Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / Building Up Yourselves - 3/1/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch
Transcript
- 0:02Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
- 0:05Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
- 0:07Carolina. We're so glad you joined us
- 0:10today. If you enjoy today's message, be
- 0:12sure to subscribe, follow, and share
- 0:15with your friends. Now, let's join
- 0:17Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from
- 0:20God.
- 0:26>> Amen. If you have a Bible tonight, I
- 0:28invite you to turn with me to the book
- 0:29of Jude.
- 0:31The book of Jude.
- 0:34And I hope that sigh back there wasn't
- 0:36about us turning to Jude. Amen. And uh
- 0:41if it wasn't, Amen. that was very
- 0:43timely. Amen. But uh
- 0:47want to be back here tonight. We'll
- 0:48finish out uh this portion of the book
- 0:52of Jude. not finish out the book, but
- 0:54going to transition over into another
- 0:56section of the book tonight. And uh it's
- 0:59what I had on my heart today. Just try
- 1:00to be obedient to the leadership of the
- 1:02Holy Spirit. And I want to begin reading
- 1:05tonight. You find your place if you
- 1:06would stand.
- 1:09We'll begin reading verse number 14.
- 1:13And
- 1:19Jude verse number 14.
- 1:23The Bible says, "And Enoch also, the
- 1:24seventh from Adam, prophesied of these,
- 1:28saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with 10
- 1:30thousands of his saints, to execute
- 1:32judgment upon all, and to convince all
- 1:34that are ungodly among them, of all
- 1:37their ungodly deeds which they have
- 1:38ungodly committed, and of all their hard
- 1:41speeches which ungodly sinners have
- 1:43spoken against him. These are murmurers,
- 1:46complainers, walking after their own
- 1:48lust, and their mouth speaketh great
- 1:50swelling words, having men's persons in
- 1:53admiration because of advantage. But
- 1:56beloved, remember ye the words which
- 1:58were spoken before the apostles of our
- 2:01Lord Jesus Christ, how that they told
- 2:03you there should be mockers in the last
- 2:05time, who should walk after their own
- 2:08ungodly lust. These be they who separate
- 2:11themselves sensual having not the
- 2:14spirit. Notice verse number 20. He says,
- 2:18"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves
- 2:22on your most holy faith, praying in the
- 2:25Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love
- 2:27of God, looking for the mercy of our
- 2:30Lord Jesus Christ unto
- 2:33eternal life." Now, Father, I come
- 2:35before you tonight and I ask you, Lord,
- 2:37please that you would help us. God, I
- 2:40realize tonight that in my flesh there
- 2:42dwelleth no good thing. And so, Lord, I
- 2:44pray you'd remove the flesh far from us
- 2:46tonight. And I pray you'd help us to
- 2:48preach and power and demonstration the
- 2:51spirit of God tonight. I pray give us
- 2:53liberty, clothe us in our calling, and
- 2:55Lord will for whatever hindrance, Lord,
- 2:57there would be to try to stand in the
- 2:59way of this message, I pray that you
- 3:00would remove it tonight. And God, I ask
- 3:02that you would help us to receive with
- 3:04meekness the engrafted word. Pray you'd
- 3:06help me to say nothing, God, that would
- 3:08hinder the work of the Holy Spirit, but
- 3:10God to say everything that you want me
- 3:11to say. And God, I pray, Father, that
- 3:13the Holy Ghost would have free course
- 3:15and reign in every heart. And Lord, I
- 3:17pray for the needs in our church. Lord,
- 3:19we've got many that are hurting. Lord,
- 3:21right now, for many different reasons.
- 3:22And God, I pray tonight somehow some way
- 3:24we could be an encouragement to them as
- 3:27a result of this message. And God, I
- 3:29pray most of all that you'd be glorified
- 3:31and exalted, Lord, because you alone are
- 3:33worthy of all praise and glory and
- 3:35honor. And we thank you for what you're
- 3:37doing, for what you're going to do, for
- 3:38what you have done, but most of all for
- 3:40who you are. We give you praise and we
- 3:42ask it all in Jesus' name. Amen. You can
- 3:45be seated. Thank you for standing
- 3:47tonight. Of course, we've dealt several
- 3:50messages out of the book of Jude here.
- 3:53Kind of lost count at this time, but
- 3:55I've been looking at this text for some
- 3:57time. We took a break there on last
- 3:59week. Just didn't have liberty to come
- 4:01here. But I want to pick up where we
- 4:03left off there in verse number 16 on
- 4:06last time. Introduce the text and I want
- 4:08you to be encouraged tonight. We're
- 4:10headed to verse number 20. And that's
- 4:12where I want to end up tonight. Uh but I
- 4:14want to get through these verses tonight
- 4:16and look at what's here. We've been
- 4:17dealing with the subject of apostasy.
- 4:20And I really believe that uh it's been
- 4:22very beneficial to us. I'll say this.
- 4:25We're seeing this an alarming rate in
- 4:26our day and time. It's infecting our
- 4:28good churches. And I want you to be
- 4:30aware of things. Amen. And I'll tell you
- 4:33this, if the watchman on the wall keeps
- 4:34his mouth shut, he's not much of a
- 4:36watchman, is he?
- 4:37>> Right.
- 4:37>> He sees the enemy coming, but if he
- 4:39refuses to alert those that are within
- 4:41the wall about the distress and about
- 4:44the affliction that they'll soon be
- 4:46under, he has failed as his job as a
- 4:48watchman. And so, I want to tell you the
- 4:50truth tonight. And I want to say, don't
- 4:52let me be your enemy because I tell you
- 4:54the truth. Amen. I want to tell you the
- 4:55truth. And I notice here in this text
- 4:57tonight, we considered there last time
- 4:59Enoch and what the Bible says concerning
- 5:02him. We talked about that a little bit,
- 5:04but I want you to notice how he
- 5:06continues tonight in verse number 16
- 5:08here. He he labels really four things in
- 5:11verse 16. We'll kind of use this as the
- 5:13launching pad here concerning this
- 5:15matter of apostasy. And I notice what he
- 5:18says first of all about these people.
