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START OF FILE: 2025-04-30 - Undefeated Battleground Part 5 - Growth - Undefeated Battleground.txt
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SERMON DETAILS
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Date:     2025-04-30
Title:    Undefeated Battleground Part 5 - Growth
Speaker:  Undefeated Battleground
Church:   What Do You Mean By
Type:     Church Service
Duration: 1h 40m
Language: English
URL:      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ReFEmKFvN8
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TRANSCRIPT
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[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Hallelujah. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Praise the Lord. Good to see everybody here tonight. He's still a God that cares about little churches. I'm glad to be part of this church. worldwide. It's a pretty goodsized church. A lot of people have given their lives over to the Lord Jesus Christ and they're consumed with love for God, consumed with finding God's will. Let's play that song if it's on the overhead. It's not [Music] okay. Let's sing that little song. How great is our [Music] God? How great is our God? How great is his word? He's the greatest one that ever was heard. He rolled back the waterers of the mighty Red Sea. And he said, "I will lead you. Put your trust in me." Let's sing that again. Worship the Lord tonight. Let's get his presence here. Oh, how great is our God. How great is his word. He's the greatest one. That ever was heard. He rolled back the waters of the mighty Red Sea. And he said, "I will lead you. Put your trust in me." Oh great Jehovah God, we love you tonight. We come to you, Lord. A happy people, Lord. A grateful people, Lord. Surely are you are Jehovah Gyra. We just thank you Lord for all that you're doing for us. We even thank you Lord for the trials and the tests Lord because we know it's molding us and shaping us into a character Lord that will truly reflect your image. And Father we don't we don't run from our problems Lord. We run at them Father through the name of Jesus Christ. And ask Lord that you'd teach us through our trials. teach us through the tests, Lord, of life and mold in us a character, Lord, that would be useful for you, Lord, that you'd be pleased with. Lord, we ask that your spirit would go throughout this congregation tonight, Lord, and onto the internet, Lord God, to every every ear that's listening, Lord. May we be one tonight in Christ Jesus. That's our prayer, Lord. And bless the preaching of your word also. And Father, we sing to you tonight cuz we love you. Please receive our worship, Lord. For we ask it all now in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. How great is our God? How great is his word? He's the greatest one that ever was heard. He rolled back the waters of the mighty Red Sea. And he said, "I will lead you. Put your trust in me." Amen. Let's sing that song. Jesus the Light. Let's be remembering brother Mike Reagan tonight. He requests prayer for God to help him sell his house soon. He's shown it tonight. He says, "But I'll get it on tape." He said he he really wants to be here and we want him here. And we want everybody who God has ordained to be here to come. Amen. And I'm just glad in a dark dark world that's getting confused whether they're a man or a woman. Getting confused which bathroom to go into. Getting confused about so many things. Getting confused as to right and wrong. And oh my dear God help us. I'm glad we have a light. Aren't you glad for the light? Oh ye saints of light, proclaim Jesus, the light of our world life and mercy in his name. Jesus the light of the world. We're walking the light. It's a beautiful light. Come where the dew drops of mercy are bright. Shine all around us by day and by night. Oh Jesus, the light of the world. Hear the Savior's earest call. Jesus the light of the world. Send the gospel truth to all. Jesus the light of the world. We'll walk in the light. It's a beautiful light. Come where the dew drops of mercy are bright. Shine all around us by day and by night. [Music] Jesus the light of the world. Amen. Do you know great is thy faithfulness? Okay, let's just sing the chorus of to be like him. To be like Jesus. To be like Jesus on earth. I long to be like him. KF I think or to be like Jesus to be like Jesus. [Music] On earth I long to be like him all through life's journey. Amen. From earth to gloryy I only ask to be like him. Amen. I think of sister Brenda Morris. Sister God bless you. I think you're watching tonight and others. Bob and Teresa. Sing along with us if we can. Sing it again. If you just sing it real sweet, we'll hear you. We'll feel it. Amen. To be like Jesus. To be like Jesus. On earth. I long to be like him. All through life's journey from earth to [Music] gloryy. I only ask to be like him. Amen. Amen. Was watching on the internet. These people saw from the side of the ocean. This big bunch of garbage coming towards the shore. And here it was one of them big old turtles wrapped in about 100 feet of nets and garbage and it was just about dead. But that turtle somehow the turtle knew if he could get to them people cuz he swam right to them that he could be helped. Now for turtle which only lives by an instinct can can understand a need that a potential enemy but they he wasn't worrying about the people being an enemy. He needed help. He needed help or he'd die. Now if a turtle can do that I think what more can people do if they get a hunger for the Lord Jesus Christ and call out to him and he'll answer a whole lot easier than people along the shore. He'll help you a whole lot more. And those people just one fin at a or one flipper at a time. And the it was just wound around that poor turtle's neck and around its legs and and they were trying so hard not to harm the turtle. And it took them about a half an hour until finally they got everything away. And that turtle's head just went down for a little minute. Back up it went. But that turtle must not have been a quitter. It listened and it heard the waves crashing in. It turned its body and began to walk. and they were helping it along as glorious. I think that's Jesus Christ. I feel like I was a turtle, slow as can be to come to the truth. But God made me steady. Has God made you steady tonight? It'll take a steady hand to win this race. [Music] Amen. Let's sing that little song. Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary. I want to be a sanctuary. Wouldn't you want to Wouldn't it be nice to help a turtle? Oh, it's really nice when you can help a person. So, let's practice on turtles. Let's practice on anybody or anything we can do to help. Amen. I believe that would please God. Oh Lord, prepare me to be your [Music] sanctuary, pure and holy. tried and true. With thanksgiving, I'll be a [Applause] livinging sanctuary for you. Oh Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true, with thanksgiving. [Music] I'll be a [Music] livinging sanctuary for you. Amen. Let's just take up offering tonight and prayer request again. Brother Mike Reagan. Oh, God can sell that house. I remember a few years back another couple needed their house sold. God did that quick. And then they needed to buy a house and God did that quick. It's the same God at work. Amen. To meet all our needs. Also, just a great praise report. The insurance company's going to pay for our new roof. And uh appreciate it, brother Jamie, to find the right people at the right price. I have never heard of a price so good. And and wonderful. And uh the the man come out and he looked and he says, "The one side of the roof's real good." I says, "Yeah, cuz there's no wind on that side." He says, "I know. the other side is not so good. So, by the grace of God, it won't cost the church anything, I don't believe. No, at this time and and so they'll make their arrangements for that. But isn't that wonderful? Amen. Sure. Sure. I sure would rather spend some of that money over there in India or somewhere where it can be used or get somebody some good King James Bibles or something, you know, versus