6 things only God can give you (Romans 15:5-6)

No matter who we are, we are starving for belonging. Even if it's bad, I prepared to get punched in the face. I counted the cost. I was sitting at dinner. There's no way if I go home total disobedience. And the dad said, "Dude, you and I are living in this physical realm all the while dealing with invisible beings. We better start asking God for these things."

Believers, we're going to get into the study today of what is what does it mean to have uh one voice, one mind, uh one direction. Imagine the church of Jesus Christ. Literally united by his word, not by opinion, by his word, not by posting, by his word, not by broadcast or podcast, but united by his word. If the church decides to let the Bible be the authority that it is, we will be of one mind, we will be of one voice, and we will be one in Christ. So, grab your Bible, and I hope you grow today in the grace and knowledge of Jesus because it's his will that you and I become one. Amen.

Church family, let's stand to our feet this morning as we dive back into the book of Romans and end this section together. Romans chapter 15. And now reading just verses five and six. Reading verses five and six. We'll uh put part three of what this world cannot say to you. What this world cannot say to you and I. Pro uh Romans chapter 15:es 5 and 6. I'll start verse 5 and you can end it with verse six. Nice and loud.

Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be likeminded toward one another according to Christ Jesus. >> One mind glorify God fatherus Christ. >> Heavenly Father we pray that out of your word you would be our instructor this morning God that you would be our teacher. And Lord, we would leave this building today a church alive, a church on fire, a church knowing biblical doctrine that we might not be deceived in these last days. And Lord God, that we would live out what you've called us to live and to be like until you return. So, Father, we pray now in your name. And all God's people said, >> amen. >> Amen. You may be seated, church.

What this world cannot say. This is now uh part three of our lesson together. And uh what we saw up front in verses 1 to3 is that what this world cannot say to you and I uh is anything good because the world Jesus said will speak ill of us. That's what the world will say. The world will twist. The world will attack. the world that does not know God uh will conduct itself against anything and anyone who stands for the things of God. And church, I stressed in that uh message that we need to just kind of uh get strong and get galvanized, get tough against criticism, against the attacks. When you stand up for Jesus, when you do the right thing for Jesus, for that matter, I told you guys before that uh whenever Lisa and I are someplace and and somebody says Jesus Christ, we always say is Lord. Uh because if they can say Jesus Christ in their context, we get to say it in our context. And our context is better than their context. He is Lord. He is Christ the Lord. And so we also learned in our previous study that uh it is important that when heaven uh it speaks, it speaks up for us. Heaven defends us. The world will attack us. The world will speak ill of us. But we were reminded that the book of Hebrews tells us that there's a great cloud of witnesses in heaven. And it's almost as though they're cheering us on. And uh the world will hate us, but heaven applauds what we're doing in this world right now. You think about heaven. Heaven, the old Puritans used to put it this way. There's the church militant and the church triumphant. The church militant is the church that is still stuck in this world and standing for righteousness. And that's tough. That's hard. And then there's the church triumphant. Guess what that means? It means it's the church in heaven. >> And that's what you and I are living for. or I hope you know to get to heaven. Not that we're not that that's in doubt because of Christ's blood, his death on the cross, his resurrection from the grave. He has purchased heaven for us for all who believe. Knowing that we are living for heaven that we might enter the gates of heaven, having finished our course in living for Christ.

Which brings us now to verses five and six of this section. and will end it. What this world cannot say is this is when you and I and God become one. The oneness of the work of God in our lives. And let me read that section that we read a moment ago. Now the scripture says, "May the God of patience and comfort grant you to be likeminded toward one another according to Christ Jesus." Verse six, that you may with one mind and with one mouth glorify the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Church, having said that, this is the will of God that every true believer recognize their proper place, our proper place with God. The God of the Bible is the only God of all of human antiquity from all religious uh groups that have been formed since creation. It is only the God of the Bible, the one and only true living God. That's why who says that he has come to make us one. We scarcely appreciate that. When he says, "I want to be one with you," it does not mean that you become a god. There are those who say that. There are those, watch my fingers, there are those who say that is actual Christianity that you will become God. Excuse me. The last time or the first time I should say we ever read that and heard that was from a slithering snake in the garden. And anybody who comes along and says, "Hey, you can become a god." You say, "I heard that before." And drive them off your doorstep. >> Uh because that is false doctrine, folks. No. But what the God of heaven does is that in his redemptive work, in his bringing us into his family, that is the oneness. He is our father. Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. And God brings us into one family. And that's a beautiful thing to consider.

