Transcription
Ecclesiastes 12:13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.
Whether it be good or whether it be evil. I don't know if Sister Ashworth is in here or not, but I was putting this together and I want this cool thing about having a Christian school is I can assign homework as I please. I'm invested quite heavily into the school and so I'm going to have every high school student listen to this and write a paper on uh this. She can come up with how long, but it's been said, can you make sure that happens? Ecclesiastes 12:13 and u 123 and 14. I want to title it the duty of man. the duty of man. The duty of man.
Thank you for your word. Thank you for your goodness. Thank you for all that you do, all that you are. I pray, Lord, now that you would speak to us and through us, that we would receive your word. I thank you, God, that you know where we're at in all things. You would instruct us our journey is to make it to heaven. That's our soul desires to please you in Jesus name. Let's be the Lord a great praise. Amen.
As we are seated in the presence of the Lord. Amen. Amen. So thankful you're here. As we talk a little bit, I'm telling you, I feel like we can help you get to heaven. Amen.
The author of Ecclesiastes is Solomon, remembered and acknowledged other than Christ as the wisest man to have ever lived. Um, we draw much from his proverbs. If you are to read one a day, you would read the book of Proverbs 12 times in a year. However, as I read the book of Ecclesiastes, I try to read through scripture once uh every year in different translations. I've drawn much life wisdom perhaps you wouldn't maybe say more but definitely equal to the book of proverbs in this great book of Ecclesiastes just life wisdom much is given to the meaning of life Solomon who of course concludes it with vanity vanity all is vanity he speaks to the young men uh in this in this book he will talk of wealth and pleasure and money and relationships he will conclude that they are futile unless you have a life that is lived in obedience to the word of the Lord and living by his commandments.
There's a fool that keeps following falling in the same hole. It's an even greater fool that doesn't watch another fall in a hole and say, "I'm not going to fall in that hole." And so, we can look at a very wise man who fell in the hole in the trap who had more. His net worth in today's dollars would be 2.4 trillion. Uh you may make it to a billion, but there is nobody in this room and no one in the history of America that has made it to a trillion dollars. And he almost triples that accomplishment and says at the conclusion of it all, everything you're looking for is vanity. But where life is is in obeying the commandments of God. It's commandments of God. And he concludes that entire book, this entire writing on his wisdom and his experiences with let us hear the conclusion. He says after he's written 12 chapters, we've numbered them of course all of these words. His conclusion of the matter is that you fear God, keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man. This is the whole duty of man.
Pastor, I've lost my burden for soul-winning. You know, there was a day when soulwinning was an incredible opportunity and I loved the thrill of knocking on doors and wa watching as the hungry were fed and they came to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. There was nothing greater than teaching someone a Bible study for the first time, but something's happened to me. I've lost my burden for soulwinning. As a matter of fact, I I don't feel like doing it anymore. I'm tired and I I wonder why, pastor. Why is the the fire no longer there, pastor?
Another will say, I've I'm going to be honest with you. I'm embarrassed to even say it, but I don't enjoy reading my Bible anymore. I really used to enjoy reading the Bible. It was like the words were written directly to me from heaven. Each word so sweet. But now, pastor, in all sincerity and honesty, and I I say it from the sincere and honest place, it's not like it used to be. What's what's wrong? Why do I not enjoy reading my Bible anymore?
Pastor, another would ask, "Can I be honest with you?" I would reply with, "Yes, I just don't have my passion for holiness like I did before. I used to be so on fire. I looked for ways to please God that weren't even preached across the pulpit. Uh inward, outward holiness and lifestyle changes were something I celebrated. But I must admit that as of late, the passion is waning. And now I find myself asking why. And why? Why is the passion gone?
Pastor, I I I have a question as well. I And I just want to be really honest, more of a statement. I really don't want to come to church anymore. You know, there's times I just I don't feel like it. I I used to, man, the preaching was just right to me. Like, every word was a sentence that God gave you to give me. The congregation sitting together, I enjoy it. The worship was inspiring. The music so inspirational and touching. And man, the fellowship, I I loved it. But now, I feel like every time you say, "Touch your neighbor," I want to punch him in the face. I find myself not enjoying it as much. Matter of fact, there's times I I look for reasons and excuses just to not even come.
Another would say, "Well, pastor, I I I too when I signed up to be in the choir, it was it was such a great feeling. It was exhilarating. Man, the choir practices were so much fun. I'd found a group of fellowship like-minded people." And then to sing, oh to sing on Sunday night full of faith to watch people as they felt the glory of God and me be a tool that introduced that glory to them some for the very first time. But now Monday night is an obligation and and I I I just don't have that fire alive inside of me. Why do I not enjoy it anymore?
