Don't Stand Down - Stand Firm

That because sometimes we need the we need that hard right hook We need to be encouraged and I know when I came back to the Lord 1999 it was from a hard message from a man and it just cut me right to the heart and if all I was doing is is being encouraged and motivated and I Would really never be challenged and that's where we change is when we're challenged So this message though this morning will be both encouraging and challenging and actually I gave this message The same message I told pastor Abraham. I'm gonna give this message again here because I gave it at Rob McCoy's church at their men's breakfast, but I changed a lot of things around and The response was actually overwhelming from the guys and many of the people watching it on YouTube The title of that one was please act like men Please act like men and it was a little bit a rebuke which we need from time That's how you know what? That's how I came back to the Lord From a strong rebuke. It wasn't a nice encouraging, you know, go for it message I was on my couch hungover. I know you can't relate but that was 1990s 19 late 1990s and the sermon came on and it just brought me to tears and it called me out Because if we don't call them out and love the Holy Spirit calls you out if you're following God for any length of time and It called me out and it talked about the yet the enemy has got you bound and it was a story of Samson and it drew me back to the Lord. And so don't always mock those TV preachers. I Would even say his name, but you guys might judge me for it. So No, let me tell you let me tell you the encouragement. Let me tell you the encouragement The encouragement is to fall forward and let's look at Psalm 37 this I think this is going to help a lot of people It's been a big one in my life the steps of a good man So if you know the Lord you are considered a good man we're not considered good by something in our hearts, and we're so good and and Our isn't there so much good in us. There's actually not there's a lot of wickedness Who can know the heart of the deceitful and desperately wicked but the steps of a good man? I mean, it means a godly man a man who loves the Lord God will actually order your steps Did you know that God began to order my steps that day in 1999 on that couch hung over it when I cried out to God and he gave my love for country music was over my love for God's Word was was now beginning and and and This this love for worship and God began to know okay now that you're mine. Let me order your steps Not that I wasn't his not that I wasn't learning things, but I was in a state of rebellion Let me do what I want to do okay prodigal son Go spend all your your stuff on riotous living the King James would say ungodly living But then once you commit or recommit and you might have to recommit quite often amen Guys, it's okay. They are you your steps are then ordered by the Lord and God will actually delight in your way I know that's hard to believe because we have an Old Testament version of God and New Testament version of God It's the same God He delights in the prosperity of his people. He delights in the ways of his people He delights in those that that love him and want to honor him He there's a delight in that and that should strengthen us and I wish it ended right there Sometimes but I'm glad it doesn't though he fall Though he fall Anybody have fallen before God and let me maybe I should define I don't know if I was able to define that word in time, but it is it's to lose status for example If I'm up here and I fall and I lose status or you lose status and at work or maybe in your home It's it's to be cast down. It's to fall flat on your face. It's to lose your footing I mean have you ever lost your footing? Proverbs talks about a man just like a bird who wanders from her nest so is a man who wanders from God or wanders from the right path and The encouragement here though he fall now it could involve sin, of course, and here's my challenge I never want to encourage people to sin, but I never want to neglect giving them the grace and mercy to get back up Because there's so many people that just Bible thumping finger-pointing How could you how dare you and I think God made me stumble so much that how dare I say that? How dare I say that? I mean God should have wiped me out Dozens of times no hundreds probably well over thousands of times if we're to be honest and So the steps of a good man, they're ordered by the Lord. He delights in them and though he falls Whether into sin whether it's into transgression whether it's into status and or what you you whatever that fall is Look at this just read it for yourself He shall not be utterly Cast down and I loved it I would maybe sometimes just teach on this verse because when you look up the these these words, especially in the Hebrew language It's so poetic. It's so rich and sometimes ask myself. Why don't they use this word? Why didn't they say that? but I'm not a translator and they know better but it's it's you're not going to be utterly Forsaken and that word utterly is to put extra emphasis on what is happening You're not going to be forsaken and cast down God is not going to turn his back on you for the Lord will Uphold you it's actually he will grab you with his right hand. It's not an accident there. He said What