putting it on the roof. But, so God's good. We paid the insurance faithfully. all these years. Amen. Uh Ruth's been writing songs and stuff. Do you know your song well enough that you wrote it yourself? Oh, that's good. While we're taking up our offering, Josh, come on up and take up an offering. Tithe goes to pay the ministry. Offerings go to pay our church bills except for the roof. Amen. Let's bow our heads. Heavenly Father, Lord, we want to say thank you for providing for the roof. Lord, we pray you please bless this entire project, Lord. Father, we pray please bless this offering, Lord. Please bless our hearts as we're given to you, Father, and supporting this work here. And Lord, we thank you for for putting us all together and showing us your will, Father, making us part of of your whole economy. Father, we thank you and we pray Lord you please uh help brother Mike Reagan sell his house soon Lord. We know you can just arrange that very smooth and we we thank you Lord before it even happens in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. That's right. While she's getting ready there, let's sing that again. Lord, prepare me to be your sanctuary. Let's change those words a little bit. Not a sanctuary, your sanctuary. We know who we are. We know who he is. Amen. Oh Lord, prepare me to be your sanctuary. Right in the heart, pure and holy, tried and true. And with thanksgiving, I'll be a [Music] livinging sanctuary. for you. [Music] Lord, prepare me to be your sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true. With thanksgiving, I'll be a living sanctuary for you. Ruth Esther Crochet [Music] [Music] Sometimes I don't understand the bigger picture in God's hand. So I saw around and all done and the doubts fade away. That reminds me today. So why should I worry? Why should I f the garden everything won't pass away? He holds my hand through never f to this age professing our faith. with us to guide. In the darkest of trials, in the snares and the wildles, he will make a [Music] way. So why should I worry? Why should I pray? When the God who holds everything won't pass away. He holds my hand and he leads me through. And yet again he proves never fail me once. So don't lose faith because he's coming back one day. to take us away. So why should we worry? Why should we pray? When the God who holds everything won't pass away. He holds our hands and he leads us through. Yet again, he proves he's never failed us once. So why should we worry? Why should we fray? When the God who holds everything won't pass away, he holds our hand and he leads us through. Yet again, he proves he's never failed us once. He's never failed us once. [Music] I believe that the sons and daughters of God are inspired by the Holy Spirit. Just beautiful. It's beautiful. Let's all stand and let's sing Amazing Grace. Appreciate the opportunity to song lead. I don't get often to do it. Let's be praying for David as it's on his heart with the word of the Lord. the burden of the word of the Lord. Come to David Cresine. So, let's go with that. I'll be going Dory and I will be going to Canada. We'll be leaving tomorrow. So, be praying for us. Uh I'm going to take that little grandbaby and raise that child up and bless that child in the name of the Lord Jesus. Would you be praying with me when I do? When a dad gets to see his daughter again. So, as you probably know, I love my kids maybe almost too much. But can you imagine if I do that much how much God loves children, how God loves families. But I'll be glad to see Levi and Amy and little Caleb and little Emily and a little one in the oven. I'll bless that one, too, cuz you don't know what the future brings. And we're all here because of this grace. It was amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. I was blind, but now I see. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Love you, buddy. Praise God. Praise [Music] God. Praise God. Praise God. Oh, praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Just one last song before I change the order of the service. Sweep over my soul. Sweep over my soul, sweet spirit. Sweep over my soul. My rest is complete while I sit at your feet. Sweet spirit, sweep over my soul. Sweep over my soul. Sweep over my soul. Sweet spirit, sweep over my soul. My rest is complete while I sit at your feet. Sweet spirit, sweep over my soul. Amen. Well, thank you musicians. God bless you everyone. It's good to be here with you all. It's always an honor and a privilege to preach to the bride of the Lord Jesus Christ. Um, let's be keeping mom and dad in prayer and they're going to Canada on Friday. It's for safe travels and everything. Say hello to my nephews and nieces for me. Not met them yet, but I will one day. Amen. Turn to the book of Colossians chapter 1 and verse 23. reading down to verse 25. Just say amen when you're there. Colossians 1 and 23-2. Amen. If you continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I, Paul, am made a minister, who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh. for his body's sake which is the church whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to you to fulfill the word of God. Amen. May God has blessings to the reading of his words. We bow our heads through gracious Lord. I thank you for another opportunity to preach your word Lord nobility of my own but I surrender myself to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Fill me with your spirit. May both the preacher and the audience alike just listen to you father. But we ask it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. You may be [Music] seated. And tonight I'm going to continue the series of undefeated battleground. This is part five. Now tonight they at the projector. Tonight we'll uh be talking on spiritual growth. Spiritual growth. Growth. The definition of growth just in the spiritual side is the process of developing or maturing physically, mentally or spiritually increase in economic value or activity. And I believe that growth is important in all areas of life. Growth and that growth is never free. You don't get stronger without resistance. There's growth in a aspect that I have learned in my life of sales and selling to people and a product. And I learned that telling someone all about something is not selling. And there's a phrase that they like to use in sales when they're getting someone new because often times they don't have a lot of training. Anyone know what that phrase is? It is we're going to throw him to the wolves and see what he does. They're just going to throw him to the wolves and see what he does. And my greatest by God's grace, my greatest growth in sales has not come from people telling me what to do or by avoiding the hard work, but it's came through the most hard parts through rejection and suffering from that, but then calling my managers and trying to grow and do my best. It happens when rejection happens when you do it wrong and then you decide, am I going to take this rejection and just quit or am I going to take it and learn from it and grow? Praise the Lord. And there's another way we can also grow, and that's through lifting weights. Our muscles, our muscles don't grow when they're comfortable. They grow when they're challenged. When they're pushed past their limit. When you lift a weight that's heavy enough, it causes tiny tears in your muscle fibers. And that sounds bad, but it actually is the beginning of growth. Your body says to itself, "Hey, we weren't strong enough this time." Like dad did when he's lifting weights. and it says, "Okay, what we're going to do is we're going to come back stronger the next time after we have time to recover." So, it repairs the muscle not just not just back to the way it was, but stronger than before. But it wouldn't have gotten to that point if it just wanted to stay comfortable, right? And I want to say an undefeated battleground that Satan has, if he can, is not to get us to leave the Lord, but to just to simply stay comfortable. You got saved. You have an experience you can look at that you did when you were seven. Now you're good and you can be comfortable. But real I believe that