to know how to go and ordained Elders in Bishop qualifications to read that if a man I stop there.
if a man desire the office if the Bible says if a man desires and office and does not mention anyone else then that's the only one that was. The scripture says one Lord One Faith one baptism one Lord any face and if you choose are not baptismal. That's not what
if a man desire the office of a bishop the one qualifier. It's not alone. It's just have to be a man. But he says that this man has to be a husband of one wife. In the scripture say that the man. Is the head of the wife? So if I'm in a spiritual household. And I'm a man. But my wife is a bishop. And she is accountable and the overseer and Watcher of my soul. How was that not? Usurp The Authority given to me as a man to be the spiritual head in my own household.
There are the qualification is that he needs to be the ruler of his own household. So if the female Bishop it's a watch over my soul, but she can't even be the ruler of the household. How can she be the ruler of the church? What does Spock yet more questions for the young man and that did not end. Come to buy. Did he suggest why her churches?
would it not only have but they have
ambitious I said, okay. We need to go to Romans chapter 1 now. Because apparently someone has changed the truth into the lap. And so this is offered to some. To get you some confidence in your conversation when it comes to What God Says would you turn your Bibles? the Romans chapter 1
will start at burst 25 + hookah all the way through the first number 32 if we can Circle include this point. first number 25 Romans chapter 1 verse number 25 This is not a question. You have to read the verses above it to find out who the who is God is not asking who changed the truth into a lie. He's saying someone did. Someone changed the truth of God into a lie and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator who is blessed forever. Amen for this cause God gave them up. Remember God and 28. Don't have to stop you from doing wrong.
But this power of God gave them a bunch about affection for even their women did change the natural use into that which was against nature and
And likewise also the men. Leaving the natural use of the woman. Burned in their own love toward another men with men working that which is unseemly unseemly God doesn't endorse it and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error receiving the recompense. God does not endorse it, which was me and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. God gave them over to that reprobate mind to do the things which are convenient. That's not it. I want people to think the brother pound more is bashing homosexuals. That is not what I'm doing. I'm pointing out to you that God doesn't support homosexuality and so here. Inverse number 29. We find that Christianity is not bashing homosexuals and just found them to point them out the Apostle Paul got his training directly from Jesus Christ. He lays on the list. inverse of a 29 being filled with all unrighteousness fornicated with maliciousness full of every murder debate deceit malignity whisper is back by the changes of God despiteful proud boasters inventors of evil think even if you're evil thing is an evil political thin disobedient to Parents Without understanding Covenant Breakers without natural affection than packable unmerciful. Who knowing the Judgment of that all the time? They know it's wrong. They just telling you it's okay to do. That they would commit such things are worthy of death. Not only do the same but play pleasure. In doing them. My confidence in dealing with the truth comes from the word. Buckeye L'Anse Creuse in execution
Price needs to be in the way you behaved Christ needs to be in your process and your method operational integrity and Christ will determine your salvation. The claim of Christ is not enough not everyone that says Lord Lord is going to be saving faith is not an incentive-based lifestyle God's grace is sufficient. You must be able to endure to influence. If you don't make it to the point of righteousness, you can't share it every step is with by and through Jesus Christ. Now, I realize that in my expressions of what the Bible says. There's always going to be rejection and when there is rejection as I travel through this time in my life and trying to share the gospel is something that I have learned when I'm rejected the when I feel like my messages not being received and I'm running out of gas. I feel like my get-up-and-go done.
I know I have to recharge myself and in order to do so. I have a process. I'm reminded of Jacob in Genesis chapter 28 when he was traveling and he had to find a place to lay his head in that place was a rock because it's so if you look on the diagram that we have here, I'd like to explain the symbol in the middle pointing both ways suggested mathematics and logic that the things on both sides are congruent that they are equal that they are operative in the same way, but I want my righteousness and my life to be consistent. Now the only way for me to do that, they're only going to be equal if and only if I am connected through Christ to die. So in order for me to process is your number had his head laying down sleeping. He said he appeared to be a ladder and Angels were a sanding and DC power myself up with the a sitting and descending intimate relationship that I have through Christ. So when I get to a situation where I need to get my life, right I make sure that my sins and my iniquities are not separated me from my God so that my prayers through Christ can be hurt. I said my prayers and my praise up through him and God sends down his power and his peace through him. I send my godson's down his it is a completed circuit. It's it's it's it's going up and it's coming down.
Back to the Rock like there's a term that we live in right now with compassion and love and sharing what's more important to us and bring that forward to the present, but the only way as an individual that I'll be able to increase my spiritual influence in difficult times. I have to go back to the Rock and that rock is Christ. I have to go back to him to lay my burdens down to rest my head to set up my prayers sent up my praise so that my power and my peace come down and if you're looking understand that what is coming down now send it out. I don't have to rely on the peripheral or those that are lateral in my life. I don't have to call Creflo Dollar for the power that I need through Christ. My head on the right and I'll go straight to you if you want to build that influence. This is not about everybody saying and I was just sitting at the lunch table. You want that experience? You need to be converter. And when you are fully converted. Strengthen your brethren. They need your help. Become the best helper. You have to be fully converter. You need to listen to what God is telling you. I've already shown you that people will change God's word. You have to get in it. You have to hear it. You have to believe it. You can't be like mr. Jefferson and just take out the parts that you don't agree with and you don't believe the Bible says you have to believe it.
Do you have to repent? You have to change.
You have to confess I was thinking to myself. The other night when I was watching what was going on on television. If I just can't run around doing their own thing, so I'm helping some not the thing that came to my mind was this the Bible says that someday every knee. Shall bow and every tongue will confess millions of people are running around.
Jesus will return and I believe that because it's word says it and when he does the confessions will be made.
You going to need to do these things? Go to have to change. You didn't turn away from the evil ways and unrighteousness through repentance. And yes baptism as we have spoken up earlier. You can't be born again until you've been buried with Christ. I hope some of the things that I have said today would encourage you and I thank you for your patience for there is much to be said but very little time and that's why I need your help to spread God's word. So sing I close on this point.
pink on a higher level live buy a higher standard so that we can all go. To that higher place. I think you would God bless you.