I I used to love to worship and I love to help at altar call. To see people filled with the Holy Ghost for the first time. What a joy it was. The fire that would come through me as I would lay my hands on someone else. I couldn't wait until you said, "Come on, let's come to the front." And the music began to play. But now, now I I find myself looking at the back before the altar's given and wondering how much longer you'll drone on. I just don't have the the passion anymore.
Pastor, I I have to admit prayers seem so hard. It's like they bounce off the ceiling. I remember when I when I started, man, I would come into the church every morning. I got up early and it was like he was right there next to me. I could feel his arms wrap around me. But time has ticked on and that the feeling has waned. It's like he's distant. I'm just talking to the air. I'll just be honest with you, pastor. I hardly come to daily prayer in the sanctuary anymore. I don't I don't really enjoy it.
Pastor, I too need to talk to you today. I need an appointment to talk about my ministry. I' I've got a burden and I had a burden and I used to enjoy serving. I used to enjoy getting there early and opening up the building and getting the golf cart ready and I love coming there and preparing to serve the people that would be needy, but but now it's it's it's different and I I I just don't have the drive anymore. I I don't enjoy it. I'll be honest. I I'm I'm really to the place where I'm I'm considering quitting. I wish I didn't have to serve. What's wrong with me?
While you may think these are hypothetical statements and questions that I have conjured up to introduce a sermon or a thought, they are not. They are questions, statements that I and every pastor across the world have heard. Statements that I and every pastor perhaps have even made. But it is right here in these statements tonight where we find in Ecclesiastes where the mature are separated from the children. The first step in backsliding can be avoided right here. For when the day comes, and I promise you, regardless of what the little demon is telling you in your ear, it will come. I said, 'When this day comes, and it will come, when the Bible reading and the prayer and the serving is no longer exciting, exhilarating thrill, and you could write your own gospel version of the thrill is gone, but you do it anyway. That's right where you've grown up.
When you do that which you ought to do because you ought to do it and not because you like to do it, that is the day, my friend, you are grown. I say it again. When you do what you ought to do because you ought to do it, not because you feel to do it, it is that day that you have become an adult. Is here we find the difference between great church and good church. A great church serves God when the tingle is gone. A great church worships God when the excitement is absent. A great church will shout and serve in ministry when there is no thrill. They just keep going and going and going. You are not a mature Christian because you do what you like to do when you enjoy doing it. I'll say that again. Maturity is not doing what you enjoy doing when you enjoy doing it. You become a mature Christian when you can come to a place in your Christian life where the Bible is no longer enjoyment, but you read it because you're supposed to read it. Amen. When you trade inspiration for obligation, you have matured. I'll say that one more time. It's very good. When you trade inspiration for obligation, you are mature.
For starting a ministry, my friend, is always exhilarating and quite fun. Great, man. I' I've got an idea. I could build a castle to the sky and back around the moon six times with all of the ministry ideas that have been presented to me. It's fun. It's just when it gets to be 110 degrees and you're mowing the widow's grass ministry. It's Sunday morning at 8 a.m. when the golf cart won't start. It's Wednesday night at 6 p.m. for choir practice or music practice. And you just got off work. It's every Saturday at 2 to go talk to little kids that promise they will come but their parents hold them back 7:30 in the morning getting up to do things you really don't feel like doing when you say by the grace of God I'll do it what I'm supposed to do not because I I want to not because I'm inspired not because I feel great delight but I will do what I do because I am simply supposed to do it. I believe it is at that time I wrote it today that you have fulfilled your duty. Duty. Duty. I'll say it again for you. Hear of hear little of it. Duty. An absent word in Christianity, but perhaps one that we should speak of much more often than we do. Oh, I know we speak of faith and feeling, healings and miracles, but let me speak to you of what will get you to heaven and cause you to turn from a child into a grown-up and sustain through the trials of life. And it is this word upon which you need to build your life. Duty. It's my duty. It's my duty.
I say the things that everyone else is afraid to say. Brother Larry. I'm known for that. So, let's go. Many of the things I do with a treble, I do just because I'm supposed to do them. Matter of fact, with the more responsibility I get, seeming seems like the less things I get to do, I really like to do. And actually, I have to do all the things I really don't want to do. I I feel as though I'm I'm almost to a place though where I can do the things I don't want to do and convince people I'm enjoying it. I'll say that again. I think that's mature duty. Mature duty is doing it. Mature duty is doing it and fooling the devil into thinking you enjoy it.
