Sunday Morning Service 1-8-2023 Blessed Assurance

Blessed assurance. Jesus is mine, Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine. Heir of salvation, Purchase of God, Born of His spirit, washed in His blood. This is my story, this is my song praising My Savior all the day long, This is my story. This is my song, praising My Savior. All the day long. fix a burn from a Mercy, Whispers of love. This is this. Praising praising My Savior. All the day long. Perfect. If you're am happy and watching and we're still doing today is goodness. Lost in Islam. This is my story.

This is my this is my song, praising My Savior, all the day long.

I think it's right across the page, if it's not as the next page Standing on the Promises,

The promises of Christ.

The problem is the problem.

The promises of Christ.

The rest.

I'm still.

Does it usually handle turn one page back to 337 words of Paul? I know whom I have believed.

By God's grace are the Christ and love reading.

Find a way to do. That is a table.

I know it's hard rod with it.

Find a way. That is a

Add a way that he is able.

I know that he is.

If I Rush your skin.

There's always a battle going on as to how often you pound your people, you know, you're not doing right? You need to do this better, you need to let you know. Just there's always something it and that's true. There's there's a lot of stuff in the Bible that that we fall short of. I was talking on, I'm one of my pastor websites this week and and I said you know, I said that applies to us is pastors a lot more than our people sometimes and I've been so impressed. That some of the things that some of y'all are going through. and, I was I was reminded I was with Father Jason at the Catholic church at his home and I've shared this a little bit and we were sitting there. His phone went off. His phone went off, and his phone went off in his phone went off, and it was just constantly and it was suicides. It was divorce. It was car wrecks. It was cancer. It was runaway kid. It was kids, you and drugs. It was just going on and on and on and any just looked at it and brother, Paul Taylor, and I are there any looked at us? He said, I don't know where to start. You said there's just a Min and he's got my appreciation and he's got over 3,000 people. And his diet, see that, that he's the pastor for and end for us, you know, I just want kind of today to be a time of encouragement. I I was, I was sharing, you know, last night at group, you know, the hardest thing. For people to deal with is situations, we can't fix. Whether it's a child or grandchild as much as we want to fix it. We can't. And and and that is probably a bigger burden. Honest. And I ain't no. I asked God all the time. Why God, you know, did somebody you'll have this dear saint? That is just serve the Lord, their whole life. Getting a horrible car wreck come down with. Can't, you know, some things that just don't make sense. Sometimes, and, you know, I keep coming back with the answer with I have my reasons, you know, I have a plan, I have a purpose, I get more upset over some things and the people actually going through it I look at me in this a brother Bill, you need to stop worrying. You worry way too much.

Blessed Assurance, you know, our comfort for those of us that are in Christ, You know, week week we have God's word and and that's, that's what we have to stand on. And believe me, no, people tell us stuff and you know, sometimes they're wrong. The things they tell us. My house is Miss Janice is ever wrong. There is rejoicing there is. It doesn't matter what it is if she's lost something or something or other Bill is having doing the happy dance cuz it doesn't happen, but every five to seven years. And so I have to I have to bask in that. But but looking at God's word, you know, I'm going to go fast and furious and and I'm appreciating all the work Bob is putting in with with, with new formats there. We've got another way we're trying to look too. Hey get our sermons so you can hear him and he'll be asking for your email address to extend out. There's a Ministry called Faith life and you can be part of the been here, our entire service, with the music and everything, and I was listening to it in my car. You know, I listen to my car all week or out brother. Why are you saying last week as a word for me today? Wore out

Romans 3:23 for all, have sinned and fall short of the glory of God being justified, freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus. You know that term Grace, it's free. Unmerited favor of God. We were Sinners and for whatever reason, God's love was shown to us. Unmarried, we didn't deserve it. And it was offered up.