real true growth comes from suffering. The definition of suffering is the experience. It's on the projector. Suffering is the experience of pain, discomfort, or distress. Whether it's physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. It's what we go through when something hurts. something is lost or something doesn't go the way we hoped it would. Right? Some people view suffering as a consequence of sin or karma. Others view it as a necessary part of the human experience that can lead to growth, compassion, and a deeper understanding of life. Ultimately, the meaning of suffering is often found in how in how individuals choose to engage with it. Whether through finding meaning, developing resilience, or seeking spiritual solace, right? We even say or through just trying to run from suffering. It's all about what we do with suffering because it's there. We're going to have it. It's going to happen. So the question tonight I have for you is what are you going to do with the suffering that life gives to you? Because suffering brings forth a death and for any death to happen there must be life. John 12 and 24 says verily verily I say unto you except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit. In order for there to be any growth whatsoever, there must be a death. Not a partial death, not a partial changing, not an outward change, but an inward death. This gospel that we believe in is not just a prayer to pray or a church to go to or a scripture to read, but it is actually God coming on the inside of us and changing us and killing that old nature, that flesh. We'll still have this sticky nature, but the prevalent theme will change from pleasure in ourselves to serving others. I'm not perfect, but I can say, "Hey, I do my best. I songwritate. I I preach. I do my best interactions with others. I have a podcast. These things are not existing in my life for me. Those things exist for others. I'm not a special being or anything. That's just what God placed in my life. Everyone should have that in their life. I believe that can be an evidence of whether we've truly given up our lives is whether or not we have something in our lives that we do for the sole purpose of others. Dad has a church that he pastors. I can I see behind the scenes all the time of how dad deals with people. He puts aside his ego every single time for the sake of peace. That's the stuff you guys don't see, but it happens. Brother Brandham said, "You must be born again." And I'm going to tell you how important this quote is to me. This is the quote that I heard when I was 13 years old, April 19th, 2014 at a church camp, I heard this quote from the preacher, but it's not on the recording. So God quoted this quote to me. That's why when I went to this went to the altar that night, I said, "I'm ready to die." And Satan, I believe, knows that when we approach the birth with a death, we can't lose. There must be a death. But when Satan can get denominations to change that approach to some kind of a well, all you got to do is just say that you're a sinner and say you want God to save you and you're and join the church and you're good. You're done. But there must be death in order to be life. That's how all life works. I do not believe that God designed nature. You know this these plants here, those are just artificial. But real plants in order to live must die first. Sure. Now the approach to this birth on the projector, there is approach to it. And to be to approach this birth, you have to go through a process just like anything that lives. Anything that lives again has got to die first. And you cannot keep your same spirit. You cannot keep your same habits. You cannot keep your same thoughts. You've got to die. You've got to die like he died. You got to die on his altar like Abel did with his lamb. You got to die with your lamb. You've got to die. Die to your own thinking to be born to to die to your own thinking. To be born to his thinking. Let the mind that was in Christ be in you. You've got to think his thoughts. And we all want growth in our spiritual lives. And we can say that we have the courage to succeed. I love there was a a Denzel Washington at I believe it was a high school graduation or a college graduation. He says, "Many of you will be doctors and lawyers and engineers and architects." I know that all of you will have the the courage to succeed. But do you have the courage to fail? And we can all say, "Yes, we're Christians. We're in the message. We believe this. And we have the courage to succeed and the courage to get the seal of the Holy Ghost and all these things." But do you have the courage to suffer? Do I? And I believe that the only way to really grow in Christ is suffering and death. Not one time at an altar. It's the greatest thing. I forgot who said it, but the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he didn't exist. That somehow you go to an altar one time and you're good. You join the church, you're good. You say the thing, you're good. But no, this death is not an initial death. There is an initial strong death that happens to our flesh where it dies, but that sticky nature. So, it's like a seed. The seed that you see on the outside is not the real seed itself. It's just the covering that opens up. And then that germinated seed on the inside is what grows, but it's still got the stickiness from that outer layer. You and I will have that sticky nature until the day we die. But the difference is is that the entire layer of the outside is dead and gone now. And we're changing. And we're fighting that inner nature. Not just one time at an altar. Overcoming is not a singular act. It is an everyday act. Like Paul said, he dies daily. 1 Corinthians 15 and 31. I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. I die daily. Right. What he said. Paul, we expose this false doctrine that the elders are somehow faultless and they never do anything wrong. This is Paul's on the projector, Thomas. It's it's there. It's all good. Paul is Paul is saying he has to die. Why would he have to die daily if he doesn't make mistakes? Why would he have to die daily if he never has bad thought? He does. He's a human being, right? This change is not a okay I was talking to people like I've changed how I do in sales but still I do stuff the wrong way. But this salvation change is from the inside and it's an actual inward change that's permanent. It permanently changes no matter. So Satan wants us to think that salvation is just something that we pour into this cup and we empty it out. Pour into this cup, we empty it out. But God's program is is that something in the design of the cup is changed. There's an inward life that goes into it that you can't take out. It doesn't matter how many times or how dirty this glass gets. The design of this glass can't change because it's sealed in there. The air that is in this pocket that is in this piece of glass is there and it's sealed. But Satan wants to turn the human experience and the spiritual experience into getting filled and empty and getting filled and empty and getting filled and empty and it averages out at the end of our years to being lukewarm. Right? We all want to grow, but sometimes we don't. Some people including me don't want to suffer. Sure, it's part of it, but it's so easy. I don't want to suffer. I I I uh to be fair, six times in a row, I opened the car the uh radiator on my car and I was real careful and nothing happened. It fizzed, but nothing happened. Then, of course, you know, that seventh time when I opened it, it all went up on this arm. And then I went to wipe off my arm with a towel and it peeled off skin. I have I had thirdderee burns in this entire arm. The worst pain. I don't know why we call it the worst pain. Technically pain is is designed to help us. So I should have called it the best pain, but we we changed it to the worst pain because we have a different view of what pain is, but it was horrible. It just felt terrible. And I decided I'm not going to get irritable at people. This pain is something I have to deal with. And by God's grace, we went through it. But I understood now you got to be real