- 5:20He's giving a description of who they
- 5:22are. He's given Bible descriptions
- 5:24throughout this chapter. He's dealt with
- 5:26many different illustrations from the
- 5:28pages of scripture. Now, he's giving a
- 5:31literal description of how they act. He
- 5:34note, you note there in verse number 16,
- 5:36the Bible says that he labels them as
- 5:38murmurers, complainers. And I would say
- 5:40that number one, they're seen they're
- 5:42they're despite they're they are uh this
- 5:45murmuring here that literally means that
- 5:47they speak against God. It's not so much
- 5:49publicly as it is privately. They
- 5:52complain about their lot in life and how
- 5:54God has dealt them a bad hand of cards,
- 5:57so to speak. And these complainers here,
- 5:59when you think about that word
- 6:01complaining there in the text, it
- 6:03literally has to do with the subject
- 6:05that they complain to others. They are
- 6:07murmuring before God, but they're also
- 6:10complaining to others. And I don't know
- 6:12about you, but I've been around some
- 6:13people in my lifetime that can do some
- 6:15pretty good complaining. Amen. And I'll
- 6:17say this, if they'll complain to you,
- 6:19more than likely they'll murmur in their
- 6:21private place. Amen. And there'll be
- 6:23things that whisk over in their mind and
- 6:25their their despite. What what that
- 6:28simply means is is that they're against
- 6:30everything that God's for. Amen. And I
- 6:32notice in this text, not only their
- 6:34despite, but I note their direction in
- 6:36verse 16. They're walking after their
- 6:39own lust. And so clearly, they are
- 6:42desiring to fulfill the pleasure of
- 6:44their flesh. And out of that there is
- 6:46their dialogue in verse 16. Their mouth
- 6:49speaketh great swelling words. And those
- 6:52uh we talked about that a little bit
- 6:53there uh on the last time that those
- 6:55words that they'll speak that really
- 6:57nobody understands and they themselves
- 6:59don't understand but they'll just speak
- 7:01it just to be loud and boisterous. And
- 7:03let me just say this. Just because
- 7:05somebody's loud don't mean they're
- 7:06right.
- 7:07>> You're right.
- 7:08>> Amen. Just because a ministry or a
- 7:11messenger is big in the eyes of the
- 7:13world and has a large platform does not
- 7:16vindicate them. That does not uh make
- 7:19them a messenger from God. And so you
- 7:21note their dialogue. But then you see
- 7:23their deception in verse 16. The Bible
- 7:26says they speak great swelling words
- 7:28having men's persons in admiration
- 7:31because of advantage. And so they are
- 7:34constantly trying to woo on those that
- 7:36are above them. and they will use you
- 7:38and anybody else if it will get them a
- 7:41higher rung in the ladder. Really, all
- 7:43they're looking for is an increase in
- 7:45authority and an increase in in in their
- 7:47financial pocketbook. That's really all
- 7:50they're looking for. And so, he is
- 7:52dealing here with these apostates. And
- 7:54notice what he says in verse 17. He
- 7:56says, "But beloved, remember ye the
- 7:59words which were spoken before of the
- 8:01apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ." So,
- 8:04there's a prophecy here that's given.
- 8:06And in verse 17, he says, "Remember the
- 8:08words which were spoken before." Now, of
- 8:11course, he's talking to those that are
- 8:12saved. In verse 17, it's the beloved.
- 8:15It's the brethren. It's those who belong
- 8:17to the body of Christ. And this prophecy
- 8:20here in the text has to do with the
- 8:22message that the apostles gave. Now, we
- 8:24know Peter and Paul dealt with these
- 8:26apostates. Paul told young Timothy,
- 8:28"Then the last days, perilous times will
- 8:30come." You know the verses. He said that
- 8:32they'll heap to themselves teachers
- 8:34having itching ears. Amen. They'll turn
- 8:36their ears from the truth and be turned
- 8:38unto fables. And Peter deals with these
- 8:40truths. And and he's saying here in this
- 8:43text, you need to remember what the
- 8:45apostles had to say. Let me say this.
- 8:47You need to go back sometimes and look
- 8:49at what the old man of God had to say
- 8:51about where we're living at.
- 8:53>> A lot of these new these new guys, Amen.
- 8:55They're not staying with the old past.
- 8:57>> You're right.
- 8:57>> They claim the name, but they don't
- 8:59operate under the same banner that you
- 9:01and I do. Amen. And I notice here this
- 9:04prophecy leads into a pattern in verse
- 9:06number 18. The Bible says how that they
- 9:09told you there should be mockers in the
- 9:12last time who should walk after their
- 9:14own ungodly lust. And he gives the
- 9:16description again of these people. How
- 9:19that they said these apostles, the
- 9:21authentic ones, those that saw the Lord
- 9:24Jesus Christ, Paul being the apostle
- 9:26born out of due time. This pattern first
- 9:29of all is they're mockers in verse
- 9:31number 18. They're mockers. What do they
- 9:33mock? They mock the truth,
- 9:35>> right?
- 9:35>> They speak against the truth. They
- 9:38downplay the truth as if it's not
- 9:40relevant. Well, let me say this. There's
- 9:41one thing in life that never changes,
- 9:44and that's the truth.
- 9:46>> Amen. This Bible never changes. And we
- 9:49can rest assured tonight that heaven and
- 9:52earth will pass away. But God said, "Not
- 9:54one jot or one tit shall pass away.
- 9:56Heaven and earth will fall to the
- 9:57ground." But let me say this, God will
- 10:00not ever let his word fail to come to
- 10:02pass. It's forever settled in heaven.
- 10:04The Bible says, "And these men, they
- 10:06mock at the truth." He said they would
- 10:08there should be mockers in the last
- 10:10time. They speak openly against things
- 10:13just as he said earlier in this text in
- 10:16verse number 10, he said they speak evil
- 10:18of those things which they know not.
- 10:20They mock at the truth and they mock at
- 10:22the teachers of the truth. And he
- 10:24noticed not only their mocking but their
- 10:26moral decay is seen in verse number 18
- 10:29that they should walk after their own
- 10:31ungodly lust. They're doing whatever
- 10:33fills their flesh. Verse 19, the Bible
- 10:37says, "These be they who separate
- 10:38themselves. They're mockers. They're
- 10:41morally decayed, but they're always
- 10:43moving." Beware of a work that's always
- 10:46changing.
- 10:47>> Right?
- 10:48>> Beware of a church. Beware of a
- 10:50preacher. Beware of a pastor that's
- 10:52always moving to the next thing.
- 10:54>> Amen. Now, I want to say this. There's
- 10:56room to improve in all types of things.
- 10:58>> Amen.
- 10:59>> But I'll say this, every most most new
- 11:01things coming down the pipe that we
- 11:02ain't got no business handling.
