MCM Convention Night #3

Well, praise the Lord. I'm glad the Lord can use weakness because folks, that's all I got, that he is faithful. I don't know. I'm just going to ask the Lord to, I don't know how long I'm going to take, but just to share some thoughts that I believe we need encouragement. I was thinking about the fact that we know many truths of the Bible, and sometimes I think we wonder when we're experiencing them just what's happening, and I believe God's people need encouraging, don't you? We need more than just information. We're aware of the nature of the kingdom of God, that God has called us out of darkness into light. He's not just called us as individuals to be connected that way, but to be connected here in such a way that we're like the human body. Every part of my body is meant to be designed by, or run by this guy. I hope he is. I hope it is. But anyway, every part of my body is meant to serve every other part, and my hand can't be the foot and vice versa. And so that's a big part of it, and we've talked a lot about the Lord using us and being ready and seeking him and what does he want and being ready to be used of God at this hour. But another area of truth is that we come to God and we're born again of his spirit when we truly give him the throne of our heart, and repent of our sins, and put our faith in his, in what we've been singing about tonight, the shed blood of Jesus. Praise God there's no other answer for any of it. But that's only the beginning. That brings us into a relationship, in fact Paul refers to it as being reconciled to God because before that we were enemies. So now we have been reconciled and we become not only friends but a part of his family. But we also know that's only the beginning, that there is a great deal of change that

has to happen to us because just wiping the slate clean and taking away our sins doesn't make us ready for heaven in the sense that you think about it. We are, we have a, God's got a lot of work to do. Anybody discovered that? Yeah we just need a little bit of changing, just here and there, just a little bit of tweaking right? And the reality is we need a total 100% transformation and it's something we only discover as we go. So how in the world do you put those two things together? God wants to use us but we're not, we're just Lord have mercy we got so much wrong with us. How in the world could God use somebody like us? Anybody ever wrestle with that? You know I want to be used of God but I'm just not there yet. But the reality is God begins to work and to use his people right where they're at. And that's even part of the process because does not Paul tell us in the beginning I believe in Romans 4, I didn't really look up all these scriptures, but to put it, to paraphrase it he says, one of the things he says is to put up with each other. To put up with each other means we've got things that are lacking and wrong and aren't quite there yet and yet here it is I need something from you but I see something in you that I don't particularly approve of or like or it rubs me the wrong way. And God, and part of the process is that God wants to teach us how to let go, in fact that's even part of the process of me surrendering and becoming changed because if we're constantly reacting based on human nature that's not a good thing is it? And I'll tell you we've got a God who knows what he's doing. Has he promised not only to start the work but to finish it? And here's the thing, does God know everything about you and about me before he ever starts the process? How many of you have ever been in a place where you discovered something about yourself? Maybe you didn't even realize it or weren't ready to face it and all of a sudden the Lord

puts you in a situation and oh my God, you look in the mirror and say, oh God, how could God even love me let alone use somebody like me? I see a few heads that are honest enough to nod. Yeah that's part of the process and learning how to manage that and to understand that you know we get discouraged, we get upset, we wonder how in the world God could use somebody. The Lord's not the least bit discouraged. He knows the process, he knows what he's doing and he's got an individual plan. You talk about plans, we're not robots here. He has got an individual plan for every single life. Wow, that's amazing. I'm different from you. And there are things, you know, one of the things that you cope with, especially as you go along, and I want to encourage younger ones, because this is part of it, is that you go along and maybe the Lord even uses you a little bit. And then you suddenly discover, oh my God, I didn't know it was really that bad. Or I was like this. Or you fall in the mud really, really bad. Nobody's ever done that, right? Yeah. How in the world does that fit together? Oh God, you look in the mirror. How in the world? And yet here is God just wanting us to come to Him as we are, with freedom, with love, with acceptance, with cleansing. And He actually takes the thing that we see as defeat and failure and turns it into victory, if we can understand and just take the right position before Him. If we wallow in defeat and listen to the voice of the enemy, God, none of us will ever be used. Because none of us have arrived. Paul hadn't. And look what God did through him. God raised the dead through Paul. And yet look at things that he went through on in his experience. And he just had to, he had to fail. He had to come short and learn. And you know, you read Romans 7, you find out how the Lord had to teach him. We talked about that the other night, that you learn in the school of hard knocks. God could have taken him aside and given him a, you know, here's the playbook. Here's the theology here. But God had to say, all right, you ex Pharisee, you, you think that serving God is a matter of keeping rules? Go for it. Now the Lord knew all about how Paul was going to fail completely. Fall on his face and realize, oh my God, this ain't getting it. I need help. And the Lord says,