I was thinking about it this the other morning was thinking about all the things that I do that I don't want to do. You know where it started the initial place? It starts for me by getting out of bed. I know you think, "Oh, Pastor Tuttle, man, if I was like him and had all that energy, I just bounce out of bed every day with my happy sock." Every socks he had, all his socks are happy socks. He He has angels that pick him up and just sings Kumbaya and he doesn't even have to wait for the shower water to get warm. It just comes out warm and bubbly and soap bubbles just fall from the sky. No, I usually wake up I'm like, "Oh, God. I wish there was another day I could lay in this bed. Well, then you're the pastor. Why? Why? Why do Why don't you just lay there? I'll tell you why. Because I'm supposed to get up. It's my duty to get out of bed and get dressed and take a shower and go to work and do my job. It's my duty. I said, I it's my duty.
I love it here. I love my house. I love my church. I love my sweet little sound system. Oh, I love you guys. I love you so much. I love my sweet and awesome sound, men. I love them. I just want to hug you. Air hugs. Oh, I love it. I love my shoes that I can just pick out whichever pair I want and I don't have to choose which one before I go. I love my car. Oh, I love my I love my Voss water. Just love it. I love that you guys spoil me. I kind of get whatever I want. Like it. Love it. And I like you guys. Y'all are my favorite people. So I asked Brother Huntley, "I I should I quit? He's one of my mentors. I'm I'm done. I don't like it." He said, "No, you have to go. at your reasonable service. I packed my bags. It was 85 and degrees and sunny and Lewis was swimming. It was family night, but I packed my stuff into my little carry-on. Drove two hours to the airport. Had to be strip searched, get on a plane, two hours, get a bag of walnuts, drive two more hours. I had to stand in a long line because the stupid rental cars, they're short, still co. They're still using that as a dumb excuse. Bunch of morons. Get some cars. You know what I mean? It's over. Lord. So, and I'm like the platinum person. I'm supposed to be treated nice. Well, that means nothing. I can only imagine how the non-platinum people feel. You, brother Gunner, you know what I'm talking about. Oh, man. It makes me so mad. And I've drive two hours to my hotel. I unpacked my suitcase that was still in there from the last weekend. And unbeknown contrary to what you think, my suits do get wrinkled. It's my duty.
Michelle and I were talking about food and we were uh how we were forced as children to eat foods that we did not like. I uh I was I Y'all think I was raised by these wonderful people. I was raised by abusers. I [Applause] I was really I'm serious. It's surprising we didn't speak German at home, you know. Very very very abusive. Now Anna has nothing. No clue. She's laughing. I imagine. I'm not even looking. I know she's laughing cuz she doesn't have any clue about it. But I was forced to eat Brussels sprouts and beans. And I would say, I don't like this. Doesn't matter. You're going to eat it anyway. No, I won't. Well, you can sit right there till it's done. And I'd had to sit there and I'd sit there quite a while. And then finally, I'd put it in my mouth and I would I mean like it was as if I was eating poison. And I can still remember the the drama, you know, I realize now my mother was wasn't really teaching me about food. She was teaching me about life. That life is filled with doing what's right even when it doesn't taste good. Edom, son, it's your duty. And I can tell you, let me let me tell you, we we've had a month of miracles. Let me tell you one of mine. It's incredible miracle. I didn't realize it until I was preparing for this sermon, but I ate Brussels sprouts and beans so long that now when I go to a restaurant and and and brother Davis, it could be a five-star restaurant with A5 Wagu and Kobe beef and I've had them offer me. You can have the king crab legs from Alaska that they flew in fresh today. But I see those Brussels sprouts. And I order the Brussels sprouts. And you can have your ai wagu. You can have all that, but put me in front of a big old pot of beans with a little bit of bacon in them. Give me some cornbread that's kind of sweet or kind of spicy. That was good, too. Give me some rice or whatever, and I will take that all day long. Black ey peas. I know Sister Kelly's here, but if you ever get some of those things, I'm telling you, it's like you died and went to heaven. Little Brussels sprouts with some grease. I'm telling you, bacon grease. Hallelujah. I ate them so long out of duty. Finally, one got day, God said, "You know what? I'm going to let you enjoy that." I said, "I'm just going to let you enjoy that. And if you enjoy doing what you're do doing, you're just doing it for your own enjoyment. I wrote that and I thought it was so good. I'm gonna say it again. If you enjoy doing what you're doing, you're doing it for your own enjoyment. It's a hobby, not a duty. Let me say that again. If you enjoy doing what you're doing, you're doing it for your enjoyment. It's a hobby, not a duty. A duty means sometimes I don't feel like doing it, but I'm mature. So my purpose in life is not to serve him out of hobby. [Applause] Come on. I have a purpose. Everybody talks about purpose. My Oh, I know my purpose. I know per It's such an overused and abused word. It's ridiculous. It's not that hard to know your purpose. It's right here in the Bible. Revelation 4:11. Thou art worthy, oh Lord, to receive glory and honor and power. For thou has created all things and for pleasure. Whose pleasure? Thy pleasure. Whose pleasure? For whose pleasure were you created? For whose pleasure? Your pleasure. Well, I'm not really enjoying it. Who cares? You know where you'll find purpose is in fulfilling his pleasure. And I just believe that it's a test from God that says, I would like to see if he'll do it because he loves me. Will he do it without goosebumps? Will he do it without a a a delightful feeling? Come on, pastor. I just don't feel it anymore. So what? He didn't promise you that you get to feel it every time. You just do it because it is the whole duty of man. So God will pull away the feeling. He'll pull away the the the goosebumps. He'll pull away the happy feeling. He'll pull away the Holy Ghost heroin feeling. He'll pull away the come on that that feeling that you know that feeling that we all like and it's really nice and I like it too. but he'll pull it away to see if you've got enough character to keep doing what's right. The question isn't can you serve God when you feel like it. The question is do you have the character to serve God when you don't feel like it. That's how you make it to heaven. Is you get up and say, "It's my duty. It's my duty. It's my duty. It's my duty."