I'm going to ask you to to look at a few things or to think about a few things here. Um, and that is uh what what this world cannot say to you and I. And I just wrote down I don't know uh five or six things here. Uh this world cannot promise you love. I don't care what the song says. The world cannot promise you love. You are loved by the allloving God. That's important for you to know because the fact that God is love demands that God's love is pure. Hear me out. I say this not to offend anyone, but if if the Holy Spirit wants to convict you, let him do that for the betterment of your life. God is love. And the scripture teaches us clearly that he's an allloving God. The world cannot tell you that it loves you like God can tell you that he loves you. And when God says, "I love you." Remember this, he does not love the sin that you and I harbor and hold in our lives. In fact, that is a great hindrance to you and I. Listen, that is a great hindrance to you and I knowing the love of God. >> God loves you. >> Amen. You may be here today and you might be saying, "Well, I I have this lifestyle or I believe this about myself or the other." Listen, God hates sin. That's why he came and died ON THE CROSS. BUT HE CAME AND DIED on the cross because he loves you. And God's love is so pure and so great that he doesn't leave us like we are. >> Think of that for a moment. Every single one of us are sinners. The Bible says we've all sinned and come short of the glory of God. WE'VE BEEN RESCUED BY THE LOVE OF GOD. But listen, God's love is not the tolerant love of this world. >> The love of this world, it frankly is disgusting. And I can put it this way. The love of this world is dangerous because the love of this world will just pat you on the back and say you're okay until you slip and fall into hell. And the world has nothing to say to you about that because the world frankly has nothing to say of value when it comes to your eternal life. That's why Christ came. self-help, self-reformation can never do it. Jesus Christ transforms us by his love.

Another consideration I'd like you to think about is what the world cannot say to us is that the WORLD CANNOT PROMISE YOU AND I FORGIVENESS. FORGIVENESS. I I I got to tell you, I failed to read the article as far as I'm I assume it came out, but I didn't catch it. But uh Associated Press came to the church a few days ago and wanted to ask me and they did asked me would I make comments. They wanted to do an article on forgiveness. Associated Press by the way the interviewer was wonderful and uh we talked about forgiveness and u this person was I think I'm not sure I of of another religion certainly of another culture. Uh but that said, uh you could tell that when I began to define what forgiveness is from the Bible's perspective that she was she was captivated by that. You could see it in her face. She was kind of mesmerized by that. WHY? BECAUSE GOD ISSUES FORGIVENESS. LISTEN, the issue and the fact of forgiveness is that only in Christ and in the message of the gospel does it make any sense? >> Amen. >> Someone's got to pay the price for someone to be forgiven. And here is Listen, don't miss this. This is what and this is why the world cannot speak to you about forgiveness. When someone is truly forgiven, the person that has sinned against has to pay that price. Did you hear what I just said? Whoever experiences forgiveness, their forgiveness has to come at the expense of the one offended. Of course, the context. Think of think of Erica Kirk going to the microphone and saying to the man who assassinated her husband, "I forgive you." Who paid the price? Think about it. She's paying the price to issue forgiveness to that YOUNG MAN. WHERE DOES THAT come from? It comes from the very nature of God, and that is the God of the Bible. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE FORGIVEN, SOMEONE'S GOT TO PAY THAT PRICE. Forgiveness is of divine origin. And the side benefit for us who issue forgiveness because I know us. I am I am you. You are me. We we [laughter] uh we go like this. I am not going to give them the satisfaction of forgiving them. >> You're going to die a bitter old person. They'll go they'll go off to live a happy life >> and you'll just grind your teeth at night. >> Why? Because God gave you and I the ability to forgive people so we can set our hearts free from the power that the asalent has had against us. Don't misunderstand forgiveness. And the world can never tell you and promise you forgiveness. IT DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

