 Welcome to Wednesday night. You're glad to be here on a stormy outside night of lightning and so forth we are Glad that you're here and want you to stand with us and let's take the word of God or take their prayer list if you will please and Let's make sure that we are Alerted to what's taking place in the area of folks that are needing prayer and as we've been praying every Night this week at seven o'clock. I hope that you've been able to join with us at seven o'clock for that and Brothers, I've got some noise going on. I don't know if that is Fills or what's taking place, but if y'all could help me there Just to mention to you very quickly We want you to join with us at seven o'clock every night tomorrow night Friday night and Saturday night online Facebook tomorrow night We probably will be able to go on all the platforms including our Boxcast and all that's taking place but it has been on Facebook you can go back and check some of that out and Join with us in prayer that God would just send a mighty rushing wind of revival to take place and the covering over our Children and for the upcoming election that's taking place all of the different things that are happening there's plenty to pray about how many of you know what I'm talking about and We want to welcome all of you that are watching online from around the world. There is a certain prayer need while we're getting All the rain that we think we need over here You know about the time you say something about it and it dries up then all of a sudden you got a look again and go Hey, send the rain but we need to pray for our friends out in Brazos Valley and other parts of Texas that are needing rain desperately and God knows how to do that. Amen. And so I want you to pray with them about that and all of the other needs that are listed there in front of you Glad to report that this coming Saturday according to the latest word that pastor Evan Horton from over in Brownsville We'll be able to go home from being In a place of rehab for all the issues that he's been dealing with so we thank God for answering prayer and getting him home And I want you to make sure that you hold up these families that are needing the touch of God Marie Henderson Some of you may remember her sonny and and Marie Henderson that have Been singing for years and years of course She went home to be with the Lord yesterday and tomorrow at 10 o'clock at 1st Assembly and Pensacola is going to be her home going service and Long time member of Pace Assembly sister Ard. I want you to remember both of those Actually, her last name is Hall. I've known her as Ard for years But you remember all of these families that God would give them strength and and the comfort of the Holy Spirit How many of you know the Lord can do that? Amen? So let's go to the Lord and prayer all of you that are joining us online praying your own way pray in the spirit Pray earnestly from your heart of whatever that the Lord may be laying upon your heart call the names out Whatever you do, let's touch heaven tonight. Amen father in the name of Jesus We thank you for the privilege we have to come before you tonight and to be able to Lord acknowledge you in all of our Ways we recognize that we are Feeble as humans and Lord we lack what we need but you are the great supply You're our great source. You're our God in heaven and for that reason we have no need of anything You are a Lord the one who takes care of all of our needs and you do it according to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus Lord we pray for those that are sick in their body tonight at home watching others Lord Jesus that are needing Intervention inside of their life for a miracle whatever their need may be you're the God Who is able and I believe right now Jesus that you're doing that send your word and heal Sick bodies and Lord revive those that may be In a place where they're low or maybe they're oppressed even tonight lift their spirit Give them peace and joy that returns back to them We pray for rain to fall in Texas right where that is needed Lord You know exactly what's taking place and you're able to open up the heaven and send rain Upon the land and we give you praise for that right now. Thank you for comforting these families Lord and giving them the strength that they need in the days that are ahead and in this auditorium tonight Lord as we gather here to study your word open our hearts and our minds revive our physical bodies Let us feel the presence of God touching every life That's in this place tonight and those that are watching around the world. We thank you for it We praise you for it in the mighty name of Jesus. Everybody believes it say a good. Amen Would you find about 12 dozen people? Shake hands with them right now go introduce yourself to somebody brand new turn around back in front Let them know how glad you are to see them get across the aisle Welcome somebody as I welcome all of you that are joining us online from around the world Thank you for being a part of this great service at pace assembly If you'll take time to share out this broadcast on the platform you're watching on it'll help get the word and the gospel out to somebody else who needs it tonight the encouragement and You can be able to be a part of giving here this evening in just a few moments. You can do that online and We appreciate you or on the app You can use sub splash and that's on the app or PayPal that's available for you And they're on the website as well and we thank you for being a part of it download the study It's available for you right there. You can fill in the blank or do it right on your app That's probably the best location for it to take place. So thank you for being here God bless you for being a part of this great service tonight. Amen. Praise God. You love the Lord tonight man, I want you to get your opportunity to give on your app on the website wherever that it may be I want to encourage you this evening to Be a faithful giver. Thank you for your faithfulness and giving just before this service took place We took another lightning strike right here at the sanctuary and everything went down and they're trying to revive some things And so we appreciate your faithfulness because we do everything we can to get those battery backups and all that kind of thing, but it seems to me that We jokingly say around here. We are on an Indian temple burial ground. I Don't know what all that means, but I know this that if it's gonna strike somewhere is striking right here at pace So I'm just asking the Lord if you're gonna let the lightning strike like the power strike. Hey man The power of God to strike right here. So Be a giver those of you that are watching online. You can do that right there It's available for you Our ushers are gonna come up the aisle in a moment and you can be a faithful giver as well father Thank you for the privilege we have to give into the kingdom of God We recognize Lord that your spirit is in this place and when we gather together in your name Collectively and around the world online Lord. You said you'd be right there in the midst of us We thank you for that. That's something that money can't buy So we just show you where our heart is that we put you first and everything that we do financially Lord and everything we do so bless this offering the tithe Let it be multiplied to meet and exceed every need and we give you praise for it in Jesus name Everybody said a good. Amen Praise God. Let me just remind you and and I will say Right now that this coming weekend I recognize that we are drawing close to an election time And so this coming weekend many of you have looked for that Information that will help you to be an informed voter So we're gonna have some information for you this coming weekend on the position of the candidates There are positions that candidates are taking that are biblical and there are positions that candidates are taking that are not biblical I want you to know I don't back up from this pulpit to say what needs to be said And I want you to understand that your voting In this election and the coming election is vital and you need to be an informed voter You don't need to just walk in there and just because you've seen names Plenty us on the side of the highway. That's the one you remember and you pull the lever. That's not the