Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / Stay With the Stuff - 6/7/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

Transcript

Stay With the Stuff - 6/7/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

• 0:02
  Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
• 0:05
  Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
• 0:07
  Carolina. We're so glad you joined us
• 0:10
  today. If you enjoy today's message, be
• 0:12
  sure to subscribe, follow, and share
• 0:15
  with your friends. Now, let's join
• 0:17
  Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from
• 0:20
  God.
• 0:27
  >> All right. Where you think we're going?
• 0:29
  Amen.
• 0:31
  >> 1st Samuel chapter 30. Amen. 1st Samuel
• 0:34
  chapter 30. And uh couldn't get away
• 0:38
  from it. Amen. I'm thankful that I asked
• 0:41
  that nobody said somewhere outside the
• 0:44
  Bible. Amen. So um it is in the
• 0:46
  scriptures. So praise the Lord for that.
• 0:48
  Amen. You find your place if you would
• 0:49
  stand tonight. 1st Samuel chapter 30.
• 0:53
  And uh I'm actually going to skip a text
• 0:55
  tonight. And the reason I'm doing that
• 0:58
  is I don't know if preacher will be
• 0:59
  listening to this, but he's got a
• 1:00
  message on this text and he might preach
• 1:02
  it here in a month or two and so I'm
• 1:04
  going to skip it. Amen. Let him preach
• 1:06
  it. But uh I'm going to jump down to
• 1:08
  that and I'm going to preach another one
• 1:10
  of his messages. No, I'm just kidding. U
• 1:12
  but uh anyway, I'm just going to preach
• 1:14
  what God put on my heart and uh been
• 1:16
  looking at this text today and just felt
• 1:18
  like this is where God would have us to
• 1:20
  be this evening. Um, I want you to
• 1:23
  notice with me in 1st Samuel 30 and
• 1:25
  verse number 9 where we'll begin reading
• 1:28
  1st Samuel 30 and verse number N. The
• 1:31
  Bible says, "So David went, he and the
• 1:34
  600 men that were with him and came to
• 1:36
  the brook bear where those that were
• 1:39
  left behind stayed, but David pursued.
• 1:43
  He and 400 men for 200 abodeed behind
• 1:46
  which were so faint that they could not
• 1:48
  go over the brook bear." Now turn over
• 1:51
  with me in verse number 21.
• 1:55
  Verse number 21.
• 1:57
  The Bible says, "And David came to the
• 1:59
  200 men which were so faint that they
• 2:01
  could not follow David whom they had
• 2:04
  made also to abide at the brook Beore.
• 2:06
  And they went forth to meet David and to
• 2:08
  meet the people that were with him. And
• 2:11
  when David came near to the people, he
• 2:13
  saluted them. Then answered all the
• 2:15
  wicked men and men of Balile of those
• 2:17
  that went with David and said, "Because
• 2:19
  they went not with us, we will not give
• 2:21
  them ought of the spoil that we have
• 2:23
  recovered, save to every man his wife
• 2:26
  and his children, that they may lead
• 2:28
  them away and depart." Then said David,
• 2:31
  "Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with
• 2:33
  that which the Lord hath given us, who
• 2:35
  hath preserved us, and delivered the
• 2:38
  company that came against us into our
• 2:40
  hand. For who will hearken unto you in
• 2:43
  this matter? But as his part is that
• 2:45
  goeth down to the battle, so shall his
• 2:48
  part be that carth by the stuff? They
• 2:51
  shall part alike. Father, I ask you
• 2:55
  humbly this evening one more time, God,
• 2:58
  on this side of heaven, Lord, we've
• 2:59
  come, Lord, to seek your face and to
• 3:02
  hear from your word. And God, I ask
• 3:04
  tonight, Lord, as you've designated me
• 3:06
  the spokesperson for this hour, I pray,
• 3:09
  God, that you would help us, give us
• 3:11
  liberty, remove the flesh from us, fill
• 3:13
  us with thy spirit, God, any hindrance,
• 3:16
  God, I pray that would stand in the way
• 3:17
  of the word of God, having free course
• 3:20
  and reign in this service, I pray you'd
• 3:21
  remove it. Lord, I pray, Lord, that you
• 3:23
  would guard my lips. Lord, help me to
• 3:25
  say nothing that I ought not say and
• 3:27
  everything that I ought to say for your
• 3:29
  glory and honor. And Lord, I pray you'd
• 3:31
  open our eyes that we may behold
• 3:32
  wondrous things in thy law and help us
• 3:34
  to receive with meekness the engrafted
• 3:37
  word tonight. Lord, we love you. Thank
• 3:39
  you for loving us, God. We ask all of
• 3:41
  this in Jesus name. And for his sake we
• 3:44
  pray. Amen. And amen.
• 3:47
  >> 1st Samuel 30. We've been in it for just
• 3:49
  a few services here at the church. And I
• 3:53
  was thinking today, I really wanted to
• 3:54
  go somewhere else. This is where the
• 3:56
  Lord brought me back to tonight. And
• 3:58
  this little phrase is often jumped off
• 4:00
  the page to me every time that I have
• 4:03
  studied this scripture. In verse 24,
• 4:05
  notice what your Bible says. David says
• 4:08
  to these men, "Who will hearken unto you
• 4:10
  in this matter?" But as his part is that
• 4:13
  goeth down to the battle, so shall his
• 4:15
  part be that territh by the stuff. They
• 4:19
  shall part alike. And I want to preach
• 4:22
  for a little while on that subject there
• 4:23
  in the middle of verse number 24 on
• 4:26
  staying by the stuff. Staying by the
• 4:30
  stuff. Now when I think about my life,
• 4:34
  when I think about the church and the
• 4:36
  ministry that God has given to this
• 4:38
  church here at Meadows, I'm reminded
• 4:40
  that there is a great struggle. And you
• 4:43
  say, "Well, what is that struggle?"
• 4:44
  Well, it's the struggle of the flesh.
• 4:46
  And we've dealt with that in depth up to
• 4:49
  this point. And I want don't want to try
• 4:51
  I want to try not to elaborate too much
• 4:53
  on that point tonight, but you realize
• 4:56
  things get heavy at times.
• 4:57
  >> You're right.
• 4:58
  >> Amen. Things get burdensome and and
• 5:01
  really it's because we're in the flesh.
• 5:03
  Many times it may not be directly the
• 5:05
  flesh that causes us to be heavy, but it
• 5:07
  is the result of the effects of the
• 5:10
  flesh in our life. And when I consider
• 5:12
  this text, I want you to note some
• 5:14
  things by way of introduction that get
• 5:16
  us to this point. The Bible tells us
• 5:18
  that David here is journeying. Of
• 5:20
  course, they are going from Ziglag in
• 5:23
  the text to go down to the camp uh of
• 5:26
  the Amalachites to get back their wives
• 5:28
  and their children in this text. And the
• 5:30
  Bible says that after God had answered
• 5:33
  his prayer in verse number eight, in
• 5:35
  verse number nine that David left. And
• 5:37
  in the text, the Bible says that when
• 5:39
  they left there, they came to a brook
• 5:42
  Bisau. And that's just a few miles away
• 5:45
  from where they left in this text and uh
• 5:47
  particularly where we looked at there in
• 5:49
  Ziglag. And the Bible says in verse 10
• 5:52
  or verse 9 that they came to this brook
• 5:54
  Beau where those that were left behind
• 5:57
  stayed. And so already there's a group
• 5:59
  of people here that are being left
• 6:02
  behind. Let me say this to you. They're
• 6:03
  not being left behind but by their own
• 6:06
  choice. And I'll say more about that in
• 6:08
  just a minute. But notice verse number
• 6:10
  10. The Bible says that David pursued a
• 6:12
  heap and 400 men for 200 abodeed behind
• 6:17
  which were so faint that they could not
• 6:19
  go over the brook Bor. And so the
• 6:22
  preface of this story is this is that
• 6:24
  David is going to fight against the
• 6:27
  Amalachites. And as he is going to fight
• 6:30
  with them, two of his six 200 of his 600
• 6:33
  men in the text have gotten weak. They
• 6:35
  have become faint. And you say,
• 6:37
  "Preacher, well why is that?" Well, I
• 6:39
  would say there's several reasons in the
• 6:41
  text tonight why these men have become
• 6:43
  faint. I would say number one, the trip
• 6:45
  by itself is enough for these men to be
• 6:48
  faint. You say, "What do you mean?"