careful. Yeah. With that radiator. But I know that not because I was told. I was told. I even watched dad suffer through it when he did it the wrong one time just like me just once. Yeah, he just once. But he did with that old uh what was it? The Cadillac. The old car. It's okay. It was the car. It doesn't matter. But we all do that at least one time. But I suffered through it. And I wouldn't understand the value of being careful around that radiator unless I suffered the immense pain for my arm. I couldn't even turn my arm to push a shopping cart without incredible pain. I had to wear an arm brace. And when I walked, the surges through my body caused a vibration of my arm which caused immense pain to cause me to tear up. I had to walk around like this. Yep. Yeah. Because the suffering is inflicted. There's different kinds of suffering. There's the kind that just happens to you. There's the kind that's an accident. And there's the kind that you do to yourself. That's right. And that was the one that you do to yourself. But I went through that suffering. And now I understand the the approach to it because I did suffer. So I believe I could even say, "Thank you, Lord, for that suffering cuz I wouldn't understand the value of being careful around a radiator right after you just drove the car without it." But I think that Satan has a different approach to growth. Remember Satan's program, we have choices. Either we do n 100% God's word or 99% God's word and only 1% false. And that falseness uh it what's the word? Disguises itself as what's true. What does Satan offer with growth? I'll tell you. Satan offers emotion without endurance. You already got baptis baptized. You already have memories of dying out to your flesh and deliverance. You already got out of Egypt. You're good. No more growth needs to happen. You're in the message. You believe God sent a prophet. You go to church. It's all good. Satan offers reform without inward transformation. Come on. Why? Because it's easier. Do you want to have your cake and eat it, too? Just say you're saved and you're good. Everything that God ever wants for you, he gives you as soon as you believe. If that were true, we got every de every devil and even Satan saved. It doesn't make sense. Whatever proclamation we give is got to line up throughout all of the Bible, right? Otherwise, we have to cut out pieces of the Bible we don't like. Because Acts 2:38 or Acts 2:37, when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts and they said, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" And Peter, 10 days after hearing from Jesus, Peter turns to them and 10 days after Jesus said, "Go into all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe these things that I have commanded you. Lo, I am with you always. Go into Jerusalem like they have preached until you be in due with power. Wait for me 10 days later." And then Peter says,"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, you and to them that are a far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Right. Right. He wasn't in disobedience to Jesus Christ. He was in direct obedience. Glory to God. It's very simple. Brother Bam said, "You don't even need a revelation to see water baptism in Jesus' name because it's staring you in the face. Is this not the Bible?" But what happens is we want to be comfortable. So we take out those parts. We take out repentance. We take out lo growing. Yes, I had initial dying out to the flesh when I got the Holy Ghost. But every day is a death for me. It has to be. But Satan offers outward reform without inward transformation with a prettier paper on the outside than actual transformation. So it feels better than actual overcoming. Satan offers surface change without heart death. Satan of surface change only results in more suffering, but not suffering to eternity in heaven, but suffering that leads to death. Because Satan's program is not just pleasure forever. Like, no, he's not just going to The only person he ever offered everything all at once to was Jesus Christ. But everyone else, it's just initial, oh, you'll be fine. Drinking is okay. But then it's just suffering. But it's suffering to death. James 1:13, "Let no man say, when he is tempted, I am tempted of God." Right? For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. And then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin. And sin when it is cons finished bringeth forth death. That's right. So that's the way Satan approaches it to us is that every I want to say that everything Satan ever presents to us only brings forth death. And we're drawn away of our own lust. Lust for others, lust for power, lust for being right, whatever that lust for being comfortable. Sure. That being comfortable is quite a thing. Hey, I like being comfortable, too. You can see me in my car. Making sure my seat is perfectly set. And then every 26 minutes, make sure to my back. Oop, I got to We're so focusing on comfort. Not saying comfort's wrong. I'm just saying that Satan wants us to focus more on comfort than we do on growing. This gospel is not is not a one-time does it. This is not a nuclear bomb. This is a campaign that doesn't end until the rapture happens. Satan's perversion of growth leads to suffering but only leads to death ultimately. God's growth is suffering but only leads to eternal life. Satan likes to make I don't like stories. I don't like literature or shows that make a gray area between good and evil. I like stark good and stark evil. I don't like the gray area a whole lot because God's way of growing is no gray area. You only get eternal life. Satan's way of growing only gets you death. And it's as simple as that. Like dad told me the best advice I ever received. Keep it simple, stupid. When I was 16, making my first sermon. But God is open about his whole program. But Satan says that God's way of growth is just wrong. Only 1% wrong. You know, you you can do it better. You can do it differently. But power without character is what Satan wants to give us. Power without character. That was his program from the beginning. Like, no God, I don't want you to be God. I want to be God. I want to be lifted up. I have value. I have ideas. I have things I can offer. I don't need you. You notice every every perver almost every perversion Satan has is trying to take the the divine influence from God's own people. You don't need God. Right? Authority without suffering, power without character, reign without suffering. Satan conceals the suffering that he gives to people under the cloak of rebellion or being right or just being authority being just 1% wrong. Yeah, they they got 99% right, but just this little bit. It's not that they're right. It's not that they're wrong. It's that they could do it better. That's how Satan got Judas. It's not that Jesus is wrong. It's that he couldn't do it better. And you know what? Intellectually, technically, he's right. It was nuts to spend $60,000 on Spikenard. technically just intellectually but God's program is not supposed to make sense to our intellectual mind. That's why I have an issue with the atheistic questions because they all put God how does God condone genocide? How does God condone suffering? Oh, so you're putting yourself in the place of God deciding that God's ways must fit your version of morality. No, God is morality. God's way of thinking is the way of thinking. We don't ch we don't challenge God's ways of doing things to our own thinking. No. Amen. Satan wants us to live our lives as our own God. Everyone's wrong. We're right. We decide what to do. And God wants us to live it in subjection to him. Notice Satan's program is always to take people and sons and daughters of God out of subjection to a higher authority and only subjecting to themselves which isn't even themselves but rather their own pleasure which ultimately actually is suffering that leads to death. But I want to tell you tonight about a suffering that only leads to life. Amen. I need water, please. Thank you. The prodical son thought that his current life was just too much suffering. I have to get up every day and do the stupid farm. I got to be in