way to vote you need to be informed and Those of you that haven't been registered That's gonna happen that can happen you won't get it in time Of course for this one, but you can for the next one coming in November and I just want to encourage you to do that there's an awful lot of things that are pressing our nation and Christian people if just the Christian people that claim Christ across the United States of America Would use and take the responsibility and their privilege and right to vote and vote the Bible This entire nation could turn around and see a revival in one night That's so critical So I want to encourage you to do that and again this weekend we'll have information available for you So that you can be an informed voter before you go to the polls and may God bless you for your faithfulness and doing your civic duty Some people would claim what I'm saying right now is all politics from the pulpit, but just read Romans 13 You'll find out plenty of information in there where it calls for Christians to be Individuals that are the leaders in civic activity We pray for our leaders and God know we need to pray for them Pardon me. We need to pray for our leaders and you say well, that's not my leader. That's not my president Don't say that you need to pray for the office of the presidency of the United States and every other elected position as well because whether they Whether whether they are following the principles of God's Word that doesn't negate the fact that we must Pray for them and that's what the Bible says and I'm just telling you if the people of God will pray and pray for righteous leaders There can be a rollover in this nation as well And here's what the Bible says and this would be the last I say about it in this context The fact is when the righteous are ruling the people rejoice You get what I'm saying when the right to flip that around when the righteous are not in ruling and in leadership The people mourn the Bible says so I want to encourage you to be a fateful individual in the kingdom and In civic duty and God bless you for that while I'm making that announcement I want to say to you on September the 11th on that Sunday night at 6 p.m I want to encourage you to invite all of your friends the information is out on social media now And you can use it to get it out to people across your sphere of influence But prophecy vials will be happening on that night at 6 p.m. Those of you that are not familiar with that I take the word of God in Bible prophecy and Reveal and help people to be able to see in the context of biblical prophecy What's going on in our world and how it relates to you and how it relates to your future? I can promise you there are things that are happening right now on a biblical prophecy scale that is unprecedented in any of our lifetimes and I want you to make sure that you're here on that night I believe it will be a blessing to you and I believe it will help people have a clearer understanding of What's happening in our world and what we need to do as believers from now until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ One other thing that I will mention in light of that That just before I came into the building or just before I left the house I was doing some research and actually getting some things in line for prophecy files And in Keller, Texas Keller, Texas school district has now pulled dozens of challenged books from the library shelves of their school district including in that list for review is the Bible and The diary of Anne Frank Now there are a number of different Jewish agencies that are already citing this as a As a step towards anti-Semitism and certainly to review the Bible because it was written by many years ago According to this article now at once it's challenged There's 42 other books that have been called to the challenge So I want to say this to you if you've got children or grandchildren in school You don't need to be afraid to find out what they're reading what they're taking home if COVID did anything It helped parents to be able to see that what's being taught in the school and what's coming out of libraries and everything else Needs to be looked into in depth and you be informed and I don't think that you need to be not informed and and quite frankly, I believe our our own Representative for the school board who's here tonight would say the same thing that parents not only need to be informed But you need to know what's going on in that library And if there's something that's questionable then bring it to the forefront Don't wait because ladies and gentlemen our children and our generations to come are being influenced by things that Just a few years ago. We would have thought would have never been taught But now it is and so you need to be informed and you need to be engaged in your children and grandchildren's life and Make sure that you're in involved in that so don't forget that and don't forget the night of prophecy files I believe it will be a blessing. All right, open your Bibles up to Luke chapter 14 Luke the 14th chapter verse number 25 Don't you look with me down there? Jesus is speaking in this as we review the thoughts and The statements that Jesus may concerning discipleship. We got all the way to point one last week and You know, I'm not in a race for anything I want to I want to extract whatever God wants and so I want you to engage the Word of God tonight I don't want you to just be passive. I want you to engage it and put your thinking cap on I want to help educate inform and Disciple this congregation and those of you that are watching online again We welcome all of you that are watching online And thank you for joining us for prayer tomorrow night at 7 o'clock as well people that are watching all around the world The Philippines joining us as well as Kenya and many other locations So I thank God for that the Word and the gospel is getting around the world. Amen So the Bible says in Luke 14 verse 25 and there went great multitudes with him that is Jesus He turned and said to them if any man come to me and Hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters. Yeah, in his own life Also, he cannot be my disciple and Whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple I have a feeling that probably offended a few people and they turn around left right then For which of you and then he goes into an explanation here for discipleship for which of you intending to build a tower sit if not down first and Count at the cost whether he be having sufficient to finish it less happily after he had laid the foundation and Is not able to finish it all that behold it began to mock him saying this man began to build and Was not able to finish or what king going to make war against another king sit if not down first and Consult with where he whether he be able with 10,000 to meet him that cometh against him with 20,000 or else while the other is yet a great way off He's sendeth an ambassador and desire with conditions of peace So likewise whosoever he be of you that forsake if not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple Jesus is pretty emphatic isn't it? Salt is good, but if the salt is lost at Savior Wherewith shall it be seasoned it is neither fit for the land nor yet for the dung hill, but men cast it out He that hath ears to hear let him hear another passage of scripture in the Gospels that records the same statements right here He says that the salt and once it's lost at Savior is good for nothing, but to be trampled on by men so the the illustration of that and the and the Context of that is the fact that the Romans actually used salt to be able to pave the Roman roads So now you got a physical illustration of the fact that the salt that had lost at Savior was being used as Literally a highway where people would walk on that highway And it's being trodden underfoot. So that's a physical illustration there. What's going on? So I want to pose this question back to you again tonight Do you think of discipleship as knowing facts about Jesus or following him in a personal and an obedient relationship? Well, the answer is obvious I hope to this fan to this church right here into the people that are here and those of you watching That if all you know is facts about Jesus Then all you'll know is about Jesus, but you'll never know