we think of the right hand but uphold him with his hand his right hand of strength you could say So even though you fall and I know I'm talking to a wide audience this morning men who are walking with the Lord on fire for God those who kind of caught in the middle those who have left their first love those who maybe don't even know the Lord and Though he falls Falls into sin falls into this addiction falls into this thing If you turn to God, he will pull you back up and put you back up on the right foundation Yes, you might have consequences. Yes, there might be some depression you'll struggle through Yes, there might be some challenges because of the consequences But now you know that you're redeemed and bat walking back in the God's will isn't that wonderful to know that he actually pulls you Back up get back up get back up. Let me put you back up here and So that's the encouragement And I'm always encouraged at the story of the prodigal son. He was welcomed back to the father and Guys in these in these times, I wish I could even there's so many different teachings I've directions I want to go but you really have to learn just to strengthen yourself in the Lord Strengthen Yourself on the Lord and some of the pressure I feel I know pastor Abram will agree is that so many people are relying on us to strengthen them and They look to us and people will let you down. Did you know people let you down? And I just for some reason, I don't know God's been just dealing with me on a certain subject this week and just looking and remembering all the people Who used to come to this church and actually a lot of so many that have left. I Mean, it's just it's kind of mind-boggling you begin to go Lord. Is it I? But then you realize a lot of it is they don't like they don't want to hear what you had to say Bottom line they don't want to hear what you had to say or they view you as some Person that never gets an attitude never gets upset. You just you should resemble Jesus Yeah, I should but I'm a work in progress just like you I was happy digging ditches. I was happy not Preaching I don't want to speak in front of people and God said no Here's what you're gonna do and so we're all a work under construction that you ever seen those shirts Still under construction and so that's why you have to learn to strengthen yourself in the Lord Yes, people will let you down, but Christ will never let you down and you learn to okay. I don't feel it right now I'm not very motivated right now. The church has let me down. Let me tell you the church will let you down It's a group of people They will let you down But Christ will never let you down and that's why I always try to point people to the cross point people to that To Jesus and I even tell them we get compliments a lot and you know, you've sure sure done a great job with your kids God has done a great job with kids Yeah, if I there shouldn't be one ounce of I mean, obviously we steward and we train we do the best that we can But me and my wife would both tell you if we could do it over again Boy, here's the lessons we've learned. I Would probably I probably trade in and get a flip phone for one, right? Did you know that's the number one thing on? the problem kids have right now with with their parents in this age is they're on their phone too much and they interrupt their Conversations and they they're always looking at their phone and devices. That's one thing. We're actually working on right now I mean my wife got into argument last week on who does it who's worse at this, you know And we and so actually that was my gift today for Father's Day. What are we doing after the second service? We're turning our phones off and we'll tell Monday morning. So Well, don't clap. I don't know how challenging it's gonna be But here's for you for even for young kids your kids are maybe older even out of the house, of course But this is something Actually in my daughter's letter I shared she wrote something that made your mind myth Or she actually maybe said this that that you are the father that God has chosen for your kids Let that sink in You are the father that God chose for your children If that doesn't make you really Think things through I don't know what will Because sometimes we just oh, it's a coincidence or this or but God gave us exactly this dynamic Exactly this this this this this role for our lives and and he knew the children to give us correct We we want certain amount of boys or girls and God gives you the exact amount. It's perfect. Thank God for that I can tell you a funny story. I think right. I'm like, all right Well where before we had any kids, I thought maybe we'll have four or five boys right hunting Hunting fishing checker quell pheasant duck hunting 12-gauge, you know a manly things camping And then the first one is Aubrey. Oh a girl, okay, and Then like after the first month I said all I want is girls I just oh, I just want girls and then of course we had my son and then I know boys again and girl it's like God just knows a another girl another girl another girl and So but I just feel so blessed because they just they just it just keep you so soft. I Mean you can just say I can just say the wrong thing and my daughter start crying. Well, no, no, no No, no And it's daddy daddy and and then to my son and we can do guy things and just loving