- 11:04>> Amen. That's just the truth tonight. And
- 11:07so these, he says, these be they who
- 11:09separate themselves. And so what that
- 11:11simply means is is that they cause
- 11:13division. They're always leaving
- 11:15something. You're
- 11:15>> right. Well, I've got new liberty and
- 11:18I've found a new opportunity here. And
- 11:20they're always looking for that next
- 11:22step. Amen. And they'll do whatever it
- 11:24takes to move on and they'll divide
- 11:26whoever they have to divide to get
- 11:27there. And you say, "Preacher, why are
- 11:29you dealing with this?" I'm getting to
- 11:31verse 20. Stay with me. All right?
- 11:33They're mocking. They are morally
- 11:35decayed. They're always moving. But then
- 11:38they're marked in verse number 19. And
- 11:40this is where I really wanted to get to
- 11:42tonight. Look what he says. These be
- 11:45they who separate themselves
- 11:47sensual
- 11:49having not the spirit. You know what the
- 11:53number one problem with this crowd is?
- 11:55They're not saved.
- 11:57>> Amen.
- 11:57>> That word sensual there literally speaks
- 11:59that they are controlled by their human
- 12:01nature.
- 12:02>> They're controlled by flesh. They have
- 12:04no leadership of the Holy Ghost in their
- 12:07life. There is no operation of the
- 12:09spirit of God in them. And so
- 12:11consistently and constantly they always
- 12:14follow the leadership of the flesh
- 12:16because they do not have the spirit of
- 12:18God on the inside.
- 12:20>> Amen.
- 12:20>> Now notice what Jude says in verse 20.
- 12:23But ye
- 12:25but ye beloved building up yourselves on
- 12:30your most holy faith. Now I know tonight
- 12:33the service is a little bit different.
- 12:34I'd love for it to be high but here's
- 12:36what I know tonight. There's many of you
- 12:38in here it's hurting.
- 12:39>> Amen. And I'll tell you this, there's
- 12:41help.
- 12:42>> Amen. I preached that message there a
- 12:44few weeks ago on Wednesday night that
- 12:46there is hope for the hopeless. Amen.
- 12:48Wherever you're at in this life, there
- 12:50is help that you can find. And I'll say
- 12:52this, as long as you desire help, you
- 12:53can find help. Somebody say amen right
- 12:55there. Those that can't get help, the
- 12:57ones that don't want it. Amen. But I
- 12:59noticed in this text here, Jude changes
- 13:01the tide. and and six more verses he
- 13:04gives us in this chapter. And I'm going
- 13:05to take my time with these. A lot of the
- 13:08truths that he reveals in these verses
- 13:10prior are somewhat redundant, but these
- 13:12truths here will help you if you allow
- 13:14them to. He says, "But you, beloved,
- 13:16building up yourselves on your most holy
- 13:18faith, praying in the Holy Ghost." And I
- 13:21want to I want to look at that phrase
- 13:23there in verse number 20 on building up
- 13:26yourselves. Now, I I was thinking this
- 13:29afternoon, I was thinking about the
- 13:31building process, and I I don't like to
- 13:33get too outside of the Bible with my
- 13:36illustrations. I'll give you four points
- 13:37right out of verse 20 in just a minute.
- 13:39But I was thinking about a building. And
- 13:42you know what we build buildings for? We
- 13:44build buildings for cover, don't we? We
- 13:46build those things so that ourselves,
- 13:48our home, it's a place where we can stay
- 13:50out of the rain and stay out of the
- 13:51heat. And it's a covering. But I thought
- 13:54about this. It's also a place of
- 13:56strength. You're right.
- 13:57>> It's a place where we can find ourselves
- 13:59when the winds begin to blow.
- 14:01>> Right?
- 14:01>> You know what to keep us out of the
- 14:02wind.
- 14:03>> But you know, I thought about this in
- 14:05this text. He's not really just talking
- 14:07about a building here in verse number
- 14:09verse number 20. That building there is
- 14:12not in the noun sense, but it's in a
- 14:14verb sense. And he says building up
- 14:17yourselves. And I begin to think about
- 14:19the building process. Know the Bible
- 14:21talks about the church is three things.
- 14:23means we're the body of Christ, the
- 14:25bride of Christ, and what else? We're
- 14:26the building of God. Amen. Paul talks
- 14:29about that one of these days that we we
- 14:31have a building of God, a house not made
- 14:33with hands. It's eternal in the heavens.
- 14:36It's that inheritance that's
- 14:37incorruptible and undefiled, Peter said,
- 14:39that's reserved in heaven for you.
- 14:41That's our building, the house that we
- 14:44are soon to have. But you understand
- 14:46what we're doing in this life. We're not
- 14:48we're not building the church, so to
- 14:50speak,
- 14:51>> right? Let me tell you what we are
- 14:53doing. We're building ourselves
- 14:56>> to be Christians that God has called us
- 14:59to be.
- 14:59>> Amen.
- 15:00>> You say, "What is that?" Well, notice
- 15:02Ephesians chapter 2. We'll get back to
- 15:04the text tonight.
- 15:06Ephesians chapter 2,
- 15:10verse number 20.
- 15:13You see, we're not building the church.
- 15:15Christ is building the church. Our job
- 15:18is to build ourselves.
- 15:21Verse 20, the Bible said, verse 19, "Now
- 15:24therefore, you're no more strangers and
- 15:25foreigners, but fellow citizens with the
- 15:28saints and of the household of God, and
- 15:30are built upon the foundation of the
- 15:32apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ
- 15:35himself being the chief cornerstone, in
- 15:37whom all the building fitly framed
- 15:39together groweth unto holy temple in the
- 15:41Lord, in whom ye also are builded
- 15:44together for inhabitation of God through
- 15:48the spirit."
- 15:49So, when I was thinking this evening
- 15:51about the building process, I was
- 15:53thinking about everything that takes
- 15:54place in that process. You think about a
- 15:57building, when it starts out, you really
- 15:58don't know what it's going to be, do
- 15:59you?
- 16:00>> Right.
- 16:01>> I thought about this, Brother Leon. It's
- 16:03real simple. I'll give you the text in a
- 16:05minute, but I was thinking about this.
- 16:06You know, when somebody gets saved, you
- 16:08really don't know what's going to
- 16:09happen.
- 16:09>> You're right.
- 16:10>> I've been thinking about that. people
- 16:12we've had come through the doors of this
- 16:13church since I've been here and they've
- 16:15gotten saved and it seems like it's been
- 16:17all kinds of different outcomes has come
- 16:18out of that. You're
- 16:19>> right.
- 16:19>> We don't know what's going to take
- 16:21place, but the foundation's been laid.