yeah, I know all about that. That's why I put you, that's why I brought you this way. Do you know when you fall in the mud, God knew all about that. He loved you. And maybe He'd let you fall in the mud because it was something He couldn't teach you any other way. Every single one of us has things that we just don't want. We don't want to face them, let alone admit it. Pride me? Yeah. And boy, I'll tell you, the devil loves to jump all over us about these simple things. But I'm going to say again, something that's come to me several times. The Lord is not a bit discouraged by the things that we face in ourselves. It's part of the process. And all things do work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose. You know, I preached on this recently, how there's no such, there's no random, there's nothing random in the world. Everything that happens to us is part of God's design to shape us, to make us into somebody that He actually can use. But God uses imperfect vessels. If He didn't, nothing would happen because we're all imperfect. So we just start where we're at, and we look to God, and we trust Him. When we run, when we fall in the mud, we say, thank you, Lord. And we get up and, Lord, I need you to clean me up. I need you to teach me what I need to learn through this. But I refuse to give in to the voice of discouragement, because I'm serving you. I'm serving somebody that knows everything about me. He doesn't just know my name. He knows all there is to know about me. And He did before He ever started. And He's not given up. And God just wants a people who are willing to walk where they're at, to take it like Paul did. I'm living today. He's helping me to forget the past, the things that would drag me down, but to constantly reaching for the next thing. But I don't have to have tomorrow all figured out. I just need to walk with Him today and find that place of rest in Him. God wants to use a people. He's not waiting until you reach, until you get a graduate degree in serving Jesus. We just start right now in our families, in our relationships, in everything that we do. I thought of one rather obvious example. I guess this is as good as any. But you remember a fellow named Peter. And God called him. And it's obvious that there were things about him that were, that were right and good. He, God gave him a recognition of who Jesus was. And he was able to say, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God, and so forth. And it wasn't a few minutes later, he turned around, looked at him and said, get behind me Satan. Because Peter didn't realize the inspiration behind a thought that was sincere to him. I'm not going to let them get to you. you. You say all this, they're going to take you and kill you? Not on my watch, they're not.

And didn't realize God's purpose. And yet God had sent Peter out with the others. This was, this was late. God had sent Peter out with all the others. They had healed the sick. They had cleansed, cleansed lepers. They had cast out demons. I mean, they were moving in the power and at least very briefly, Peter walked on water. But here's this, here's this Peter. Now it's coming time for the crucifixion that is the center of God's purpose. The very thing that Peter didn't want to see happen. And now it's about to happen. And Jesus is trying to prepare them. And you know, they have that little argument about who's the greatest. And Jesus had to explain, that's not how the kingdom works. The greatest is the one who serves. You've got to be like me. This is, that's how the world works. But that's not how my kingdom works. And so he comes to that point. But there's one little thing in a scripture that we're familiar with that kind of jumped out at me. I think I've seen it before, but I had forgotten. But in this translation, the Lord looks at Peter and says, Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you. I think I looked this up one time and that actually is accurate because it's a plural. He just didn't say Satan is asked to sift you. It's all of you. So Satan really wanted to get all the disciples. But then he goes and says, all right, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon. So now he goes to the singular because God has a particular plan and a role for Simon to play. Okay. Doesn't make him great, but that's just what the Lord purpose was in this situation. You're all going to be tested, but I've got, I've got something I want you to do. Okay. I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. Thank God. There isn't one thing that God in his wisdom and his loving power puts us through because it's part of his process to work to change us, that he doesn't pray for us. We're not alone. How many of the songs were about that tonight? He is right there in the fire with us. He's right there knowing what's going on and praying for us, knowing when we're going to fall in the mud and praying that he'll bring us through and actually make us better and stronger because of the fall in the mud. That sounds totally contrary to human thinking, doesn't it? But here, that's the situation. So anyway, what's the prayer? And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. So he knew they were all going to fail, but he had somebody lined up to help them on the far end of this. And so of course, Peter, the cocky guy who's so self-confident, he said, Lord, I'm ready to go to prison and with you to prison and death. Jesus answers, this is in Luke 22, in case you're wondering. I'm sorry, I didn't tell it, didn't say that. Jesus answered, I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that