• 6:50
  Well, the text reveals to us in verse
• 6:52
  number one of chapter 30 that David and
• 6:55
  his men have come to Ziglag. Well, they
• 6:58
  have left uh Ziglag. They had left from
• 7:00
  up in Jezrael. Really, they had left
• 7:02
  from Aphek according to chapter 29 and
• 7:05
  verse number one. And what that reveals
• 7:06
  to us is that these boys have been
• 7:09
  traveling three miles or or 20 miles a
• 7:11
  day for three days. They've come 60
• 7:14
  miles and marching formation, infantry
• 7:18
  formation with David. In the text, they
• 7:20
  didn't have horses. And so they're
• 7:22
  traveling on foot. In this text in verse
• 7:24
  number 30, the Bible says that they have
• 7:27
  or chapter 30 and verse number one, they
• 7:29
  have come to Ziglag and they discover
• 7:31
  that Ziglag is destroyed. And so they
• 7:34
  depart from Ziglag again to go another
• 7:36
  20 or so odd miles down to where these
• 7:39
  men are k are pitched here at the border
• 7:42
  of Egypt. And you say, "What are you
• 7:44
  saying?" Well, if you Let me just put it
• 7:46
  this way. For you and I today, if we
• 7:48
  were to travel 20 miles a day on foot
• 7:51
  and do it for three days, I don't know
• 7:53
  that there's somebody in here that would
• 7:54
  not be faint after that. Amen. And we
• 7:57
  are used to our nice automobiles. And
• 7:59
  somebody say, "Praise God for that."
• 8:01
  Amen. But I would say the trip by itself
• 8:04
  was enough to make them faint. But I
• 8:06
  would say this, not only the trip, but
• 8:08
  you know that's not the only thing
• 8:09
  that's happened to them in this text.
• 8:11
  You think not just about the trip, but
• 8:13
  think about the trouble that they have
• 8:15
  come in contact with. For the chapter
• 8:17
  before us literally just tells us that
• 8:19
  these men come back to Ziglag where
• 8:21
  their wives and where their children and
• 8:24
  where their inheritance was supposed to
• 8:25
  be and found that it was all burned with
• 8:27
  fire and that the wives and children
• 8:29
  were taken away. And so the trouble in
• 8:32
  itself would be enough to make a man
• 8:34
  faint. But if that's not enough, I would
• 8:36
  say this, not just the trip and not just
• 8:39
  the trouble, but I think the tears. I
• 8:41
  think if anything would make these men
• 8:43
  faint, I think it would be the tears. I
• 8:45
  don't know about you, but if you've ever
• 8:47
  cried a whole lot, you'll realize that
• 8:49
  crying takes a lot of energy. Amen. And
• 8:51
  there ain't a doubt in my mind that
• 8:53
  these boys are weak. These boys are
• 8:55
  feeble. These boys are faint because of
• 8:58
  their trial, because of their tears, and
• 9:00
  because of their trip. They have come to
• 9:02
  a point where they just cannot go any
• 9:05
  further.
• 9:07
  And here's what you'll find. We've all
• 9:09
  been there.
• 9:10
  >> You're right.
• 9:10
  >> And if you ain't, buckle up.
• 9:13
  >> Amen. Because your day is just right
• 9:15
  around the corner. And you say,
• 9:17
  "Preacher, does that mean that these
• 9:19
  boys were less of soldiers?" I I report
• 9:21
  to you tonight, no, that is not the case
• 9:24
  this evening. I want to give you some
• 9:26
  truths tonight concerning this matter of
• 9:28
  staying by the stuff. And the Bible
• 9:31
  tells us some gives us some emphasis
• 9:33
  here in the text. Verse 17, David is
• 9:36
  smiting the Amalachites. He smites them
• 9:38
  from twilight even until the evening of
• 9:41
  the next day. And so he is smiting them.
• 9:43
  He is saving his wives and children. In
• 9:46
  verse number 18 and 19, the Bible says
• 9:49
  that they recovered everything, their
• 9:51
  wives, all the children. And not only
• 9:53
  that, out of the smiting, he was able to
• 9:56
  save his own, but he also spoiled the
• 9:58
  goods that the Amalachites had brought
• 10:00
  back. Notice verse number 20. And David
• 10:02
  took all the flocks and the herds which
• 10:05
  they drove before those other cattle and
• 10:08
  said, "This is David's spo." And so
• 10:10
  David got over abundance and what he had
• 10:12
  already gotten back. And man, I'm
• 10:14
  thankful that God can bless him that way
• 10:16
  in this day and time. Amen. He is able
• 10:18
  for us to recover all, but he's also
• 10:21
  able to give us some new things. Amen.
• 10:23
  That we didn't have before. Amen. But I
• 10:25
  notice in this text, the Bible says that
• 10:27
  after the battle, David has come to
• 10:30
  these 200 men in verse 21, which were so
• 10:33
  faint that they could not follow David.
• 10:35
  And so, I want you to highlight number
• 10:37
  one, when I think about staying by the
• 10:39
  stuff. These boys stayed by the stuff in
• 10:42
  spite of their faintness.
• 10:43
  >> Right?
• 10:44
  >> And if you're going to stay by the stuff
• 10:45
  tonight, you're going to have to stay by
• 10:47
  the stuff in spite of being faint. Now I
• 10:50
  what I'm realizing in this day and time
• 10:52
  is this is a condition that many of us
• 10:54
  all know know all too well. We become
• 10:56
  faint in the battle for the Lord. Maybe
• 10:59
  we're not physically drained, but
• 11:00
  spiritually and mentally we have become
• 11:03
  drained by the battle. We have become
• 11:04
  drained by the fight that we are
• 11:06
  enlisted in. And I notice the Bible
• 11:08
  tells us here in the text number one of
• 11:11
  the condition that this faintness speaks
• 11:13
  of. Look what verse 21 says. And David
• 11:16
  came to the 200 men which were so faint,
• 11:19
  notice that they were so faint, notice
• 11:21
  what your Bible says, that they could
• 11:23
  not follow David. You say, "Preacher,
• 11:26
  what does that entail?" Well, it simply
• 11:28
  means that their strength had decayed.
• 11:30
  >> They had no ability to go any farther.