subjection to my father. Like what? No. No way. I have an inheritance. I want to do my own thing. He thought that his current life is with too much suffering. I tell you, growth through Christ is a self-re repeating process where once you get it, you want more. But Satan's way is the same thing. Once you get it, you want more. But once you get more of Christ, you only get stronger through Christ and you only get closer to God. But once you get it through Satan, you only get weaker and you get more and more suffering. I love So my weakness is any kind of pastry, like a chocolate cookie that is just out of the oven with ice cream on top. And I love it. It is so good. I could eat so many of them. The problem is they're,00 calories a piece and I probably eat three of them in one sitting. That's too much. But it's a self-re repeating process. I eat it. Oh, it's so good. And then I feel awful. I'll even throw it up after I eat it and then I'll want more cuz it's so good. But when I eat something else and like yes, this literally just happened when I traveled to Arkansas to see a friend. But when I ate instead an 8 oz sirin steak, some good quality mashed potatoes and some broccoli. broccoli. I felt great afterwards. Initially, it wasn't as fun as the chocolate cake or as the chocolate thing, but it gave me more growth long term. It was very interesting. I had I even had a a conversation with the artificial intelligence. I said, "What will happen to me? I really want this brownie delight thing from this Friday's restaurant." They said, "You can now. Emotionally, it'll feel great in the moment, but longterm, David, it's going to throw you off for the rest of your trip. You'll throw it up. you'll feel like garbage. Like, yeah, initially be nice, but if you just eat the sirloin and the premium mashed potatoes and and the and the broccoli, you will feel better and it'll feed you in a way that helps you long term. I'm not talking about broccoli and mashed potatoes and sirloin steak only. It is a spiritual thing because the natural type's the spiritual. But Satan says that avoiding suffering is the best way. Yeah. God says avoiding suffering only causes more suffering. I told a friend of mine, if you put off conflict, you'll only cause more conflict in the long run. They took my advice and I was right by God's grace. But you know how I learned that? By doing it the wrong way and suffering from it. Luke 5:15 and 11. Let's go through the prodical son story. And he said, "A certain man had two sons." Actually, I'm going to go to verse 10. It's not in the projector quick, but I remember the verse was very beautiful because it was about repentance. And I want to read that now. Luke 15 verse 10. It's not a projector, but it says, "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." And by the way, that repentance is not just just a salvation either. I don't believe that's just when you say, "Okay, I don't want to go to hell, so I'm going to get my salvation." No, it's when you say, "Hey, yes, I got the seal of the Holy Ghost over 11 years ago, but I'm going to die to myself again today to live better." Every single time any repentance ever says, "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." You know who's also in the presence of God? Every loved one you've ever had. I believe, right? Amen. They're still watching us. I believe that. Don't you? And he said, "A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the portion of goods that fall to me." And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after that, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country and there wasted his substance with riot is living. I would encourage you look up on on YouTube nest animation prodical son story. They have a nice dramatization. It's real good. And I love how they dramatized it. They said, "Oh, well the guy said, "Oh, I know what I'll do. I'll take the money to the money changers. I'll put it in and then I'll make a bunch of money when I take it out. But first, let me go to this pleasure thing because I've never been able to participate in these things staying in my father's home and structure. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land. And he began to be in want. Oh, that's convenient. There was a famine. Like, there's always a famine. There's always a hard time. It always works out like that. There's always. And he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country. And he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have faint filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat. And no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, remember he went through all the pleasure of everything. He got everything he ever wanted. He had all the money he could ever want. He did all of it and he experienced it. But you notice he didn't go back to the the farm and say, "Hey, I want to make more money so I can go back to those pleasures." Those friends that liked him when he had money, they left. And he realized, "Oh, my dad's never once said that he'd like me more or less because of my money." He's like, "Oh, man. What did I do?" Sure. Right. When he came to himself, and you got to you got to came to you got to come to yourself to where you're like, "Hey, something's got to change." Right. Yes. When does that have to happen? Every single day. I daily. He said, "How many hired servants of my fathers have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger? I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven before thee." And I want to say this message when you do it the right way, it is not a flowery bed of ease. It is not perfection, but you actually get unlimited growth through suffering. Good. I will arise and go to my father and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. make me as one of thy hired servants. And he rose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said unto him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." But the father said to his servants, "Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes in his feet, and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and be merry. For this my son was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found and they begin to be married. He left the structure of his father's house to find freedom. And he thought wealth and pleasure would give him identity. But he only found emptiness, filth, and isolation. And he didn't start suffering when the money ran out. He started suffering the moment he considered that maybe leaving the will of his father was something worth doing. It was not in the doing of it, but in the sin. The sin caused that was where like, hey, maybe this thing isn't correct. When the prodical son even initially entertained the thought that the father's way of doing things was wrong, he stepped onto Satan's undefeated battleground of growth. When he repented, he stepped back under the undefeated battleground of repentance, of dying daily, of suffering, and he couldn't lose. You say, "Oh, David, well, he just he ran out of money. That's why it all went wrong." Okay, this is on the projector, Thomas. A study of nearly 95,000 suicides showed that when a celebrity died by suicide, suicide rates jumped by 6.7 extra deaths per day and sometimes even more. One US report found that entertainers and artists have suicide rates nearly 10 times higher than the national average. Even in rich neighborhoods, suicide doesn't go away. In some areas, every $100,000 increase in income actually correlates with more suicides, not fewer. Money does not take away suffering. It only it only increases and amplifies what you've already got on the inside of you. Yeah. It just brings out more of what's already there. These people kill themselves. Why? Because they're not basing their value in Jesus Christ. So people that can seemingly buy things that take away suffering still kill themselves. But I want to tell you something that does give suffering, but the suffering in and of itself is not the thing to avoid, but it's the thing to embrace. Oh well, who would ever do that? Let's talk about Joshua and Caleb in the wilderness. Let's paint