- 16:23Amen. That's what it is. Jesus Christ,
- 16:25that chief cornerstone. Amen. And uh the
- 16:28Bible teaches us, Paul said, "Let him
- 16:29every man take heed how he buildth upon
- 16:31that foundation." Amen. You're going to
- 16:33be judged by what you do with that
- 16:35foundation. Right?
- 16:36>> And so there's that process. And and let
- 16:38me say this, every building's different.
- 16:41You can take two homes that's built off
- 16:43the same plans. But you know what?
- 16:44They're not built off built with the
- 16:46same wood, are they?
- 16:47>> Right?
- 16:48>> And the difference is this, that we're
- 16:50all unique.
- 16:52We get in our mind so many times, and
- 16:53y'all loosen up a little bit. I know
- 16:55it's different. It'll be all right.
- 16:56Okay? We get in our minds sometimes that
- 17:00we've got to have this cookie cutter
- 17:01religion.
- 17:02>> You're right.
- 17:02>> Now, I do believe in Bible Christianity.
- 17:05>> Amen.
- 17:05>> And to some extent, we will all operate
- 17:08and look the same if we follow the
- 17:10Bible. But that does not take away from
- 17:12the fact that God has called us to be
- 17:14unique as Christians.
- 17:15>> Amen.
- 17:15>> He said, "What did Peter say? You're
- 17:17peculiar people." Amen. We're different.
- 17:19We're called out from the world. And the
- 17:22thing is, where you're called to serve,
- 17:23where I'm called to serve may not be the
- 17:25same place,
- 17:26>> right?
- 17:26>> That's why there's missionaries in
- 17:28foreign fields and preachers and other
- 17:30churches. The reason is is because God
- 17:32has put us all given us all a different
- 17:35command in this life. But the command
- 17:37for all of us is the same. And that is
- 17:39that we are to build.
- 17:40>> Yes.
- 17:41>> To build. And what we've lost in this
- 17:44day and time is is we're waiting on
- 17:45somebody to build us up.
- 17:47>> Amen.
- 17:49>> But look what Jude says. Building up
- 17:52yourselves.
- 17:53I thought about this first of all. I
- 17:55thought about the task of building.
- 17:58Verse number 20. Number one, I would say
- 18:00the task of building is personal.
- 18:03Look what he says in the text. Verse
- 18:05number 20. But ye beloved, building up
- 18:08yourselves.
- 18:10Now Paul said in the book of
- 18:11Philippians, he said he he talked about
- 18:13he told the church there, he said in my
- 18:15he said much more now my he said you
- 18:17work out your own salvation.
- 18:19You see I can preach to you three I can
- 18:21preach to you five times a week. Amen.
- 18:23If you wanted to and I'd love that. I'll
- 18:24do it. Amen. If you want to come we'll
- 18:26have five services a week and
- 18:28everybody's like no no no let's not do
- 18:30that.
- 18:32But I could preach to you 10 times a
- 18:33week. But if you do not have a personal
- 18:36walk with Jesus,
- 18:37>> you're right.
- 18:39>> You will not build anything.
- 18:40>> You're right.
- 18:41>> And here's what I'm afraid of. I'm
- 18:42afraid so many churches are riding off
- 18:44the coattails of the pastor.
- 18:47>> Amen. I've seen it time and time again.
- 18:50You go to churches and churches that
- 18:52that are doing well. They have great
- 18:53numbers, but the pastor and his family
- 18:55does everything
- 18:56>> right
- 18:57>> now. Don't get quiet on me right there.
- 18:59I'm thankful that it's not that way
- 19:00here. Amen. What I'm telling you tonight
- 19:02is this is that you cannot ride off of
- 19:05our spirituality because if you do,
- 19:07you're not you're gonna be in bad shape.
- 19:10>> Amen. I'm saying it's a personal thing.
- 19:13Your salvation when you dealt when you
- 19:16were dealt with by the Holy Ghost OF
- 19:17GOD. YOUR MOM AND DADDY couldn't lead
- 19:19you to God. Your parents, your friends,
- 19:22YOUR PASTOR COULD NOT LEAD YOU TO GOD.
- 19:24Jesus himself drawed you to himself. AND
- 19:28YOU HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION FOR
- 19:30YOURSELF. YOU'RE RIGHT.
- 19:31>> AND IN ORDER for you to grow, TO BE
- 19:33BUILT UP IN HIM, YOU have to choose it
- 19:36yourself.
- 19:37>> You're right.
- 19:38>> It's personal.
- 19:39>> The task. It's a personal task. But you,
- 19:42beloved, building up yourselves. What
- 19:45are we building for? We're building for
- 19:46cover.
- 19:48>> Cover from what? The enemy.
- 19:50>> He will attack you.
- 19:52>> Right.
- 19:52>> If you put the shield of faith down,
- 19:54just know the fiery darts are coming
- 19:56after you.
- 19:56>> You're right.
- 19:57>> Amen. If you choose to lay down the
- 20:00armor of God and not build yourself up
- 20:02in the Lord, what you'll find out is is
- 20:05that the devil will take you out faster
- 20:07than you ever could have imagined.
- 20:09You're
- 20:09>> right.
- 20:10>> Here's what I see so many people in this
- 20:12damn time. Y'all remember the commercial
- 20:14for airheads?
- 20:19People walk around, they would eat the
- 20:20airhead, and you know what it do? Make
- 20:22their head go and it would blow up,
- 20:24wouldn't it? That's the way Christians
- 20:26are. We walk around cisified, lint-
- 20:29wristed
- 20:30>> as Christians
- 20:32>> and our heads so big we can't hardly
- 20:34hold it up. We think we're the most
- 20:36spiritual thing that's ever walked on
- 20:37the face of the planet. And you know
- 20:39what your problem is? You've never
- 20:41exercised faith in your life.
- 20:43>> What what Paul say in book of Hebrews? I
- 20:46just preached this some time ago.
- 20:47Hebrews chapter number six. Hebrews
- 20:50chapter 5:E 13. For everyone that useth
- 20:53milk is unskillful in the word of
- 20:55righteousness, for he is obeyed. But
- 20:56strong meat belongth to them that are
- 20:58full age, even those who by reason of
- 21:00use have their senses exercised. Notice
- 21:03this, to discern both good and evil.
- 21:06You know what we're lacking in this day
- 21:07time is discernment.
- 21:09>> The reason you can't be built up is
- 21:11because you're building with straw
- 21:13>> and sticks.
- 21:15>> You can't build your life on temporal
- 21:17things of this world.
- 21:18>> Amen. You can't take the music and the
- 21:20operation of society as it is and expect
- 21:23to have a decent Christian life. It
- 21:25requires separation.