The third thing is this is that this world cannot promise you redemption. Of course not. We have in our our culture uh attempts or conversations about redemption. Maybe you can be redeemed and you you go to prison and you're you're redeemed. Um not without Jesus you're not. Redemption means that someone has died to pay the price for the human soul. And you've been welcomed into the family of God by the Holy Spirit in such a matter. Next, by the way, this is just introduction to where we're going. This world cannot promise you and I belonging. This is a big deal. Young people need to hear this today. Um, belonging. You and I, I cannot exaggerate, stress, what's the word? Hyperbole. I cannot stand on my head. I would if I could to communicate this reality. You and I, no matter who we are, we are starving for belonging. You and I must have belonging. Gang members, many of them are gang members to have belonging. Everybody wants to be a part of something great or something happening or something, even if it's bad. Think about it. Your desire to be in a group that does bad still doesn't negate the fact that you desire to be identified in a group. >> Are you with me? >> If you're in a gang, you're just going along at the you're going about it the wrong way. Listen, Jesus Christ says, "You want to belong, come to me. >> You want to belong, follow me. You want to belong, be my church. Be my people. You want to belong. Remarkable power in all of that belonging. I um I think a lot of young people today are going through self-inflicted wounds because of a sense of belonging. They're trying to join up with what? some some uh social media person trying to be in the group. Oh, I listen. Oh, I follow them is a statement of belonging. But listen, why is that important? Because you and I need interaction like this. I prepared um I prepared Thursday or Friday. I think it was Friday. It doesn't matter. Just the other day, I don't remember. I prepared to get punched in the face. I counted the cost. I actually I was sitting at dinner. We were having a meeting with several people. And from my angle, I could see a family at the restaurant. And I estimated that the little young lady sitting at the table with mom and dad was somewhere between between 10 and 13 years of age. all dressed up for the dinner. So cute. And I'm watching and we're talking. We're talking and every so often I would look at their table and she was looking at our table because our table was laughing. Our table was loud. What do you expect? Um and I would catch her looking and looking and then I noticed mom and dad both were sitting at the restaurant. Both of them are on their phones. She didn't have a phone. It's the only time I thought that poor kid needs a phone because you know what? I watched that girl go through that menu and the and what was on, you know, what for what's for dessert and she just fidgeted with everything and it was really bothering me. And then I we got up to leave and I walked by and instantly the thought came into my heart, you need to you need to say what's on your heart. you need to tell them. >> And I just kept walking and I got out of the restaurant to say goodbye to uh these wonderful people that we were meeting with and I said cuz I knew I knew I knew in that moment there's no way if I go home >> total disobedience. >> And so this person was a very big individual, the dad, >> and um kind of tatted up And so I concluded, is this worth a fist fight in the middle of Wood Ranch Barbecue Restaurant? The answer, yes. [applause and cheering] And so I went back and I just thought, here it goes. Well, it was the it was the the young lady and the dad. And then in the other booth was the mom in an open seat. I went in and I just sat right down. I sat right down next to mom and I said, "Listen, you're going to think me crazy, but let me say something. I am old enough to be your dad and old enough to be her grandfather. My daughters are gone now. You only have a few years with her. And since you guys came in and sat down, you've looked at nothing but your phones. I haven't seen one conversation between mom, you, mom, and you, dad. I haven't seen any of you talking to her. And she's all dressed up, but there's no place for her to go. >> I want to encourage you to pour into her because she's your little princess, and you ought to treat her such. >> And the mom said, "Uh, yeah, all right." And the dad said, "Dude," and I got up. I tapped him on the shoulder and I walked away. Why? Why? Why? Why? What was God What was God calling? THAT LITTLE GIRL WAS CRYING OUT FOR BELONGING. If she DOESN'T GET IT THROUGH MOM AND DAD, >> she'll get it from a boy. >> Belonging.

And then the world cannot promise you and I grace. [applause] The world cannot promise us grace. You and I now are recipients of the grace of God. >> The world knows nothing about grace. Can't afford it. The world doesn't have it in their bank account. Grace, God's grace. And then finally this and it's really uh the the point to the message today and that is the world cannot promise you and I a family. The family I don't need to tell you the the American family. Maybe it's the global family is is under attack. The family Satan hates family. Satan hates marriage. That's why he makes it rough. And Satan hates family. God loves it. God made it. God created it. So church family, mark this down if you would. What this world cannot say when you and I belong to to God and we become one with God is this. And and and I mean this sincerely, verse five, there's an ease that settles into us. I want to stress it. The world cannot bring to us what God can bring to us. And the number one thing that God can bring to us is that there's an ease that settles into us. I want to stress it as a believer. Listen, many of you are new believers. God's salvation is him dwelling in you. He says the Holy Spirit in the moment of CONVERSION WILL COME INSIDE of you and he takes you up as his own possession. The God of the Bible, the God that saves, the God that redeems, the God that we're talking about today, is not a far distant deity in some part of the unknown universe. Jesus makes it very clear that it is the will of God. And notice what he says in verse 5. Listen, the the the Bible, I said, listen to what he says. It's Paul the apostle speaking, but he's speaking the word of God, which is Christ. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another according to Christ Jesus. And here I want to stress the positive nature of his salvation. He doesn't leave us friends to be vulnerable in this world when he says to us now may the God of patience. This is now Paul's farewell benediction to the book of Romans. He's starting to say goodbye and he says to them now, remarkable statement. Here we go. We might say, "Are you ready for this? Get a grip. Hang on. Take this in. May the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded."