the picture. They were with the Israelites when they came out of Egypt, just like everyone else. They escaped slavery. They saw miracles. They crossed the Red Sea. They had the same start. But here's the difference. When the wilderness came, when the suffering hit, when the food ran out, and the giants appeared, they didn't fold, right? They didn't approach the suffering carnally. They actually gloried in it. They said, "Let's go. This is great. We've been waiting for this my whole life." They said, "Let's go up and possess it. We are more than able to overcome it." They said this battle, this pressure, this pain, this suffering is glory to us. It's strength to us. It's where God is with us. They had the mindset that this is the battleground where God grows us. This is where we learn to trust him. This is where we become strong in Christ. But the rest of his own. They complained about the suffering. They wish they could go back to Egypt. They approached the suffering through the carnal mind. They said, "God brought us out here to die." And as long as they looked at suffering carnally, they were fighting on Satan's battle gone and they they just couldn't they couldn't possibly win. Amen. As long as we look at our suffering with complaining, we can't win. You think your suffering is a coincidence? God knew it would happen and he gave us the tools to fight. But Joshua and Caleb held their testimony. They said, "We are more than able." Joshua Caleb said, "I am more than able as a old man, as I was as a young man. I'm still able to go out to war and to come back and to fight. Oh, you can't do it physically. He wasn't thinking in terms of physically. He was thinking of terms through Christ. So many times we look like the rest of the world and we say, "Hey, I can't solve this problem on my own." But like, oh, you're right. You can't. It's almost as if we have a God that wants to fight it through us. Yes. Amen. Mom and dad named me David. I'm just like David. I don't care what the Goliath is. I don't care what it is. My faith is not in me. It's in Jesus Christ. No matter the situation, Jesus Christ will deliver me out of them all. Remember, Satan's program is you don't need Jesus, David. You don't need him. You don't need this God. You got all the problem solving skills yourself. Right? But Joshua and Caleb held the testimony. We're both enable. They were standing on the undefeated battleground of spiritual growth through suffering. They didn't just survive the wilderness. They were shaped by it. And because of their approach, they could not lose. And because of Israel's selfish approach and comfort comfortbased approach, they couldn't win. They were focused on their own comfort, their own safety, their own way, more than what does God want us to do, right? And we do what God wants us to do. Not because it makes sense, not because we figured it out, but because God said so. And that's the only reason. Satan's program may look like an escape from suffering on the outside, but on the inside, it only leads to deeper suffering and death. But what does God call us to do to He calls us to lose our own lives and live fully for him. Matthew 16:24 to 28. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever shall save his life shall lose it. And whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? What shall a man give in exchange for a soul? For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily, I say unto you, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. I don't have to have I don't get to have my own life based on my own pleasure. That'll only lead me to suffering. I don't want to. But God has shown me lately that the purpose of my life is to sing songly, preach to my podcast and to have great relationships with others and put my ego aside for the sake of peace and to learn and grow and suffer. That is my purpose. It is the number one thing and my approach to it is what happens. Sun Sue said that you can come back from any defeat or any setback. It's not the projector. It's all about mindset. Yeah. God placed me here. God ordained me to be here. It doesn't matter what I suffer. God ordained me to preach. God ordained me to song. God ordained me to do my podcast. I believe God ordained me to put aside my ego for peace. God ordained me to have good relationships with my friends and with my family and with others. Lord, God ordained me to overcome. And that's why I'm here. Satan's approach is, "Oh, I got to find something new. I'm 24. I got to find No, I don't. The answer is here. I found my meaning and responsibility to preach this gospel. That's where I found it. Oh, but I'm not a preacher." Even if you're not a preacher, you are still called to preach through the life that you live. That's why we're here. You say, "Oh, but I want my own thing. I want to travel. I want to get a big career. I want to make a bunch of money. I want to see all the nice celebrities." That will actually, it won't bring you a bunch of joy. It'll actually bring you suffering. Well, David, why don't you want to travel the world? Because you know how much time I have to travel the world? Eternity. Not so much time. After all the eternities and all the different things happen, I literally have all eternity to go and look at New Zealand and look at Japan and all the others. In fact, I can go back in time and watch Alexander the Great fight the Persians. I can go back in time and and watch the Civil War happen. Of course, I can. God can do anything, right? Brother Brandham said we can make our own worlds. But while I'm here, I do not want to live my life with the sole principal aspect of what serves me the best. Yeah, I'm not the best example. Oh, help me. I'm trying. But it's in the trying, like just like praying. Oh, but if I get a feeling, I know I'm connecting with God. Oh, but if I get an emotion or God speaks to me, I know I'm connecting with God. No, the connection with God happens the second you talk to him. It's not the perfection of the prayer. It's in the talking to him. Amen. It's about connecting with God. And that's just through talking to him humbly, of course. Amen. I'm trying my best. I believe and I believe that you are too. But I believe that Satan wants us to look at suffering in a way that makes sense but isn't true. Yeah. We that suffering in a way that makes sense but isn't true. We know how Satan presented avoiding suffering to the prodical son. This suffering that you and I go through in the gospel isn't a terrible thing. It's not. I believe it's a great thing. And I want to show you in the Bible where it talks about that. I believe we should be thankful for tribulation and suffering and not whine about it. It's hard. I'm not going to say that it's some easy thing, but I believe we can be thankful for it. Running from it and complaining about it, we can't win. But when we approach suffering God's way, we can't lose. What does the Bible say about growth and suffering? Romans 5 and3, you can just scroll through these as I read, Thomas. And not only so, but we glory and tribulations also knowing that tribulation workketh patience and patience experience and experience hope. James 1 and 2 through 4. My brethren, count it partly, some 2/3 99% all joy. Amen. When ye fall into diverse temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith workketh patience, but let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 2 Corinthians 4:16. For this, for which cause we faint not, but through our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, workketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. So when the world rejects you, when the world blocks you after a childhood friendship, when the world does all that and you're suffering cuz you stood for the right thing, that's not you just suffering. That's God also in you suffering with you. Brother Brandham said in the exposition of the seven church ages chapter 4 of the Smyrna church age unless we suffer with him we cannot reign with him. We have you have to suffer to reign. The reason for this is that character simply is never made without suffering. Character is a victory not a gift. A man without character