[0:00] distressed, near Jehovah's dread frown, and low in the pit where my sins dragged me down. I cried to the Lord from the deep miry clay, who tenderly brought me out to golden day.
[0:18] He brought me out of the miry clay, he set my feet on the rock to stay. He puts a song in my soul today, a song of praise, hallelujah.
[0:38] He placed me upon a strong rock by his side, my steps were established and here I'll abide. No danger of falling, while here I remain, but stand by his grace until the crown I gain.
[0:57] He gave me a song, t'was a new song of praise. By day and by night, his sweet notes I will raise. My heart's overflowing, I'm happy and free.
[1:11] I'll praise my Redeemer who has rescued me. He brought me out of the miry clay, he set my feet on the rock to stay.
[1:26] He puts a song in my soul today, a song of praise, hallelujah. I'll sing of his wonderful mercy to me.
[1:41] I'll praise him till all men his goodness shall see. I'll sing of salvation at home and abroad, till many shall hear the truth and trust in God.
[1:55] I'll tell of the pit with its gloom and despair. I'll praise the dear Father who answered my prayer.
[2:06] I'll sing my new song, the glad story of love. Then join in the chorus with the saints of Paris. He brought me out of the miry clay, he set my feet on the rock to stay.
[2:26] He puts a song in my soul today, a song of praise, hallelujah. Amen. Amen.
[2:37] I like that. That's right out of the Bible. Psalm 40. Amen. All right, we've had our quest. But as you can see, we're singing anyway.
[2:51] I think she wanted to sing with us. Oh, good. Come on, Barbara. Come on, Barbara. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Take your place. You can stand right here. I'm teasing. Okay.
[3:02] I didn't nip that in a bud. Word got around. You have a request. You got to sing with us. I can probably cut that. Thank you. I hope so. He stood beside the gate of heaven waiting to go in.
[3:28] And he wondered how this holy place would take a man like him. With shouts of great rejoicing, and with music then they came.
[3:43] Of the angels standing by him, he asked what could be their names. These are the company of prophets.
[3:56] A goodly fellowship of souls. Whose faith God's word with faith and boldness.
[4:08] Who blessed the poor and made the wounded tall. Oh, he fell upon his knees and cried, I am not one of these.
[4:26] He waited till another band of shining ones drew nigh. They entered into heaven with a hallelujah cry.
[4:39] He asked again, who are these? Can you tell me whence they came? He seemed to see the answer in a burning tongue of flame.
[4:53] These are the company of martyrs. A mighty fellowship of saints.
[5:05] Who knew the Lord and walked beside him. Who ran a holy race and did not faint.
[5:16] Who ran a holy race and did not faint.
[5:46] Magdalene and Paul. And the thief who died by Jesus was the one who led them all. Who are these?
[5:58] He almost shouted at the angels. These are the sinners saved by grace. The host of them who called upon the Savior.
[6:13] The Lord washed in the blood and justified by faith. And oh, he leaped up from his knees.
[6:26] I can go in with peace. And I can go in for my heart is free from sin.
[6:38] I've been washed in the blood. Everlasting life to win. I can rejoice. I can lift up my voice.
[6:50] I can sing. And I can go in. Though he thought that there could be no hallelujahs and no cries.
[7:02] For this lowly band of people by the world despised. But as the scenes of heaven opened up before his eyes.
[7:14] He saw the martyrs and the prophets. And the host of heaven rise. And they sang.
[7:26] I can go in. For my heart is free from sin. I've been washed in the blood. Everlasting life to win.
[7:37] I can rejoice. I can lift up my voice. I can sing. And I can go in.
[7:49] I can rejoice. I can lift up my voice. I can sing. And I can go in.
[8:02] Thank God for the blood of Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. Amen. All right. Maybe next time we should practice or something.
[8:16] What? You couldn't hear me? No one said it. Amen. All right. You can turn that light out. He goes, I need a light.
[8:30] You got one. And I found it. Went and bought it. San Fernando. Where's that? I don't know. Google knows. Yeah. As you know, it wasn't Google, but some kind of GPS program.
[8:45] Guy was real nice. Everywhere I go, I get a chance to give people a track, talk to them. Oh, I'm a believer. Praise the Lord. We're down here on the corner of Polk and Fenton.
[8:57] And tell them where the church is. Who knows? Take your Bible tonight. All right. Go to Luke chapter 5. Luke chapter 5. All right.
[9:13] Luke chapter 5. Let me just say that the passage that we're going to be dealing with for several verses is the calling of Peter and Andrew, James and John, according to Luke.