you know me. Well, of course he said, really? And of course, well, this particular passage doesn't say Peter's response, but no way, basically was how he responded to that. Ain't no way I'm going to do it. And then when he had the chance to pray and get him, make, become strong, he didn't even do that. So you talk about somebody that God is preparing to use and he is about to have the greatest failure, one of the greatest failures in the history of the kingdom. That makes me feel a little bit more confident toward the Lord. I mean, you know, the older you go and the longer you go, the more you run into things that, oh God, you've actually used me. And look at what I'm seeing. And when I look in the mirror, oh God, what's going on? I don't get it. And are you about to throw me in the trash or what's going on here? And so I believe the Lord gives us some of these examples to help us to realize this is how the kingdom works. I believe with all my heart, we learn more by failure than from success many times. Because failure, I mean success is, hey, I did it and I've got it and I'm good with this. And before you know it, human nature just takes right on over and we were just self-confident. So the Lord says, well, I got to do something about this. You know, like he did with Paul. Use the example many times. Paul's about to get proud because of all the revelation and The Lord says, well, I know you want to serve me, but this ain't going to get it. And so he had to allow a demon to harass him to the point where finally he had to explain why he allowed this. Because you were getting proud. You were trusting in yourself. And I need to teach you a secret here. The power that helps, that works in the kingdom of God is not human ability. It's not human strength. It's got to be him or it's just worthless dead. Did not Jesus say, without me you can do nothing. Do we actually believe that? Well, the Lord does and he knows and he loves us enough to work on us. So praise God. So obviously he taught Paul the simple principle that when you're weak, you're strong. And Paul started saying, oh, praise God, I'm weak. Thank God, because Lord, I'm trusting in your strength and that's what's going to get the job done. How many of us love to go through things like that and discover all the bad stuff and the weak stuff and the stuff that God's trying to clean away and take and deliver us from? Anybody here need some deliverance? Yeah, every single person that knows anything about serving God needs to be delivered more than we realize. Do you think the Lord wants us to be discouraged by the process and say, oh, I should be further down the road. It shouldn't be this way. Oh, what voice is telling us that? Is that the Lord's voice telling us that? No, that's the devil's

voice. It's constantly, he's the accuser of the brethren. So, you know, we know all about how this this happened and the rooster crowed and Peter denied the Lord three times. The last time with an oath, I swear before God I've never met the guy. And the rooster crowed and Jesus turned and looked at him. Do you think Jesus looked at him with condemnation and all of that? But just a reminder, I told you this was going to happen. And he went out and he wept. You ever done that? You ever reached a point where something happened that just caused you to almost despair? How could I have done that? Oh, how could, how could this be the case in my heart and my life? Oh, God, I've been serving you for years. And now all of a sudden I find this terrible thing in here that just, I'm not free from it. Oh, God, I need your help. But in Peter's case, I'm sure he thought that was it. I mean, who cares if I heal the sick and cast out devils? Look what I just did. I denied that I even knew him. Oh, God, how could he possibly use me? But remember what Jesus had told him. I've prayed for you. Your faith is not going to fail. And I'm going to bring you out to a place where everybody else really and effectively did the same thing. They all ran. They all hid. And I'm going to put you in a place where you are going to be able to strengthen them. And so we know how he began to reach out to Peter. Call my disciples or tell my disciples and Peter, make sure he's included, to meet me at Galilee. And then, of course, Peter got singled out there. Do you love me? Do you really love me? Feed my sheep. And then the lesson, when you were young, you girded yourself, you dressed yourself, you went where you wanted to go. It's going to be different when you grow up, when you get older. Another is going to dress you. He's going to carry you where you don't want to go. And I'm sort of paraphrasing. I'm not missing part of that. But you remember, you remember the story. And yet that was, that was some time, someplace in the future. And yet the Lord was ready to use him right then, the day of Pentecost. Do you think Peter was already way up here somewhere? Or was it just the time and the place? And this was God's purpose. And God just used an imperfect vessel to preach like He did on the day of Pentecost. Do you think God can use every one of us right where we're at? If we just have an honest heart and look to Him, you know, the devil's going to say, you didn't pray enough. You didn't hold your mouth right. He's going to always constantly put the focus on something. He's going to show up every little fault and just say, well that disqualifies me. God couldn't possibly use somebody like me. But I'll tell you who God uses. They're real people. They go through real stuff. And you know, it's like another message I preached many times a long time ago,