can't reign because power apart from character is satanic. But power with character is fit to rule. And since he wants us to share even his throne on the same basis that he overcame and is set down on his father's throne, then we have to overcome to sit with him. And the little temporary suffering we go through now is not worthy to be compared to the tremendous glory that will be revealed in us when he comes. Oh, what treasures are laid up for those who are willing to enter into his kingdom through much tribulation. Think it not strange concern in the fiery trials that are to try you. That is what Peter said. Is it strange that God wants us to develop a Christlike Christlike character that comes through suffering? No sir. And we all have trials. We are all tried and chasened as sons. Not one that goes through that. The church that is not suffering is not being and is not being tried hasn't got it. It isn't of God. Oh, but I'm going through so much suffering. Life is so hard. Good. Great. That means you're in it for the right place. But if you say, "Oh, I'm comfortable. I'm so happy where life is. Nothing's ever difficult. And I'm just You're not doing it right. It's golden handcuffs. It's like, oh, this is so great. But no, God's reign is suffering. Oh, but that doesn't sound as good as margaritas on the beach. Like, no. Actually, the most amazing and the most incredible and the greatest fulfillment comes through suffering. Good, man. I want to like it's so ironic that the people that leave the world and leave the message and leave everything else want to go into the world and their holiness standards go away and their standards for God away and got the women and pants all over the place and you just like what's going on? It's actually they think oh well I'm so free now I can do whatever I want when ultimately it only leads to death. You know why I serve this gospel? You know why you do it, Dad? One of the main reasons because it actually is the most self-fulfilling thing I could possibly do. Amen. God's not nuts for getting us to serve others with our life. It's the most self-fulfilling thing you can do. The most pleasurable thing I can do for myself is not taking a bunch of drugs. It's not sleeping around. It's not getting a bunch of money. It's doing what I'm doing now. I love it. It's my favorite thing to do. Everything else in my life only supplements this. All of it. Suffering isn't bad news. It's great news. and the wrong approach to suffering. Satan never loses that battle against us. Satan didn't have any possibility of losing. Once the prodical son left his father's home to avoid suffering, but that was just after he had the initial thought. Once the prodical son said, "You know what? My father's program is wrong. I'm going to change it." That's when he lost. Yeah. But once he said, "Oh, I can't. I got to go back." He couldn't lose then. He He would only win. Satan can't lose once any son or daughter of God approaches God's program with the intention of fleeing from suffering instead of embracing it and realizing its purpose. Satan can't lose when we think, "Oh, I got to run from suffering." But he can't win when we embrace it. Psalms 119:7, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted." I love how I have a thought that comes to my mind, my mind. And then I realized brother Brandham said, "Your name is an impact on your character." And my character in the Bible, David, had the same thoughts. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. At this point, he slept with his best friend's wife, had a baby with her. The baby was killed by God, and he said, "It is good that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver." He's the richest man in the world, and he's saying, "It's better that God is with me than all the riches life has to offer." Satan wants to talk us to talk about suffering or our suffering in a bad way as if it's oh this is so terrible. But Joshua and Caleb said this is great. There's nothing else I'd rather be doing than fighting the greatest obstacle. But when we when Satan can get us to complain about our suffering, we step under where he wants us to fight him. But the right approach to suffering is the battleground where Satan always loses. And what did Paul suffer and how did he approach talking about his suffering? 2 Corinthians 11:23 as we wrap up tonight. Very good. I'm at 40 minutes and I have like 5 minutes to finish up here. Is that all right? Now Paul, this is Paul. This is how he's going through all the terrible things he's went through. How did Paul approach these things? Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more in labors more abundant in stripes above measure. He was saying, "Hey, I'm speaking like a weirdo right now." Just I He said when he said, "I'm speaking as a fool," I believe he's saying, "Hey, I'm going to talk carnally about all the things I'm going through." And then I'm going to contrast it with how God is is getting me to treat my suffering. Are they ministers of Christ? I am a more of a minister in labors more abundant in stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in deaths oft they they beat me 40 with 40 stripes saved one time. I was just 39 that one time. Thrice was I beaten with rods. I was stoned once. I was beaten with rods three times. Three times I suffered a shipwreck. A night and a day have I have been in the deep. In journeyings often in perils of waters and perils of robbers and perils by my unknown countrymen. In perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, and perils among false brethren, in weariness and painfulness, and watchings often, in hunger, and thirst, and fastings often, in cold, and nakedness, beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. And then the next chapter when he through all of these things, he said, for this thing I besought the Lord three times that it might depart from me. He's like, I've gone through so much. Oh, but what does God say to him? And he said unto me, God said unto Paul, my grace is sufficient for thee. For my strength, that's God's strength is made perfect in weakness. Most So then it switches from what God is saying to what Paul's saying. For my strength, God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. And then Paul says, since God told me that his strength is made perfect in my weakness, here's what I'm going to do. Here's what we can do. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ meritish upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong. Why is he so glorious about it? Because he knows when he's weak from the pleas from the suffering, God is strong. I am become a fool in glory. Ye have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended you of you. For in nothing am I. Behind the very chiefest apostles, do I be nothing. If the musicians will please come on up. You shouting in church when everyone else is or shouting in general doesn't scare the devil. But you still worshiping God and having a positive attitude in sorrow. It just terrifies him. He's like, "What? What?" Satan knows that when we approach suffering God's way, he can't possibly win. I was listening to the other day to dad testifying in a podcast from 2020. And I believe that behind the scenes, Satan told the Lord that surely what I'll do to get brother Tom to leave you is I'll take away his first son. And 8 months and two mom and dad get married a month in. Mom gets pregnant 8 month 8 months and 2 weeks in 2 weeks before the due date and the doctors say there's no heartbeat for Timothy James. What are they going to do? But when it was confirmed, wasn't it mom that said, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." And I bet Satan was like, "Oh, come on. Come on. What else can I do at this point? I took away their kid and now they're going to say, "The Lord giveth and taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. What? Her suffering isn't a isn't a defeat. It's a blessing. And the doctor said, "Mom, you still have to have the baby the normal way to make way for the next ones." But mom and dad took that suffering and trusted God with it. And Satan had a tantrum and