- 21:27>> It's personal separation.
- 21:29>> Right?
- 21:29>> We believe in ecclesiastical separation
- 21:31of the church of God. We do not believe
- 21:33in yoking up with every denomination and
- 21:36saying kumbaya with everybody that comes
- 21:38down the road and and wants to yoke up
- 21:40with us. But I'll say this, it's got to
- 21:42be more than just the church. It's got
- 21:44to be personal.
- 21:44>> You're right.
- 21:46Not every person in your life ought to
- 21:48be your best friend.
- 21:50>> Amen.
- 21:51>> I know. I know you don't like that, but
- 21:53it's the truth tonight. You say,
- 21:54"Preacher, what? I'm friends with
- 21:55everybody." You can be a friend to them.
- 21:58>> You're right.
- 21:58>> You know what's going to happen to you,
- 22:00though?
- 22:00>> If you allow them to be around you long
- 22:02enough, you'll become like them.
- 22:04>> Alan Barker said, "You are soon will be
- 22:06who your friends are."
- 22:07>> You're right.
- 22:08>> And I believe that.
- 22:10>> You say, "What does that have to do with
- 22:11this?" It does away with the TASK AT
- 22:13HAND. THE TASK IS BUILDING. WHAT ARE WE
- 22:17BUILDING? WE ARE BUILDING UP THE FAITH
- 22:18in our life to trust Christ and to serve
- 22:21Christ. The operation of the Christian
- 22:23number one, listen to me. It is not to
- 22:26win souls. The operation of the
- 22:28Christian is to glorify God. And that is
- 22:31first and foremost. You say, "How is
- 22:33that, preacher?" WELL, JEREMIAH PREACHED
- 22:35HIS ENTIRE life and far as I know, never
- 22:37saw a single convert. But you know what
- 22:39he did do? He preached the message God
- 22:42gave him. And let me say this to you. If
- 22:44there's never another soul that gets
- 22:45saved in Metis Baptist Church, YOU JUST
- 22:48KNOW I'M GOING TO PREACH WHAT GOD PUTS
- 22:49ON ME UNTIL THE DAY THAT HE TAKES me
- 22:51home. AMEN. AND I'M going to lay it OUT
- 22:54THERE STRAIGHT BECAUSE THE BIBLE'S
- 22:55STRAIGHT. AMEN. AND THE PLUM LINE DOES
- 22:57NOT BEND OR BREAK FOR NOBODY. AMEN. And
- 23:00what I'M SAYING TONIGHT IS THIS. IF
- 23:02YOU'RE GOING TO BE BUILT UP, YOU'RE
- 23:03GOING TO HAVE TO GET IT STRAIGHT FROM
- 23:05HERE. BUT LET ME SAY THIS. IT'S going to
- 23:07HAVE TO BE STRAIGHT AT HOME, TOO.
- 23:09>> YOU'RE RIGHT.
- 23:11Your religion outside these doors NEEDS
- 23:13TO BE THE SAME AS it is inside the
- 23:15doors.
- 23:16>> Amen.
- 23:16>> If you're going to be built UP IN HIM,
- 23:18IF YOU'RE GOING TO become who God wants
- 23:20you to be, let me tell you, you're going
- 23:22to have to operate by the same
- 23:24principles outside of the church that
- 23:26you do in.
- 23:27>> You're right.
- 23:29>> The task it's personal. Let me say this.
- 23:33It's for those who are saved and
- 23:35empowered. Look what he says in verse
- 23:3620. What's the first three words? But
- 23:39ye, beloved, here's what I'm convinced
- 23:42of. The people trying, many people
- 23:44trying to build a Christian life aren't
- 23:46even saved.
- 23:47>> Good.
- 23:49>> They have no foundation. You ever seen
- 23:51somebody try to build a house without a
- 23:53foundation?
- 23:55Believe it or not, I've seen Amen. You
- 23:58know what it does? It sinks up in the
- 23:59mud.
- 23:59>> You're right.
- 24:00>> That man that built that foolish man
- 24:02built his house upon the sand. What's
- 24:04the Bible say? that the floods came and
- 24:06the winds blew and the storm descended.
- 24:08And what happened? It beat upon that
- 24:10house just like it did the house that
- 24:12was founded upon the rock. And what did
- 24:14your Bible say? Great was the fall of
- 24:16it.
- 24:16>> Right?
- 24:17>> It was destroyed. And so it must be
- 24:20personal. You must be saved. But ye
- 24:22beloved, it's powerful to those who
- 24:25believe. Notice this. I'm moving on.
- 24:29There is the task of building. But then
- 24:32there is the truth of building in verse
- 24:3520. But ye beloved, building up
- 24:37yourselves, notice this, on your most
- 24:41holy faith. I don't say this, the task
- 24:45is personal, but let me say this, the
- 24:47truth is preeminent
- 24:49in your building.
- 24:52Nothing is more important, number one,
- 24:54than what you're building on. You're
- 24:56>> right.
- 24:56>> Number two, what you're building with.
- 24:58>> You're right.
- 25:00You see the thing about it is Jesus is
- 25:02the foundation but it's his word
- 25:05the truth. Notice that in the text verse
- 25:07number 20 building up yourselves on
- 25:10that's the foundation. Amen. Your most
- 25:13holy faith. Now what does that mean?
- 25:15That the most holy there has to do with
- 25:18what is most precious. It's preeminent.
- 25:20It's before everything else. And what
- 25:22does he say? The faith. Now that's not
- 25:25just simply your belief. The Bible says
- 25:28talks about have not the faith of the
- 25:29Lord Jesus Christ with respect to
- 25:31persons. When you think about that word
- 25:32faith, it has more to do than just, you
- 25:34know, I'm placing my faith in the Lord
- 25:36Jesus Christ. No, let me be real honest
- 25:39with you. Except you have the faith of
- 25:41the Lord Jesus Christ, you cannot be
- 25:42saved.
- 25:43>> You're right.
- 25:44>> Because he gives you your faith.
- 25:48>> We believe that.
- 25:48>> Amen.
- 25:50>> He gives you your faith to place in him.
- 25:53>> You're right. And so what is what I what
- 25:55the truth is I'm giving you here is that
- 25:57salvation is first and foremost. But you
- 26:00notice this truth that we're built upon.
- 26:02You cannot operate outside of that. You
- 26:05say preacher, how is that? Well, the
- 26:07imagery would be the same as if there
- 26:08was a foundation laid and then we go 20
- 26:11ft beside of it and start rearing a
- 26:14building.
- 26:15>> What good's the foundation?