[9:31] Usually I refer to the passage of Matthew for this, but for this message, we're going to look here in Luke chapter 5, see what Luke has to say about it.
[9:43] Let's pray. Father, I thank you for grace. Thank you for bringing some folks out tonight. Thank you, God, for giving us a place to meet and a reason to meet. Thank you for a perfect Bible.
[9:54] Lord, a song in our heart. And I pray, God, you just see fit. Let something be said tonight. Be okay with you. Pleasing in your sight. Glorifying to your son. And I help and blessing your folks that have gathered here tonight.
[10:06] In Jesus' name. Amen. All right. Verse 1. It says this. And it came to pass that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret.
[10:21] I just remind us something, you know, somebody's going through some trouble one time. I heard a preacher say, you know, where it says, it came to pass. Listen, whatever you're going through, it didn't come to stay.
[10:32] It came to pass. Amen. That encouraged me. So we got it. It says what it says. That as the people pressed upon him. Of course, it's about the Lord Jesus Christ. He's there at the shoreline of Lake Galilee, as Luke called it.
[10:47] A Gennesaret. He might have been from Massachusetts or something. You know, they talk different up there or something. You know, just different wording for different, for the same thing. Because they're like Americans. We got different ways of saying the same thing all across the land.
[11:01] That's the beauty of America. Amen. Somebody say amen. Amen. All right. Good. Thank you, Russ. And it says they pressed upon him. Now, when the Bible says that, it's referring to they're crowding him.
[11:16] They're crowding him around him. A good example is over there in Luke chapter 19 and verse 3 about Zacchaeus. He sought to see Jesus who he was and could not for the press.
[11:28] He's not talking about CNN or NBLSD, whatever all that foolishness is. The press is talking about a group of people. In Mark chapter 2, you've got a man sick of the palsy.
[11:39] He carried, it says, born of four. And they brought him to the house where Jesus Christ was speaking, healing. And they couldn't get to him because of the press. And that just means a crowd of people.
[11:51] And they took him up. And they put some effort. Those boys put some effort into it and got him up on the roof and tore up the roof.
[12:01] I don't know whose house it was. But, and lowered this guy down so that he could get him to Jesus. Because I tell you, I believe personally that they were so confident that Jesus could heal him.
[12:13] When they lowered him down, they just threw the ropes in and climbed down themselves. Because that boy walked right out the front door. That's what Jesus Christ does. It says here, it says here, as the people pressed upon him.
[12:27] These folks, though, and it's clear, in the passage, were crowding of the Lord to hear the word of God. Wouldn't a God of revival of that would sweep the churches in America.
[12:43] You wonder why our country's in the mess it's in? It's because the churches are in a mess these days. Because of lack of the word of God. With the best of intentions, you can gather.
[12:56] But without the word of God, there's no power. I'll amen myself. Thank you for that. Because I was getting ready to amen myself. All right. So, we're talking about getting in tonight.
[13:08] That's what this message is about. Verse 2, it says this. And he is the Lord. So that's the implied subject. And saw two ships standing by the lake.
[13:20] But the fishermen were going out of them. And were washing their nets. Verse 3. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's. And prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land.
[13:31] And he sat down and taught the people out of the ship. So he's on the shore. There's people everywhere. He looks ahead. He gets in the ship. He has the guy.
[13:42] Push out. So he puts a little distance between him and the crowd. That way he can reach more people. So that more people could hear him. So that more people could get in. Amen.
[13:53] Get in on what he's got to say. And I'm just saying something you already know here tonight. It's important to be where the Lord is speaking. Hold your place there.
[14:03] Go to Luke chapter 10. I'll show you something. Luke chapter 10 and verse 38 says this.
[14:16] Verse 40.
[14:33] Verse 40. But Martha was cumbered about much serving and came to him and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?
[14:45] Bid her, therefore, that she help me. That's interesting. It looks like she just gave the Lord a command, if you ask me. Amen. And she's telling the Lord what to do.
[14:58] Bid her, therefore. Amen. And let me just say this. In Martha's defense, serving is important. But it says in Romans chapter 10 and verse 17, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
[15:14] And I've been in church, in many churches, where some folks were so busy doing stuff that they hear very little preaching. Amen.
[15:24] Amen. That's why in the early years, we're traveling with several daughters. We had three daughters that were all capable of taking care of the nursery. And my wife would volunteer herself and others to relieve the one that oftentimes just got stuck there all the time because nobody else wanted to do it.