Jesus and in order for Jesus for you to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must know him Learn of me know the Lord Knowing the Lord is not some passive thing. It's not something that you just stumble into The mere fact that you're here tonight says I want to know more about the Lord now Obviously the more you know about him the more you'll trust him which is the the the foundation of what we call faith And I want you to understand faith is not just you know I have faith in God and and go down the road and then try to figure it out on your own Faith has to do with believing the act of believing, but the forward act of trusting Trusting the Lord now trusting the Lord is a much bigger deal because if you don't know the Lord you won't trust him Therefore when it when when most of the time people have on their level For trusting comes with money And I will tell you right now whenever you if you don't trust the Lord with the Substance of your heart he tells us in Malachi chapter 3 Then you've you've robbed God and you've stopped you've cut off your blessings because you're not trusting him Discipleship is the process of learning the Lord to trust the Lord Now you might not trust the people sitting next to you Look straight at me. I Don't know why I did that because I just stirred up all kinds of marriage counseling right there just in a moment I Mean if you can see the faces turn into their spouse looking in their spouse's ear it would have been Something So I must repeat this incredible statement right here from Diedrich Bonhoeffer and it is Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you your life So in context with Jesus saying that if you don't leave it all if you don't lay it all on the line You cannot be my disciple Then what Diedrich Bonhoeffer is saying as a statement is a very true statement Biblical discipleship as we studied last week. It's not a program Okay, you can go listen here. I this is something that is really disturbing to me because we have we have Livestreaming studies. We have book studies. We got video studies. We got podcasts We got anything and everything that you will want that it's available to people and people go to Bible study after Bible study after Bible study and they literally turn that into a works How does that happen pastor because nothing is applied? So you can go to all the Bible studies and every church has around here But if you don't stop and apply that Then that is you're not practicing Discipleship you're just involving yourself in a social program. I Don't care that you're studying the Bible if you don't eat the Word of God and digest it It will do you no good It's not what you put in your mouth that does he good. It's what you digest and It's not the overwhelming consumption of the Bible that does you good. You can meditate on one word I'm telling you one scripture jumped out of me this morning in my devotion time And I was almost going to put it out there on Facebook Until I decided this is the Lord speaking for a message that is forthcoming So I didn't put it out there because I was afraid I'd preach it all at one time but but That that one verse of scripture. I have meditated in All day long. I shared it with my wife and what a word in season and you're saying well, what is it? Well, you just have to come and hear it But I'm just gonna tell you you can meditate in the Word of God and you can get one word How many have you ever gotten one word and it just rolls in your spirit? That's what the Bible calls meditating That's what the book of Psalm chapter 1 says blessed is the man He goes on down there and he says that met meditates in the word day and night What did he tell Joshua to do in order to have good success? Meditate in that word now We think of meditation is jumping on the ground folding our legs Circling our fingers like a yoga position and humming some mantra But actually that was stolen that meditation was stolen from the Word of God because God wants us to Muse to think to meditate upon the Word how much day and night? Day and night so it's not a program. It's a process So I just want to relieve the tension in the room here for all of you here And those of you watching online here's a good stress reliever for your spiritual life You don't have to know everything all at once How you like that? I'm just gonna say I've been raised in in Pentecost been raised in in a spirit-filled church all my life And I'm just gonna tell you most of the time when people got saved Some reason why this is my observation It was almost like they were expected to know the entirety of the Bible overnight Open their head up God put everything in there And then we gave them a Sunday school book and put them out there teaching to the sixth graders Now it wasn't a bad method of discipleship It was like teaching your children to swim by grabbing them by the britches and throwing them in the water You sink or swim, but that's not proper Discipleship that's not the way it needs to be done And and so relieve yourself of the fact that you don't have to know everything But you are to be progressive in your learning Ignorance will not be an excuse. I want you to understand God is not going to judge us on the day of judgment by multiple books or Ideologies or philosophies the book you hold in your hand that you're supposed to know him by is The book that he's going to judge us all by Now when you come to the cross you're already judged But the fact is the Bible says we're gonna stand before the beam of seat of judgment the righteous The reward the beam of seat of Christ that passes out the rewards And if I don't know what those rewards or I could be doing anything under the Sun all of my life and never have anything As a reward. I want you to know I want something to throw at the feet of Jesus. Don't you? So it's all here in the book That's the reason why you need to consume it day and night and that is to say get a verse of scripture I'm talking to you about discipleship get a verse of scripture and just meditate in it and rehearse it and review it and And and recite it over and over again. I promise you there is more in that one verse That you can extract in your life that you say well That doesn't that's not meeting anything that I need right now Let me just tell you something if you'll pack it into your heart the Bible says the Holy Spirit will bring it back to your Remembrance at the very moment that you need it He is the divine reminder, but he doesn't work in a vacuum. Oh, I wish I knew this all you got to do is pick it up Do you realize that before? Jesus came and even after he came the church The Catholic Church held this in Latin and the only ones that could have it were those who could read Latin and translate that to the Constituency until Martin Luther comes along and the Protestant Reformation takes place Suddenly we find out that the judge shall live by faith and now we don't have to wait around for somebody to tell me You don't have to wait for the preacher to tell you open up the book that you've got The one they want to ban in Texas come on somebody open it up and find out who God is And what is my purpose for my life? This is a powerful thing for us That's what discipleship is all about so Christian discipleship is a lifelong journey of obedience to Christ that spiritually practically transforms a person's values and behaviors when you got saved You didn't know all the values behaviors and principles You didn't know the statutes and the judgments of the Word of God Now what we've tried to do in many cases because it's not We're not called to just get converts We're called to disciple people and we've tried to disciple people that weren't even saved Y'all with me out there We tried to we tried to teach people the Bible that had no desire for it. Are you hear me? So when you get saved your appetites change your behavior is supposed to change and it changes instantly as you heard me talk about Sanctification but here what I'm telling you that is a progressive thing That is to say When I start when I start eating off of the table of the Lord the more of him I want When I'm eating off of the world's table It was satisfying everything about my lust and my physical desires and all that stuff But when I got saved he transformed me Now that has to be learned to behavior Y'all follow what