about how a test is something that produces a testimony. Every testimony comes from a test, because then we experience God in such a way that now I can say, let me tell you what God's done for me. And I'm just... like you. I'm weak. I'm a sinner in the process of being saved and transformed, but he loves me just like I am and he's taking me through and he's promised to get me to the other side and he'll help you too. People can identify with real people who are in the process. That's how God can use us when we're so imperfect. So don't ever let the devil discourage you by the process or anything. When you fall in the mud, lift. We all need to learn to lift up our eyes and just say, thank you Lord. I know you love me. I know you knew all about this before you started and you've been, you've been praying for me while I, while this was going on. Now that's not an excuse to keep on and be that, and be that way, but it means I can get up. I can go to the throne of grace, not when I've earned it, but when I'm in a time of, it's a time of need. That's when he says to come. We can go to the highest throne of the universe, not when we're worthy, but when we're in need and we find mercy and we find grace to help in time of trouble. See God's going to keep the, while the process is going on, he's going to use us to help one another. He's going to use us to reach out. So I guess the central thought that I had, and it's a simple one, I don't think I need to go on with this, but is don't ever be discouraged by the process. Understand what's going on. You know, the song they just sang came from second Corinthians four about Paul, all the things he did and yet God did this. And I was, I went through this bad place and yet in it all, God was being glorified and I was being able to serve you. I was overcoming the difficulties with God's help and God's strength. And that's what I'm focused on, is helping you. Wouldn't that be something to learn? Where we're not so focused upon, how am I doing? Boy, how many of you, you try to live your life and you've got this constant sense of, okay God, how am I doing? You're looking for a feeling. You're looking for something to kind of reinforce where you think you'd like to be and how he, what he thinks of you. My God, when you get our eyes off ourselves and just worship Him. Worship the Lord and believe His words and start going by what He says. And He's going to help us to grow stronger and to give in to all the discouragements that the enemy would feed us. And just, I'll tell you, God's kingdom is going to be built. He's the one that's building it from start to finish. And He's promised to do it. I just praise Him today. I say the further I go, the more, the weaker I feel in many ways and

the more I've come face to face with weaknesses. And I say, God, I remember back there you actually used me a little bit. Seriously, look at me. Look at all that's still wrong with me. And God, you're still working. He says, I knew all about that. But I gave you grace for where you were at to do what I gave you to do then. And that was okay. But now we're going further and I'm, don't worry, I'm going to finish what I started. Don't we have an awesome God, an awesome Savior. Praise God. I kind of want to piggyback on what he was saying. In Galatians 4, 4, 6, sorry, my eyes aren't the greatest. In Galatians 4, 6, it says, because you are his sons, God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts. The spirit who calls out Abba, Father. And the verse before that, I meant to read verse 4. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts. The spirit who calls out Abba, Father. So you are no longer a slave, but God's child. And since you were his child, God made you also an heir. You know, we struggle. I know I certainly struggle with sonship. I'm adopted. And I know what it's like to be adopted. I was adopted at 14 months old. And I struggled all my life wondering, do my parents really love me as much as they love my brother? And I knew that they did in my heart. And I know that now. But it took me a long time. I rebelled a lot when I was younger against my parents. And, you know, as sons of God, we tend to rebel. We tend to, like, want to do what we want to do. I didn't even want to get up and speak. But I've been praying and asking God to give me boldness. This is quite, this is quite something. I didn't imagine I would even be up here. But, you know, I want to be obedient to God. And I don't want to rebel against him. I spent most of my life in rebellion against him. And, you know, I know the gentleman was just talking, I don't, I'm sorry, I forgot your name. Bill. I know Bill was talking about how... Phil. These are hearing aids, not earbuds. That's true. So, I know you were talking about how God wants to use us, but if you have a child, do you want to use your son or use your daughter? No. You want to spend time with your son and daughter. You want to know your son and daughter.