[15:43] And they would relieve that person so they could get in and hear some of the preaching during the work week of the revival. I think that was their motive. Maybe it was either that or they were just tired of hearing me preach.
[15:55] I'm not sure sometimes. I'll tell you something else we found out, though. Some people like being in the nursery. Some people like being guarding the parking lot. Some people like being busy doing stuff.
[16:11] But the crying shame is oftentimes those are people. Thank God for people that are willing to do the work. But it's important. You've got to find a balance. It's important to hear what the Lord has to say, to be where the preaching of the word is.
[16:28] Amen. Some people's comfort zone is working and it's important. But you've got to have a balance. It says in 1 Corinthians 1, verse 18, For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.
[16:43] But in us which are saved, it is the power of God. You need to be under preaching to get in on the power of God. The preacher said something interesting.
[16:54] He said a year ago we were all wishing we could get out. And now we can. And a lot of people still aren't. A lot of people still aren't coming to church.
[17:05] A year ago they had a better excuse than they got these days. Don't they? Amen. I'll tell you what. Live streaming church got real popular last year.
[17:16] And I saw the need for it. And it did help through. A lot of people through that. Amen. But it also, the downside is a lot of people decided, Amen, that, hey, I can sit here in my pajamas with an Egg McMuffin and a cup of coffee and get preached at.
[17:34] I mean, people that never would consider homeschooling had to homeschool. People that never wanted to work from home couldn't work from home. And then they got to.
[17:44] And then people thought, wow, we can do church from home too. Amen. And again, let me clarify. Thank God that that technology was at our disposal and we had people smart enough to give us access to it.
[17:59] Many people that availed themselves to it are still doing it. And that's all fine. But I just want to say this about it. You know, sometimes, sometimes, whatever reason, wherever we are, we go through, we go, we stop at a McDonald's or a Wendy's or a Chick-fil-A.
[18:17] Amen. We have to stop through a drive-thru to get a meal and praise the Lord for it. Many times we've done that. But, boy, it don't compare to a home-cooked meal.
[18:27] And watching church at home, yes, it's better than nothing. It's like that Big Mac. And it gets okay once in a while maybe. Might come in handy.
[18:39] Might fill a need. But, boy, this is like, amen? They say, well, I don't like your preaching. I don't either. So what?
[18:49] What's that got to do with it? It's a Bible. Amen. Who amened that? What part did you amen? Amen. So we're talking about the importance of being where Jesus is speaking.
[19:01] Look at verse 42. We're in Luke chapter 10. And it said this. And here's the Lord. But one thing. Okay. No, no. Let's read 41 too. 41 also. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful.
[19:15] And full of care is what that means. And troubled about many things. But one thing is needful. And Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
[19:28] And what was the good part? She sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word. It's important. Amen. Jesus Christ entered that ship. He got in that ship. Thrust out a little so that people could hear what he had to say.
[19:42] Because this world needs to hear what he's got to say. All right? So number one is getting in. Getting in within earshot.
[19:54] And you need to get in. And I'm going to ask you, are you getting in whenever you can? And obviously, you're here on a Tuesday night. Praise the Lord. But I tell you what, these days, a lot of people, they're not really in.
[20:05] They're just tagging along. And, you know, I can say our passage tonight is in Luke 5. But flip over to Mark chapter 4. We're down in Luke 10.
[20:18] Mark chapter 4. And it says this in verse 36. Verse 35. Let's start there.
[20:28] And it says, He didn't say, Be saved.
[20:43] And they lived their life like, I hope I make it. Listen, if Jesus is on board, you're going to make it. Hello? Verse 36. It says, And when they had sent the multitude away, they took him, even as he was in the ship.
[20:59] And there were also with him other little ships. The Lord got in his ship. Twelve disciples. They're going to go across the Sea of Galilee. And, but the Bible makes a point to say there in Mark, there were also with him other little ships.
[21:16] And you know the story. A storm came up. And these disciples were in fear of their lives. And listen, it wouldn't take much of a storm at sea before I'd be puking over the side. And, you know, things like that.
[21:29] But four of these guys, and the ones we're talking about tonight in Luke chapter 5, four of those guys were experienced Galilean fishermen. They've been out there in rough seas. They've been out there in storms before.
[21:40] This storm was bad enough that it said that they all said that Jesus Christ cares not that we perish. That tells me that fear will make you say stupid things.
[21:55] What a thing to say. If the Lord didn't care, buddy, that's exactly what we'd do. We'd perish forever. Now, you know, do you know the story? You know the story of the Lord.