I'm saying You're not just getting saved and then all of a sudden you just fall into every behavior So don't get mad at a new convert that's trying to struggle because they're still dealing with nicotine or something else Work with them walk with them Help them to be able to recognize and the more you won't have don't listen do not try to be the Holy Spirit on somebody If you live your life pleasing to God in front of them and disciple them and bring them along and show them What the Word of God is you know what's gonna happen? They're gonna begin to pick these principles up just like you and I did Think about it. I know that people want their children to walk when they're like infants But it doesn't work that way does it Would you look at the physical aspect of that? That's the same Applying here spiritually the fact is you got all excited I remember when when Taylor took his first step down the hallways of his grandmother's house They stand him up and what would he do just like your kids they go Cush Right they fell down and and what what do parents and grandparents do? Oh, that's all right pick him up Stand it back up. All right. Go again. Go again, and we're walking behind them make sure that they don't hurt themselves But we want to see him walk. I Think I'm teaching right now And we never cared how many times they fell down because we believed That the more they practiced it the better Walker and Then when the when when you when you got them up good enough that they could start walking on their own You wanted to put them back down on the floor That's a spiritual application right there Because a lot of times when when you see somebody that's got that new convert zeal And you come along with somebody who's been serving the Lord for a while and they're kind of settled into the boat Hey, don't get too excited over there. Do you realize it takes both? We want revival, but I'm gonna tell you what real revival is revival is People coming in and being discipled and new growth in that in that aspect When you stop seeing new growth in a church somebody better stop the preacher better stop and say wait a minute We got a refocus here something's wrong Because when there is nobody getting saved nobody didn't feel with the Holy Ghost We're not seeing babies that are listen I used to judge especially when we were passing down a desk and how well we were doing by how many cigarette butts were out in the Park a lot I'm just saying And you know what I feel like we're doing pretty good because I fell one by my car now that wasn't me why is that because You know, I've pulled by I've pulled by on some nights when most excellent ways been going on the Thursday night and And boy, how you know, it's it's kind of funny to me I mean we you know, but it's not but anyway I'm driving by and it's break time for the guys right at at most excellent way they they break So I mean they hit the door I can always tell when somebody's got a habit of nicotine or whatever it may be because because because they are the first ones out The door to get out to the car Now, I don't know what your addiction is. I mean, I mean you cover lying pretty good Come on somebody you can't smell lying I'm not talking about a man with a lion munching you. I'm talking about lying a liar Much much different to conceal you can walk in a liar can walk in raise their hand and say amen hallelujah You can't smell it Can't see it and we want to condemn all of the folks That have these outside things that we feel like is so big when in fact inside of the heart of every person in listen Let me just tell you you don't know what's in your heart. I Don't know what's in mind. Come on. I wish you'd say amen for yourself right now Otherwise you got pride and there it is Come on, we don't know what's in our heart Jeremiah says the heart is deceitfully wicked above all that who can know it Nobody only the Holy Spirit, but I'm so thankful tonight I'm just telling you I am thankful with my hand up here tonight that God and his tender loving mercy and kindness and long Suffering and grace has watched me get up and fall down and get up and fall down a hundred thousand times And yet he's standing there with his arms right out there if I stumble again now He said now listen you're 40 years old now It's time for you to start walking on your own and get that bottle out of your mouth start feeding yourself But I'm gonna tell you I'm gonna be right here because my grace is sufficient You might thank God for that tonight now that's discipleship and so you should never count yourself out as discipleship Please don't categorize people. Well, they're a new convert and now they're they they're a year in and they're a disciple Well, let me tell you we're all disciples and everybody in this room is on a different level of understanding The thing you don't want to do is stop Learning Christ Are you with me? So now we got down to this last week and the outline of this is found in the Word of God and in Luke chapter 14 And we said that last week that Jesus is saying to us and in helping us to understand what it means to follow the Lord and Discipleship is that first of all, it's a relationship It's a relationship Now, I don't want there's an awful lot of talk about relationships today. You know pat, you know church growth people It's all about relationships, you know, and I understand the concept, but I'm just gonna say to you I didn't get saved because I found somebody in the church that I wanted to be a friend with I Got saved because I was a dirty rotten sinner And a preacher preached a message and the conviction of the Holy Spirit led me straight to the cross And let me tell you something if the building blows down tonight If the world catches on fire, I'm not gonna give up serving the Lord because my friend walked away From the church or a family member Let me know what I'm talking about So yes, it is all about relationships Jesus is speaking here But the number one relationship he's speaking about is the relationship you have with him not with others In fact, he literally defines and calls out family members And he said if you don't hate them now before you misconstrued that particular word Understand he's not talking about hating them. He's talking about prioritization And we talked extensively about that last week so you can watch that I'm not gonna get back into it But growing in our relationship with Jesus is born from time spent together with the Lord time Spent together changes your attitudes Come on somebody at least it should It changes your behavior. It changes your way of thinking I mean There's not a day that goes by that I don't get into this word that I don't find some new principle that I needed to know Are y'all with me? And if you're not listen, don't don't go to the passages that you necessarily always read That's not wrong to do that. But when you're reading let the book read you Let there be something in that word that changes a behavior adjust an attitude Come on say amen for your neighbor because there's an awful lot of lockjaw in here You ain't talking to me. I don't know who you're talking to maybe them folk out there in TV land. I don't know Not me Well, I just want to let you know that on the grand scheme of percentages There's a great possibility in one day that you could cop an attitude. I'm just saying it Spending time and here's the here's the crux of it spending time with the Lord to get to know him in prayer and in the word of God It's actually a mark of distinction for a believer It's literally saying okay. I got saved and now there's a different way to live and I need to know what that way is Now if I fall again The Lord is gonna help me but and I don't have intentions of falling nobody goes out and says hey You know what it's five o'clock. It's time to sin Nobody does that intentionally if you do then you know, you're probably not safe because Because your nature has been changed boy, I feel like preaching right here Your nature has been changed. What is the nature of a lamb if the lamb falls in the mud puddle the lamb cries But the nature of a pig in a mud puddle Two different things What's the pig gonna do? Come on. It's all right. You can talk to me This is not a gotcha question. This is that you know what I'm talking about the pig not only wallors in it But he likes it Now if you