He wants to know us. He built us to be in relationship with him. He built us to get to know him and to spend time with him and to love on him. And that doesn't take away from your message, by the way. I don't want to come across the wrong way here. My point simply is that as sons and daughters of the king, we literally inherited his kingdom. And that's something powerful. He said in his word that we have the power to do greater things than he. That's amazing. That's really hard to grasp. Anyway, I just wanted to share that. We are sons and daughters of the king. You know, I was just thinking what you said there that, you know, I think about it like, I guess the way I think of that when I hear that phrase, you know, God using us, what, you know, you think about what he did with his son, right? Did God use his son to accomplish something in this earth? Yes, he did. But what was the nature of that? Well, the nature of it was he allowed the father to dwell in him. And because the father was dwelling in him, it was natural for him to flow out through him to others. And that's exactly the path that he has for every one of us. And it's true. He knows us so intimately, and he longs for us to know him the same way. He longs for us to desire to know him the way that he knows us. Because did he not say, as the father sent me, so send I you. So if the way that God used his son to accomplish and advance his kingdom on this earth was, he let the father live in him, and then the father flowed out through him, is that not our place to let Christ live in us and then let Christ flow out through us? But if that's going to happen, that relationship is required. It's required that we have, we talked about that this morning, about, you know, it's one thing to live by the spirit, to have his life, to pass from death to life. And that's, that's, that is the first step. I think Phil mentioned that. That's the starting of the process.

But if we live since we live by the spirit, let us do what? Keep in step with the spirit. You know, there's, there's got to be that continual desire to walk with him so that he can live in us and then flow out through us. And, and what Phil was talking about, our own vision and estimations of ourself, it's a barrier to that. But think about this, what, what, okay, think about the man that he set free from all those demons, right? And then he wanted to go with Jesus and he said, no, you stay here and tell people what I've done for you. Well, what qualified that man to be able to go and talk to people about the things of God, about to testify about Christ? I mean, you can imagine him walking up to somebody and say, hey, let me tell you about Jesus and somebody going, weren't you a week ago living out in the tombs, chained up, cutting yourself? And wasn't that you? But, but see, he had a testimony because his message, well, it's exactly what they say. What we preach is not ourselves. What qualifies us, though we are still in the process of being forged into what God is making us, what qualifies us to in the middle of that process actually do things for God? It's because our message is not ourselves. That's why. That man could, could speak about the things of God to people because he had a testimony, because God had done something for him. And he said, I'm not here to tell you about me and what I figured out and how I overcame things and how I got strong and lifted myself up. That's not what I'm here to tell you. I'm here to tell you what Jesus Christ did for me. And because of that, it didn't matter what that background was. He had a testimony he could share.

What about the woman at the well? When she went into the town to tell everybody, you could say naturally, you could say religiously if you want to look down your nose at somebody, who are you to be telling a town of people about the things of God? But you know what? She met Jesus Christ. And her message was not, hey, look what I figured out. Hey, I figured out how to improve myself and, and live better and get more moral. That wasn't her message. Her message was, come hear somebody who told me all the things that I ever did, and yet he told me with love and he reached out to me in love. That is what qualifies us to be used even though we're still in the process of being shaped. And it is a counterintuitive thought because most things are not like that. I think I said this in a service recently. A car, for example, isn't like that. You can't pull the car off the assembly line halfway through and go driving it. It's missing stuff it needs. You need the wheels, you need the engine, you need the steering wheel, you need all the parts. And if they're not all there, the car doesn't work at all. It's not where you can't put it on the road. But it's not like that in the kingdom of God. He takes vessels that are still in the process of what we're gonna be formed into. And yet he can use us because the message is Jesus Christ. That is the message always. And you know, he even said when he, in Hebrews five, he talks about priests that were called to be the high priests. And he said, you know, one of the things,