• 11:33
  You see, there was a battle that was yet
• 11:35
  to come. And what this reveals to us is
• 11:37
  that their condition, they would been
• 11:39
  more of a liability than they would have
• 11:42
  been an aid in this battle. And you say,
• 11:44
  "Preacher, what does that mean for us in
• 11:46
  the spiritual realm?" Well, you
• 11:48
  understand the things of life that
• 11:49
  things happen. This flesh decays and
• 11:52
  with that flesh decaying, your mind is
• 11:54
  made out of flesh as well. And there's
• 11:56
  times, amen, when you get to a point
• 11:58
  where you are a liability. And you say,
• 12:00
  "Preacher, that's terrible that you
• 12:02
  would say such a thing like that." Well,
• 12:04
  you ever been around somebody that's got
• 12:05
  dementia?
• 12:08
  >> All right. And this is no fault of their
• 12:09
  own. Let me tell you what that brings
• 12:12
  about. The demons of hell will arrest
• 12:15
  people's minds that get in that place.
• 12:17
  And they'll say and do things and be
• 12:20
  things that they would never have been
• 12:21
  before. All right?
• 12:23
  >> But what this reveals to me in this text
• 12:25
  is there's an opportunity. You say,
• 12:26
  "Preacher, what's that opportunity?"
• 12:28
  Well, let me say this. The work of God's
• 12:30
  never done.
• 12:31
  >> Amen.
• 12:31
  >> Notice what the Bible says. They were so
• 12:34
  faint that they could not follow David.
• 12:36
  And this is what I feel like I've missed
• 12:37
  many times when I study this text. It is
• 12:40
  the crutch of crutch crux of this
• 12:42
  scripture in verse 21. The Bible says
• 12:44
  they could not follow David in verse 21.
• 12:47
  You say, "Preacher, well the emphasis is
• 12:49
  there that they quit following in in our
• 12:51
  sense spiritually. They just wasn't able
• 12:53
  to follow Jesus anymore." Well, that's
• 12:55
  not the truth. Because notice what the
• 12:57
  next verse, next phrase says in the
• 12:59
  verse. They could not follow David
• 13:01
  because they were so faint. Look at
• 13:02
  this. Whom they had made also to abide
• 13:06
  at the brook bear. You know what? I'm
• 13:09
  thankful Jesus is not a bad master.
• 13:13
  >> I'm thankful he's not a cruel
• 13:14
  taskmaster. I'm thankful he's not a
• 13:16
  wicked beat you over the head with truth
• 13:18
  until you either get right or get out
• 13:20
  kind of individual. Amen. Jesus is
• 13:23
  merciful. Jesus is gracious. Amen. And
• 13:26
  what I notice in this text is David
• 13:28
  represents it to us very well. David
• 13:30
  knew their condition better than they
• 13:32
  did.
• 13:33
  >> You say, "Preacher, what do you mean?"
• 13:34
  These boys wasn't willing to quit. Amen.
• 13:37
  But David looked at him and and saw that
• 13:39
  they just were not physically able to go
• 13:41
  any further. And out of that, you know
• 13:44
  what happens in the text? The Bible says
• 13:46
  that they made them, notice that they
• 13:49
  made them stay by the stuff at the brook
• 13:52
  Bore. Now, what does you say, preacher,
• 13:54
  what does that mean? You know what that
• 13:55
  word bes means? That brook, that brook
• 13:58
  that flew by right there, right just
• 14:00
  north of Egypt, that word bes means to
• 14:02
  cheer up
• 14:04
  >> or cheerful. These boys have cried a lot
• 14:07
  of tears.
• 14:08
  >> Amen.
• 14:08
  >> These boys have made a long trip,
• 14:10
  >> right?
• 14:11
  >> These boys have had a whole lot of
• 14:12
  trouble. And you know what? I don't
• 14:14
  believe according to the text that they
• 14:16
  were ready to quit. I just believe David
• 14:18
  looked at him and says they can't go
• 14:19
  anymore.
• 14:20
  >> And let me say this to you. You better
• 14:22
  thank God for the days in your life when
• 14:24
  Jesus, hey friend, he's all knowing.
• 14:26
  He's omnisient. Amen. He's aware of your
• 14:28
  life. You better thank God for the days
• 14:31
  when he divinely orchestrates, a time of
• 14:34
  rest, a time of refreshing, a time of
• 14:36
  revival for you to get in. Amen. And I'm
• 14:39
  thankful, friend, cuz if you know me,
• 14:41
  and I know SOME OF YOU, WE'RE NOT GOING
• 14:43
  TO QUIT. AMEN. We're just going to keep
• 14:45
  on going till we just burn up or blow
• 14:47
  up. Amen. BUT LET ME SAY THIS. I'm
• 14:49
  thankful for the days that God Almighty
• 14:51
  just sits down and says, "Son, I know
• 14:54
  you've been laboring real hard. I KNOW
• 14:55
  YOU'VE BEEN GOING AFTER IT REAL HARD,
• 14:57
  AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT. But you know,
• 14:59
  IT'S GOOD WHEN HE SAYS JUST come apart.
• 15:02
  >> AMEN. IT'S GOOD WHEN HE SAYS JUST SIT
• 15:04
  DOWN FOR A LITTLE WHILE. CUZ YOU KNOW
• 15:06
  WHAT? HE KNOWS WHAT I NEED BETTER THAN I
• 15:08
  know what I need. Amen. AND HE TOLD THEM
• 15:10
  BOYS, "ALL RIGHT, BOYS, HEY, WE GOT TO
• 15:12
  GO ON TO THE BATTLE, but you just sit
• 15:14
  here and rest a while."
• 15:16
  >> Amen.
• 15:17
  >> Amen. Hey, friend. I don't know about
• 15:19
  you, but that helps me. Amen. There's
• 15:22
  been a whole lot of days when I've been
• 15:23
  on the sideline, and it's by the will of
• 15:25
  God. It wasn't by my own choosing, but I
• 15:28
  was on the sideline because God had to
• 15:30
  sit me down, to let me rest, to let me
• 15:33
  recoup, to let me get my focus
• 15:35
  realigned. And let ME SAY THIS, IT'S
• 15:37
  THEM places sometimes when you get down
• 15:39
  there by the brook and he just wants to
• 15:42
  cheer you up. AMEN. YOU SAY, "PREACHER,
• 15:44
  HOW CAN YOU VERIFY THAT?" WELL, YOU
• 15:46
  REMEMBER what Jesus told them disciples
• 15:48
  in the New Testament after they'd been
• 15:50
  working miracles and preaching the
• 15:52
  gospel of the kingdom and all of the
• 15:54
  wonderful things that God had endued
• 15:56
  them with power to do. YOU REMEMBER WHAT
• 15:57
  JESUS TOLD THEM? HE SAID, "COME YE
• 16:00
  YOURSELVES APART into a desert place."
• 16:02
  What'd he say? And rest a while.
• 16:04
  >> You remember what he said after that? He
• 16:06
  said, "For they had so they had not they
• 16:08
  didn't have enough leisure to eat. There
• 16:09
  were so many people coming and going."
• 16:12
  You know what the most spiritual thing
• 16:13
  you can do sometimes is rest. You're
• 16:16
  >> right.
• 16:18
  >> And David pulls them apart. He made them
• 16:22
  to abide. Notice that at the brook
• 16:23
  beast. This is a command. You see, they
• 16:26
  didn't just stop on David and say, "All
• 16:28
  right, we're going to sit down." No,
• 16:30
  they David had to tell them, "Look,
• 16:32
  boys, you can't go no more."
• 16:33
  >> Right?
• 16:34
  >> You give out. I can see it. You're wore
• 16:38
  out. You give out. Amen. You need a time
• 16:40
  of rest.