having that variety and God knows God knows what's best and even those who are listening listening online I know there's her that maybe God hasn't opened that door yet, and it can get frustrating with parenting Maybe some have given the gift given the gift of singleness I've heard talked to those people before and just in all things we have to just trust in God even in the difficult Situations those who are barren right now, and maybe they're waiting on God or they've never been able to experience that Listen when you get to heaven, you're not going to have all these regrets at all God is using these things in our lives at Romans 8 28 that all things work together for for the good for those who love God and So with this verse you can really there's what I call the security of the believer Doesn't mean we go and sin doesn't mean we do things But it does mean there's security knowing that God has got my back Thank you. Aren't you so thankful for that? can you imagine if it was some distant God a distant God that was just Not involved in Shane. I hope I hope you get this together because I'll see you in eternity, but not right now and Then we're left to ourselves But this is a God who has a security of the believer And I just want to throw it out there even especially with men. Do you have the security? Is God truly your father? Father God, how do you have this relationship? Do you do you know it was certainty? There's no question mark here I mean I hope and I think maybe it's just my passion for this area because I talked to so many people about this and they say You know, I'm a good person That that's your hope that's what you're banking on compared to who Can you imagine if all would you like all your thoughts all your your everything you've ever done flashed on a screen before others how good would you really think you were at that point and So the enemy sometimes will have us and I live there in my 20s have us live in this bubble of I'm a good person You've got to break that bubble shatter that glass and say Lord. I don't know you I need to repent I need to repent and truly know you So now I want to give you a little bit of the application of from that sermon I was talking about don't stand down stand firm 1st Corinthians I'm going to use the Amplified Bible and I'm just going to focus on this verse men Be on guard actually women guess what you can apply this to Be on guard, but this is specifically a call to men And I love Paul here he said act like men So be on guard stand firm in your faith Which means stand firm in God respecting his precepts and keeping your doctrines sound act like Mature men and be courageous be strong Why is that a command? Because we have the tendency to do everything but that And I think we all can agree. That's really the problem with our nation right now Did you know America leads all other countries in the world for fatherless homes? We've reached that that wonderful milestone you plus God equal the majority Never forget that I know I've said that before but you have to remember that you plus God equal the majority And so as men we say what can I do in this God this culture? Do you ever say that you ever get frustrated anybody in the school districts? the medical profession business No matter it's like I can't say anything. I can't do anything. I can't make a difference That's what I want to encourage you this morning in this text you plus God is The majority you can make it now. It's not gonna look like you might not see fruit. Remember my story I was actually really digging ditches coming home to my wife. No ministry. Nothing. No speak nothing and I just committed my my thoughts to the Lord. I committed my works to the Lord and he established my thoughts he established my ways and he called me to do this and so God can take a nobody Nobody and give him a loud voice For righteousness and what is true and what is right and I get frustrated. Where's the difference? I'm preaching my heart out and California's going to hell in a handbasket Nancy Pelosi's tends a drag queen event says this is the hope of America. This is really a man What have you lost your mind? Don't yeah, okay But again, we should be able to speak the truth and and know that we are making a difference even it see Here's the thing even if you don't see it Even if the the as excited as I am about Roe v. Wade Do you know that the states are going to the the liberal states are going to crunch even more and make more even the ungodly legislation even more deadly There's this is not I mean, it's exciting on that hand, but now it's California, New York They're gonna start who infanticide at 30 days Maybe at some point who knows and we know with a b 2 2 3 and different things there's there's so much that are we even making a difference and Many of you don't know but we had the privilege this morning Mike Garcia emailed me our representative in Washington DC He was at our 630 prayer meeting. We prayed over him at 745 This morning of there's over a hundred people here and I just encourage him that you plus God is the majority You think you got a hard job go to a place where they don't even care about godly legislation They won't be to those who call good evil and evil good. They crossed that line a long time ago Your voice doesn't even matter. You're not gonna pass any legislation. Who cares if