I want you to mark this thought down in John chap 10 verse one. John chapter 10 verse one when I said God will not abandon us. He says to us I'm going to bring you patience and comfort. John chapter 10 verse one Jesus is speaking most assuredly I say to you he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs up some other way the same as a thief and a robber Jesus is revealing and exposing there are those who will use religion to fake it to manipulate people and he says they're thieves strong words right you guys are you guys alive >> okay >> verse two, but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes, I love this. He goes before them. He doesn't say, "All right, you Christians, my sheep, YOU GET ON OUT THERE. YOU GO ON OUT THERE. I'll stay back here." No, he goes out in front of us and he says, "Come on, follow me. I'll lead you in this. This is the next chapter OF YOUR LIFE. COME ON, I'LL LEAD YOU. This is the issue OF THE DAY. COME ON, I'LL LEAD YOU. He's always ahead." I think it's uh I think it's Toer who says that God is always precient, meaning ahead of us. I love that. And so he uh he goes before us and the scripture says that verse uh four and when he brings out his own sheep he goes before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. Again I stress Jesus is speaking yet they will by no means follow a stranger. Somebody propagating false doctrine. Listen, a true child of God will not go off into the weeds on false doctrine. >> Amen. >> You guys need to know this because it's coming. It's here. >> False doctrine's here. And listen, if you know somebody that's GIVEN UP AND SAYING, "NO, NO, NO. I'm going to GO AFTER THIS." THEY DON'T KNOW HIS VOICE. >> They know the voice of strangers. You don't. I trust you say, "Well, how am I going to know?" Bible. >> Bible. BIBLE. THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE. BIBLE. >> And we're reading the Bible right now. We're reading the very words of Christ and he says that uh that he goes before them for they know his voice. Verse 5, yet they will by no means follow a stranger but will flee from him for they do not know the voice of strangers. Can you say amen to that? >> This is Jesus talking about you. I trust. >> When you hear something, when you read something, when it's posted, WHEN THERE'S A PODCAST, WHEN THERE'S a broadcast, when there's an article and you like what you can thank God, the Holy Spirit for speaking to you. That's how you hear the voice of Jesus. Jesus said in the gospels that the spirit of God would be the one speaking to you. And I love that John 10 11 says, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep." Now, that's a great that's a great verse to memorize and be comforted by. That's John 10:1. I want to read it again and then I want to be a little sarcastic with you for a moment to drive it home to your memory. Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep." And I wrote myself a note. He gives his life for the sheep. That on the surface that's insanity. Listen, on the surface, I'm provoking you now to think a good shepherd gives his life away for the sheep. Excuse me. We're talking about a human being in this picture. A human being is going to sacrifice his life, a [snorts] human life, for the safety of a lamb. Jesus says, "Yes." Now, of course, he's talking about his own children in faith. If you trust the Lord Jesus Christ, you are his sheep and you're the sheep of his pasture. He's the shepherd. And Jesus says, "A little lamb is worth me giving my life." Folks, listen. As a as a human being, human logic and reason, I would not only say I disagree, I think that's insane. You want to know why? Because if I only think of that on human terms, I'll never get it. If I only think IF I LOOK AT LIFE THROUGH HUMAN terms only, I am going to devalue things that should be valued and I'm going to value things that should be devalued. I am going to have my system of what is important and not important completely inverted. I will call good evil and evil good. And I will make a decision that this person's worthy of life, this one's not, this one is and this one's not. And usually the knots are those that are yet unborn. And I will call that a virtue, my choice, my decision. As you sin against life in the God of life. But if you look at it in the spiritual level, Jesus says, "You are so precious to me." Now, here's here's where my lift gets really heavy. You are so precious to me, Jesus says that if you were the only, now this is theologic. What I'm going to say is theologically accurate. If Adam and Eve never would have had any kids, how about this? If Adam would not have sinned, only Eve, you know, she sinned first, girls. I'm just saying. >> I think that's why shopping is such a [laughter] thing. Did Did Satan hang 50% off sale sign on on the tree? It's possible. and she took it. Do you know theologically based upon the nature of God, did you know that Jesus Christ would have died for Eve? >> Yes. >> If you're ever in a course of theology and you you're asked the question, TO WHAT EXTENT WOULD GOD HAVE GONE THROUGH REGARDING HIS DOCTRINE of redemption? Answer. He would have died for Eve if Eve were the only sinner THAT EVER LIVED. EVEN IF ADAM IS ON THIS SIDE SAYING, "GIRL, JESUS WOULD HAVE STEPPED IN AND DIED FOR HER." That's how much he loved her. And you might say, "Well, I KNOW THAT'S HOW MUCH he loved her." But what about me? >> You are that person. >> Every single one of us. >> Christ came to die for sinners. And Paul THE APOSTLE SAID, "I'M THE CHIEF OF SINNERS." NOW, I thought Paul was lying at that point. But in that there's a great theological truth. Everyone who knows Christ, Jesus as the good shepherd is also keenly aware that Paul wasn't the chief of sinners. Neither was fill in the blank. >> I am the chief of sinners. And then you would say, "No, no, no, no, Jack. Scoot over. You don't understand. I am the chief of sinners. WHY? BECAUSE HE'S A PERSONAL SAVIOR. >> He's personal. >> Johnny Cash sang that song, personal savior. >> Dep mode sang that song, personal savior. Think about that for a moment. It's true. And it's remarkable. And the life that he gives us. And until you and I ponder that into our soul and meditate on that into our very being, we're going to miss it.