• 16:42
  Notice the text. The Bible tells us that
• 16:45
  their condition led to this command of
• 16:47
  David. But I'm thankful that after the b
• 16:49
  after the battle, the Bible says in
• 16:51
  verse 21 at the brute bes they went
• 16:53
  forth to meet David. Notice that David
• 16:56
  is coming back. But you know what? When
• 16:58
  they see David coming, they don't wait
• 16:59
  for him to get there.
• 17:00
  >> You're right.
• 17:01
  >> Amen. You say, "Preacher, what does that
• 17:02
  tell you?" Well, they would have went
• 17:04
  with David if he'd led him. Amen. But
• 17:06
  they was ready for David when he come
• 17:07
  back. Amen. Let me say this to you,
• 17:09
  child of God. God, Jesus may have you
• 17:11
  sitting out for just a time right now.
• 17:14
  He may have you sitting on the sideline.
• 17:15
  You say, "Preacher, I don't like it."
• 17:17
  Well, you need to realize he's got you
• 17:19
  there for a reason. He's got you there
• 17:21
  for a purpose. Amen. And he's got your
• 17:23
  best interest in mind. And here's what
• 17:25
  you're going to find. There's going to
• 17:26
  be a day that he comes back. Amen. And
• 17:28
  he's going to have something for you to
• 17:30
  do again. And it's time for you to get
• 17:32
  up and go meet him. Amen. You say,
• 17:34
  "Preacher, what does that emphasize?"
• 17:35
  Well, I think it goes a little further
• 17:37
  than that. You realize that in this life
• 17:39
  some of us all we'll ever do is just
• 17:41
  stay by the stuff. But friend, you know
• 17:42
  there's coming a day when Jesus is going
• 17:45
  to come back and he's going to split
• 17:47
  that eastern sky wide open. And all of
• 17:49
  US THAT'S JUST STAYED BY THE STUFF IN
• 17:52
  SPITE OF OUR FAINTNESS. HE'S GOING TO
• 17:53
  OPEN up that EASTERN SKY AND HE'S GOING
• 17:56
  TO COME BACK AND WE'RE GOING TO GO UP to
• 17:58
  meet him. Amen. And you know what?
• 17:59
  Forever and EVER AND EVER WE'LL SERVE
• 18:02
  HIM AND WE'LL NEVER BE FAINT over there.
• 18:04
  Amen.
• 18:05
  >> Amen.
• 18:08
  They did not allow their faintness to
• 18:11
  keep them from carrying by the stuff. I
• 18:15
  thought about this. You know what? You
• 18:16
  know, and it's and let me say this. Your
• 18:19
  faintness in in this in the ministry
• 18:22
  that God has given you, faintness in the
• 18:24
  work of God, that's not going to deter
• 18:25
  you from the gifts that God gives you
• 18:28
  unless you allow it to.
• 18:30
  >> Amen. You see, it's okay to be faint,
• 18:33
  but you can't get faint and fail.
• 18:35
  >> You're right. Amen. You can't quit.
• 18:38
  Amen. These boys didn't quit. God just
• 18:40
  simply gave them a minute of breath.
• 18:42
  Amen. Notice this in the text. You see,
• 18:45
  not only the faintness, but notice the
• 18:47
  foes that are mentioned in the text. You
• 18:48
  say, "Preacher, what do you mean foes?"
• 18:50
  Well, notice verse 22. The Bible says
• 18:52
  that after David has come here, they've
• 18:54
  come to meet David. These 200, they've
• 18:57
  come near. David salutes them. He asks
• 18:59
  them how they're doing. In other words,
• 19:01
  verse 22, notice this. Then answered all
• 19:04
  the wicked men and men of Balile of
• 19:07
  those that went with David and said,
• 19:09
  "Because they went not with us, we will
• 19:12
  not give them all to the spoil that we
• 19:13
  have recovered, save to every man his
• 19:16
  wife and his children, that they may
• 19:18
  lead them away and depart." And isn't it
• 19:21
  interesting that among the 600 men of
• 19:24
  David, there's even people in that 600
• 19:26
  group that's wicked people. You say,
• 19:28
  "What do you mean?" Why don't you notice
• 19:30
  first of all the description of these
• 19:31
  folks? You say, "How are they foes?"
• 19:33
  Well, they're opposing the men that
• 19:34
  stayed by the stuff. You're
• 19:35
  >> right.
• 19:36
  >> They are in direct opposition to those
• 19:38
  that had went uh they had been commanded
• 19:41
  by David. Don't miss that. They had been
• 19:43
  commanded by David to stay there by the
• 19:46
  stuff. And God describes them this way.
• 19:48
  Number one, they're wicked men. Number
• 19:50
  two, they're men of bal. You know what
• 19:52
  that means? That word bal means useless.
• 19:56
  >> You say, "Preacher, but they went to the
• 19:57
  battle." But God said they're useless.
• 20:00
  >> That's right. You know what?
• 20:03
  >> I'd rather sit on the sidelines.
• 20:05
  >> Yes, sir.
• 20:06
  >> Because God told me to
• 20:08
  >> than go to a fight and be useless in it.
• 20:10
  You're
• 20:10
  >> right.
• 20:12
  >> Did y'all hear what I just said?
• 20:13
  >> That ain't just That ain't good cuz I
• 20:15
  said it. That's just good. Amen.
• 20:18
  >> Listen to this. Their description,
• 20:20
  they're wicked men. They're men of bal.
• 20:22
  Notice out of their description, notice
• 20:24
  the decision that they've made. You know
• 20:26
  what men that are useless do? They just
• 20:29
  decide things are going to happen a
• 20:31
  certain way.
• 20:31
  >> You're right.
• 20:32
  >> Look what the text says. They just make
• 20:34
  decisions for everybody else. Then
• 20:36
  answered all the wicked men and men of
• 20:37
  bal of those that went with David and
• 20:39
  said, "Because they went not with us, we
• 20:41
  will not give them all to the spoil."
• 20:43
  Notice this, that we have recovered.
• 20:45
  Man, that pride is just oozing out.
• 20:47
  Amen. Man, we've worked so hard for this
• 20:50
  and we're going to go out there and
• 20:51
  we're going to come back here and and
• 20:53
  they're going to take everything that
• 20:54
  we've worked so hard to earn. They ain't
• 20:56
  been doing nothing but sitting around
• 20:57
  over here. You know what? That ain't the
• 20:59
  way God works.
• 21:00
  >> Right.
• 21:00
  >> Amen. You say, "Preacher, how is that? I
• 21:03
  work hard." Let me ask you something.
• 21:05
  When's the last time you went like the
• 21:06
  Apostle Paul every day of the week, all
• 21:09
  day long, preaching the gospel to every
• 21:10
  person that you've ever seen? And do you
• 21:12
  know that the same reward he's got is
• 21:14
  going to be the same reward you get?
• 21:16
  >> You're right.
• 21:17
  >> Amen. Let me say this to you. We are
• 21:19
  falling very short.
• 21:21
  >> Yes, sir.
• 21:21
  >> Amen. friend. I'm saying when it comes
• 21:24
  to the battle, I don't even know if
• 21:25
  we're playing with play school toys in
• 21:27
  this day and time.
• 21:28
  >> I'm just being real with you.
• 21:30
  >> When it comes to the cause of Christ, we
• 21:32
  really got to step it up. Well, let me
• 21:34
  say this to you. The emphasis in this
• 21:35
  text is on their decision. They just
• 21:38
  decide they've not asked David. David is
• 21:40
  coming here and greeting them. And the
• 21:42
  jealousy is rising up in their heart
• 21:44
  because they're looking at all these
• 21:46
  boys that's rested up and relaxed.