I look across this sanctuary and see men and women of God that have been in this for their for many many many years. If you've been in this longer than 60 years, anybody longer than 60 years, Holy Ghost, anybody, I got some I see some Okay, Sister Pickering. Amen. Sister Betty Sue, Amen. Been in here 60. Sister Smith, I see Brother Goss. Amen. There. Come on, Brother Loftton. Man, I know he's kind of ashamed. It took him a minute, but he's like, "Ah, yeah. Been in it for Why have you been doing it? Have you felt like doing it every day for 60 years?" I can tell you no, you haven't. But why are you still here? Because it's your duty. Because you made up your mind. I'm going to do what's right when I don't feel like doing it. I'm going to serve God. I'm going to be a Christian. I'm going to do it simply because it's my duty. And you know, if you just keep doing it and doing it and doing it, brother Mark, doing it. Finally, one day God looks down and says, "You can enjoy it. Come on. And you get to the place, am I right, brother Goss? Where there's nothing you would enjoy more than living for the Lord. That your duty has become your joy. That there's something great about living for God. But you going to have to learn how to go through the seasons of your life where you don't get Holy Ghost pimples. That's where you backslide. That's where you backslid. Come on. You backslid because you thought God was a drug dealer. He's not a drug dealer. He's a caller to duty. He's a call to duty.
I I say this and I hate to say it, but it's true. So, I'll just say it. I don't always feel like preaching. These guys like, "Oh, let me preach. Let me preach. Let me." I'm like, "Oh my goodness, if you only knew." It's like work. Those guys are the ones that never study. Whoa. Guys that are begging to preach. I'm like, "Yeah, you don't really want to preach." Because if you really wanted to preach, it means you got at least 10 to 12 hours in in study. They just want to have a microphone and hear their voice through this wonderful, awesome, amazing, incredible amplified sound. But if you know that every sermon is going to require hours of prayer, hours of sacrifice, and hours of study, you're really like, "Oh man, I got to go do that again." Now, I normally do. I normally do. Normally, time flies by, but sometimes I hit a block. So, what do I do when I hit that block? I'll tell you what I do. I preach. I said I preach. I remember my little girl passed on midweek Sunday morning. You know what I got up and did? Put my suit on, put my tie on, got in my car, drove to church, and preached. Well, your daughter was dead. Yeah, but I have a duty. A little girl that had Down syndrome was born on a Saturday. You know what I did the next Sunday on the 23rd of December 2012? went to church. Thank God that day I did not have to preach. My father-in-law was in town. But thank God I went to church and led my church because that's my duty. That is my responsibility. It's what God called me to do. And I did it because it's right. It's my responsibility. It's my duty. And when hurricanes hit, we don't run away. Amen. We stay. You came to church because it's duty. When when your parents die, we don't take sabbaticals. We come to church because it's our duty. When you're tired and you don't feel like being faithful and you don't want to pray and you don't want to read your Bible, you don't want to go to your service place of service. It doesn't matter. You don't stay home because you don't feel like it. I'm talking to the Wednesday night crowd. Let me just talk to all the people on the internet that just didn't come. I didn't feel like it. You need to get up, get your shoes on, and come to church. It's your duty. It's the whole duty of man.