want to know if you're saved or not Because the enemy wants to play on your brain and go well look at you you fell in the mud Are you crying out like a lamb come and get me or are you watering in it saying this is the place to be? That Tells you whether or not you've had a nature change or not End of story. I don't need to preach her to tell me if I am or not I don't need to call somebody and ask them. What do you think nothing like that if my nature is to cry out Lord save me Then there's a lamb on the inside But if my nature is to walk around in it and enjoy it and keep on feeding it I mean, I'm just thinking that might work for Jeff Foxworthy You might be a pig if Second thing watch this following the Lord has a purpose say that with me out loud following the Lord has a purpose Now write this down and and this coming weekend. I don't want you to miss it I'm gonna do a follow-up in this message from this past weekend because I can tell you There's so much in Jeremiah one that I certainly didn't get it all out But I'm gonna tell you something what a powerful service we had around here Sunday I'm just telling you the anointing of God was flowing like a mighty river So be here this weekend because I'm gonna give you a little insight into one point that I want to bring to you this weekend from Jeremiah and here it is To follow the Lord is to discover your assignment for life The keyword is discover and I'm gonna give you insight into one of the points for this weekend and here it is Your purpose is not your decision It is your discovery What did he say to Jeremiah Jeremiah before I formed you I already knew you and already had plans for you So the purpose as I told you this weekend was already in the mind of God He just took you and wrapped it around and now if you do all the other stuff But you miss doing the purpose of God you'll never be fulfilled and you'll never bring forth fruit worthy of the kingdom I was talking with with will In our music director and keyboardist and his son plays the drums and he's got another boy Ethan that that we were standing there talking yesterday a little bit and And will was telling me he said you know I put I put Ethan down at a computer with this with this engineering Software on how to mix music and all that kind of stuff and and he said he picked it up just like that and You could see the smile come on his face and say he said he picked it up faster than I did Now that and I have time to stay here But that is an indicator of a person's purpose for which they have been called. I've heard a lot just today about Even even our government wanting to go to a four-day work week okay And and then then I heard some guy on a news program that said Said yeah, he said, you know, I'm really I'm really just tired of working and I mean it was like in his 20s and And and you know and you could just see where it was going. I mean he was going for the for the gimme check Of which all of us will be paying for Come on somebody Now I just want to say this to you and I don't know what your schedule is because I've worked different schedules and all that But I want you to know the Bible says six days. Shall you work? I'm leaving now because that one right there just killed about 50 people Six days. I'm not talking about on on that particular job But he says you're to give yourself to it and work see if all you do is your job Then they can fire you from your job, but but they can't fire you from your work Because if I don't work my work here, I'll work my work somewhere else Because my work is my work and before God gave man a woman. He gave him work Now we're in a society right now that is doing everything people cannot find workers people to work Now part of discipleship, and I know this from mine is that you don't trust an 18 year old with pastoring a church like this Okay, I'm sorry. Just you don't have enough experience under your belt. You need some time All right, so let's take it out of there and let's just go to the airplane pilot Y'all want somebody who only halfway read the book or I'm I'm still there. No, I need somebody who's got enough experience under your belt Let me know there's a purpose for your existence and An an anointing for that existence and when you find that as Jesus is saying right here, are y'all still with me in Luke 14 27 he says this and whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple If you don't know your purpose, what is my purpose as a believer to bear the cross that I have to bear? And there's some things in our life that we say, you know what and I understand bearing the cross of Christ That's what supposed to do and Paul said that's a stigma for us that that right there could get you killed Just serving the Lord just saying the name of Jesus today. Are you alright? So but he's saying I want you to pick up your cross the one you have to bear and everybody in here has had to bear their cross Now you may not have recognized it as being as being Your cross, but I can tell you you've walked through some places where you've been crucified and rejected and and on and on and on and on and on I'm sorry. I was using my pistol finger on and on and on and on and That get me kicked off Facebook want it and and on of that. Alright, so I'm giving you the full tan and so And Jesus said if you don't if you don't follow that way You cannot be my disciple in other words what he's saying if you don't know your purpose in me and find and discover that purpose You cannot be my disciple Jesus purpose. Look at Jesus. He had a purpose Jesus wasn't everywhere Jesus was came to this earth on purpose with a purpose and he didn't get distracted from doing that Jesus Jesus was raised in the home of a carpenter and he did carpenter stuff for a while because that was part of the process and Jesus Walked around the Galilee, but Jesus didn't say You know what father? I'm not into going to the cross. I think I'm just gonna pick up what they're doing here and have a fishing business Now how many of you know if Jesus had chosen to do a fishing business with the anointing? Nobody else would have caught any fish. He would he just told him all the time throw it over there Throw it over there throw it over there But that wasn't his reason for me watch this Jesus did not come here to heal sick bodies open blinded eyes He did not come to this earth for that first John 3 and 8 tells you what his purpose is for this purpose It starts out Was the Son of God manifest that he might destroy the works of the devil? Well, how did Jesus do that? He didn't destroy the works of the devil by healing somebody He didn't destroy the works of the devil for the woman that was bent over and said Isn't this the daughter of Abraham? She's been afflicted by a spirit all these years Woman thou art loosed and she stood up His purpose was to go to the cross to destroy The works of the devil now that's the reason why you find your purpose in Christ and him crucified Are y'all with me? This is so important for you to get a hold of because people are struggling today Because they're trying to do stuff outside of their purpose and they're living their life as Someone else and they're not happy question What is the purpose of the battery in your car? Do you steer with it? do you You know put it on on the axle and drive as a wheel is it a wheel Come on. These are not trick questions go ahead and if you don't know the answer to these do not get in The car and leave tonight You don't need a license if you don't know what to battery. What's the battery do? Does it start the car does it do it by itself? What is the purpose of that battery? What is the purpose of the battery? Power That's the power store without the battery. You got an incredible you got a you got a You got a Tesla that won't go nowhere 80,000 hundred thousand two hundred thousand dollar car look at my car. That's really nice Can you drive it out of the parking lot? No ain't got a battery a few days ago a guy? Literally lit his Tesla on fire because after he bought it He had to go back and buy another battery for it that cost $25,000 it costs more than the car was worth. He just lit it on fire and left it there Your purpose Your purpose this is correct. This is critical for us if you don't know what the battery does in your car It would be futile for you to take that battery and go