[22:06] Calm that storm for those disciples. Amen? Doing a little rebuke at the end. And that's a rough thing these days. Them disciples could take a... He'd say, where's your faith?
[22:17] And they didn't get offended. They obviously were not modern independent Baptists. Boy, you give a... Forget about rebuke. You try to reprove people from the Word of God these days and they get offended.
[22:30] We're in some kind of mess. You know that? So, but I want to say this. He calmed the storm. They were glad. Amen? Because they weren't dying. But when the Lord calmed the storm for those disciples in that ship, the storm calmed for those other little ships too.
[22:47] And they would have had no idea why. They just knew it did. They wouldn't have been able to hear Him say, peace, peace still. I mean, I can picture Him coming up from below deck and walking up to the bow of that ship perhaps and raising His hand and say, He said, peace, peace still.
[23:03] And He said, the waves ceased and the winds calmed. Amen? And these other little ships, they wouldn't have heard that. But I just want to say, I'm glad I did one day. I was in a place, there was a storm raging in my eternal soul.
[23:17] I had found out it was in danger of going under too. But it wasn't a lake of water, it was a lake of fire. And the Lord Jesus Christ stepped up and said, peace, peace still. And I was still locked up and I was still on my way to prison and none of my temporal circumstances had changed but a peace did come and it's a peace that only comes and I couldn't describe it and I didn't understand it but it's a peace that comes from the issue of where your soul is going to spend eternity when that gets settled.
[23:46] There's a peace. Amen. I wonder, this passage caused me to wonder how many people experience the blessings of God and don't even realize it.
[23:59] Amen. And here's one of the reasons it's because they're just tagging along. They never really got in. They might be in Christ. They might be saved. Praise the Lord. That's where Christianity starts.
[24:12] It says in 2 Peter 1 add to your faith. For by grace it says through faith and then not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. Faith is where this thing begins.
[24:22] That's not the end of it. Some get saved and don't seem like to ever go any farther. You're missing out. You're selling yourself short. Many get in Christ and then the FBI can't find them with a warrant.
[24:39] And then some get in Christ and even start coming to church and get in church once in a while. But let me tell you what. I mean this is I'm pretty sure I'm right on this.
[24:51] Like if you're saved in here tonight you're saved like 24-7, right? We know a guy we know a guy down in Florida and he comes to church on Sunday and everything and he was respected because he was a successful businessman who put money in the plate.
[25:10] That's the only thing I can figure out. Because when you get him alone he'd tell stories that Christians shouldn't tell. And I heard from people from the church that worked with him he was a car dealer and I mean he'd go to auctions he was a real successful car dealer and he'd get on the phone with people and he'd use ungodly language and one of the guys finally said hey brother I don't think you're supposed to talk like that.
[25:35] He said church is on Sunday this is a real world this is work and that brother and several others said well we gotta go amen. I don't subscribe to that mentality I hope you don't we're Christians every single day.
[25:52] I told him I said look man I says good to see you today I hope he doesn't come the rest of the revival good to see you today you better hope you die on Sunday.
[26:03] He said what do you mean? I said well that's the only day you even remotely resemble a Christian now you better hope you die on Sunday. And that kind of rattled him a little bit and he didn't know and you know why we can't lose it?
[26:15] Because we would that's why amen. The truth of the matter is it's sad truth and now I'm talking about too many of us Bible believers it involves I'm not talking about the people that don't know any better what good would that do?
[26:30] Truth of the matter is a lot of Bible believers aren't thinking about God much on weekdays and we got a revival meeting going on and praise the Lord I'm glad you're you're here and the preacher announces it and you come and praise the Lord for that but boy I tell you what a lot of people that are even faithful on Sunday morning Sunday night if you have it Wednesday night amen they're not thinking about God that much especially when things are going okay that's just how we are amen even if we're faithful even if we read our Bible we're not really like God what would you have me to do?