And I'm hoping we've all received it. It's there. You never know. He goes on. Romans 3:25 whom God said forth. As a propitiation, I'm coming back to that, one by his blood, through phase to demonstrate his righteousness. Because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed to demonstrate at the present time. His righteousness that he might be just in the justifier of the one who is Faith in Jesus Christ. Propitiation that is in the word that we probably other than reading in the Bible. We don't ever use it but it's a peezing God or somebody else. Looking into the atonement of Jesus Christ. And this is one of those things. I've been asked, I mean when I first started ministry it's like why is Christianity so bloody It's all about suffering and killing people and dying and I don't know and they said it starts with with Cain and Abel. And he comes along book for whatever reason. There was an expectation of blood to make things, right? And for the sins, the Forgiveness of sins and nnn. Historical Judaism. The significance of the sacrifice. Done out of obedience done to make things right in our relationship was there and it's because of the blood of Christ. And God's forbearance. That is the Everlasting, patience. You know what I'm reminded of don't make me. Tell you again if I have to tell you one more time and five times later we're still some, some of you

Some of you, I asked you, I asked to use, who are you more scared of your mom or your dad? I said, I know when I get the look or I get my full name. It is time to go far far away. For a long. Of time, but in God's forbearance. You know, that was us constantly. Failing to do what we were supposed to do. And it said he passed over the sins that we had committed. That he is the justifier of us and we forget that sometimes we we we have bad days. We blow it. We mess up and and we just have to realize God still got us. He's not, he's not disowning us, he's not kicking us out.

You know, even if his parents are sometimes, we wanted to choke our kids. Some of us might have choked her kids. I don't know, but they are in God. Probably the same way with us. You knew what you had to do. You made a choice. You didn't do it. But you know what, I still love you and I still have a plan for you and we'll pick the pieces up and we'll Carry On from here. He goes on. One of the examples used for this? Is anyone ever had their bill paid in a restaurant Chick-fil-A? Anything like that? Anybody pay your bill? And it it's it's kind of weird cuz you start looking around going who did it since it's happened to Janice and I are a couple times and we'd seen the church member in there. So we're like What was probably them. That did it or something but when somebody you don't know, pays your bill You start wondering why? They think I was somebody else. Did you know, why did they do that? And it goes through their mind. And we were helpless to do anything about it. We didn't ask a please pay my bill. it was just done it and we don't know why an in then the last part of it is the waitress comes up and tells you your bills been taken care of

And sometimes it's why I want to give you, they already put the tip on. I want to keep you too cuz I'm I'm feeling bad about somebody paying my bill but then did get up out of the restaurant and walk out. Sort of criminal, sometimes you didn't pay your bill. And that's how it is with the grace in the love of God. We're in line, we're sitting in the restaurant and God's paid it. We don't know why on us, there are a lot of better people than me. He could have picked. But for us, the reason it was done was because the scripture tells us because of his love, that was shown to us. And this is where. John 3:16 for God. So loved the world that he gave his only begotten, son, that whoever believes in him. Should not perish but have everlasting life. I was looking back. I'm sure that first four servings in a row. And I'm telling you, when I was praying for Wyatt and I look down in his chest and his head was swollen and he was on a respirator event and everything else, and they are tattooed on his chest was John 3:16. I was just You know? And and the rejoicing is, he's in a room, he's mastered, the TV remote. God is good, and no good for us. You know, that's the reason that's why we're here because of God's love. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. We, we we deserved it. We we messed up. you know, that they talked about original sin because of Adam and Eve,

We are born, sinners. and in those of you that have small children,

if I say, can a child send, Oh yes, anger jealousy. Just be Mama Janice messes up all the time with Riley. There's not enough milk in that bottle and when that bottle runs Drive, she's not a happy baby.

If she's drunk plenty, but she just wants War. But the original sin.

You know. That's you don't know. If people tell me, I'm not that bad. I'm I'm a pretty good guy. I give lots of money to Habitat Humanity. I do stuff. That makes me good. And I'm like but ultimately you know where we are.