I watch this is one of the most incredible churches. As I was writing today, of all places in the world, I think there's no place where I've seen men and women work harder physically. I mean, you guys 12-hour shifts, seven days a week. Some of you drive to Houston and back and fly and come back and and I I know there's you there's those of you that are in your car changing in to your dress clothes, out of your work clothes, and you didn't even go to bed at night. And I don't apologize. I just say thank you for doing your duty. What an honor you have to walk into this house and serve the God that created you. What an honor I have. I don't while I despise the courtyard Marriott, there was people that were locked up in prison cells and beaten backs were beating and they did it anyway. Why? Because it was their duty. And if they can do it, I can do it. Uh I don't give you permission to leave your post because you're tired. I'm not giving you the right to walk away from your responsibility because you're weary. Uh no, get in here and do it anyway. Uh I know you're hurt. I know you've had loss. I know you're struggling. But get up and do what's right regardless of how you feel and be a Christian. It's the whole duty of man.
I love it. I see mothers raising children. They have no help from their spouses. Little ones that cling to their skirts and choir practice and they serve in ministries with bloodshot eyes. I can see it. See it in them. They're they're weary. Well, let them quit. Pastor, no. No. I'm not going to let you quit. You don't get to quit. Nobody gets to quit. It's your responsibility. Just like you get up in the morning and make sure those babies have a breakfast. Just like you get up in the morning and put their clothes on and brush their teeth. Uh just like you get up and make sure they get to school on time and pick them up from school on time. You make sure they're ready on Sunday morning. Uh you get their clothes on, you get them right here to the house of God and you get them. You might not get anything out of it, but they will. Why? Why do you Why? Why? Well, who are you top? Hey, we did it, ladies and gentlemen. And it's our duty. I read it. I slept and dreamed that life was beauty. I woke and found that life was duty. I I really think that the modern church, in particular, Pentecost, is drunk on inspiration. There are more Christian inspirational books than I can count. I get sick of them. Like they just make me want to throw up. The meaning of inspiration is the process of being mentally stimulated. We are so overly mentally stimulated. It's one giant in I'm not against being inspired. I I I'm proud of the fact that I'm quite good at inspiring people. I matter of fact, I can inspire you to come into this house and pray every single day. I can inspire you to walk on a street and knock a door. I am very good at that. But inspiration is killed by the first ring of your alarm clock. That's right. I'll say that again. I'm quite good at inspiring, but inspiration is murdered by an alarm clock at 5:45 a.m. So tonight, I I give you a truth that has molded my life. I'm yielding to you a successful person strategy the the same that I've seen in all great men and women of God tonight. My desire I'm not trying to impart inspiration. I want you to do what's right out of obligation. I'm trying to change it from you having to be inspired to you being dutifully obligated. And if you can live for God because it is your obligation and not because of inspiration, I can get you to heaven. Why are you here on this Wednesday night? You're here just because of like like me. Some of you felt like it. But some of you came to church because it's the right thing to do. And tomorrow morning when that alarm clock goes off, beep beep beep, inspiration says, "Hit the snooze button." But obligation says, "I got to get out of bed. I've got a duty to perform. I've got to get to my word. I've got to get to my knees. I've got to get to doing what God has called me to do. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
As I was reading quotes on on duty, Edwin Edmund Burke says, "Never despair, but if you despair, work on in despair." It is duty that one word that separates the A+ from the C minus. One word that separates the young man who sells his morality, walks down an aisle brokenhearted with regrets from the young man that will walk down pure as a virgin. That word is his duty. Well, Pastor Tuttle, I'm just highly passionate and very sexual. No, that's stupid. We all are. Like you're some exception. No, we all are. The difference between decency and indecency, morality and immorality, virginity and purity and impurity is and being sexually stimulated. It's just it's just one thing, duty. It's one word. It's my duty to be clean. It's my duty to be pure. It's my duty to have honor. It's my duty to have integrity. And so, I'm going to do it because it's my duty. It's my duty as a whole man, brother Lar Larry, to be a good husband and a good father. I don't always feel like doing that, but I have a duty. The desire to be sexually promis promiscuous is is in all men. The desire to be lazy is in all men. The desire to not get up in the morning is in all of us. The desire to sleep late is in all of us. The desire to procrastinate is in all of us. The desire to walk away when times are hard or is in all of us. The desire to walk away from our family when there's conflict is in all of us. But the difference in us is that some have given themselves to doing that which they are inspired to do. And then there's others uh that have given themselves uh to doing what they know they're supposed to do. And that is duty. That is simply what it comes down to. That's just black and white. There is no gray on this one. You just do what's right all the time. You do what's right all the time. Do you stumble? Do you fail? Do you quit? Yes, you do. But your duty says get up and keep going again. Does that mean I'm perfect? No. There's times I hit that snooze button and I fail to read my Bible. But the next morning I get up and I do my duty again. Do am I always right? Am I always good? Do I sometimes slip? Yes. But I get up. It's my duty. It is simply that that word duty that separates the loyal staff member or volunteer from a Benedict Arnold. It's their duty. And the thing I've taught my leaders in leadership training is that building a great church has little to do with pulpit performance. That's what they all want. I'm changing the name from ministers and training to leadership and training because they all think I'm going to teach them how to preach. But greatness in a great church is not determined by how great or excellent the pulpit performance is. Even though you guys are extremely blessed, I must say the the difference is not in pulpit performance. The difference is in obeying your alarm clock. The difference is not in how well I speak, it's in how much I sweat.