move it to somewhere else to get it to try to do something else That is called abuse When you take your life that's been called for a specific purpose and you try to do something else with it You're abusing your own life now the battery has one purpose and That is this listen It is so critical that they put an alternator in there to make sure that the battery can stay charged so that when you get out There and don't think anything about it and put the key in or you push your little button and the car comes on the battery Has done its purpose and its job But if the alternator doesn't charge that battery So suddenly now the battery by itself cannot fill it fill its purpose It needs Let's consider this for everybody who's ever tried to jump your car off Attaching the jumper cables to the battery and and could not keep those jokers attached to the terminals Because they were so small Every time you pull on click it fell off Does he might know what I'm talking about or am I the only one out here? So now the battery is his purpose is the power But the terminals What's a battery without terminals? I know you're looking at I'm crazy here tonight, but I'm trying to help you realize That to do something and even to compare yourself, but to do something else For which you have not been called an anointed to do is a futile deal This is a reason why to sin and live as a sinner is a Frustrating thing because God put a God vacuum of purpose on the inside of you And it can only be fulfilled when you attach it to God and know your purpose Now you say well, I'll tell you what I'm the battery. I'm in charge of this thing. Well, that's great But how about those two wires? Huh all I mean you look at the totality of that car and everything is dependent on something else to make it Happen. I'm talking about purpose right here. This is we're talking about discipleship What is discipleship if I if it's not leading me to the purpose for which God's called me? And some of you have heard my story before but I'm just going to tell you very quickly I had a number of years where I had a whole bunch of W-2s Because I was going job job job and and I recall when I was getting this lesson together. I recall People coming to me my folks on the florist and and and and the people around and even the people in the shop Thought I was going to be the heir apparent. I say this Because I knew how to make bows now. I'm just telling you I don't know how to make bows no more I knew how to put flowers together stuff like that. I was taught. I sat there and and and listened and learned and the whole bit so So people were asking me from other shops in town and and and people that knew our family Because mom and dad sold the shop. I Was out of a job. I Went to work for another florist in town. That's all I knew at the time and they asked me Why don't what in your mom and dad? And I couldn't answer it at the time But now No, I can answer it. I can also answer why I went to work at the fire department and Why I sold crackers For a living and why I why I did this and why I did that because some things you don't recognize and know Until you've walked through the process and it's taught you some things. I Can't say I'm perfect at it But working at the fire department taught me discipled me how to walk into crisis situations and Maintain my composure and help people instead of getting all in the middle of the mix and being a hindrance instead of a blessing Because I do that all the time The Lord knew that later on you're going to be preaching some funerals And I can't have you sitting there wallowed up crying and everything else while the family sitting over here Needing somebody who's are y'all with what what I'm talking about right here I had to be able to take somebody Accusing me of doing something that I wasn't supposed that I didn't do and I knew that I didn't do but it almost cost me my job driving that little Lance cracker truck around Accused me of stealing all this kind of stuff and I had to learn on all that was a process when I look back over my life How about you? When you look back over your life if you and would you just look at the stuff now You might not have thought anything about at the time and you may not have even thought about it right now But I'm just gonna tell you the all of that was let's see For we know that all things Pastor why did I have to go through this and why was there such a struggle we know That all things now he doesn't say all good things he just throws it all in one big batch Both the good and the bad, but he said by the time I get through stirring it up It's gonna work together for his purpose in your life Purpose Come Sunday. I'll try to finish some of that So God's purpose for our life is to take up our cross and follow him number one That's that's the greatest thing that we can do that's that is the most discipling thing that we can do This is the requirement for pediatric discipleship dying to self and Choosing his life over our own desires Ladies and gentlemen, that's a daily struggle for every one of us. Would you agree? Because you wanted to tell them off today But something on the inside someone on the inside pull the trigger Yeah, somebody said thank you Lord. That's right so He says when the purpose When his purpose becomes our purpose when his purpose becomes our purpose a Willing sacrifice of personal freedoms our life is fulfilled when when when his purpose and our purpose line up Now I submit this to you and this is I believe I can back it up Biblically, but let me just submit it to you all of the things that you've been through was all about getting you in line with his purpose and And sometimes with our tough exteriors and our own made-up mind It takes a little bit more applied pressure to get us Because that's not my idea He even tells us in Isaiah his thoughts are not our thoughts his ways are not our ways all that kind of thing right there So you're going into this Christian experience Already adverse towards God's thoughts and ideas So what does he do he puts us in situations where we have to choose whether or not he lays it out He says here choose you this day I want you to choose life, but I set before you life and death choose life and Invariably people are choosing death today Which is the opposite of God because God is life. I think I'm preaching alright here tonight teaching alright So here's number three following the Lord is life long Listen, what is he saying here? He says in verse 28 through 30 28 through 30 he starts talking about a breakdown of someone building a tower and the foundation and and counting the cost now I want to stop right here and say to you my friends. This is so critical Following the Lord is lifelong. So if you're gonna walk with the Lord you better make up your mind you're going all the way Regardless of what happens I mean you can expect and I go back to Jeremiah from this past weekend I was telling somebody this earlier today or yesterday that Jeremiah God spoke to Jeremiah He said Jeremiah. I've called you sanctify you all that kind of thing and he said listen God he says back to God. I'm but a child. I don't he said no I've laid my hands on you and I put my words in your mouth now watch this and then then he says Then he says I'm gonna I'm gonna be with you and I'm going to deliver you Now friends if you need deliverance Jeremiah was just starting out and God was letting him know there's gonna come a time That you're gonna need my deliverance and I'm gonna be there with you and I'm gonna deliver you But I'm telling you trouble is on the way now majority time. We don't learn from From good times we learn from trouble times Am I right about it? Somebody said well pastor, but when we're gonna have revival. I'm just waiting on the next crisis in the world ahead. I Won't have to call a prayer meeting. I want to have to say y'all need to come on to church now Come on. Come on. Can you see Jesus following up after people after they've been say come on come to church Come on come on like like herding cats Jesus said take up your car deny yourself Deny what you want take up your cross and follow me. How long Jesus all your life Get this the cost This is what he talks about in these two little two little verses to a couple of verses here He said if you're gonna serve the Lord It's gonna be lifelong and you