We stand before God as Center. No merit, no worth and that love, just wraps us up and picks us up. Ephesians. Will be starting the Ephesians bible, study this afternoon at 4 for by Grace you have been saved through faith and not of yourselves to gift. Of God not of Works lest anyone should boast for. We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God provide beforehand that we should walk in them.

Not ourselves. We can do some good stuff we can go on mission trips. We can build a church somewhere. We can we can help in vacation bible school with. There's a lot of stuff we can do, but that's not with saving this It's God, that's doing this evening, in the works, in our lives. And a lot of times, we keep thinking that if I work harder, if I just do this, but just do this, I can fix it. I can fix, I can fix my family. I can fix my workplace if it doesn't work that way. You know, each of us individually stand before God. I am over the years. I cannot tell you. How many teenagers have looked at me? And pleaded their grandparents faith. They don't even plead their parents faith. My Papa Was a deacon. My Papa Was a preacher. My grandma. She taught Sunday school for 60 years, you know. And I'm like, You what, you know but but my grandma you know, my grandma told me my papa told me my identity and that may be true. But what is the word of God? Tell us And end. You know, I don't know how many of us have been blessed. With. The brutally honest grandmother or grandfather.

That whether you wanted to hear it or not, you are going to hear it and what you did with it. You know. Sometimes. They speak their piece and let you go. Sometimes they speak their piece and 5 minutes later, you were getting a phone call. Did you hear what I said? The reminder. But the honesty in the truthfulness. We need to hear it and we need to know it. And what I'm trying to get to us today is in the midst of all the bad stuff.

There is still a good work of God. We still have the Blessed Assurance. We still have his greatest, I faithfulness and

The things that God has prepared that we should walk in them and I just I just want today to be an encouragement that for everything we're going through.

We have a savior and we have a hope. And no, we don't feel like it right now at this moment.

He's there and he's got us on the treadmill. I was going to get these cute videos of of all the people on the treadmill getting thrown off and the dog jumps on there and takes the person out or the little hamster ball. It's just going and going and going and going and going around.

What the treadmill? Was not. Originally designed as a health and fitness convention. It wasn't the Peloton of the 1500s. It was, it was designed as a punishment. If you were in jail, in some cases, they would have a treadmill that would Running water well pump water. It would grind corn or you would just be on it as punishment walk until you couldn't walk anymore and then you would collapse and and that was the punishment that was given 14 15 1600.

We're getting off the treadmill and and that's what the video was was trying to show. You know, we we go, we go, we go.

Remember, the Christ has already freed us from sins and failures. They're still consequences. I've had people. tell me, well, I don't do that anymore since I became a Christian, but I do do this now. I remember years ago, having a discussion about Progressive salvation. You know, we get saved over here and I'm going this way and I'm going, this is where I should be at. I have somebody talkin to me that the he was a thief. I mean, everybody in town knew he was the thief. And he was like, so excited for the Bill. I'm not stealing as much as I teach this people. And I'm just like I honestly did. Why are you grabbing your hat? I said I said, I'm not sure what are tests that that's, that's the intent of Our Testimony. I'm rejoicing. I only steal once a week instead of every day.

What is the zeros at the same time?

Did the sins we have in the sins that we're going to commit? I saw a Facebook post this morning. I think it was. It said you know what? God, love you and God died for you. Knowing The message you would be in a year from now. all all the stuff that was going to be coming in and suck on our joy dry God knew about it. And he was going to be there for us.

Also on the treadmill.