- 26:17>> You see, you got to build it on.
- 26:19>> You're right.
- 26:20>> It has to be on the foundation. Right.
- 26:22>> What is that, preacher? Well, that's
- 26:24within the bounds of the scripture.
- 26:26>> You know what we're trying to do? We're
- 26:27trying to make our opinions and our
- 26:28ideas our presuppositions. Amen. To use
- 26:31a a a word of biblical terminology, we
- 26:34use our preconceived notions about the
- 26:37scripture.
- 26:38>> Instead of what it actually says.
- 26:39>> You're right.
- 26:40>> That's right.
- 26:42>> You say, "Preacher, what's an example of
- 26:43that?" Well, many people in the church
- 26:45today say it's okay to drink. Jesus
- 26:48might turn water into wine. But let me
- 26:51ask you, is that scriptural?
- 26:54>> No, it's not scriptural. What does that
- 26:56have to do with? Well, it's it's rightly
- 26:59dividing the truth.
- 27:01>> You're right.
- 27:01>> You say, "Preacher, well, that that
- 27:03that's just your preference." No, it's
- 27:05not. It's precept,
- 27:06>> right?
- 27:07>> The standards of this Bible, you cannot
- 27:09build aside from that. You can't build
- 27:12within it. You can't build OUTSIDE OF
- 27:14IT. YOU'VE GOT TO BUILD ON IT.
- 27:15>> You're right.
- 27:18or it will surely fall. The truth must
- 27:22be preeminent. Building up yourselves on
- 27:24your most holy faith. The task of
- 27:26building is personal. It is left up to
- 27:28you to do it. But you are only given one
- 27:31one truth, one foundation. For other
- 27:34foundation can no man lay. Peter said it
- 27:36this way. There's none other name under
- 27:38heaven given among men whereby you must
- 27:39be saved. And then after you get saved,
- 27:42you live the Christian life the rest of
- 27:45your days upon that salvation. You're
- 27:48right.
- 27:49>> Salvation is not just a one-time deal
- 27:51and then I go about my merry way. We
- 27:52know that.
- 27:54Notice this. All right. There is the
- 27:57task in our text. There's the truth. The
- 27:59task is personal. The truth must be
- 28:01preeminent. But notice this. Thirdly,
- 28:03notice the tool in verse 20. The Bible
- 28:06says, "But you love building up
- 28:07yourselves on your most holy faith."
- 28:09What's the next word, church? Praying.
- 28:13Praying in the Holy Ghost. The tool here
- 28:16is given as prayer. The operation of the
- 28:19life of a child of God cannot be
- 28:21functional without the spirit of God or
- 28:23without prayer. It can't you cannot
- 28:26follow God without speaking to him.
- 28:28>> No more than a man can be married to a
- 28:30wife and supply her needs without them
- 28:32conversating.
- 28:33>> You're right.
- 28:33>> There's no You can't raise children
- 28:35without being able to conversate and see
- 28:38their needs. IF THERE IS NO
- 28:39COMMUNICATION, THERE IS NO LIFE.
- 28:42>> You're right.
- 28:43>> Amen.
- 28:44communication the Christian life's not
- 28:46one-sided.
- 28:48>> It's not when we just go in and we say,
- 28:50"Well, I'm going to read God's word and
- 28:52he's going to speak to me." No. Here's
- 28:53what's going to have to happen. You
- 28:54going to have to talk to him.
- 28:56>> You're right.
- 28:56>> And say, "Lord, I'm coming to your word
- 28:58because I know that I need this
- 29:00>> and I need you to speak to me. Lord, I
- 29:02have these needs, but God, more
- 29:03important than anything, I just want to
- 29:05talk to you."
- 29:06>> Amen.
- 29:06>> You know what? The best conversation
- 29:08you'll ever have is when you just start
- 29:10reading God's word and as you're reading
- 29:11it, he's speaking to your heart through
- 29:13that scripture,
- 29:14>> right?
- 29:15>> And you just talk back to him.
- 29:17>> Lord, thank you.
- 29:19>> Thank you for that truth you shared with
- 29:21me today. What is that, preacher? That's
- 29:24building up yourselves. That's that's
- 29:26gaining strength. You know what that
- 29:28building process? I didn't say this
- 29:30earlier, but you know what? That
- 29:31building process through all the stages,
- 29:33it begins to look different, doesn't it?
- 29:35>> Right. When that home starts out and
- 29:37it's just a foundation, you don't know
- 29:38what it's going to be. You can kind of
- 29:41have an idea of what it's going to look
- 29:42like, but you know what it's meant to
- 29:44be? It's meant to be as we go further,
- 29:46it's supposed to see the definition of
- 29:48what the building was truly meant to be.
- 29:50>> Amen.
- 29:51>> And don't miss what I'm fixing to say.
- 29:54You know what I'm seeing a lot in this
- 29:56den time is that there's buildings,
- 29:59there's foundations everywhere. people I
- 30:01believe that are saved, but they're just
- 30:04buildings
- 30:06scattered all over the place, half
- 30:09built, some not even started. You've
- 30:11been by those projects. If you know
- 30:12anything about contract work, you see
- 30:14all the lumber in a pile, rotted up. God
- 30:17supplied you every need to build your
- 30:19Christian life and you've left it
- 30:20sitting on a shelf. That's
- 30:22>> right.
- 30:23>> Foundations laid, you refuse to build.
- 30:26>> You're right.
- 30:27>> You say, "Preacher, is that indictment
- 30:29against me?" Let me say this. This is an
- 30:31indictment against me. Cuz the truth
- 30:33about every one of our lives is is that
- 30:35we are not done building until God takes
- 30:37us home.
- 30:38>> Amen.
- 30:39>> Amen. And do not think that you've
- 30:41arrived just because you're here on a
- 30:43Sunday night. Just realize that every
- 30:44one of us HAVE GOT SO FAR TO GO BECAUSE
- 30:47THE GLORY OF GOD, IT DOES NOT END IN
- 30:50this life. WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT
- 30:51WE'RE GOING ALL THE WAY FOR GOD. IT IS A
- 30:54PATH THAT IS ENDLESS UNTIL THE TIME WE
- 30:56TAKE OUR LAST BREATH. WE ARE TO JOURNEY
- 30:58FORWARD AND TO BUILD ON BECAUSE WE HAVE
- 31:01NOT ARRIVED YET.
- 31:02>> AMEN.
- 31:05>> Prayer is a constant daily conversation
- 31:08with God. And it's not just three times
- 31:11a day, but it should be all day.
- 31:12>> You're right.