need to know that you need to go ahead and sit down and calculate Whether or not you're willing to sacrifice and the cost that is going to cost you to serve me The cost of commitment is not an emotional decision. It's a total life commitment so if you come because It's an emotional moment There's gonna come a time when you're not gonna feel saved Anybody with me right there? Have you ever have you ever experienced the moment when you didn't feel saved? It will happen again. You know what he's telling all of his disciples. He said and he turns around at one point He's got all the fish and ships going to 5,000 people over there. Oh, we're enjoying life mullet and fries And then he turns around and says now from this point forward I'm not gonna give you any fish and I'm gonna give you any fries if you're gonna follow me You're gonna have to drink in my blood and eat in my flesh. What are you a barbarian a cannibal and From that day John 666 many left him and walked away. It's calculated some 3,000 feet He lost listen in One day Jesus offended 3,000 people and they got up walked away. That's the same calculation of the day of Pentecost They came and when the cost was too high for them they left Come on somebody When it gets to the point where you don't want to pay the price anymore That's where you got to dig into the Word of God and realize the reason why you got into this thing was not because your family Coached you into it. It wasn't because there was a pizza party at church or somehow they had a great Fellowship and we were all part of this small group No, I got in because I was a sinner lost without God and I needed Jesus in my life And I needed him right then and I'm so fully committed that like Paul He has tattooed me with the stigma of himself. I Bear Paul said I bear the marks of Christ in my body Now why is that so important because Paul had his head locked off Peter was crucified upside down Friends, that's not the lifelong love boat of discipleship. That's being perpetrated today You need to get ready Because in the time that we're in right now your faith will be put on the line They're already wanting to censor Bibles out of the public school. What's gonna happen when you carry yours down the street? Are you gonna put it up? Here's an analogy for you and I'm running out of time. I gotta hurry So y'all stop stopping me. There was a study made one time where Where they took a person and they put a bunch of people around them to tell them that the sky was green And follow this They kept saying the sky's green sky's green and initially the person said no the sky's blue skies blue Listen to me now But after a while It kept bombarding and breaking them down Not that they turn around and said the sky was green They just stopped saying The sky is blue. What's the point pastor? The point is what's happening right now in our world is the bombardment of people when you're standing up saying I believe in Jesus Christ Oh, he's just another man. Oh and all these different mechanisms are pounding pounding pounding and People are making up their mind today not that the sky is green But that I'll just quit saying the sky is blue and back up And my friends that's not even biblical discipleship Because the people that we come after as disciples in here laid down their life They counted the cost and laid down their life for the cause of Christ Are you willing to do that? You don't hear that preaching very much when I was growing up They they preach that a hammer that boy If you're gonna serve the Lord you better be ready to give your life for Jesus Christ. You don't hear that anymore What do you hear the Lord's gonna give you a you know a good life and you know You'll have I heard one preacher even in the past few days. Oh God's gonna bless you with a new car a new house What is that in eternity? Really? That's not what I want. I want my kids saved and then they arc Am I right somebody? So how's that gonna happen? I've got to be willing. Look somebody's watching you. I'm free flying now Somebody's watching you They're watching your life and they're not watching you when everything's going good They're watching you when you're walking through the fire And they want to know if what you say out of your mouth You actually believe Well, I'm just gonna tough it out. No, no, no because you're tough will get untuffed After you've been pounded pounded pounded that the sky is green That climate change climate change climate change climate change Okay, we just won't say anything about it anymore Homosexuality is a sin No, it's not you're a you're a homophobe. You're this you're that Sorry, I'll just back up and not say anything Come on y'all When the pool pit becomes silent on the issues of the day and disciples Stop counting the cost listen for self-preservation. I think I'm preaching right now Where we start not denying ourselves But we start preserving ourselves For fear of what might take place We have just taken the mark of the beast We have just made a decision that to be a friend to this world now Is an enemy of God pastor? That's that's pretty rough. I'm telling you my friends these disciples that follow Jesus They were all martyred Well, are you in to us all getting martyred? I'm not into anybody getting martyred, but I'm telling you people are right now And you're watching the intrusion of the world and the spirit of Satan himself upon a world to do what? to silence Disciples from speaking up what the Bible says So what are we gonna do? So the kids won't see this evil book That might show them their life and reason and purpose for living We'll just take it out of the library and study it for ever how long that we need to Are y'all with me? This is a critical hour where that we're in you've got to know why You're in the body of Christ and what it might cost you to be there We may be willing to follow Jesus But many times we want to think about the conditions Okay, Jesus, I'm ready to follow you But can you tell me what it's gonna cost me come to church? You'd be shocked to know how many people have hit me up with that. I don't have to go to church to be a Christian Okay That's not what's in the book But why if you are a Christian, why wouldn't you want to come to church? I? Mean if you're a lover of baseball, do you go I don't have to be a baseball fan to go and down to the field and watch the Wahoos Well, you're right But it's a whole different experience I Wish you'd shot me down now. I wish you just keep take a breath right now because some of you I'll cut you in the neck. I'm just telling you right now ladies and gentlemen Why are our philosophy and ideology has gotten so messed up because we felt the pressure of the world and during COVID? Yeah, I'm gonna say it Get you another boost get you another boost get you another booster You need another booster You better get a booster Okay Problem You told me That that first one was supposed to keep me from getting it. I'm gonna tell you something Are y'all with me out there? You talk about discipleship. I'm talking about trust We are more willing to pull up at the bank and hand them our entire week's earnings to a person We don't even know except their name is on the badge Hoping they'll put it into my account But when it comes to saying trust the Lord and give your tire than offering well, you know, you better keep your money then Come on somebody It's gonna cost you something to serve the Lord And I'm just gonna tell you in other nations. They've known it China they've known it Russia they've known it North Korea North Korean Christians are killed on sight All around the world the pressure against Christianity the number one group Hey, let me let y'all in on this statistic. You're gonna love this You're gonna love being in a Pentecostal church You know why cuz the number one persecuted group and killed group in all the world are Pentecostals That's pretty exciting. Isn't it? I'm thinking about going back as pastor. I'll tell you what's true I might go presbyterian I tell you How they're method is fair and without killing stuff. Don't worry about it. They've they've embraced stuff Don't you let your walk with the Lord be an emotional whim? How many of you didn't feel so good today, but you went to work anyway Now listen, I'm just telling you God is watching Right now, so I don't want you to be