I'm reading this biography right now of Warren Buffett, and he's highly intellectual, an incredible investor, but what sets him apart even beyond those that were his superiors, he he surpassed them far in in managing wealth and one of the wealthiest men of all time, is simply because he outworked everybody. Dude's still working. He works. He works. He works. He works. He works. He works. He works. He works. I I have been afforded the privilege to sit around the table with some of the greatest men in our movement. I listen to the academics like Joel and Nathaniel as they talk and I sit there in awe. Wow. And I I have my dictionary there. I'm like, "What does that word mean? I don't even know what that word means." Oh, that's just that's a fancy word for sandwich. Why couldn't you just said sandwich? You know, it's so much easier. I listen to the great leaders like Joel and Nathan Holmes are preparing to build a building that'll seat 10,000. I listen to business leaders plan to purchase their next jets. I'm like, "Wow, huh, what am I doing here?" And I realized I'm not as intelligent not as skilled of a leader, not as successful of a businessman. So I just asked them, "What time do you get up in the morning?" And if they say six, I think, well, I can get up at 5. I can beat you somewhere. If they go to bed at 10, I'm like, "All right, I go to bed at 11. I won't be better than you somewhere. I'm going to beat you somewhere because I'm not smart enough not to have a plan. I'm not talented enough to preach without notes. I'm I'm not wise enough to stop reading. I'm not good enough to not practice." I said, "I'm not good enough to not practice." I said, "I'm not good enough to not practice. I'm not smart enough, but I can watch and I can learn and I can work." So, I'm a slave to my schedule. I'm not smart enough to just wing it. My calendar every morning says get up. You know what I do? I'm a slave. I get up. It says read and it I read on my calendar. It says study for this amount of hours. I study for those amount of hours. It says preach. Preach. I just do that. I just get up and I do that. That's what I do. I'm not smart enough to deal with each of the problems on their own. So, I create systems. And then I'm a slave to the systems that I create. I've learned this. I wrote this today. And those systems that they work and they prevent a lot of screw-ups. Now, here's a little lesson I've learned along the way. I've learned this. Undisiplined and unsuccessful people don't have schedules and they despise systems. They want you to change your schedule for them. They feel that they're more important than your system. They will refuse to work within the framework of what makes your company, your life, or your church successful. But I'm not talented enough to not have systems. I will need you to fill out a request form. I need you to call Caitlyn to book an appointment. The systems are just there because I'm not good enough to have no policy. I know I know your other pastor was better. Forgive me for being less intelligent. I just have to have systems. And if you will have some systems and get a schedule and put it on your calendar tomorrow, wake up at this time and pray at this time. Read your Bible at this time. Exercise at this time. Eat breakfast. And then make yourself a slave to it. you can fulfill a duty in your life eventually. Eventually, you'll get up and you'll start craving that kale smoothie y'all make fun of. You'll start liking it if you will make it a duty in your life. Because I've learned the spoil is not to the good-looking. I've learned the spoil is not to the learn. The spoil is not to the scholarly. The spoil isn't to the big names. The spoil isn't to the super funny or charismatic. The spoil is not for the dynamic. The spoil is for the one who says, "This is my duty. I will do it." Matthew Tuttle is going to finish this race. I'm going to finish my course. I'm going to put one foot in front of the other. You guys leave, you walk away. You get upset. You get your feelings hurt. Have a nice life. I'm going to be here until Jesus comes. You can come back. Uh in 10 years, if I'm still alive, I'll still be preaching. And I'll still be preaching the way I'm preaching tonight. Uh might be a little more feeble a voice. Uh but I've made up my mind. I did it when I was 19. I did it when I was 20. I did it when I was 21. I've been getting up. I've been doing it. And I'm not going to quit. It's my duty. It was George Washington's word. His whole motto was defined by this single word called duty. And I thought about life today. And if I were in some way to attain what others may call greatness, what would I attribute my success to? And I would attribute it only to this duty. I