you vote who nothing's gonna change and Still get up and make that drive praise God But he's more in Washington Scott Wilk is in Sacramento more of a local you have different state and federal represented representatives and things could shift in 2022 with the election, but again, our hope is not in that and people just I just Sometimes We must be reading different Bibles we must be living in a different spot because they they get upset about the the issue of leadership and godly legislation and Thinking it doesn't matter and I know it's not our hope but shouldn't we protect those who have no voice? Shouldn't we come against perversion in our schools? Shouldn't we I? Don't know just stick to the gospel. Well, the gospel affects everything If I love the gospel and Jesus has changed my heart changed my heart I should say it's not okay to let the transgender group read to kindergartners that why is that? Why is that? Well, hold on I'm gonna get in trouble here We have to keep our videos on YouTube and Facebook right now, I'm kidding but why is if a man you know Maybe says some things sexually to a woman in the workplace. It's sexual harassment. Why isn't that sexual harassment? That's what I want to know six seven eight year olds act looking how to how to do strip moves and and listen to a Transgender we have lost our mind that is calling good evil and evil good no matter how you slice it dice it or cut it That is wrong. And so we need to say something now It might things might get worse before they get better They might not get better, but I will I will not go down with this ship without saying something and here's here's why this is So important the next generation. Did you know there's competing worldviews? And that's why there's a big problem right now All they hear is the media screaming about sin screaming about the gods words not true and they're getting influenced So you have to have an ulterior voice that says no, that's not true. But Shane I have no voice I don't have that much of audience or this but that's okay you plus God God Magnifies your voice and get your voice out there to counteract all of these things We don't even know now I people estimate people hear this message a hundred thousand people will hear this message the next week on radio Where does that come from you plus God is the majority and just being faithful God says I want to get my word out there I want to elevate my word making a difference But I better get into the sermon we're running out of time here Okay, you guys always do this to me So number one be on guard be on guard. Here's the thing about guarding men Protection doesn't just let something in it also doesn't let something out When you're guarding your family when you're guarding your own Spiritual health you must guard yourself first You don't let the wrong things in and you don't let the right things out So when Paul said be on guard, he's not talking about physically guarding something necessarily Although I believe that is the role of the man. That's why I believe Second Amendment I believe that you can protect those from those who want to do violence against others and so On that note that this is a spiritual battle. We must guard ourselves First spiritually and I see so many men and I've been there We want to we want to guard our family want to get them into a good church we want to but we forget that our Spiritual health is what is first and foremost because from that comes everything else comes the guarding of our family and Distractions are what is distracting us? Distractions are distracting us. Here's the the big thing when it comes out to this verse Be on guard the image is of you can picture somebody guarding something a Guard, whatever it is in our that the end of the unknown of the the unknown soldier Have you seen those guards before or Fort Knox or they're guarding and what happens? What what takes away a guard from his position? I just what was that noise? What was that? No, what is that and they pull you away? Could be a Delilah It could be too busy Could be too much media could be too much distractions too much sport, whatever it is There's a distraction that pulls me away from my position of guarding and that's what's happening to men most men We aren't just bad guys. We want the best we want to do be godly husbands We desire but Lord we pray for it, but we get away from our position of guarding by distractions We can no longer guard because we're distracted and that's this this whole meaning Matthew 26 we've talked about this a lot watch. It's interesting. He says watch and pray Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation because we can be praying and we can stop watching and be distracted But it's this whole position of watching and praying Women too as well and then the next point stand firm in the faith Stand firm in the faith. What does that mean? Respecting God's precepts and keeping your doctrine sound according to the Amplified Bible. Has anyone heard the phrase sound doctrine? That's where it comes from Sound doctrine right now. I would say is up there at the top of the list of priorities in the church You are seeing churches right now ones who do not embrace sound doctrine and those who do the big political divide in our country with churches are Those who embrace sound doctrine and those who don't