• 21:48
  that's been hanging out around the stuff
• 21:50
  and they're coming back with sweat and
• 21:52
  blood all over them. Amen. Carrying all
• 21:54
  this spoil back from where they came
• 21:56
  from and no doubt in my mind they come
• 21:58
  over there and drop it down just can't
• 21:59
  hardly even walk and all these guys has
• 22:02
  had bass down there in the brook be
• 22:03
  sore. You get the image I'm trying to
• 22:05
  give. Amen. They're refreshed and
• 22:07
  they're sustained. Amen. And they look
• 22:09
  at these guys and say THEY AIN'T GOING
• 22:11
  TO HAVE NONE of our stuff.
• 22:14
  >> But it's like I've told you before.
• 22:16
  >> Come on. what you got and what I got
• 22:18
  ain't really ours anyway.
• 22:20
  >> Look what the Bible says. The Bible says
• 22:22
  in verse number 22, he said, "We'll not
• 22:25
  give them all of the spoil that we have
• 22:27
  recovered saved to every man his wife
• 22:29
  and his children that they may lead them
• 22:31
  away and depart." In other words, what
• 22:33
  they're saying is we'll give them what
• 22:35
  belongs to them, but nothing else.
• 22:37
  >> You're right.
• 22:38
  >> You know what? That ain't a Christian
• 22:39
  mindset,
• 22:40
  >> right?
• 22:41
  >> Cuz you know what? They don't nothing
• 22:42
  belong to us.
• 22:43
  >> You're right.
• 22:43
  >> You know what? Jesus gave us salvation
• 22:45
  and we had we had no rights to it. Amen.
• 22:48
  >> Notice this their description, their
• 22:50
  decision. But then you notice that David
• 22:53
  was the same. He was the same king over
• 22:55
  those that were that were faint as he is
• 22:58
  over these foes in the text. Look what
• 22:59
  the Bible said in verse 23. Then said
• 23:01
  David, aren't you thankful for the time
• 23:03
  that Jesus has spoke up?
• 23:04
  >> Amen.
• 23:05
  >> Amen. And the accusations and the and
• 23:08
  and the uh what's the word I'm looking
• 23:10
  for? The anger of men. Verse 23, David
• 23:13
  speaks up, "Ye shall not do so, my
• 23:15
  brethren, with that which the Lord hath
• 23:17
  given us, who hath preserved us and
• 23:19
  delivered the company that came against
• 23:20
  us into your hand." You see, these boys,
• 23:23
  they were there by the stuff. They they
• 23:25
  had foes. They were faint. But let me
• 23:27
  say this, their father was the same to
• 23:29
  them.
• 23:29
  >> Amen.
• 23:30
  >> Verse 23, David said, he said, "My
• 23:33
  brethren," what does that mean? He's
• 23:36
  calling them by the family name,
• 23:37
  >> right? which with that you shall not do
• 23:40
  so my brethren with that which the Lord
• 23:43
  God Almighty hath given unto us who hath
• 23:46
  preserved us. What did the father did
• 23:47
  for do for them? Well, he gave them
• 23:49
  provision. It's a gift. Notice that the
• 23:51
  Lord hath given us who hath preserved
• 23:53
  us. There was protection and delivered
• 23:56
  the company that came against us into
• 23:58
  our hand. The power of God rested on
• 24:01
  these boys.
• 24:02
  >> Right?
• 24:02
  >> And David said, "You're not going to do
• 24:03
  it that way." Why is that? Because David
• 24:07
  had given them other boys a command just
• 24:09
  like he had given the 400.
• 24:11
  >> You're right.
• 24:11
  >> You see the difference in your life and
• 24:13
  mine is this. We have to do what God
• 24:15
  tells us.
• 24:16
  >> Amen.
• 24:17
  >> And you know what? For some people
• 24:18
  that's that's going to the jungles of
• 24:20
  Africa and preaching the gospel. For
• 24:23
  some people that's like Miss Margaret
• 24:24
  Stringer. Amen. That was here during
• 24:26
  missions conference last year and she
• 24:28
  spent her whole life over there. I can't
• 24:30
  even remember the name of that place
• 24:31
  where she was at over there. Some of
• 24:33
  y'all probably know. But she spent her
• 24:35
  whole life over there. with those people
• 24:37
  that didn't even have a language, learn
• 24:39
  their language, and that's her calling.
• 24:41
  >> But you know what? God's called some of
• 24:44
  you to be faithful at the workplace and
• 24:45
  be a witness and a light. And you say,
• 24:47
  "Preacher, is that any less work?" No,
• 24:49
  it's not.
• 24:50
  >> Right?
• 24:51
  >> Because it's what God told you to do.
• 24:52
  >> Amen.
• 24:53
  >> You see, it doesn't matter. It doesn't
• 24:55
  matter where you are. It matters what
• 24:57
  you're doing.
• 24:57
  >> Amen.
• 24:58
  >> And as long as what you're doing is what
• 25:00
  God said. You say, "How does that come
• 25:02
  into this?" Well, notice this. Verse 24,
• 25:04
  and I'll be done. David says in the
• 25:07
  text, "For who will hearken unto you in
• 25:08
  this matter?" Boy, aren't you thankful
• 25:10
  that there ain't nobody that's going to
• 25:12
  listen to certain people? I'll say this.
• 25:15
  I'm thankful that God don't operate by
• 25:17
  my standards.
• 25:18
  >> Amen.
• 25:19
  >> Amen. Because you know what? Nobody get
• 25:21
  a blessing. And I wouldn't either if it
• 25:23
  operated by my standards. You're
• 25:24
  >> right.
• 25:25
  >> Amen. You say, "How is that?" Don't act
• 25:27
  like you're that way either. I Why just
• 25:29
  bless everybody? Don't you You got
• 25:31
  somebody in the back of your mind. Amen.
• 25:33
  right now that you think I I wouldn't
• 25:36
  bless them if it was in my power to do
• 25:38
  so and it was written on my hand that I
• 25:40
  needed to. Amen.
• 25:41
  >> Amen.
• 25:42
  >> I'm being real tonight. You're
• 25:43
  >> right.
• 25:44
  >> But God don't work that way.
• 25:45
  >> Right.
• 25:46
  >> Notice the text. David said, "For who
• 25:48
  will hearken unto you in this matter?
• 25:49
  Who's going to listen to you? We've got
• 25:52
  victory."
• 25:53
  >> Notice this. But as his part is that
• 25:55
  goeth down to the battle, so shall his
• 25:58
  part be that territh by the stuff, they
• 26:01
  shall part alike. David says this. He
• 26:03
  said, "Whether you fought or whether you
• 26:06
  was just faithful,"
• 26:07
  >> Amen.
• 26:07
  >> He said, "The fruit's the same."
• 26:09
  >> You're right. Right.
• 26:12
  >> Amen.
• 26:13
  >> I don't know about you,
• 26:16
  that's about the most encouraging thing
• 26:17
  I've ever heard in my life.
• 26:18
  >> You're right.
• 26:19
  >> Cuz you know what I feel like most days?
• 26:21
  I feel like I'm just tearing by the
• 26:23
  stuff.
• 26:24
  >> Amen.
• 26:24
  >> I feel like all I'm doing is so small.
• 26:27
  >> You're right.