wasn't the most talented. I wasn't the most skilled. I've told you how that when I held the mic for the first time and for many times and even now sometimes it I tremble. Truly, it was I just did what I was supposed to do every day. Greatness is not found in recital. It's found when you practice. It's not found in the performance. It's found in the preparation. Greatness is not found in the pulpit. It's found in the study. Greatness isn't in the dining room. It's in your kitchen. I don't care how beautiful your china is. If you put garbage on the plates, Great meals are prepared in the kitchen, not the dining room. Greatness is not the World Series. Greatness is spring training. Greatness isn't inspired by great heights. It's inspired by those willing to go to great depths. Ladies and gentlemen, it's not some performing of grand things that makes us great. It's our excellence in the little things. And that's why it matters that you show up and get on that golf cart and make sure it's clean. And that's why when you stand at that door that you think is just a little mini nothing as a connect team member, you are part of something great. When you're scheduled to be here and run the lights, you get up and you run the lights. When you're scheduled to run the sound, I'm thankful that I don't ever have to worry. I've never worried in eight years whether or not there'd be a sound man. You know what? There's always been a sound man. There's always been somebody had the screens fired up. that live stream's been going and there's someone operating the camera, there's always some red coats. Uhhuh. The red coats are coming. The red coats are coming. They've always been coming and coming and coming and they you know why? Because there are men and women that get up every day and say, "I am going to do." And if you have not yet done that, if you have vacasillated from one thing to the next to the next, I say it's time for you to grow up. Uh I said it's time for you to grow up and grow up and mature and put one foot in front of the other and say, "I'm going to make up my mind. I'm going to be at men's work day. Why? Cuz it's my duty. I'm a man and it's a work day and I go to church here. It's my duty. And as I prepare, well, performance is fine. It always works out. It's never a problem. They say to me often, "Oh, if I just had your talent." I'm telling you, it's not talent. Well, if I just had this I had at at general conference a young two couple young men offered to buy my lunch if I would help give them some advice. And one of the questions which I'm man free lunch I'm taking that. What are you talking about? I'm like let's go to the most expensive place we could find. They took me some hamburger joint. I ate a salad. Not because I didn't want a hamburger, but I'm disciplined and I ate a salad because it's healthier for me. Okay. And one of the questions was, "Well, what do you what do you say to somebody that's not charismatic like you?" Maybe I told you this already, but it was a general conference. And I said, uh, I said, "I'm not charismatic at all. I am literally the biggest jerk you've ever met." They're looking at me. They're like, I said, "Yeah." I said, "You should see me when I don't get my rental car." No, I'm just kidding. I say that, but Lord, I mean, it's in there, you I'm not nice because I'm naturally charismatic. I'm nice because I'm disciplined. I want to be a jerk all the time. No, I'm serious. All the time when it's like I didn't get the upgrade. I'm the other lady like I'm she's like I'm checking in and going on the plane. She's like, "You can't carry those two bags." I'm like, "I'm so sorry. I but inside of me, Tommy, I had a I'm a 1K master flyer. I pay your bills, you worthless piece of That's what I was thinking inside. But I didn't say it. I was like, "Oh, really? What should I do then?" [Applause] I get the pastor blitz over and over and I It's not that I want to. It's the fruit of the spirit. It's kindness. It's meekness. It's gentleness. It's self-control. It's longsuffering. I don't do that because I feel like it. Cuz I'm naturally charismatic. I do it because it's the right thing to do. It's right thing to do is be nice to people. The right thing to do is be kind and gentle and caring and concerning. So I do it because it's right. And oh, what would happen in your marriage if you would look at it as a duty? Come on. Your duty is to be kind and gentle, to be a husband to your spouse, wife, and to be a good wife to your husband. It's a duty. Uh it's a duty. It's it is it is fortitude. It is character. It is decency. It's integrity. It's honor. It's obedience. It's it's a schedule and functionality. It is duty duty. Duty duty. Duty. It's the whole duty of a man.