Now, let's break it down for just a minute sound meaning integrity Meaning it is secure. It is right It is absolute and doctrine is your knowledge or our thought process about God And I'm pretty sure God wants us to think the right things about him correct So Joy, I just saw your daughter's here today to such a blessing is here. Come in finally out of the hospital a couple months We prayed for you guys so good Hope it's okay to interrupt the sermon for that because that was this made my morning when I saw her coming in sound doctrine To know who God is. How do we know who God is? Thank God for the Word of God I want to throw out this question. Why aren't more of you buried in the Word of God? Because that's how you know God's character. Isn't it? Can you imagine if we didn't have that? Well, I think God is this Why I think God is there that well, I feel this way. Well, I don't feel that way we would it would be a mess and that's actually right now the big problem in our country to I feel versus what God says big difference I Feel versus what God says. So the only way to really stand on guard and act like a man is to have sound Doctrine, but Shane, I don't know if I believe it You know what? I'm not gonna just that's an okay spot to be if you take it to the Lord if you say Lord I want to trust you. I want to know that this is really your word. Would you show me I Remember there was a greater preacher than Billy Graham His name was Charles Templeton He was he was a way he was going to be the next Billy Graham, but he got caught up in what we would call liberal theology You ever watch that movie American Gospel? Part two. I think it's the one on Christ alone or it's whatever part two is I keep forgetting the subject. What is it? Christ crucified. Thank you. We watched it last night the What when our intellect gets in the way, I Don't I don't think I don't believe in a God that would send people to hell Now I would say I don't quite understand the concept You know your your your live here for 70 years and now you spend eternity separated from God I mean, but I'm not gonna go to hell over a mystery. I'm not gonna reject God over a mystery That's actually pride. It comes across as humility, but it's false humility. That's pride. I don't believe this about God and That's why this that whole thing shows both sides these people drift from sound doctrine and that would concern me Where do you stop? Because they would say well Paul really wasn't talking about that. I don't believe the Bible in that area this area I do that area. I don't Why why why believe any of it? and So they start they don't have a solid relationship with God and this is what many times we would call a false teacher a false Prophet apostasy they have drifted from sound doctrine Now a lot of people are being called false prophets that are not You just you just don't like you know, they're just kind of weak and maybe they're motivational speakers. That's not false prophets false prophets are coming in and destructively and Taking people away from the Word of God They are teachers and they're drawing people to themselves and away from the Word of God So to really to act like a man you have to have sound doctrine you have to have right understanding about God So you need to bear your face in God's Word, but Shane I have doubts. Okay, take those doubts to the Lord. I Can honestly say this with as God is my witness. I don't doubt God's Word in the sense of I don't know I don't think that I have questions Like I I don't understand this I Just I spent a half hour one day thinking about the Trinity and I got a headache Here Oh Israel your God is one But I reveal myself as Father Son and Holy Spirit three persons of the Godhead yet. I am one Okay help here Why would a loving God Send people to hell, but you have to remember it Love is not just one attribute and he doesn't have a portion of love a portion of truth He is all of his attributes. So he is fully loved, but he's fully just Why couldn't God just save everyone good good question Good question ask him when you get there But I'm not gonna have that have now me doubt God's Word Because the bottom line is he in order to give someone the chance to love him He can't put a gun to the hammer or their head or make them do it Then they become a puppet then it's mechanical true Love is given the ability to accept or reject and then the consequences of rejection See, here's what people don't understand about hell This is a whole nother rabbit try to even go in the first service, but is it's not this mean vengeful God Go punishing hell, it's you they are rejecting God and You can't live with the Holy Righteous God a communion with him and fellowship with him only the blood of shed blood of Jesus Christ paid that price it bridged that gap But it's called penal substitution. He prayed the penalty. He took the place of you. He substituted you So now because of that I can stand before God without that. I would be a separated Eternally away from God in this place where I wanted to go because I don't want there to be a God I Reject God So that's what it is. God doesn't make people or throw them there or or or or Well, I don't want to get into the whole election debate but it God didn't create a hell he created hell for the devils and his angels and the people either Decide to follow God to