[27:04] God show me where to put a track we're not thinking that way somehow we got the idea that we're like okay if we're just punching the clock coming to church once in a while I just want to encourage you there's a little more to Bible Christianity Bible Christianity than that amen listen if the only time we're so highly distracted and that's no accident that's why we need to get our stinking nose out of the computer and the television and all that current event garbage if you ain't figured out by now they're manufacturing stuff to hold your attention and they're doing a great job but what saddens me is they've got many Christians attention better than the Lord does and it ought not be that way amen and you know the only time you're thinking about God is when things are going okay I may remind you of something he's got a way of shaking things up for you amen amen I witnessed a guy one time in jail and he said he'd come to church and he didn't and then he got out and he didn't come and then he got arrested again and I said hey better come to church next time oh I promise
[28:14] I will and finally he got out again he didn't come to church he got arrested again and I went to church he said oh brother you'll never believe what happened I said brother just save it let me tell you something if the only time you're going to live for God is when you're in trouble then just be prepared to be in trouble well that goes for people on the outside too if the only time you're searching God is when things are coming apart at the seams in your life well you know he does want you to live for him he does want you to acknowledge him in all your ways he does want you to pray and talk to him and trust him and if the only time you're going to do that is when things are going wrong you follow me I wonder if we just purpose our heart to get tapped in when things are going good not only maybe we'd have less trouble but he might even use you get somebody else in encourage somebody else to mature in the Lord amen all right it just seems to me like there's no shortage of folks
[29:17] I mean these days I'm talking about our churches just seems like there's no shortage of people that are just tagging along hanging on the fringe they never seem to get within really within the sound of his voice amen and I yes I'm sure they love Jesus and all that and even believe the book I'm not being ugly I'm just trying to encourage you amen you know preach week after week and I don't think I'm a good preacher or anything like that but I do go by the book and we're in a place well this is what really brings it up we go to churches where people are excited about God they're I mean they're turning in their Bible they're excited they want to hear from God and it's fun to be there and then we'll go to churches where people are just they just stare at you I mean night after night nobody comes to the altar very little response to anything it's like alright you know maybe some have heard so much good preaching that it's like you know you pull out your little pen and paper and let's see what this guy's got let me tell you something
[30:30] I'm a black person in the world could ever help you even if God doesn't bear witness to his word then we're out of luck we're wasting our time amen I can imagine what it's like for song leaders to stand up here and open that book like we talked about that hymnal and sing about the cross and sing about what the Lord did and see the same thing I see when I'm preaching alright I'm used to it I know maybe you don't like me but you gotta like the hymns right and song leaders I wonder what must go through their eyes and is anybody looking at what they're saying amen amen this thing's serious I don't wanna be just I don't wanna be tagging along I wanna in I wanna in or I wanna out and if there ain't nothing to keep me in I'm gone I'll go find something real but I didn't get saved till I was almost 38 and I've been in the military and I've been on the street and over half my life
[31:31] I was a heathen looking for something to believe in and 30 years ago he found me and buddy I am fascinated by what Jesus Christ does in people's lives but I also see there's a lot of people that haven't called on him or seen him do any great and mighty thing in so long they forgot what it's like man don't just tag along let's get let's get in let me ask you are you in or are you just reaping the benefits of some of those that are that's point one forget that dessert if it was ice cream put it back in the free no I'm kidding I'm kidding I'm kidding look at verse 4 Luke chapter 5 Luke chapter 5 the dessert threat is not that big a deal I'll tell you what's bad is when you're gonna have dinner on the grounds right after church and the crock pots are back there and then somebody decides the preacher is going too long and all of a sudden the doors open and then everybody then you lost the whole crowd you guys all just wrapping up
[32:41] Luke chapter 5 and verse number 4 now when he had left speaking he said on assignment launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draft now they thrust out a little and he put some space so that you know he wasn't being pressed so he could speak and project and reach more people but now what he's saying he's telling Simon Peter he said launch out into the deep and what he's saying and what I'm saying to you you know there comes a time where you get out of the shallow end you get out of the baby pool you're never going to learn to swim as long as your feet are touching the bottom amen so I want to encourage you to get in deep it says in verse 5 and Simon answering said unto him master we have toiled all night and have taken nothing of course Peter the great spokesman you never notice how many times the Bible says that Peter answered and then you go back to look and you think nobody even asked a question why is he answering amen but he was the spokesman and Simon answering said unto him master we have toiled all night and have taken nothing basically