Well, I I I'm almost done. Well, pastor, I just think it's God's will for me to stop. Isn't it amazing how we can hide our backsliden condition behind the will of God? It's never God's will for you to stop. It's always God's will for you to do your duty. God never leads you backwards. I'll say that again. God never leads you backwards. You're always leading ahead. I slept and dreamt that life was beauty. I woke up and found it's really just duty. Let us hear. He says the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God. Keep his commandments. I've had all the money in the world. I've had more money than you could all all of all of you put together will ever acquire. I've had more women. I've had more gold. I've driven the best, slept in the best, ate the best, been to the best. I live in the best. But it is the whole duty of a man. Duty. Don't forget it. Bobby, it's your duty. Don't despise it and don't escape it. New convert, you sit here tonight and you're like, "Oh, I was hoping for something more inspirational." I hope there was very little inspiration. I hope you're kind of like, that's how this sermon should kind of feel. It's like, sounds like work. Yep. I I'm I'm I'm not going to give you fake advertisement because all you do is last three months and then leave me brokenhearted. That's right. Here's the truth. It's hard. It's not always easy. And after about 3 months, you're going to kind of lose some goosebumps. You're not going to want to come up to the altar and after about five or six years, you can even start telling yourself you're more spiritual because you don't shout. That's all a lie. It is your duty to open this book and if this book says do it, you do it. It says shout, you shout. It says pray, you pray. It says leap, you leap. It says run, you run. It says dance, you dance. It says say amen. Amen. It says do it with all your heart. Do it with all your heart. You just get up and read it and you do it and you do it and you do it again and then you wake up the next day and you read it and you do it again. Says love your wife. You love your wife when you don't feel like loving your wife. You go to church, you serve. That's the difference between mediocracy and greatness. Uh mediocracy says, "I'm just going to do what I feel." But the greatest men and women alive, they do what's right all the time. Stand to your feet tonight as we conclude. We leave this house reminded of a sacred commitment we made to a holy God. We stood at this altar and said, "I give you my life." And he took your sins and gave you peace and joy. And you know what? I have found that there is a peace beyond a feeling. There's a peace in duty. There's a peace in following a schedule. There's a peace in having stability in your life. Listen to me, young young people. for your generation is lacking this in great great measure. When I don't feel it anymore, I just quit jobs. No, you don't. You get up and you go to work. And you're faithful to your job. Well, I just You know what? That girl over there, she's, you know, she's a little prettier. Well, you're not as good-looking as you were either, and she's still with you, you ugly old piece. Come on. Come on. But you stay with her because you made a promise. And you don't just stay with her. You have a duty to make her feel loved, to make her feel safe, to make her feel important and valuable. Hey woman, you have a duty to be a help me for your husband. It's I just don't feel like getting get out of bed. If you're not working a public job, take care of the house. Well, I don't know who you male chauvinist. Say whatever you want. I don't care. It's your duty and you will have peace. You're going to find, I'm telling you, trust your pastor. Trust me, I've watched people. I've studied them for a living. It's what I get paid to do is people. And I promise you from the core of who I am, that if you will give yourself to the disciplines of the duties of Christ, that you will find joy unspeakable and full of glory. some of the happiest people, Pentecostals that I know, they come from a religion called Catholicism and they are truly some of the Are there any anyone that is Okay, Catholic back there. Yeah, Bishop Nick, I love you. I see hands going up. Hands across. Okay. Yeah, the C I love Catholic people. Catholic people are some of the most dutyfilled people you will ever meet. They literally will go to mass, sit through it, hoop, hoop, hoop, hoop, hoop, hoop. They used to hear it in in Latin, the language they couldn't even understand. They have never felt any feelings. The only wonder is a building. And some of those are not so nice around the world. But they go every Sunday. They give. They're faithful with no feelings. Then they come in and get the Holy Ghost. I'm telling you. And they just become the absolute greatest Pentecostals you could ever have is a is a Catholic that did it out of duty. Here's what some Pentecostals need to do is learn some things from the Catholics. Come on. If they can go to their church and you're like, I didn't really like the music. Try this. [Music] 1 1,00 2 100 3 100 41 I don't know how they count those things. Come on. Come on. And they do it. We need a little of that. I can't believe he's wanting me to go up to that altar. Bless God. You get to come up here and there's a high probability you will feel it. I've just learned that when you start eating those Brussels sprouts, you start ordering those Brussels sprouts. Come on. If you would just do your duty, all of a sudden you be, "Pastor, you don't have to beg me anymore. I'm up in this, baby. I love it. I I love it. I I I feel it now. I feel it. I feel it. I feel it." Why don't you lift your hands all across this house? Heavenly Father, I thank you for this incredible group of people tonight. Your God, new, young, old, those who've journeyied this journey. many a year, those who've not yet crossed even a year. I thank you that I've had the privilege and know you and that I can get to know them. I pray now, Lord, that the word given to them would be received. Let it be more than received. Let it be applied. Let them, dear God, take your word home. Let them apply it to their daily life. I pray perhaps somebody who's living an undisiplined life would become a disciple, a discipline of you. that tomorrow they would change their schedule, set that clock a little earlier and when it rings realize that not getting out of bed is not an option, that not seeking your face is not an option. I pray for those who are on the edge bring looking at moving back Lord that they would face again forward look their future in the eye and say regardless of how hard it may be the challenges that lie ahead I will place my foot in front of the next one. I will do what's right because it's the right thing to do. I've grown up past my feelings and I'm going to do my duty. In the wonderful name of Jesus, we pray. And as one people, we say in Jesus name. Why don't we give the Lord a wonderful praise of ovation?