repent and believe in Jesus Christ or they reject God and that is where people go who? reject him So based on the Bible's definition of all that I understand it. I have questions. I don't oh boy. I don't but I'm not God who am I when you look at the scope of the universe and I'm gonna sit down here and you'll find these guys without sound doctrine They're usually hooked to some type of medication because they're depressed or confused they lead people astray There's no passion and there's a lot in their lives. There's no powerful sermons being preached. It's all like what's dialogue? Let's debate Let's discuss. I don't know. What do you think? and nobody changes and That's without sound doctrine folks. We are lost That's the absolute truth of God's Word So maybe let me encourage some of you if you're young at all if you're watching that's easy for you You're a pastor and oh back to my Chuck Templeton story. Sorry, you guys got me off track So he was to be the next Billy Graham, but he caught he got caught up in Liberal theology and I read these people sometimes that question the Bible and they're arguing to me. I think they're very weak very immature I don't know how people buy into it, honestly Because it's man's opinion So anyway, he started to believe it And he started to tell Billy Billy. You can't really believe that stuff How do we know it was written by man? Don't you know the Council of Nicaea and it was really put together by men who want to manipulate and control power and how why Do they only choose these books and all kinds of stuff all of that has answers to it? Very solid answers and he started to question God and wrestle With God it almost walked away. You can read in his biography But he found a tree stump over by Lake Arrowhead And he put his Bible down And he said God I'm so confused. I don't want to drift. I don't know. I'm from this day forward I am going to have faith in you that this is your inspired inerrant word and from that day forward he never wavered and that is when we started to hear the name of Billy Graham more so and So see it's it's it's okay To like Lord, I have these challenges But what are doubts I or if a young it I tell young adult I Shane I don't know what to believe. I know that's really God take it to him You think he's gonna genuinely turn away a genuine seeker? Genuinely turn away do you think he's gonna turn away a genuine seeker? You try speaking for an hour not messing up man That's a whole nother topic But if you can get that into your kids Sound doctrine and what and you don't push it down their throat. I never push scripture down their throat. I Tell them here. Here's what it says Here's why what do you think let them have their own views? You know, it's okay. Let them have their own views And say okay Okay, have your own views have your thoughts. Here's what the Bible says And you can't force it and you and you lead by example you lead by example let and do you know people begin to why they run back to the Word of God because after they get In their 20s, they find out they can't figure out anything So it begins with belief. You have to believe this is your Lord. This is your written Word and I often challenge people nine times out of ten those who come against God's Word have never even read it for themselves Have never even studied the scientific Scientific accuracy of the Bible That would I could preach a whole sermon on the scientific we hear a lot about science Don't question the science. No question science question science. That's really science the scientific proof in the Bible What about the historic proof? Historic you can go and see where Jesus walked You can find coins from the Roman Empire Did you know as of today nothing in the book of Roman or book of Romans the the book of Mormons can be found anywhere No kingdoms, no tools. No archaeological discover nothing Absolutely, nothing. It's almost as if it's a myth Now hold on people are gonna say and that's arrogant. No, it's not it's truthful. Trust me. I'm not being arrogant I'm just why is being twice telling the truth arrogant Can somebody please tell me why? Telling the truth is arrogant because that's how they want to get out of it. That's the truth There's no historical evidence. The Bible has historical evidence scientific evidence prophetic evidence Prophetic evidence one thing that always amazed me I remember reading it and I won't know exactly gets been so long about the discovery of this Dead Sea Scrolls This really helped helped with me. There's a little shepherd boy He threw a rock into a cave and I think it's Koran, but pronounce that correctly Quraym Qumran, thank you. I get that in the Koran mixed up but um He heard this noise he went and he looked and and here's these scrolls. I Don't know how many years old the same person, you know me years old Thousand years old were those scrolls would see if they just found them. No, they were older. They predated Jesus and It's the same book of Isaiah that we read today from before Jesus on scrolls and you look at the prophetic accuracy of the Bible of the fulfillment of Jesus and and all these things that from King from Cyrus and Daniel to the building of the temple and read temple in the in the in the the walls and Nehemiah and when the Messiah would come and Messiah be cut off and what Jesus said and the prophetic