- 31:13>> At any point in time throughout the day,
- 31:15you ought to be able to bow your head
- 31:17and close your eyes and say, "God, thank
- 31:19you."
- 31:21>> You say, "Preacher, but I can't do that
- 31:22all the time. I'm too busy." Well, maybe
- 31:24you're too busy.
- 31:26>> Amen.
- 31:28You say, "Preacher, I got to work." I
- 31:29know that. Hey friend, if face anybody
- 31:31for working, this preacher is.
- 31:34What I'm trying to tell you is you got
- 31:36to be in a place where constantly at any
- 31:38point in time. You say, "What does that
- 31:40mean, preacher? It means you got the sin
- 31:41out of your life." That's
- 31:42>> right.
- 31:44>> It's not that, you know, I got to stop
- 31:46work or stop what I'm doing, get off and
- 31:47go, you know, find a a holler somewhere
- 31:49and get on my hands and knees. No, I'm
- 31:51saying a Christian can look up look up
- 31:53to heaven at any point in day. Don't
- 31:54even have to close your eyes. Say, "God,
- 31:56I I just just want to talk to you for a
- 31:58minute. Lord, could I speak with you? I
- 31:59want to thank you for being who you
- 32:00are." IT DOES. IT'S NOT ABOUT all of
- 32:03that other stuff. IT'S ABOUT HAVING A
- 32:04SIN OUT OF YOUR LIFE.
- 32:05>> RIGHT.
- 32:07>> And if we'd be real honest about it, the
- 32:09work that we do in this day and time, it
- 32:11ain't nothing to what it was 100 years
- 32:13ago.
- 32:13>> You're right.
- 32:15>> I mean, let's be real. We've got easier
- 32:17jobs now than we've ever had before.
- 32:19You're
- 32:19>> right.
- 32:20>> Some of you don't. Amen. And I I
- 32:22appreciate hardworking men in this
- 32:23church and I thank you for doing that
- 32:25and stick with it and stay with it. I'll
- 32:27tell you this, many many people lose
- 32:29their character because they quit
- 32:30working hard jobs. I think that's the
- 32:32problem with the laziness in this
- 32:34country is jobs got too easy.
- 32:35>> You're right.
- 32:38>> Boy, you won't hear that preached across
- 32:39the pool pits of America, will you?
- 32:42>> But the truth is this. What I'm saying
- 32:44is we've got it easier than we've ever
- 32:45had it.
- 32:46>> Amen.
- 32:46>> We've got more opportunities than we've
- 32:48ever had. Yeah.
- 32:49>> to pray, to talk to God. It is the
- 32:52bottom line. It's what we build with.
- 32:54The the the truth is what we're given
- 32:56here to build upon. And it's the the I
- 33:00guess you would say the raw materials
- 33:01that were given. But prayer is the
- 33:03hammer that drives the nail truth.
- 33:05>> Amen.
- 33:06>> In our life.
- 33:10Notice this tonight.
- 33:12Talking about building up yourselves.
- 33:15It's personal.
- 33:17The task is personal. The truth must be
- 33:20preeminent. The tool was prayer. But
- 33:23notice this. All right, don't miss this.
- 33:25You say, "What what do you got you got
- 33:27to say?" Well, there's one more thing in
- 33:28verse 20,
- 33:29>> right?
- 33:30>> You see, there's a thread that runs
- 33:32throughout all of this.
- 33:34Just like in every home, I I I was
- 33:36thinking about this. You know, every
- 33:37home is held together, you know, by
- 33:39nails or screws or whatever. And
- 33:40throughout the entire house, there's
- 33:41some top some type of fastener that
- 33:43holds it all together.
- 33:45You think about a garment, there's a
- 33:47thread that runs through the entirety of
- 33:48that garment. And I was looking at this
- 33:50text. You notice the wording there in
- 33:51verse 20. Building up yourselves on your
- 33:54most holy faith. Praying. What's that
- 33:56last phrase?
- 33:58In the Holy Ghost.
- 34:00Now, in one sense of the word, the only
- 34:03way that you can praise is in the Holy
- 34:04Ghost. We know that Romans 8 tells us
- 34:06that it's the spirit of God in our
- 34:07hearts that we cry aba father.
- 34:09>> We cry unto him because the spirit of
- 34:11God bears witness
- 34:13>> to him. Amen. But when you think about
- 34:15this truth in verse number 20, of course
- 34:18the tool is prayer, but you understand
- 34:19the thread that runs along this entire
- 34:23process of building
- 34:24>> from start to finish. You know what that
- 34:26is? It's the Holy Spirit of God,
- 34:28>> right?
- 34:30>> You say, "What is that?" Well, that's
- 34:31the one that does the building.
- 34:33>> Amen.
- 34:34>> You see, cuz here's the thing about it.
- 34:35You say, "Well, preacher, you're telling
- 34:36me that I've got to put the effort in."
- 34:38And you do. But it's just like, you
- 34:40know, the imagery of this. You you got a
- 34:42tool in your hand. Everything's
- 34:44automated in this day and time. You
- 34:45know, screwdrivers used to be a little
- 34:46round thing with a head on the end of
- 34:48it. But now screwdrivers got a big old
- 34:51battery on the bottom of it and you
- 34:52press a button. You know what it does?
- 34:53It winds that thing in there.
- 34:56>> The man doesn't really do the work.
- 34:58You're
- 34:58>> right.
- 34:59>> The tool does the work.
- 35:00>> Right.
- 35:01>> In your life and mine, the Holy Ghost,
- 35:03you see, we can't do spiritual work in
- 35:05oursel.
- 35:05>> Y
- 35:06>> we can't earn it. We can't attain it. We
- 35:08can't complete it oursel. And so the
- 35:10Holy Ghost has to do it in us, for us,
- 35:12and through us.
- 35:13>> You're right.
- 35:14>> But he'll only do it at your will.
- 35:16>> Amen.
- 35:17>> Notice that in the text. Praying in the
- 35:20Holy Ghost. There's a lot of prayers
- 35:22that were made today.
- 35:24I'll say this, probably less than a
- 35:26third of them were made through the
- 35:27power of the Holy Spirit.
- 35:28>> You're right.
- 35:29>> Say, what does that mean? Well, I'm
- 35:30saying there's people praying all over
- 35:32this country for all types of things. If
- 35:34you want to look over to the Middle East
- 35:35tonight and see all the prayers that's
- 35:36being lifted up to some foreign god
- 35:38somewhere that they don't even know who
- 35:39he is, where he is, or what he come
- 35:41from,
- 35:41>> you're right.
