Sunday 1/1/2023 Morning Service

Come home at 9, sit down for a by and you're wore out. Warner Cable to get up from the table cuz you're wore out. Florida. Crawl into bed and sleep, like your dad, cuz you're wore out.

In the morning, I can't seem to get up cuz you're wore out.

We get to have a massage so you won't have to worry about it. We'll be happy and free and our bodies will be War.

Get up on Sunday today cuz you're more out.

Come sit in church and your back starts to hurt cuz it's War out. Roar. Fire starts to say and you don't feel it then cuz you're wore out.

Spray this tournament and song won't last too long cuz you're wore out.

When we get to heaven with Jesus, I won't have to worry about everything will be happy and free and our bodies won't be for a while.

Go for a ride in the car with your wife and it's War out talking about the car. She starts to worry, tells you not to hurry. This car is wore out or you don't know where you're at. One of the tires is gone flat cuz it's War out. From the sky cuz she's wore out.

When we get to heaven, where Jesus, I won't have to worry about it, we'll be happy and free and our bodies won't be wore out.

Will be happy and free. Nothing there will ever be. Aura.

Stand with me and we're going to sing together. We're going to start at number 518, shall We Gather at the river?

Shall We Gather at the river? Where Bright Angel Forever by The Throne of God? Beautiful. Beautiful God. Why should we walk and worship all that happy?

Yes, we will. Gather at the river that flows by The Throne of God. Are we reach The Shining room and provide a robe and Crown?

Yes, we will gather at the river, the Beautiful, the beautiful. At the river that flows by The Throne of God.

Will reach The Shining happy Hearts will quit with the man. I love the beautiful Lowe's by The Throne of God.

Sorry, I see you already turned it back 515. There's a land that's fair than day in the sweet by-and-by.

Embassy Suites in this way we shall, we shall

We shall see all that Ridge. Road, we shall. We shall make sure that we will.

We shall. We shall make sure

One more page back song When We All Get To Heaven. Brother Bill told me not long ago. He struggled for a long time with this song cuz not everybody goes to heaven and we're singing when we all get to heaven I hope all of you will I'll be there, so please join us but we're going to sing when we all get to heaven.

when we are,

Play. When we are glad I will sing shopping.

Price of live, free pay. When we are

We had the Salmon River where we were from in West Louisiana and the only time it got high Adventures. When they open the dams at Toledo, Bend and everything came rushing down. Well, I remember the river was high and and Donnie will appreciate this. I decided to go venturing down La trace and I didn't drive very far. And I said, I'll get out and walk. And I started walking, I looked over, and I got a little pair of eyes watching me, and I'm like, oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm going back in the car and I, I sent the folks a message saying, I really wanted to come see you but

It's like they they called me one time and wanted to meet. Go do night water rescues in Mara pas. I like midnight. And it was like armpit deep-water and I'm down on my some guys I love you. I said I'll see you at first light, but I got to see what's going to eat me before I get eaten and stuff. But the promise of gathering at the River Inn and, you know, we I get asked all the time you know, is heaven going to have this? Haven't going to do. That is my dog going to be in heaven is my cat going to be in heaven. You know, folks, those that have been married multiple times like 45 times. Want to know which wife is going to be their wife and having a tooth. I don't know. You know, that is that is something that we will see.

And it's tough. If you know what I was talking about that song where and I talked about it, we all get to heaven. There's a lot of people that think everybody's going to heaven, you know, that God loves everybody and everything is okay. And he's a fair. He's a loving. He's a kind God, so I've done doesn't matter and I'm like

But hopefully he said those of us sitting here in Christ, we will be United together. I get asked, you know, these questions people come up with, you know, are we going to recognize everybody in heaven? and then I know I can look back and forth on it and I'm like,

There's rejoicing. But then what happens when you don't see a loved one there. Or somebody you thought all these years was going to be there. That's not you know then there's going to be sorrow and grief and it says there's not any of that and have him. So that's why I don't think we're going to be particularly will be spending too much time focusing on our Lord and savior to worry about some of that we're being Philippians. Starting the the New Year here and Paul gives some some words of encouragement. When chapter 3, starting with verse 12, and,

He had a, he had a warm spot for the Philippian Church. They weren't Messing up as badly as some of the other churches were. But he shares this and verse 12 not that I have already attained or I'm already perfected but I press on that I may lay hold of that which Jesus Christ has also lay hold of me.