accuracy the scientific accuracy the Archaeological accuracy Prophetic I mean there's just so much to it. What about the truth accuracy? I Asked an atheist I keep asking him show me one area where the Bible is wrong scientifically Prophetically archaeologically Discovery, I mean, where is it wrong now? There's things you might not quite understand, but it's truth That's why we say times change truth does not So when you have this area of sound doctrine though, you have to make sure you have a lot of humility a lot of humility and Then it says act like not just men act like mature men act like mature men And men, let me just give you a secret here to maturity. It is directly related to obedience to the Word of God Do you want to grow spiritually men women young adults you want to grow and be mature a Mature Christian is just a byproduct who somebody who's been applying God's Word not perfectly They've been hit they've they fall in like the steps of a good man or over they have fallen They've got back up, but they've matured They they begin to obey the Word of God and they don't get distracted and they begin to fall forward and now they're they're a mature believer I Don't want to beat this one up, but it's so important how we don't mature is We don't grow meaning we don't We don't allow constructive criticism to mature us We're hurt by people and we don't want to change and we blame them and a brood of bitterness comes in and we never grow Spiritually anyone ever been there Isn't it tough? I Hate to be too transparent, but I would have left this church hundred times Do you know that I can't? Why would you leave because people hurt me? They upset me. I don't want to talk to him anymore. I got a root of bitterness I Hurt more people anyone else and they hurt me more than anyone else. It's a two-edged sword here. It's the way it works But because you own it, you know what? I'm sorry. I Didn't mean to do that. How can I grow? How can I improve and I don't want to own a leave? I want to go find a church and nobody knows me. I want to church up. Is that what we want to do? Again I'm I'm just trying to help but there's probably not a Sunday go by that I there's sometimes somebody I don't want to see Can you relate anyone relate? Come on. Don't leave me hanging like oh gosh. Oh just had a fallout Oh, they just didn't like what I said. I just upset their husband. I said that it's like it's huge But you grow you stand firm you own it you apologize when needed when warranted you grow How can I change? How can I soften my tone? How can I be more gentle and you you it hurts and those those those things hurt and you change and you mature? That's how you grow. And so you'll see a lot of times every in that church hopping is a joke I mean, but we'd laugh at it, but it's true. You meet those people that they're Bouncing bouncing bouncing bouncing bouncing you come to find out they're holding in a lot of root of bitterness or they're not going to church Because the church Hurt I can see some my good friends in here. We've known you for years and we've heard each other. Amen Let me name names No Just to be I mean myself and Abram Phil and Carrie Yvette Levy Joe where you guys at Ron and we've we've heard each other Like tears like you just man But what do we do? Well, I'm leaving No, the relationship comes back stronger and Better than it's ever been But here's the tip though. You don't go into the meeting going Joseph I see you I see a lot of people No, but I'm just being honest. That's that's how we grow and learn Because I've hurt people and they've hurt me and we don't run from you. Don't go now. We say how can I help? What have I done? I apologize for that That I shouldn't have said that I shouldn't have done that it's a and because I'm because I'm I'm bold and kind of hard in Your face and that that that's my that's who I am So it's hard to tame a wild horse You know, I love those people are so soft-spoken and quiet. They don't upset anybody. They don't like conflict They're just you wouldn't even know they're here. Ah Man, I get jealous sometimes But you know we come in and and I can look and keep looking around, you know, we've over the years But we but guess what all of them have matured in leaps and bounds Because we we are family We're not going to argue an eternity These are silly things and we we say, you know what? I need to work on this. I need to grow How can I grow and we grow and that's how they're very mature very mature I can all the names I just named Phil carry vet But I mean I've seen you guys are in my eyes have matured so much and it's an encouragement to me And your own spouse do you ever go with your spouse Think me and Morgan get along all the time No, we had a heated debate last week who was on their phone more So at least mine I'm on for work you guys you guys are on for social stuff Dad you all you got to lead the way. I don't lead the way my wife was so gracious So gentle You're just convicted But did we mature spiritually because you own it you say yeah, I'm and I still don't it Yeah, I'm still like it's a 50-50 here. Okay, so I'm still still like not conceding yet But but that's how but isn't this not the most important There's a good book out there the bait of Satan think Rick and Lori. Are you guys here? You recommended it you just study on it. Yeah, that's a good