- 35:43>> Not reaching anything. But even in the
- 35:46heart of children of God, wonder how
- 35:47many prayers that are being prayed, but
- 35:49they're not anointed prayers.
- 35:52>> Say, "Preacher, what's a prayer that's
- 35:54anointed?" It's a prayer based upon the
- 35:56truth.
- 35:56>> Right?
- 35:57>> It's a prayer that comes along the turns
- 36:00of the will of God. I'm saying the
- 36:02building in your life. THE ONLY WAY THAT
- 36:04IT TAKES PLACE IS IF you line up
- 36:08and then you got to ask.
- 36:11I feel like I've been seemingly so
- 36:13redundant here lately. I don't know what
- 36:15that is. Let me tell you this tonight.
- 36:19We cannot operate as a church
- 36:23without building ourselves up.
- 36:25>> You're right.
- 36:27>> We've said it this way, brother Matt.
- 36:29We've said it this way. As goes the
- 36:30home, so goes the church.
- 36:31>> You're right.
- 36:32>> But it's more narrow than that.
- 36:35>> It's as goes the people.
- 36:36>> You're right.
- 36:37>> Each person individually.
- 36:39>> Yes.
- 36:40>> You have a responsibility to build up
- 36:43yourselves. You say, "Preacher, well,
- 36:45isn't that isn't that implying that we
- 36:47build up each other?" Maybe if you
- 36:48stretched it a little bit, you could say
- 36:50that. But I really believe the personal
- 36:52the personality of the text. He says
- 36:53building up yourselves. It's a
- 36:55collective thought that everybody needs
- 36:57to be personally doing the work. You're
- 36:59right.
- 36:59>> Do you see that? He says, "Building up
- 37:01yourselves." The admonition is to the
- 37:03entire church,
- 37:04>> but the truth is personal.
- 37:07>> Building up yourselves.
- 37:11And if we're going to have revival, this
- 37:12is what's going to require,
- 37:14>> right?
- 37:14>> I don't want to have a week of meeting
- 37:16here in the next next couple week. I
- 37:18don't I don't want to have just a week
- 37:19of meeting. Okay? I don't want to have a
- 37:20preacher come in here for a week and me
- 37:22pay them to come in here and spit and
- 37:24slobber and you not get anything out of
- 37:26it.
- 37:26>> That's right. You say, "Well, that's
- 37:28going to depend on them.
- 37:31>> That's going to depend on you.
- 37:34>> It's going to depend on me."
- 37:38>> Building up yourself.
- 37:40>> Yes.
- 37:41>> Every head bowed and every eye closed
- 37:42tonight.
- 37:44The task is personal.
- 37:49The truth must be preeminent. That's the
- 37:51foundation.
- 37:55The tool was prayer.
- 38:00But the thread that holds it all
- 38:02together is the presence
- 38:04of the Holy Spirit of God.
- 38:08>> And here's what you need more than
- 38:09anything else, church. You need to be
- 38:12filled with the Holy Ghost.
- 38:20>> You can't afford to operate without it.
- 38:24Your marriage won't function without it.
- 38:26>> Right?
- 38:27>> Your children won't survive without it.
- 38:30>> Yes.
- 38:34>> This church won't go forward without it.
- 38:38>> Let me ask you, if you love this church
- 38:40tonight,
- 38:42are you willing to build up yourself?
- 38:50Say, "Preacher, what's that going to
- 38:51require?" It's going to require some
- 38:52time.
- 38:55Some time. Building is a lengthy
- 38:57process, isn't it? Takes a while. Nobody
- 39:01ever built a house in a day. It was any
- 39:03count.
- 39:05Let me say this. Your house
- 39:08requires an entire lifetime to build.
- 39:12How much have you already wasted?
- 39:18Child of God, let me ask you again.
- 39:21How much have you already wasted?
- 39:28Let me say this. You can redeem the
- 39:29time.
- 39:31Paul said the days are evil. You need to
- 39:34be redeeming the time. You say,
- 39:36"Preacher, would you help me pray that
- 39:41this week God will Preacher, I I really
- 39:44just want to take I want to take 10
- 39:45steps for God this week, preacher. I I
- 39:47don't know how long it's been since I
- 39:49took a step, but preacher, I'd really
- 39:50like to just go forward with God.
- 39:53Just go a long ways. Anybody be that
- 39:55honest?
- 39:58Yeah, God sees that.
- 40:02Tell you what, that gives me hope.
- 40:04Here's what I know. If you're willing to
- 40:06build up yourself, this church will be
- 40:08built.
- 40:10You said, "Preacher, but we're not
- 40:11building up the church." And I I I'm
- 40:13You're exactly right. We're not. But
- 40:16I'll tell you this, if we'll build up
- 40:18ourselves Christ, we'll build his church
- 40:22and make it what he wants it to be.
- 40:26Only heaven knows what Meta's Baptist
- 40:28Church could be next year at this time.
- 40:31But it's going to depend on you doing
- 40:34the will of God. Father,
- 40:36Lord, I pray God that you'd help us all
- 40:38be obedient. These altars are open
- 40:40tonight. Some's already praying, Lord.
- 40:41Others need to come.
- 40:45Lord, it's where it starts. It starts
- 40:47with prayer.
- 40:51God, you've given us the foundation.
- 40:56You've given us the truth to build with.
- 41:02The tools are there,
- 41:05tool of prayer,
- 41:08and the Holy Spirit's there to help us.
- 41:11that thread that holds it all together.
- 41:15And Lord, I pray, Father, that you
- 41:17would, Lord, help us resolve in our
- 41:20hearts and minds, God, that we're going
- 41:21to do the will of God personally
- 41:25to embrace the task that's at hand.
- 41:28And Lord, I pray for these days of
- 41:29meeting that are ahead. I pray that you
- 41:31would give us strength and boldness
- 41:34to do your will, say what needs to be
- 41:36said, and to uh live for you. Lord, I
- 41:41sure love you and I thank you for loving
- 41:43us. Thank you for this church. We ask
- 41:45you to help us tonight. We pray in Jesus
- 41:47name. God's children say it.
- 41:50>> Amen.
- 41:51>> Thank you for joining our service today.
- 41:53We'd love it if you join us in person
- 41:55the next time you are able at Meadows
- 41:57Baptist Church. Our physical address is
- 42:002988
- 42:02Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
- 42:04Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
- 42:07school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
- 42:09worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
- 42:12worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
- 42:14evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more
- 42:18information, visit us at
- 42:19meadowsbaptisturch.com.
- 42:22Thanks again for tuning in.