one of the reasons that God chose the priests the way he did and had them represent God before the people was that because they had their own sins that they had to offer sacrifice for, right? When they went in to offer the blood on the day of atonement, they went in there first and had to make an offering for their own sins, the high priests. And only then could they make an offering for everybody else's sins. But because they had to do that, because they had to be mindful of their own need, that enabled them to be compassionate. That's what the scripture says. It enabled them to have compassion on those who are struggling. Those people who are bringing the sacrifice and saying, I need you to offer this to God because I screwed up, I did this. And like, I think a lot of y'all saw that devotional. Was it Jim Simba that we watched recently? And he talked about the guy that got out of the, got offered the sacrifice and he was leaving the temple and the guy ran by and splashed mud up on him. He cursed him out. He's got to turn around and go right back into the temple, get another animal, sacrifice it again. You know, that whole thing. You know, we could, but that priest, instead of going, what's wrong with you?

What are you doing back here? You know what the priest said? I understand why you're here because you know what? I got my own sin. I've got, God's dealing with me about and he's working with me about. So God doesn't, God doesn't send angels. He doesn't send his angels to priests of gospel. He could have, but can, but you imagine that. Imagine this beautiful, perfect celestial being coming down and telling people that are in the gut or telling people like the woman at the well, God loves you. And you could say, well, God might love you. I can see how he would love you, but me, no way. But that's not what he does. He doesn't send angels to priests of gospel. He, by the foolishness of preaching, he saves those who believe because we can bring a message and let Christ flow through us and say, well, we sing the song, Jesus did it for me. I'm so glad he did it for me and he'll do it for you. And that's a, it's a testimony because you can say, I'm no different than anybody else. If he did do it for me, he can do it for anybody. That was Paul's testimony. If he saved me, he can save anybody. That's the message of the gospel. So that, that was just what I had on my heart that I wanted to share that thought that the reason why we can be used

and we're still being formed and we know there's still needs and we know there's things we haven't overcome. And we know we haven't mastered it all. But the reason why is because our message is not ourselves. We preach Jesus Christ and everybody that has been touched by him and touched by his love, no matter where you're at in the process, you have a testimony. He did it for me and he'll do it for you. Praise God, I'm rejoicing at this. I was reminded as the brethren were speaking, I thought about Rahab the harlot. She hid the spies and she was righteous. God used her. She wasn't totally converted yet, but God used her. I thought about Mary in the alabaster box, Simon and all the scribes and Pharisees were reclining at the table and she recognized who Jesus was. She wept and she gave her life's earnings to wash and anoint Jesus' feet. And the religious crowd, the upright, the upstanding, fine, upstanding citizens, oh, the glorious citizens who pray on the street corner to be seen of men, to glorify not God, but themselves. They had the chief seats in the temple. They criticized Jesus and he condemned them. He said, look, you didn't do a thing for me. But Mary has not ceased to wash my feet with her tears

and dry my feet with her hair. That's the kind of people God calls, y'all. That's the kind of people God uses. Let's fast forward a little bit. Many shall say to me on that day, have we not done many wonderful works? And in thy name, cast out devils, and in thy name, prophesy. I've done all these wonderful things. And Jesus says to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you that work iniquity. Lord, have mercy. I mean, on the surface, you would say, they were doing all the right stuff, y'all. Their heart was not redeemed and given God all the glory. They were doing it to justify themselves. They were proud of themselves. Look at the two people praying in the temple. One said, look at all the grand things I do each and every day, you know, and I'm not like this old, you know, sorry individual over here. He was praying by himself. God wasn't even paying a whole lot of attention. attention to him. He was establishing his righteousness and you know, he didn't submit his self to the righteousness of Christ. So, he conversely, the other guy said, lord god,

have mercy on me, a sinner. Have mercy on me and god honored that brother. That's what he's looking for from all of us even after we've been redeemed and you know, just finally, I want to go over to Romans eight. Now, we have a complete righteousness that god imputed to us. Romans eight, the back end of it says here, verse thirty-three, who will bring a charge against god's elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns Christ? Jesus is he who died. Yes, rather, who was raised, who was at the right hand of god, who also intercedes for us. Why does god intercede for us, y'all? Why do we need an intercessor? He is a faithful high priest over the house of god. He can be touched by the feelings of our infirmities. He was tempted in all points, y'all, like as we are, yet without sin. He's a faithful high priest. He's a high priest.