book peacemaker Peacemaker and Laura you too and I mean you guys have matured I mean you I look up to you guys because of everything we those who can stay with you. That's your family That's who you can count on. It's it's a stronger relationship But that's how Satan actually works in the church The biggest I believe his biggest weapon is the the spirit of offense. I know people I'm looking to see They're actually not here today because they're offended not at me praise God but at other people the spirit of offense And I've been really searching my heart this week because I run into people I see people they're offended at what they're offended at me They're like what what happened? Lord what? They don't want to talk and reconcile and mature and they'll never mature. They'll stay stuck at that spiritual age Many people they've been a Christian 25 years. There's still like they've been a Christian six months That's how you grow spiritually Boy, that was a rabbit show if I've ever seen one. I vote I have no notes here But isn't that true? I didn't listen. I didn't and here they hear me, right? I mean guys I don't come here to be your friend I come here to help and to restore and renew marriages and revitalize relationship with look and that hurts sometimes That breaks hearts and I haven't handled things perfectly all the time. I get upset just like you Do you like when people come and they just decide you what decide to tell you what you need to work on? I'm working on it Now I've learned over the year. Okay. Can we talk? Okay. Okay. I know it's gonna be maybe something negative But that's how we grow Now I should throw this in here. There's a difference between Constructive criticism and again, this is all just coming to me. So I don't know a critical heart Big difference. I don't listen to the critical heart. Oh Shane you're just arrogant. No, I don't listen to the critical heart. I Listen to the constructive criticism who will shoot you straight Who will tell you the truth because they love you. They have no they have no skin in the game They're not biased and that's what you need to be careful of don't let the critical heart stop you and slow you down Because there's always gonna be criticism I mean, I get it 24 hours a day seven days a week Maybe not me personally but on media at Facebook this this way all the people just criticize Chris guys criticizing but the the the Encouragement is a thousand times greater and that's what you have to work on Be brave It's inner confidence. He said be brave be strong brave is inner confidence and Being strong is acting on that confidence Men right now we need you to be brave get off social media get off Whatever is distracting you and get in the Word of God We need to ask where are the Joshua's who said asked for me in my house. We will serve the Lord praise God You think Joshua wasn't worried? Where are the Joshua's as for me in my house? We will serve the Lord the Isaiah's and the Jeremiah's who stood up for God's Word the David who confronted Goliath Nehemiah who with one hand they they built the wall with the other hand they kept off the enemy Elijah He confronted he condemned wickedness Ezekiel though It says the Spirit of the Lord fell upon him and he would begin to do great exploits for God the three Hebrew boys in The friary furnace they said we will not bow to you Oh King Nebuchadnezzar and then they would not concede to evil We need men again to stand up and you won't do that without you know This is why I wish I could get into that the ending here. There's so powerful the you've got to become men of prayer We often hear the power of the praying mom. What are we gonna hear the power of the praying dad? That's what I want to hear. I want to hear the power of the praying dad Nine times out of ten nine times out of ten you hear testimony. Oh, thank God the prayers of my mom Thank God the prayers of my grandmother, but when are you gonna start to hear? Thank God for the prayers of my dad I don't want to go down on my watch with my kids watching me go down with the vessel and not being Loyal to the Lord and not praying and not seeking the heart of God Matthew Henry said apostasy begins at the closet door and what he meant was when you don't pray you fall away When you don't pray you fall away Closing verse 2nd Chronicles, but you be strong be strong and do not let your hands be weak For your work shall be rewarded Men, you need to remember that you I don't care if you have no education. You don't know the Bible very well You've messed up. He says but you be strong. Do not let your hands be weak for your work shall be rewarded I truly believe call me simple-minded call me call me narrow-minded call me immature But I truly believe that God will reward your work when you commit your works to him You might not see though all the fruit you might have to struggle But at the end of the day you can say the Lord sees what I'm doing He sees my prayer closet, even though my children aren't serving God my children have rejected God God still sees my tears staining my Bible even though they're rejecting me even though the world is hell-bent on rejecting him Even though Disney has gone berserk even though Hollywood has drifted so far even though, Washington But he sees my tears. He will reward my prayers because I trust in the Word of God that says