• 26:27
  >> I feel like it matters so little. But
• 26:29
  then God speaks to me and says, "Son,
• 26:31
  you just remember you're doing what I
• 26:33
  told you to."
• 26:33
  >> Amen.
• 26:36
  >> I'm saying at the end of the day, I'm
• 26:38
  living for the audience of one. I'm
• 26:39
  living for the approval. Amen. And the
• 26:41
  applause OF ONE AND HIS NAME IS JESUS.
• 26:44
  AMEN. AND DAVID SAYS IT DON'T MATTER HOW
• 26:47
  MUCH YOU FIGHT. HE SAID THEM BOYS THAT
• 26:49
  WERE JUST FAITHFUL WHEN THEY COULD NOT
• 26:51
  GO ANYMORE. YOU SAY, "PREACHER, BUT THEY
• 26:54
  DIDN'T FIGHT THE BATTLE." WELL, LET me
• 26:55
  remind you. Amen. These boys had
• 26:57
  traveled with David probably 50 or 60
• 27:00
  miles. They had fought in battles BEFORE
• 27:02
  THIS. AND I'M NOT TRYING to tell you
• 27:04
  that you're exempt from the battle
• 27:05
  tonight. You realize that we're all
• 27:08
  going to be in the battle AT SOME POINT.
• 27:10
  BUT THERE ARE DAYS AND THERE ARE TIMES
• 27:12
  WHEN WE JUST NEED TO STEP BACK WHEN WE
• 27:15
  JUST NEED TO ALLOW GOD TO GIVE US A
• 27:17
  PERIOD OF REST. AMEN. AND FOR THAT TIME,
• 27:20
  IF IT'S IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD, IT HAS THE
• 27:23
  SAME REWARD AS IT DOES FOR THE MAN
• 27:26
  THAT'S STANDING ON THE FRONT LINES OF
• 27:28
  THE BATTLE.
• 27:30
  >> Because it's what the king said do.
• 27:32
  >> Amen.
• 27:34
  >> It's what the king said do.
• 27:36
  >> And the fruit's the same. You say,
• 27:38
  "Preacher, what does it mean?" Well, you
• 27:40
  see these boys terried by the stuff
• 27:43
  because they were faint. They tried by
• 27:44
  the stuff in spite of their foes. They
• 27:47
  tried by the stuff in light of their
• 27:49
  father. God, you if you're going to stay
• 27:52
  by the stuff, God's going to have to be
• 27:54
  your motivation.
• 27:55
  >> You're right.
• 27:56
  >> Cuz you know, I thought about this. You
• 27:57
  remember, you remember what Dave got
• 27:59
  David in this po in this predicament
• 28:01
  anyway?
• 28:02
  Was because he forgot to leave some
• 28:04
  people behind.
• 28:05
  >> You're right.
• 28:06
  >> David was too busy with the world. I
• 28:09
  can't get my mind off of that. Every
• 28:11
  message I preach, David was too
• 28:12
  preoccupied with the Philistines. He
• 28:14
  left his family vulnerable.
• 28:15
  >> You're right.
• 28:16
  >> And so, you know what? This time he
• 28:17
  said, "Well, these boys can't go. They
• 28:19
  need to stay behind."
• 28:20
  >> Amen.
• 28:21
  >> You know what he's doing? He's
• 28:22
  protecting.
• 28:24
  >> He didn't want them to lose any more
• 28:25
  ground. And I noticed this out of this
• 28:28
  text, we revealed that there's also a
• 28:30
  future for this. Notice verse 25. And it
• 28:33
  was so from that day forward that he
• 28:35
  made it a statute and an ordinance for
• 28:37
  Israel unto this day. You know, all the
• 28:40
  David the battles that David fought. You
• 28:43
  just think about that with me. for the
• 28:45
  rest of 2 Samuel the the king books
• 28:50
  David in this text really for the for
• 28:53
  Samuel's days this this book especially
• 28:56
  all the battles that David fought you
• 28:58
  know what this did it proved that the
• 29:00
  spoil would be fair through every battle
• 29:03
  >> you're right
• 29:04
  >> you say preacher what is that well in
• 29:05
  the application sense it carries over to
• 29:07
  us
• 29:08
  >> you're right
• 29:09
  >> say how is that well do you realize that
• 29:11
  the thief on the cross
• 29:14
  >> is going live in the same heaven.
• 29:16
  >> You're right.
• 29:17
  >> He's in the same presence of God right
• 29:19
  now.
• 29:19
  >> You're right.
• 29:20
  >> That the Apostle Paul is in.
• 29:21
  >> Amen.
• 29:22
  >> He's going to live in the same city.
• 29:24
  >> He's going to have the same type of
• 29:26
  body.
• 29:27
  >> He's going to have the same blessings,
• 29:28
  the same privileges. You say, "Preacher,
• 29:30
  he won't have all the crowns, but he's
• 29:32
  living in the same place.
• 29:34
  >> He's going to see the same person."
• 29:36
  >> Jesus is going to be his God the same
• 29:38
  way that he's the Apostle Paul's God.
• 29:40
  What I'm saying is the Bible says they
• 29:42
  shall part alike. You ought to rejoice
• 29:44
  tonight if you're saved by the grace of
• 29:46
  God that you've got a place in heaven.
• 29:48
  Amen. You've got a home there. You got a
• 29:51
  heaven. Amen. And that heaven is heaven
• 29:53
  because Jesus is there. And you'll lay
• 29:56
  your eyes on him. And you'll see him.
• 29:58
  Amen. The same way that John and Peter
• 30:00
  and James and Paul did. You will view
• 30:03
  him. Amen. You'll be close to him.
• 30:05
  You'll know him. YOU'LL HAVE ALL THE
• 30:08
  SAME BLESSINGS BECAUSE GOD SAID THEY
• 30:10
  SHALL PART. AMEN. AMEN.
• 30:14
  >> You know what I want to do?
• 30:15
  >> I just want to stay by the stuff.
• 30:19
  >> Amen.
• 30:20
  >> If that's all God wants me to do is take
• 30:22
  up set up my stay in the pull pit at
• 30:24
  Meadows Baptist Church and preach until
• 30:27
  my last day, whether there's a house
• 30:28
  full or a handful, I'LL STAND MY POST.
• 30:31
  I'LL GUARD MY PLACE. AMEN. AND STAND
• 30:34
  THERE FAITHFULLY AND STICK BY THE STUFF.
• 30:36
  AMEN. YOU SAY, "PREACHER, WHAT IS THE
• 30:38
  STUFF?" WELL, THERE IS SOME
• 30:39
  NON-NEGOTIABLES THAT'S BEEN GIVEN OVER
• 30:41
  TO US. HEY FRIEND, WE GOT A BLESSED
• 30:44
  BIBLE THAT'S BEEN PRESERVED FOR YOU AND
• 30:46
  I. AND I PLAN ON STAYING WITH IT. AMEN.
• 30:49
  I PLAN ON PREACHING IT. I PLAN ON LIVING
• 30:51
  IT. I PLAN ON PRAYING IT. AMEN. AND
• 30:54
  BEING OBEDIENT TO WHAT GOD SAYS IN MY
• 30:56
  LIFE. IF THE REST OF MY LIFE, IF I NEVER
• 30:58
  SEE ANOTHER SOUL SAVED, IF I'LL NEVER
• 31:01
  FIGHT ON ANOTHER BATTLE OR PREACH
• 31:03
  ANOTHER MEETING FRIEND, I'M CONVINCED.