And as we look at this, I'm going to do something a little bit backward here, folks. Look at verse 5. It says that um down at the latter end of verse 5, you see the word according. We're going to break down these Greek words really quick, but we have to start with the word according to Christ Jesus. This is where we begin. Write down uh this meaning when it says now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another. Here's the point according to Christ Jesus. That's that is the standard. Mark the word according. The word means in proportion to you said wait I can't do that to the scale of or in the volume of really I cannot do that. The word means harmony as pertaining to oneness in Christ. THE FIRST OVERWHELMING THOUGHT IS THIS. WOW, AWESOME. Great words to say goodbye. Love the farewell address, Paul. But how can I do this? And the answer is, you cannot do this. >> I cannot do this. >> It's according to Christ. >> That means he does it. >> Take a deep breath and relax, folks. This is the ease. Don't you need some ease in your Christian life for a moment? Think about it. We are contending against hell. You and I are living in this physical realm all the while dealing with invisible beings. And I don't mean jelly. I mean demon spirits. Did you get that? Jelly beans. It's early. I know. We do not live this life apart from the spirit realm as a believer. And that being the case, we can only survive it and we can only be victorious in it by the very workings of Christ and by the Holy Spirit. The scripture on this is clear. But listen, according So it's all based upon Christ. So listen, you you almost want to read verse five backwards that it's according to Christ Jesus that we are able to have patience and comfort and to be like-minded toward one another. Does that make sense when you read it like that? >> Because it says the same thing. Philippians chapter 2 verse 5 tells us very important statement of course let this mind think about the ease. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. You say is that even possible? Of course it's possible. Put the word of God in you. Here's what happens. You'll start thinking Bible thoughts. more Bible, more Bible thoughts coming out of you. And when it says, "Let this mind be in you. Let this way of thinking be in you," which was also in Christ Jesus. Wow. We pray this Lord, I'm asking you to cause your way of thinking to be in me. >> Can you listen, I don't need your answer. Just listen. Can we pray to him and ask him, "Will you make me Lord like you?" >> That prayer request that you and I can offer up can be offered up by any one of us. Doesn't the Bible say we do not have because we do not ask. We better start asking God for these things. Lord, I need to know this. And what is it that we need to know? Well, look at the word patience. Patience. We don't like to hear the word. It's too bad. We get very impatient about the word patient. It means to remain behind. Interesting Greek word to remain behind a p uh to a patient enduring, endurance, perseverance, steadfastness. So may the God, watch this. May the God of patience. He didn't say, "Now may all of you who are patient, oh that's encouraging. Now all of you who are patient get on this side of the room." Nobody would get up. If you got up, we would say that person's not thinking straight. We all battle with impatience. The strength of being patient comes from the God of all patience. It's from him. The next word that God might grant unto us comfort. This is that word by the way which is also referenced to this the person of the Holy Spirit is called the pericletos or the paricletus coming alongside to aid us and to comfort us. Isn't that beautiful? God says I want to come alongside you to aid you and to comfort you. I want to be an encouragement to you. I want to exhort you. That's a good word. Exhort. We need to be like this with one another. Exhort. I want to come alongside you and I want to encourage you folks. Listen up. I am I have been beating this drum with our pastoral staff over the last few months. There's been a radical surfacing of deception. I say it now almost every Wednesday and Sunday. And I'm telling the the pastors, listen up. Know what it is you believe. Let's Come on. Let's be honest here. It's just us. We love our We love our pastoral staff. They're awesome. I'm I'm I'm so in Christ proud of those who God has us ministering to and through our pastoral staff. They're the best. They're the best. And and listen, I I travel a lot. I go to a lot of other churches. I I'm telling you, we have we have the best. THAT SAID, NONE OF THOSE guys listen, none of them are exempt from going nuts on BIBLE DOCTRINE. ONE of them can wake up and say someday or not wake up, fall asleep and say someday. I don't see it that way anymore. I've changed my mind on this. Change your mind on what? Explain that. Give Bible answer. >> Amen. >> Let's listen. We're all going to gang up on you and get you to argue your case and prove it from scripture. >> Think about it. What if, God forbid, what I'll make up a name we don't have. What? What if we had if we had Pastor Billy Bob? If Pastor Billy Bob goes off and will not repent and come back to orthodox doctrine, Pastor Billy Bob's going to be unemployed. >> Do you understand that? >> You say, "Well, I liked him." It has nothing to do with liking him or not. Are you hearing me? >> Look, you may have an employee that you really like, but they don't work. So, how do you keep how do you protect? Constantly asking them, "You guys good? You all right? Anything bothering you with all the stuff that's going on in the world right now? All of the arguments going on in the world right now? Bible, salvation, blood of Christ, Israel, church, end times, rapture, TRIBULATION. ANYTHING BOTHERING YOU, SPILL IT. LET'S GET IT FIXED. NO, WE'RE GOOD. WE'RE GOOD. >> WE'RE ALL READING THE SAME BOOK. >> Are you hearing me? Your family's got to be THE SAME WAY. YOU'RE HOME. THAT'S WHY WE NEED men to come to Buds to learn how to stand at home and be the leaders. And listen, believe it or not, when a man follows Jesus, every woman I know wants a man who follows Jesus. I don't care that guy, right? And all the women said, >> "That guy could be as ugly as sin and she'll love him. She'll say, "I'm going with him." >> ARE YOU UGLY, SIR? ARE YOU UGLY? Follow Christ. And [applause] you know, there's a book. There's a book in that. How an ugly man can look beautiful. Yeah, I got to write that down. That's a bestseller right there.