There was a hope. For the guys on the treadmill, the criminals that someday, they would be free. And they wouldn't be able to live their lives. Christ. Paid the ransom for us. We're free. And then sometimes we we don't want to live that way. We just keep going back to the ancient history stuff and we keep bringing it up and and and I know it's our life experiences as somewhat what shapes us and makes us who we are. But Not not doing overly. Prosperity Gospel or anything like that, but God's got a plan for us and we're in his hand and and we have to Rejoice knowing that he's got us even though we don't understand it. Even though we still go through bad stuff, he paid the price, The Ransom that was demanded for us.

and that now we're walking in the freedom and God's grace and God's mercy. You know, that's, that's our testimony. I was over here and now I'm over here, I don't know how I got there, other than the grace of God. You know, I talk all the time of of the things I used to do with my cousins. It's a miracle. I was alive. If I wasn't, it would have been their fault. I'm just saying they would they were bad and

But how we how God has taken us. He's picked this up. He's walk to Sarah. And that's one thing I've been amazed with, I went to a youth conference and they shared that. 90%.

Teenage boys. In church have never heard their father's testimony.

I've never heard it. It was like 83% for moms. And I sure didn't hear that man. I left that conference and I got home and I grabbed my kids and I was like, tell me, you've heard my tent and Ashley was yeah, I was at camp and you shared it. I looked at my son, he goes. Hi my dude. You you must have a minute at this point. He was like 16 I said you must if he goes

and and I'm like, just like but it is a point the speaker was making Our faith walk though, it's not perfect. Can be an encouragement to other people. And that they need to hear that we struggled and we battled and we fought, and God was faithful. To it. Titus 3:3. for we ourselves to we're also once foolish disobedient, deceive serving, various lost in Pleasures, living in Malice and envy hateful and hating one another But when the kindness and the love of God, our savior toward men appeared, not by works of righteousness that we had done. But according to his Mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit who me pour down on us abundantly through. Jesus Christ, Our Savior that having been justified by his grace, we should become a cording to the hope. Of eternal life. That Airship being brought into the family. You know, I've I've struggled in in in a lot of the years I did you, you know, kids would look at me and say, my father was a horrible person. He was horrible to my mom. He was horrible to me. He was horrible to everybody and I don't want to think of God as my father, I want to think of him is as something else. And I try to share with them that that, that the God, the Father. Is the one that's going to be picking us up when we messed up, he's the one picking us up. We feel like we can't go any further. And in the failures in the shortcomings of humans. I don't I don't try to downplay. You know, I've I've looked at the kids after I hear the whole story of how badly they're hated and everything else and I'll say is your father, love you at all.

And they're like pretty sure he did.

You can't respond to that. I mean, that's their reality that they they believe and then sometimes I'd get the opportunity to meet the guy.

and I'm thinking, I thought And I'll spend some time with them and they'll share with me. They said I was a horrible person. Everything, my family has said about me is true. But then, I found Christ. Some of them have died. Never never fixing things. Never restoring thing, and my hope is, you know, ween to the father of the Bible. That his unending love his Mercy. His kindness is Grace and, and do was that Romans 5:11. And not only that. We also rejoice in God through our Lord, Jesus Christ through whom. We've now received the reconciliation we are made, right?

We are where we need to be for in Christ. They'll be things that we probably need to be encouraged to be doing to continue our walk in Christ, but our ultimate placing family. The adoption the Airship is there

1st John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us, our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He's faithful. Even when we don't feel it. Even we don't think we deserve it. He's the faithful one.

And our hope. You know, I speak we going to the new year as I just said, there's there's been so much stuff going up lives.

We just need to remember to stand on God's word. And live our lives. Like we believe it's true.

There's, there's a lot of times it that we say, I believe the Bible.

What do you put? Do you believe? I don't know. I just I do.

Well, believing that God has us. He has a plan. He has loved. We have a purpose.

And step out everyday, with that belief. And see where God leads us. We'll have a time of invitation. If the lord has laid something on your hard, I'll be at the front, the altars are always open to pray. Father God, we thank you that you love us just the way we are. Lord help us to realize that our tab has been paid. Father, may we go forth. Living in faith, living in the victory, rejoicing, in the hope that we have in you and your wonderful and precious name.