• 31:05
  I'M SURE TONIGHT THAT GOD HAS HIS WILL
• 31:08
  FOR ME. HE HAS A PLACE FOR ME TO SERVE.
• 31:11
  AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE WORLD SAYS OR
• 31:14
  HOW EVEN I FEEL, HE KNOWS WHAT'S BEST
• 31:16
  FOR ME. AND FRIEND, HE KNOWS WHEN I'LL
• 31:19
  BE READY FOR THE NEXT BATTLE OR IF
• 31:21
  THERE'LL EVER BE ANOTHER BATTLE. I'M
• 31:23
  SAYING, FRIEND, I JUST CHOOSE. I JUST
• 31:25
  CHOOSE TO LISTEN TO WHAT GOD SAYS. AMEN.
• 31:30
  >> Because I know if I JUST DO WHAT HE
• 31:32
  SAYS, HE SAID THEY SHALL PART. AND ONE
• 31:35
  OF THESE DAYS WHEN I STEP ON THAT SUNNY
• 31:37
  BANKS OF SWEET DELIVERANCE, I'LL HAVE A
• 31:40
  REWARD. I'LL HAVE HONOR. I'LL HAVE
• 31:43
  RICHES. I'LL HAVE BLESSING AND GLORY
• 31:45
  WITH HIM BECAUSE I JUST DID WHAT HE
• 31:48
  ASKED ME TO DO. AMEN.
• 31:50
  >> BLESS HIS NAME.
• 31:51
  >> AMEN.
• 31:52
  >> BOY, don't that help you tonight. AIN'T
• 31:54
  IT GOOD TO BE SAVED? AMEN. AIN'T IT GOOD
• 31:57
  TO KNOW HIM? PRAISE GOD. AIN'T IT GOOD
• 31:59
  TO BE HIS CHILDREN? HALLELUJAH. HE'S
• 32:02
  FAIR. HE IS FAIR. HE'S MORE THAN FAIR.
• 32:06
  HE IS BLESSED. AMEN. HALLELUJAH.
• 32:08
  >> AMEN. He only gives good gifts. That's
• 32:11
  >> right.
• 32:12
  >> Hallelujah. Bless his name. I want to
• 32:15
  tell you this tonight. Just stay by the
• 32:17
  stuff.
• 32:18
  >> Amen.
• 32:20
  >> Just stay with it.
• 32:21
  >> Right.
• 32:24
  >> He's always going to have his men
• 32:27
  fighting.
• 32:28
  >> Yeah.
• 32:29
  >> But I'll tell you this,
• 32:32
  it's those little ladies,
• 32:34
  >> come on.
• 32:34
  >> That go to the prayer closet.
• 32:36
  >> Come on. day in and day out,
• 32:38
  >> right?
• 32:40
  >> That are just believing the same way and
• 32:41
  living the same way and praying the same
• 32:43
  prayer for the same people each and
• 32:45
  every day, whoever God brings in their
• 32:47
  life and being faithful, just staying by
• 32:49
  the stuff and living it out. Amen. It's
• 32:52
  those people that empower the people on
• 32:54
  the front line. You remember in Moses
• 32:56
  day when Aaron and her held up his arms,
• 32:58
  they p they prevailed in battle, but as
• 33:00
  soon as his arms fell down, you know
• 33:02
  what happened? They began to lose. I'm
• 33:05
  saying, FRIEND, WE JUST NEED SOME
• 33:06
  PEOPLE. WE JUST NEED SOME SAINTS OF GOD,
• 33:09
  YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE, TO JUST STAY BY THE
• 33:11
  STUFF. JUST LIVE IT OUT. JUST BE REAL
• 33:14
  AND BE HOLY and be righteous. AMEN. AND
• 33:17
  QUIT WORRYING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK
• 33:19
  ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING. AMEN.
• 33:22
  >> DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE.
• 33:24
  DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR FUTURE. DON'T
• 33:26
  WORRY ABOUT WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE. MAN,
• 33:28
  I'M JUST GOING TO PREACH TILL I GET
• 33:29
  DONE. AMEN. I'M SAYING, FRIEND, JUST DO
• 33:31
  WHAT GOD SAYS IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING AND
• 33:34
  EVERYBODY ELSE.
• 33:37
  >> Just stay with it, child of God.
• 33:39
  >> Just stay with it. You're
• 33:41
  >> right.
• 33:41
  >> There's a reward at the end of the way.
• 33:43
  >> Amen.
• 33:44
  >> The king is watching.
• 33:46
  >> Other people are going to tell you to go
• 33:47
  on, but when he says sit down, you
• 33:49
  better sit down. When he says rest a
• 33:52
  while, you better rest. But let me
• 33:53
  remind you when HE SAYS GET UP, YOU
• 33:55
  BETTER GET UP AND GO ON FOR THE GLORY OF
• 33:57
  GOD BECAUSE YOU HAVE ONE COMMANDER. YOU
• 34:00
  HAVE ONE GENERAL. YOU HAVE ONE MAN. AND
• 34:03
  THAT MAN IS CHRIST JESUS, THE MEDIATOR
• 34:06
  BETWEEN GOD AND MAN. AND HE IS GOING TO
• 34:08
  GIVE YOU THE instruction for your life.
• 34:14
  >> I can rejoice
• 34:17
  knowing that if I'll just do what he
• 34:20
  says.
• 34:20
  >> Amen.
• 34:22
  If I'll just stay by the stuff, that's
• 34:24
  what he wants.
• 34:26
  It may not be glorious.
• 34:29
  It may not be glamorous.
• 34:31
  It may not be noticed by men. It may be
• 34:34
  silent. And it may even bring ridicule
• 34:37
  of those who call themselves brethren.
• 34:39
  But you know what? David said it this
• 34:41
  way. The Bible said it by inspiration.
• 34:44
  He called those men that went to the
• 34:45
  battle with them men of bile.
• 34:49
  You know what? Many times the people
• 34:50
  that are on the front stage,
• 34:52
  >> come on.
• 34:52
  >> Seeming to get the most done really know
• 34:54
  nothing about,
• 34:55
  >> come on,
• 34:57
  >> what's really going on.
• 34:58
  >> Amen.
• 35:00
  >> You say, "How do you know that?" Well,
• 35:01
  I've been around some old mountain
• 35:02
  preachers and their wives that have
• 35:06
  pastored 20, 30, 40, 50 people for 30
• 35:09
  and 40 years, and they got God all over
• 35:12
  them,
• 35:12
  >> right?
• 35:13
  >> And they love God and their church, and
• 35:15
  they love their family, and they've done
• 35:17
  their best to raise them, right? Most
• 35:18
  people don't even know who they are or
• 35:20
  even where they're at for that matter.
• 35:22
  But God has blessed their life because
• 35:24
  they've just been faithful. No, they
• 35:26
  don't have a TV ministry. And no, they
• 35:28
  don't have a big big following in this
• 35:30
  world or a name and light somewhere, but
• 35:33
  God has blessed their life and sustained
• 35:35
  them through every season, through every
• 35:37
  struggle, through every sickness. And
• 35:39
  God, I believe, is pleased with those
• 35:42
  people
• 35:43
  >> more so, even more so,
• 35:45
  >> than those who are on the forefront
• 35:47
  seemingly getting the most done.
• 35:51
  >> You believe that tonight?
• 35:53
  >> Let me ask you this. Do you want to stay
• 35:55
  with it?
• 35:56
  >> Amen.
• 35:58
  >> Just do what he says.
• 35:59
  >> That's right.