said, "Come on, I can't." He said, "I can't win when they approach suffering like that." Then Anna was in the process of being born and the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck and everything seemed dune and dad saw an angel come in and he was dressed in white and the nurse screamed hysterically and the angel went into the doctor and the doctor grabbed multiple tools at the same time in a superhuman way and mom passed out and mom says that when she passed out a voice spoke to her and said the pain you're now feeling will be replaced by great joy. He's actually quoting Psalms 126 and5. He was quoting it where it says, "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth weeping and weepeth be bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheav with him." Amen. And is alive today. That's the message of the Holy Ghost tonight. You may be going through something dark, but God is maturing you through that pain, death, and suffering. That pain isn't killing you. It's maturing and growing you. When you are in Christ and you have truly repented and received the seal of the Holy Ghost and the those other things and the suffering that's in your life, you're not losing. You're growing. You're not breaking down. You're being reshaped and transformed. You're standing tonight on the battleground of growth through suffering. And if you try and run from the suffering, you'll always lose. But if you'll worship God and trust him and even glory in the suffering itself with that approach to growth and suffering, you can't lose. And Satan would be like, "Oh, come on. I took brother Edway and Sister Faith still rejoicing. Are you kidding me?" But brother brother Jimmy and Sister Suzanne in the worst of situations and they're still praising me. Are you kidding me? Right? So I would look at my trials as like, "Well, praise God. I get to disappoint the devil again. And when I look at it like that, I can't lose. But if you say, "Oh, this is so terrible." Then you can't win. So it's up to you. What are you going to do with that undefeated battleground of growth and suffering? Amen. God bless you. I'm done. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] Praise the Lord. I believe all of that. I believe those that seek it to have it easy all the time, they just don't have good lives. I even think of old Moses. The Bible said he was content to dwell in that land. But God wasn't done with him. He had a wife coming. He had sons coming. He had a little country called Egypt to fight against. He had people wanting to stone him. People wanting to call him a rotten person. Moses had some suffering to do. But here we are today, thousands of years later, talking about Moses, talking about the prodical son. oddest thing. The one they called the prodical son was a great son. He just had was a work in progress. Amen. Uh just wonderful. I really appreciated it very much. Very very fulfilling for me. Helps me. We need to know how to battle so we can succeed. Boy, I lost in the woods. I've told the story many times. Lost in the woods and I was getting colder and colder and colder and it was starting to get very serious. Then night came and I'm still lost. And boy, I had one voice just teaching me how to take every easy way out of that woods. And all it did was I come across my own tracks in just a little while. And I thought, "This isn't going to do it." And then that other voice said, "You've done every easy way there is." I says, "Thank you, Lord." Saw a big old brush pile. I said, "Let's start there." Walked right through the brush pile. bramble, blackberries, thorns, and then I saw a big ditch with trees going over. I said, "That's the next place." And I did that for about 20 minutes and walked right out of that woods and saw the house a half a mile away across the big Wisconsin field of oats, I guess it was, or blessed be the name of the Lord. That's what he's done with many of us. He's he's helped us when we thought things were real bad. That's when he was doing his work. He's making us stronger through this. I see victorious people tonight. I see works in progress tonight. I see people who not only have to be helped all the time, but are turning their lives over when now they're doing the helping. That's what we want. That's real power. Amen. I didn't get captured by the police and sent to this army. I come to this army voluntarily because I want to serve Jesus Christ. Do you want to serve him tonight? Amen. Let's all stand and have a word of prayer. Really thought David got out of the way of good and great material, great spirit. He brought it out in. Father, we bow before you this evening, Lord God, under the blessings, Lord, of a new roof coming, Lord, and Father, under the blessings of the health we have and the strength we have, Lord. I I rejoice my body physical is coming back through working out. And Lord, my body spiritual, Lord, is it's coming back, Lord. My my heart's getting turned more and more to you, Jesus. Lord, and I want to be right there, Lord, quoting scripture, Lord, in my distress, quoting scripture, Lord, in my victories. Father, knowing that tribulation's working patience, Lord, give me that understanding, Lord, as I go through something hard, that I might truly have the victory, Lord, that I might truly fight this spiritual warfare in a way that I can't lose. No, Father, Paul even said, "Death's thy victory. Even death wouldn't make him loose. Grave worth thy sting. Even the grave wouldn't make Paul loose cuz he knew up ahead was a crown of glory. And he'd be at your side, Lord, to be with you. And Father, we want to be with you, too. So we ask that you'd help us, Lord, to take on the fruits of the spirit, to take on an attitude of servitude, to take on an attitude of gratitude, to take on an attitude of compassion and patience for others and for ourselves, Lord. And we give you thanks tonight and pray that you'd go with my wife and I to Canada, Lord. Be there in that jet. be there, Lord, when we get to the airport and get reunited with her daughter and her children and her husband. Be with us, Lord God, as we go through our adventures in Canada. Be with the church here, Lord God, as they go through their adventures, Lord, and trials and victories. Father, we'll give you all the glory and all the praise. Lord, be with us tonight, Lord, in a hospital bed or wherever we are tonight, Lord God, out in hot Oklahoma, Lord, or in Canada or the Philippines. be with us, Lord. Be with your children, Father, tonight. Give us that victory, Lord. Make the message live in our hearts, Lord. May the sweet anointing of the Psalms and the gospel great stories come out of our lips, Lord. And may we be a testimony to the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's our prayer. Oh, Father, thank you for that covenant you gave us through thy son, Jesus Christ. We give our hearts to you now, Lord, again tonight. Make it live, Lord. Make this message live in us, Lord. That others might see our love for you and for each other. They might want to be part of us, Lord God. And take us away, Father, in that great catching away one day. Lord, we give you all the glory and all the praise for everything in between now and then. In Jesus holy name, we praise you. Amen. Something beautiful. Oh, something good. All my confusion. But Jesus stood. [Music] All I had to offer him was brokenness and strife. But he made something beautiful of my life. Let's sing that again as we're going. Oh, something beautiful, something good. All my confusion. Jesus stood. [Music] All I had to offer him was broken in stripes. He made something beautiful in my life. Let me just say as we dismiss, I'll tell you that little group there playing the pianos and the guitar, that was sweet tonight. That was humble. That was sweet. That was good anointing. I'm glad the little daughters of God are still writing songs. I'm glad the sons of God are still taking up the instruments like David of old. I'm glad that the children of God are rising in their seats and getting those old hands up. I'm glad it's still happening. Aren't you? God bless you. God be with you till we meet again. Amen. Amen. [Music]