And then the word may God grant unto you. This is a beautiful word. It means pour out. Now, I don't know if you think think about this. This is God. How does God pour stuff out? How does God produce? How does God uh produce a yield? How does God usher forth as a as a spring of water? You think Do you think God works? You think God gives grace, mercy, comfort, and patience to you with with an eyropper? Isn't it awesome in the Old Testament when the king was being anointed, the prophet came AND TOOK A BUCKET OF OIL AND POURED IT ALL OVER HIS HEAD AND IT COVERED HIM COMPLETELY. The Bible says all over his beard, down his garments to his feet. That's how the king was anointed to be king of Israel. Meaning the Holy Spirit is covering your life. That's the symbol of all that. >> How does God distribute grace to you? Is it in drops? >> You know what? I'm convinced if we only knew how much grace God uses to get us through one day, we'd be shocked. And then we then we go, you know, nighttime comes and you think I was pretty good today. I did I did I mean I didn't I was pretty good. Only had a couple of bad thoughts. Better than the other day. Didn't lose my temper once. I didn't do that. Didn't do the other thing. Didn't do this. Didn't do this. Did. And even if you even if it's true you didn't do any of that stuff, then God comes back and says, "Well, okay. What about the sins of omission? This is what I told you to do. Did you go did you find orphans? Did you find shutins in widows who need love and care and concern? Did you go to those who are in prison or in the hospital who need prayer? See, we get so focused because we tren we trend legalistic. I didn't do that. Thou shalt not and I did not. Thou shalt not and I did not. And we GO DOWN THIS LIST AND THEN GOD SAYS, "THAT'S ALL TAKEN CARE OF. IT'S THIS. Now you get to do this. You get to do the other thing. And you GET TO DO ALL that stuff." >> And we play it safe. God says, "Nope. Come on." No. I'm convinced that God pours out patience. He pours out comfort. We so often don't enjoy it because we don't assimilate it into us. We're too busy. We're looking at this post. We're looking at that thing. We got to go there to do that. We got to And our days are so filled. Somebody reminded me the other day, they said, "You know, your old truck is the only thing going to be driving around after an EMP bomb goes off because, you know, I electronic electrical magnetic pulse will fry all electronics and only old things will work, which means I'll be here at work." But but the the old vehicle will be working and it it's almost a blessing if we lost all power. Now young people are saying but I wouldn't know anything because young people today they know uh hey Siri or hey Google or hey Alexa or whatever it is by the way last time I did this people's phone started going off so check your phone right now your but uh we don't research anymore I mean dinosaurs like like I do. I I research. But listen, young people today, they they have to do it they have to do like a a 5,000word essay tomorrow for class and they'll start it tonight >> because they'll they'll ask >> chat GPT to hey, I need 5,000 words on the Pelpeneian Wars. You don't learn anything doing that. You can have a Bible on your shelf. WE'VE GOT FOUR BIBLES ON OUR SHELF at home. Great. What do they say?