caught. I'm not trying to catch in a lie. I'm just trying to ask you a question Okay What did you why did you do that because there was a motivation at the end of the week? What was that motivation? I get a reward What's a reward check? I want you to know There's going to be a payday Some day and Whatever it cost you now Rest assured the investment is worthy of the reward that you will receive Whoo, that's a good place to praise him right there. I think I would if I were you I'm just gonna tell you in the time that we're in right now Jesus is gonna require a greater and a deeper commitment than you've ever had before So get ready for that But that's not bad That's a good thing If you will make the commitment believe me God has already made a commitment to you Life long Eternal commitment to you. Did you hear that? I'm telling you that was so good. It wasn't in my notes. I'm just telling you that came straight down low right to you Why is that because God? Loves you cares about you and is not willing that any should perish And so in his long suffering Come on now You know where you are with your commitment and so do I That's why we're having this time of fast and in prayer So we can draw near to God not to twist God's arm to get us to do something getting to do something God I need this your word says that manipulation God said I'll see you when you get right When you get down before God and you start denying self Saying now Lord talk to me about what your plan is for my life Come on somebody. What is that plan to be a servant? And a discipleship a Disciple all the days of my life. I Gotta share this with you in clothes so Billy Graham was getting off the plane And it was his last crusade and he'd always had Limousine and a driver and all that kind of stuff to take him where he needed to go and people that got in and so forth so he got off the plane and Went to the limo driver and said hey All the years I've been traveling I've never been able to drive a limo. Do you mind? Limo driver said no problem slid over and let Billy Graham drive He's trucking down the highway. He gets in a 55 mile an hour zone and he's doing about 70 and what do you know? The state trooper pulls him over in the limo Pulled over Billy Graham. He gets up. He walks to the front door The window comes down and the officer looks and he sees Billy Graham. He said sir wait just a minute He goes back to the car. He calls the supervisor He said do we have some special provision for dignitaries and things like that? Oh, yeah Yeah, I mean if you if you see that's going on who have you got there Have you got a like a senator or something like that? No, no greater than that He said what have you got? What do you got the president? No, he said greater than that He so will tell me what's going on. He said I'm telling you I think I got Jesus Because Billy Graham is driving the limo Not great, you know if there ever has been an individual who who modeled Discipleship and integrity it was Billy Graham He's still the standard bearer for evangelists and preachers and ministers all the way around He's the one who started the financial accountability for ministers Do you realize as a disciple of Christ that he wouldn't do anything to bring a reproach? That someone always went into his hotel room before he arrived there to make sure there was nobody in there Just those little things right there kept him clean before God So it's been several years since Billy Graham's going on to be with the Lord Some people liked him some people didn't I Think it was seven or eight or more presidents that he was the personal pastor to God help us right now Because I don't know who the pastor is So so when we don't have that kind of integrity and all that kind of stuff going on we got a mess So where does it fall? I mean Billy Graham's gone and I'm telling you and I'll say this in two minutes, and I'm done I've watched Billy Graham and and others True men and women of God that have gone off the scene in recent years in the past decade and Every time they went off the scene every time they went off the scene. I Question in my heart. Okay, God What are you trying to do because when the prophets are taken off and the preachers are taken off the scene? And I'm just gonna tell you my friends this thing if there is anything that I could tell you tonight of a truth for yourself and for me We must be the disciples God's called us to be because you know what I sense this is my feeling When all these people who have had names before and we've looked up to them as Leaders and that's fine and Andy. They weren't Jesus, but they're leaders But that whole thing has shifted now until it's become political And we've lost our way spiritually and So God takes these leaders off of the scene because he wants my people who are called by my name To begin to practice and do what God has called you purposefully to do and that happens on your job every day of the week You follow what I'm saying So when you go on your job or you leave out of here tonight Bible says one thing that's an indicator. You'll you'll know that you're my disciples because you have loved one for another Love for one for another now. What does that look like? Let me let me just throw one thing out here and I'm done I'm sorry. I took 30 seconds There's now a school district that wants to fire all white teachers This past week I'm gonna tell you that is so opposed to the word of God and a genuine Christianity That's how far we are That somehow we cannot even get it together now. Why is that? Why is that so important for this church? Because if we don't show this world out here in our town and those that are watching right now What it looks like to come together with all races all creeds all colors all levels of spirituality In social status and all that kind of stuff because the one ingredient that pulls us together Is the love of Jesus Christ that we have one for another and we do not look on the outward man looks on the outward God said but God looks on the heart and we must fight for that By being a genuine disciple of the Lord denying ourselves when the world throws this nonsense from Ebom X. Kendi's book all up in our face We've got to take this book and say Lord. This is what we're gonna live by right here We're not gonna judge people as Martin Luther King said by the color of their skin, but with the content of their character That's biblical That is worth preserving. That's worth being a disciple. It's gonna cost you something But if you'll pay the price and deny yourself the Lord has great reward and substance Oh my god Y'all better get me out of here. He told Abraham When you come out when they come out after 400 years of bondage Abraham when they come out They're gonna come out with great substance What happened when the children of Israel left Egypt's bondage they weren't looking at it all the other The the Pharaoh and all the rest of them dumped all their silver all their gold all their garments They left with the whole thing didn't have to stop by 7-eleven to get anything They just went straight on out there and God preserved them Because they were called on purpose to be his people and you are too Father I thank you for this wonderful group of people here tonight Lord you put the blood of Jesus on their hearts if they've asked you to come into their life and They've received you as personal Lord and Savior, but God in many cases in our lives There's so much more that we need to know about you Lord. I pray tonight that you would stir the hunger Not for the things of the world But for the things of God in every heart here and those that are watching stir our heart for the Word of God Stir our heart for the Word of God stir our heart for fellowship in the presence of God And I thank you right now God that you're gonna raise up disciples who will go into this world and preach the gospel and Because of that Lord you're gonna give fruit for their labor. We give you praise for it in Jesus mighty name. Amen. You love the Lord That means you love people around you get up shake hands with somebody before you leave out of here Don't walk out. Just go ahead and shake hands with somebody let them know how much you love and appreciate them Let them know you're gonna be praying for them tomorrow night 7 o'clock. I'll be live on Facebook praying with you join me then