Pressing on. We don't use that word very much when I was in the Army and we were doing the salt on something, they like press-on, press-on, press-on, keep going, go across the objective and you know, Far Side, you know, don't stop when you think you're up to it. But this is the definition of pressing on continue, moving forward. In a forceful steady way. And he's talking about us that have come into Christ, we're saved. But what do we do with it? Where, where do we go next? And, and this could be almost a daily message for us and impulse saying I press on that, I may lay hold of that, which Christ Jesus also laid, hold of me though, the love and the grace and the mercy, the Christ showed the, each one of us posted. That's what we've got to be going after. And, and looking for the next verse he goes on Brethren. I do not count myself to apprehended. That means getting going, but one thing I do, Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press on towards the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ, we all know those person. That will tell us the horrible story. Over and over and over again. something in their life, something happened and

Whenever they see you it's not or you might get higher. Hello, but then the horror story starts. and you're like, You know why? I just want you to remember it and I'm thinking in my mind. Why something horrible that happened to you? Do I need to remember it. And I'm like, and I tell people all the time, bad things happen. They happen to us. People do things to us, but we have to move on at some point. You have to start the healing process of moving forward. And living a life like God intended you to live and end to dwell upon the bitterness and the bad stuff for the past. It doesn't it doesn't fix anything. It doesn't encourage anything and impulses here, those things that were behind me. We can't fix, you know, what side do funerals, quote should have could have, would have There was things. We should have said, we could have said And you know, we say now if we had more time but it's too late, there's there's no time for that. And and so when he says, move on from those things and and fix it do better, don't be caught up in the same trap over and over and over again. We tweak it about

I don't know how many of y'all have large families, but I had a lot of cousins. And we had some bad cousins. I was a good cousin just so there's any questions there. I was just I'm in neutral bad, bad cousins. And they would lead you to do things irrational person. Wouldn't they had an apple orchard. Beautiful apples. I also had a hornet nest.

And they beg me, will they dared me that? I could not hit said, Hornet's Nest with an apple?

And I knew I hit it. And then they sent me back to check.

And I pulled that push back and pop. Pop, pop pop pop poop. I went screaming. The way I used to do horrible things that they have pain behind their house, it was in Connecticut and we be playing hockey. And the scream ran under the ice. So the ice was thin. And they would go. There's I'm like over there and they're like, go get the hockey puck. To the Sea. Nice. I would fall through that sucker. I didn't know it was only 2 ft deep but, you know, I thought visions of dying under the ice and stuff, but but the influence that they, they had I'm a night. I was so trying to impress them. And and I knew it was going to come any time we were together. They would, they would start Hey want to do this, we all have people in our lives that are that voiced talkin to us? People they're going to have Sarah's people. They're going to anger us people that are going to disappoint us and Paul talks here, he says, you know, forget those things that are behind press on to those things which are ahead. It is hard. The disconnect with a bad influence in your life when it's somebody or close to it. Somebody you grew up with all the time I The first time I told my cousin's, I did not feel like playing hockey. Oh, come on. Are you baby coward, scared? You know, I don't like no, I'm just I know it's going to happen, I'm going to be armpit deep in the ice and and I don't want to do it. And for us as Christians, we sometimes need to make the assessments of those things that are edifying, a bill to stop the encouraging us. And and then sometimes we just have to be alone. Because we know where it's going to go on and what's going to happen and what's going to be the end result? He says I press on to the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, that's it. For God. So loved the world that he gave that whosoever shall not perish but have eternal life. And the moving on press of the pressing on the going forward with urgency and strength to do what God has called us to do. Is where we need to be in this new year. AR-15 therefore, let us as many or as mature, have this mind and if in anything you think otherwise God will reveal even this to you, never the West to degree that we've already attained. Let us walk by the same Rule and let us be of the same mind. I'm a man. Usually look at church history.

Picture. Walking into Walmart. And grabbing 50 people. Just random people use you. Say we're going to have church.