And then this word like-minded. It's God's will that we be like-minded. Isn't this amazing? In a world of absolute collision and division, the church should be the most united force on earth. You want to know why? The Bible should be our anchor and glue. Well, this is what I think it says. Stop. And listen, there's a lot of that junk out there today. A lot of people are getting deceived. Again, I again, Pastor Jack, you need to talk to this person because they started listening to that person and now they're now they're going on into the weeds and they say this now and that and the other thing and they don't believe in this anymore. Yeah. No, no, no. I am not going to go rescue them. I'm not going to do it. They're following a stranger's voice. If they knew the voice of Jesus, they wouldn't go get into the weeds. And that sounds harsh. Well, what about Jesus in the parable when he went he left the hundred or the 99 and went after the one? He went after the one that was one of his and when he spoke to it, it heard his voice. But we live in a time right now, church, where don't be surprised. I mean, I'm not a prophet and I don't have a crystal ball, but it is theoretically possible that this church, which currently holds three services on Sunday with thousands of people per service, could go down to 800 people in one service. Why? Because the Bible speaks about days coming when there'll be few of us. >> Did you know that? to be biblically based, to be like-minded. You and I should all speak the same thing. We should say the same thing when it comes to Bible doctrine.

It's funny. Um maybe and I want this to be an encouragement to the young people. I'm a big fan in this church. I'm telling you, you guys do not know this place is different. Young people meet each other and they get married and they have babies. And if you doubt that, look at our staff. There's babies. We got babies everywhere. I think we've got something like 14 babies right now. And uh we are repopulating the world. I know I know Bill Gates doesn't want to hear that, but God says go and go and multiply. And these these young kids believe in the Bible. um that that beautiful thing said uh getting married, having babies, living life, most of it. If you if if you've forgotten, listen, it all felt and seemed impossible when we started. Those of us who are older, remember when we made that decision, I'm going to marry him. I'm going to marry her and we're going to It's terrifying. It's supposed to be. How's this going to work? Who knows? It's a grand adventure. But I I got to tell you, eventually when you all speak the same word, the same mind. Uh it's funny. Lisa and I have been married. So in in June, it'll be 47 years in June. So watch this. [applause] So her and I will often either if somebody asks us a question, both of us will answer at the same time. It's the exact same answer. It's the same. We think the same. We have our independent personalities, but the answer is the same. Think about the church. We all have our independent personalities, but the answer is the same. So we we'll go to a restaurant like you'll go to the restaurant. Oh man, I don't know. I'm going to try something different. Yeah, me too. And oh man, yeah, great. And we're looking. What do you think about I don't know. I might do this. I might do that. Yeah, that sounds kind of good. Anyway, so and then the and then the food server comes and what would you like? And um I'll say or she'll say, "Yeah, you know what? I I'd like to have this this Cajun jumbolaya." And uh and and I'll say yeah, me too. Have you noticed that? WE'LL SHOP THE WHOLE menu and we'll wind up agreeing with one or the other. Yeah, make that too. Now you guys need to stop us when we're wearing the same colored clothes. That's when you send us off into retirement.