He's a king. He's all of the embodiment of all the the former types and shadows. Christ is all of that and he's our intercessor up to the moment, intercessor, and we can go to him. We can come to him boldly to the throne of grace to find grace and help in time of need and you know, take heed you that you think you're standing lest you fall. Man, we all weak, every one of us. We need an intercessor. We need to go to him and that's the kind of people god calls. Not many noble among you, not many wise, not many, you know, established has he chosen. Who did god choose? The foolish, the base, the weak things of the earth, you know, the despised of the world, the world, you know, Christ himself was despised and rejected of men but that gives me hope, y'all. That's who we are. God chose us. He justified us and he made us worthy and but it says here

verse thirty-three, who is the one that condemns? Christ Jesus is he who died. I tell you who condemns, that's the accuser of the brethren. That's who we've heard about but nothing will separate from the love of Christ, not tribulation, distress, persecution. I'm going to go all the way down here to thirty-seven but in all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us for I'm convinced that neither death nor life, angels, principalities, present, things to come, powers, you know, our own flesh, none of this can separate us from the love of god which is in Christ Jesus our lord and you know, he has made us righteous once and for all. The word is clear. We all understand that but we're all in the same boat. We always feel, you know, you know, our need of the lord but we are just

as righteous right now as we will ever be. That's a fact and because it's not our righteousness like when we grow in the lord and we are of greater understanding, greater wisdom that does not enhance our righteousness. We have one righteousness. Christ imputed his righteousness to us and no devil in hell can gainsay that and you know, you may be on your deathbed. You know, my dad was in a lot of pain and you know, towards the end, you know, maybe he said a four-letter word, y'all. Maybe he did that. You think Jesus said out of here. I don't know who you are. You know, he tells the crowd that thinks they're perfect. I don't know who you are. He justifies us, those of us that are not perfect. He imputed his righteousness and he can use this all like brother Phil said,

just right where we're at and and I tell you what, that gives me hope tonight. You know, I'd rather rub shoulders with people who know that got saved by grace than a self-righteous, self-confident, pharisaical person. They're deluding their own self is what it boils down to y'all and the word, there's the scripture. I'll let the scriptorians find this for us but there's not one man upon the earth that do with good all the time and sinneth not. Is that in the book, brother? Have you heard this? Yes, I think it's in the, which one? Ecclesiastes. Amen. Brother Bob Biggum, thank you. So, so like if you are sinless and you've never fallen in the mud, why don't you come on up here and close this out. Praise god. I come from Middle Tennessee. I've been here a

few times before. Got to know some of y'all. The encouragement that Phil spoke about tonight. of the church family being together. Everybody has different parts to play. Some of us don't look so good when we're doing it, but we've been put here for a reason. And what you have, you have received. And 1 Corinthians 4, I think it's like 17 or something like that, I don't know the exact place, but I read that over and over again. I just flew right past it. I do something well, and I felt pretty good about myself. But the more I walk with Jesus, the more I find out how little I know, how much I have to learn. And when you get older and you start realizing you have more to learn, you can either despair or you can say, praise the Lord, I still got living to do. I still have a little to give. And when you're a part of the body of Christ and you're coming together, you are taking those steps to do what He has called you to do. And for somebody who says they're walking with Jesus and they choose not to come with the assembly because they think, well, there's hypocrites or I just don't like what they're doing down there, they gotta take a step. And if you're here and you're taking the step, glory to God, I'm so thankful we get a chance to come here

because it encourages Jan and I. So, you know, there's four gospels written and they saw it from different viewpoints. It's the Holy Spirit showed it. And things that were spoken here tonight, Phil spoke about that we are the body of Christ. Brother got up and spoke about being adopted as sons. That gives us a different relationship. But yet, we're sons and yet I still got work that needs to be done and made. Perfect. And then, praise the Lord, praise the Lord. It's all these different things. So I wanna encourage y'all. We're always excited every time we come over and we get to meet more and more people. And y'all are our brothers and sisters and buddies. So I wanna let you take the next step. I'll close with one thing. Sorry to take it so long. I saw something written in my Bible and it was my writing, but it wasn't my thought. Said, take the next step and that movement, don't make it a monument, don't make it a museum. Take the next step. Don't take it, look what I just did. Keep going. It's what the Lord has put in us. Amen. Amen.

Amen. Amen.