There be interesting conversation. Some of those people would have to say and that's what, that's what Paul I mean, people are coming up saying Would you like to know Jesus Christ? The person said yes an hour ago, he was worshipping Idols an hour ago, he was, you know, praying to the moon. Now he's coming to Christ. And in the first part there, he's talking about if any of you think otherwise God will reveal it to you and I and I tell people all the time in the word of God. God will show you. God will give you peace. About what you're thinking, what you're doing, give you understanding if your the Bible talks about, if anyone seeks wisdom, let him ask and it will be shown him. Did agree. We've all retain. Let us walk by the same rule. Let us be of the same mind. Talkin about unity in the in the body of Christ where we need to be.

17 Brethren. Join in following my example now, I don't know if I was your pastor. I would say that.

Because there are times, maybe, maybe Paul had mostly all together. There are days. I'm probably a wreck. And I don't want you following a wreck, but Paul comes out and says follow my example. And let's just say, his example is into spiritual things, not everything else going on in his wife, and no, those who so walk. As you have us for pattern, Always look at the good example. Before I have been amazed at at some of the Saints.

That have gone before us. There was a lady up and call you on the Smurfs. Some of you might have known. She was she was pushing a hundred when she passed away. And she would talk to you about Jesus. Every chance she got. Her husband had died or kids who died? She was just

just faithful to God's word and I used to be so encouraged that she go preacher boy. Let's get some energy. Get at it. And she was like, at that time, she was like, I don't know 94-95. Okay, Miss mirth. Got it. First, many walk of whom. I've told you often and now tell you even weeping, they are enemies of the cross. We have to constantly be aware of. What is true? What is not. I sit there sometimes on my phone. they'll them throwing feeds of preachers and ministers and and you know, I'm just sitting there going no no no no no, all this to every word the guys saying and I'm like

show me in there where it says it and Paul says here, We will constantly have to seek. What is true? What is in line with God's word and what's not and be Discerning of it? it's it's hard for me sometimes when particularly, there's an elderly person, As I hit my age. This past week, elderly is getting to be a higher term. I'm not Somebody was giving me a hard time about. How do you get those discounts not know if they're 65, I'm not there yet, so go with it. But you know, this person is is heard this Minister. He likes his Minister and and not everything he says, is crazy and wrong, but they throw you a bunch of good stuff and then, the crazy stuff comes out. And you're like, but I really like that guy. He's real. A good minister. And I I I tell him very gently, I said, you know what, you go to a doctor that was 50%, right? Wendy, I mean, he's he's he's right 50% of the time. But what about the other half? And I said in the same way, well, we're not supposed to judge people.

You know, he talks here, those are enemies of the Cross. And, and then, this destruction, I mean, the first 19 whose end is destruction, the God is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Who set their mind on Earthly things?

Janice and I have an opportunity, some years back. To go to a college conference. Now, why you would have a college conference in New Orleans, I don't know what people were thinking. I mean, just what were the planners thinking about? But we went down there. And I thought I was pretty.

Try to think of my word here, so you don't think horrible about me, but but I was not naive to what went on in the world. But it was also the weekend of this college conference decadent Diva weekend. In New Orleans.

And there were ten thousand people down there celebrating perversion. And in the things, I mean, we're talkin whips. We're talkin Kyle, we're talkin teams were talkin nudity talkin and I'm sitting there going

You know what, what goes on in? Someone's mind to put a collar around your neck. I'm thinking all that be cool, big spike collar, I'm thinking that got to be cool. But this what he's talkin about here there and is their destruction, their God is their belly and they glory in their shame. And, and we have to only be aware. Of what is Godly and what is wholesome and what is pure. And and I'm telling you, it's hard to find a good TV show now. We sit there, click click, click, click click, and we think we get a good one and then click, you know, when and what we're bringing into us to takes a toll, it has an effect. They set their minds on Earthly things in Paul and joins us to watch be diligent, be careful. What you support? What you get into.

For our citizenship is in heaven from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bottle body that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he's able to subdue, all things to himself. That's your promise. What we have now? Is going to be so much better.

Dial. I've known people that when they came to Christ, the moment after their first prayer is dear Lord, Jesus Take Me Now.

What are you doing? I want to go to Jesus. Come on. I said, it's a good. I worry, you know, I have a lot of friends said that they pray everyday or Jesus quickly. Come Lord, Jesus quickly, come Lord, Jesus quickly. Come. And then I look around and I'll say them, I said, is your family and friends saved. Well, no, I said where are they going to go with? Lord Jesus comes right now.