We also know this. There's there's a great unity that is miraculous in verse six that you may with one mind and what is implied by the way watch me read it differently but it's implied in the Greek language watch carefully that you may with one mind and with see the word is not in the English with one mind and with one mouth glorify the God and father of our lord Jesus Christ. Wow. There's only one thing that brings us together, folks, and that is the word of God. >> Amen. >> In that power, in that remarkable declaration and the word, by the way, this is this is very uh powerful. Um the word mind is important enough that is interesting impulse. Listen, it means to have the same impulse, the same thought, the same intent. H how in the world are you and I going to think like Jesus? See, you can never think like that. You can never think like that apart from the Bible. That's why Jesus Christ is called the word of God. Okay. That said, when you and I have more of the word in us, when we go out and live our life, more of Jesus comes out of us. We may not even be aware of it and it affects other people and we're not we may not even be aware of it. And that's okay if we're not. And then when he says one mouth, this is amazing. I have to hurry, but this is awesome. The word mouth, get a load of this. The word sto in Greek for mouth means the edge. You ever think of this? The edge. What? The face or the edge of the lip. Words from the heart. It means listen. Word spoken and the voice heard to cut a slice or to cut through. >> Wow. Wow. Wow. The mouth be of the same thoughts intent and be of the same mouth. Why? Because our mouth what we speak comes out of our hearts. And our hearts will use our mouth and it will either do surgery to heal or it will cut to slay very quickly because uh because it's late um Hebrews 4:12. For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. There you go. piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. The words we use, folks, Proverbs 18 21 tells us this, death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit. >> Remember that couple with that little girl? There were no words. Apparently, even silence can be deadly. I don't have the time, but mark it down. It's in the notes if you've scanned the uh the QR code. James chapter 3:es 1 to10. James warns us that with our mouth we can bless God and with our mouth turn and destroy our brother, our sister with criticism. He says, "How is this even possible?" The power of a spoken blessing, church family, is what's implied here. When we speak to our brothers and sisters, to our husbands and our wives, we need to get into this practice. We need to just make a deal with God today. God, hold me accountable to start speaking a blessing to those that are near and dear to us. >> Speak it. Start saying it. See, that's not my personality. Stop it. Repent of it. >> Don't Don't say it's your personality to not do that. That's not your personality. As believers, we are to obey him. [clears throat] >> And throughout scripture, again, I'm sorry I don't have the time to get through it all. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob spoke blessings upon their sons and daughters. Imagine just if one man in the life of a teen, could be an uncle, could be a grandfather, could be the father, began to say, "Listen, I see great things in your life if you keep your eyes on God. There's character traits about you that God wants to develop, and I

want you to know I'm going to be praying for you every day of your life. And I'm for you. Imagine if a husband said, "Honey, before I leave, listen, Lord God, watch over my precious bride. Cover her with your grace and mercy. Keep her safe all day and give her great thoughts and protect her from this world. And Lord, by your mercy, by your goodness, by your grace, may she grow closer to you than ever before in Jesus name. Amen. Have a good day, babe. God bless you, sweetheart. Oh my goodness. 30 seconds can change both lives, the life of the house forever. Just do it."

Just do it. Imagine a woman who, for whatever criticism she believes are justifiable, maybe they all are, but she turns to her husband and says, "You know, down deep inside of you, there's a good man, and I want to help him to come out. I just want you to know I'm on your side. Have a good day." That will change a life.

We need to speak to our teens and announce to them. And speaking of announcement, it ends here in verse six. There is a unity that is loud. I just added that one. There's a unity that's loud. You said, "What, what made you think of that?" Revelation chapter 14. And another angel came out of the temple crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in your sickle and reap, for the time has come for you to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." Wow. Loud. Did you know heaven's loud? You guys don't know that. It's loud.

So I don't like loud things. You're That's going to change. Next verse. Next verse. Revelation 14. Then I looked, and behold, a lamb standing on Mount Zion. Verse 6. Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people. Verse 7, saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea, and the springs of water." Wow. Wow.

Listen to this next verse would be John 17. Jesus spoke these words. He lifted up his eyes to heaven. By the way, this is known as the high priestly prayer of Christ and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son that your son may glorify you." Down to verse 21, he's speaking about you. "That they all may be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you. That they also may be one in us. That the world may believe that you sent me. And the glory which you gave me, I have given them." Folks, that is the prayer of Jesus to the Father about you. That they may be one just as we are one. I in them, you in me, that they may be made complete or perfect and one, and that the world may know that you have sent me and I have loved them as you have loved me. Jesus said, "I listen, the same way, Father, you've loved me, they are loved, too. I love them like you love me." Absolutely amazing.

Let's all stand. The worship band can come out, but we're not going to sing yet. I'm going to ask you to have group participation. We're going to blow through these verses. Revelation chapter 1. You see the words "loud voice." Can you say "loud voice"?

Loud voice.

Good. "I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and I heard behind me a voice as of a trumpet saying, 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last.'" Next verse. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?" Next, and saying with a loud voice, "Who is the lamb? Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing." Next, "After these things, I looked and behold a great multitude which no one could number of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues standing before the throne." Verse 10. And crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb." Next verse. Then I heard loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ have come, for the accuser that is Satan of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down." That's beautiful. Next verse. Sing with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea, and the springs of water." Next verse.

There's a next verse. Isn't there a next verse?

There is.

Oh, did it change? "And another angel came out of the temple crying with a voice to him who sat on the cloud, 'Thrust in your sickle and reap, for the time has come for you to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.'" Next verse. Then I heard a from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on earth." Next verse. After these things, I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven saying, "Hallelujah. Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God." Next verse. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be uh with them and be their God." And all God's people said with a loud voice, "Amen." God bless.