• 36:00
  >> Just do what he says.
• 36:02
  >> Every head bowed and every eye closed
• 36:04
  tonight.
• 36:08
  I tell you this, child of God, it'll be
• 36:11
  the best decision you ever make
• 36:15
  because
• 36:17
  just like in this text, it's the only
• 36:20
  decision that has a future. You know, I
• 36:23
  wonder what it would have been if those
• 36:26
  200 men would have came along and went
• 36:30
  and fought anyway.
• 36:33
  You reckon they'd have had victory?
• 36:35
  200 men that were liabilities, not able
• 36:38
  to go.
• 36:39
  Let me say this.
• 36:42
  You should never let it discourage you
• 36:44
  to know that you can't do the things you
• 36:46
  once did.
• 36:48
  >> What you should let it do is encourage
• 36:49
  you to do the things that you can.
• 36:52
  >> Yes.
• 36:53
  >> Oh, I hope you hear that.
• 36:55
  >> Just because you can't do the things
• 36:57
  that you once did, don't let it keep you
• 37:00
  from doing what you can.
• 37:01
  >> Yes.
• 37:03
  >> Pray. Seek God. serve him because it may
• 37:07
  be what you're doing now is the greatest
• 37:09
  accomplishment of your life.
• 37:10
  >> You're right.
• 37:11
  >> It may be the prayers that you're
• 37:13
  praying them sunset years, children. It
• 37:16
  may be the prayers that you're praying
• 37:18
  right now before you've got a position
• 37:20
  to fill in a church or even a job or a
• 37:22
  family. It may be the prayers you're
• 37:24
  praying right now that God is going to
• 37:25
  use to set up the rest of your life.
• 37:27
  You've got to know this.
• 37:30
  >> You just have to obey him because you
• 37:31
  don't know what's ahead. That's
• 37:33
  >> right. He'll tell you what's ahead. As
• 37:35
  she begins to play tonight, this altar's
• 37:37
  open.
• 37:39
  You want to stay by the stuff tonight.
• 37:42
  I don't know about you, but I do.
• 37:46
  >> I want to stay with it for the glory of
• 37:48
  God. At the end of the day, everything
• 37:52
  else is going to fall through.
• 37:54
  >> It's going to burn up.
• 37:58
  But I'm reminded of this.
• 38:00
  David said, "Thou part alike."
• 38:04
  Child of God, don't forget that.
• 38:06
  Do not forget that.
• 38:09
  You say, "Preacher, what I'm doing so
• 38:11
  small,
• 38:12
  but in the eyes of God, if you're doing
• 38:14
  what he told you to do, it's the biggest
• 38:17
  thing you can be involved in."
• 38:24
  Father,
• 38:26
  Lord, I pray tonight,
• 38:30
  Lord, for each heart that's here.
• 38:34
  God, I pray you'd help us all to
• 38:39
  let our one motive for service
• 38:42
  be your commands,
• 38:48
  be your hand on our life.
• 38:54
  be your approval.
• 38:59
  God, I want nothing more, Lord, than you
• 39:01
  to be approved,
• 39:04
  to be pleased with what I'm doing.
• 39:08
  Thank you for putting me in the
• 39:10
  ministry.
• 39:11
  God, I pray for these people here
• 39:13
  tonight.
• 39:14
  Lord, I know they want to serve you.
• 39:18
  And God, I pray you'd bless them for it.
• 39:20
  Lord, help them to realize, Father, that
• 39:22
  you have a plan for their life. It's
• 39:24
  bigger than they can fathom.
• 39:26
  And Lord, I pray you would touch them
• 39:28
  tonight.
• 39:29
  Help us all to be obedient to the word
• 39:31
  of God.
• 39:34
  These are praying this evening. Just
• 39:36
  another verse.
• 39:45
  There is no greater life than serving
• 39:48
  Jesus.
• 39:51
  There's nothing greater you can be
• 39:52
  involved in.
• 39:54
  There's no greater cause.
• 39:58
  You can give a man a meal. You can give
• 40:00
  a man a garment, but until you reveal to
• 40:03
  him the cross,
• 40:05
  that garment will just clothe him to
• 40:07
  hell. That meal will just fill him up on
• 40:12
  his way to hell for a moment.
• 40:14
  But if you'll give him the cross,
• 40:19
  then he'll learn how to do those things
• 40:21
  himself.
• 40:24
  >> Then he'll learn how to provide for his
• 40:27
  family. When once he would let him
• 40:29
  starve,
• 40:31
  >> he'll learn how to keep himself when
• 40:34
  once he didn't care for his body because
• 40:36
  now he's saved. His body is the temple
• 40:38
  of the Holy Ghost of God. And the Holy
• 40:40
  Ghost won't live in a mass hole. He'll
• 40:44
  clean himself up.
• 40:48
  You can look up this way this evening.
• 40:52
  Boy, don't you just appreciate the
• 40:54
  presence of the Lord?
• 40:55
  >> Amen.
• 40:56
  >> And uh I wouldn't trade it for anything.
• 41:00
  I wouldn't trade it for anything. And uh
• 41:04
  boy, he's so good.
• 41:06
  >> Right. Right.
• 41:07
  >> He is so good. And uh
• 41:14
  Just hang with it. Amen.
• 41:16
  >> Amen.
• 41:16
  >> Amen. We'll be dismissed in a word of
• 41:18
  prayer.
• 41:22
  All hearts are free this evening.
• 41:25
  Be dismissed in a word of prayer. And uh
• 41:28
  pray for the juniors this week.
• 41:30
  >> And uh I love this. That blesses me.
• 41:33
  Amen.
• 41:34
  >> And the young people sitting up here. I
• 41:36
  love all of it. It's great. Amen.
• 41:38
  >> Amen.
• 41:38
  >> And uh
• 41:40
  >> let's just go for God. Amen. Amen.
• 41:42
  >> He's our purpose.
• 41:45
  He's the only reason we live.
• 41:47
  >> You're right.
• 41:50
  >> Oh, if we'd remember that.
• 41:51
  >> That's right.
• 41:52
  >> We're not here for any other reason,
• 41:54
  >> right?
• 41:55
  >> Than to do what he wants us to do.
• 41:57
  >> Amen.
• 41:58
  >> I tell you what, church will take on a
• 41:59
  whole new meaning when you realize that.
• 42:01
  That's
• 42:01
  >> right.
• 42:02
  >> The only reason you're here is to serve
• 42:03
  him. Amen.
• 42:05
  >> Amen. I appreciate you. We'll be
• 42:07
  dismissed in a word of prayer and then
• 42:08
  you'll be at liberty to go tonight.
• 42:10
  Thank you for being here. Pray for the
• 42:11
  juniors this week. Be here 7:00 in the
• 42:13
  morning. Uh get ready, loaded up.
• 42:16
  They'll pull out 7:30. We love each one
• 42:18
  of you. And uh thank you for joining our
• 42:20
  service today. We'd love it if you join
• 42:23
  us in person the next time you are able
• 42:25
  at Meadows Baptist Church. Our physical
• 42:28
  address is 2988 Stewart Road in Walnut
• 42:32
  Cove, North Carolina. Our service times
• 42:35
  are Sunday school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday
• 42:38
  morning worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday
• 42:40
  evening worship at 6:00 p.m., and
• 42:42
  Wednesday evening Bible study at 700
• 42:45
  p.m. For more information, visit us at
• 42:48
  meadowsbaptisturch.com.
• 42:50
  Thanks again for tuning in.