The hell. Probably to hell. A 10 so you need to be in Lord Jesus. Show Mercy, So Graceful. Kindness, give us the wisdom to share the Hope in the love of Christ. That when you do come,

There will be a joy sing and not weeping on there and in Transforming Our lowly body into his glorious body.

Why the folks at Denver suffering before they pass wracked with cancer?

Just horrible diseases, you know. And it's it's it's so different watching someone in Christ and someone that's not, they still ask. Why am I going through this? Some of them. And we don't know. But when it's over, There's an understanding that they have a new body. They're not suffering, they are not hurting. I know when I had an uncle. That was 99 when he passed away 999. And his 96 year old brother. One of them put on life support because he was fine. And I'm thinking, you know, We are all going to go. And our hope is that, we are transformed to that moment. And I tell people all the time, you know that I'll get asked about going to Purgatory or we going to have somebody going to have to pray us out. Maybe we didn't do something. Just right? I said look we have the thief on the cross. And Jesus looks at him and says today you'll be with me in Paradise.

He didn't get baptized, he didn't get any money. He didn't go on a mission trip. You said, I believe you're the Christ, the son of the Living, God and and and that's one of the few people. We know that are out of price. Now weren't back went to heaven. There's a lot. We think about that. We don't, we don't know for sure.

He's able to subdue all things to himself.

There are battles, we cannot win. matter, how hard we try, no matter what we do, no matter what we throw at it. But God can't. I did a wedding in Turkey Creek, Louisiana, if anybody knows where that is. It's up by bunky. It's a very interesting place and it was at a plantation. And again. Any Brides In the Room, don't plan July weddings are just outdoor weddings. Brutal, brutal brutal. It was the middle of a Cane field. And the bugs. I mean every time you open your mouth, you were wife and bugs off. And so I'm there for this this wedding and I was staying there. Course they told me that information was on didn't put me in the supposedly haunted so I'm like thanks guys you know but I didn't have any problems sleeping. This man was running around picking up cigarette butts and Coke cans sweeping the floor and the cook was there and I said you were man has a hardest-working janitor I have ever seen in my life. It's keto app. You go boy. He said he owns this place. He owns three more. He's got twenty-eight Thousand Acres up in Monroe of Timber property. He owns the the Bentley hotel in Alexandria And then I said and he still works like the oh yes, ma'am. He's the first one here in the last one home everyday. And so I got to talk with him and visit with him and former pastor friend of mine was his faster and he says, but let me tell you something. He said, my only daughter, Has come down with a brain tumor, that's inoperable. And he said, in all the money in the world can't change anything, he said I would sell it all. Help. When I can't, Have some years later she was still living and she was still functioning and I was rejoicing with them. What's roster? There's some things we can't change, we can't fix. And we have to believe that part that God will do it. And I get asked all the time, so you going to go. Yell at somebody or jump somebody or do you know what? No, what do you mean? No, I said I pray about I give it to God and God will work things out. I don't have to have as much stress in my life and we don't have we we stressed out. I heard one of those preachers that he's a little better than 50/50. but he was talking about part of our problems is We let ourselves be offended. And he was talking about why, why are we so sensitive that? Would somebody says, or somebody does angers upsets us, and just sucks. All the joy out of us. Let It Go. you know, you're not That's supposed to say stupid from the pulpit but you don't think stupid sometimes. I mean that's just the stand, but God will and God can and God does. And when we commit to him, and he ends up with this there, for my beloved, in long for Brethren my joy and Crown Stand Fast in the Lord, be loved. And that term Stand Fast, I had to look it up. And it means firmly remain in the same position or keep the same opinion.

Stand Fast in the Lord, you know, as we enter this new year Remaining Christ, remain in God. Keep your heart. Focus on God's word and God's obedience. And he will do the rest. As we prepare for the Lord's Supper. We're at sometimes about.

Strictly Mike, my Catholic friends, say you give communion to everybody. And they'll give me a story about father. So and so would turn people away. And then I might, well this is what we believe that. If you were in Jesus Christ, we practiced in the Baptist Church open communion and if you've accepted Jesus as time as your lord and savior, you are welcome to come join with us as the body of Christ and four take and so if Richard and cargo could come up,