[33:57] Peter spoke up and said Lord been there done that these guys are pros they've been out on the lake all night didn't catch a fish but I've got to give Peter a lot of credit because the verse finishes verse 5 finishes with these words nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net he didn't think it'd work but he launched out anyway I give him credit for that you know what that is that's faith how many times have you heard it preached how many times have you read your Bible how many times is the solution that you've been seeking in prayer perhaps and then the answers seem to come however it came the answers seem to come and you're going no way that could work but you just go ahead and do it anyway and then you find out whoa and that's what you have access that Bible says you have access to the throne of grace and you've got access to a supernatural solution and remedy to the problems of life and sometimes our skepticism keeps us from tapping into it amen we are so temporally minded you know we need to get heavenly minded once a lot more actually amen yeah yeah come on okay and uh and so so he did it says that he did and I will point this out the Lord said in verse 4 let down your nets and then verse 5
[35:32] I will let down the net a little timid there you know he didn't exactly do what the Lord said I don't know about you but I've been known to resemble that remark there have been times amen and so just let me say I'm trying to encourage you to get in get in get around with the Lord but get in deep and so let me say I was just at a church up north and they have on Sunday morning they have a deep Bible study and it is it's pretty deep it's pretty deep I sat in on it last week and but I'm going to encourage you to get in deep and I want to say it like this getting in deep is not mystery Babylon or the you know how many toes on the statue or the mark of the beast and some of that stuff is fine and it's in there and it's interesting getting in deep is no more it says in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 7 for we walk by faith not by sight getting in deep is just learning to walk more by faith amen someone might say do I have to leave everything behind like those disciples did
[36:41] I mentioned it the other day those four fishermen they left family they left their occupation and they left their religion and followed Jesus Christ but my experience since I've been saved is that he doesn't require that of anyone sometimes a lot of things do change everything changed for me and that's because it needed to amen but that may not be the case with you but every Christian needs to learn how to live by faith getting in deep beloved is not near as hard as it sounds it's not spooky there's no twilight zone music going on in the back amen in verse 3 the Lord prayed they would thrust out a little that's how you get in getting in deep is just thrusting out a little more so let me put it like this practical terms if you read your bible occasionally just make up your mind you're going to read it more read it a little bit more amen read your bible daily if you already read it daily take it to the next level just make up your mind and there's plenty of little schedules to help you along the way and start at Genesis and you don't have to wait until January 1st by the way yours keep rolling around you know but the purpose in your heart you're going to read it through read it cover to cover all every word don't change the names to Bill and Bob in 1st
[38:11] Chronicles chapter 1 don't do that just try do your best and if you try to struggle to 1st Chronicles chapter 1 with all them names you're going to be so glad when you get whatever's next you know a little brain locked here for a second who knows what's next after 2nd Chronicles thank you Greg that guy amen good I knew that okay it wasn't 100% but Lord makes me tell on myself let me just say let me challenge you when it comes to your Bible take it to the next level amen say well I already read my Bible through every year oh good good that book says study you take it whatever wherever you're at try to take it to the next level amen that's all getting in deep is amen and how about your prayer life you know what most people's prayer life most people's prayer life and mine been this way more often than I want to admit the Lord makes me tell on myself amen too often our prayer life revolves around us our needs our situation in life our families it does and my prayer life often starts you know
[40:01] I pray for my wife I pray for my kids amen I pray for those that are sick amen but I've learned I've been at it a while and I'm trying to learn to pray for others more you probably need less prayer yourself if you prayed for others more and there's a verse in James that says something very close to that I'm not going to preach that tonight but you want to get in a little deeper make up your mind you're going to start praying more for others could I give you a good place to start pray for your pastor here's what I've noticed us Bible believers we were the whole armor of God and the weapons of our warfare and our carnal and we got all the verses and truth of the matter is and I can see by the things that go on in churches and the struggles that come into churches that shouldn't be struggles I realize that most people most Christians most Bible believers have no real concept of spiritual opposition or spiritual warfare
[41:07] I have I have guys that preacher gets a pretty good salary he only works three hours a week that's an idiot that thinks that's all there is to this amen so you need to pray for your preacher and his family and especially them what a challenge what a thing I'll tell you what I don't know if I'd pull recruits and run across the it has to be God we had two missionaries here yesterday they're going around the world they got to learn a new language these guys pretty much speak English right except for the Armenians I don't know no I'm kidding some of them speak better English than I do amen but you follow me we need to pray for our preacher we need to pray for each other our church in the old days I don't think we have this anymore because I'm never there because I'm here with you looking at your grandkids instead of my own and our old church used to have a member list we used to have a member we used to have members yeah we used to have a membership list and it was alphabetical and you could take that list and you could pray down that list and you don't have to pray for every member it depends how many people you got every time you bow your heart which is daily right and just start praying for your but you know what I mean a church this size or our size at home now you know what you guys kind of sit in the same places except when we're here we go in and we sit in somebody's seat and we've made people mad and that's fun for me but awkward for her so you know but in your own church just when you're talking to the Lord when you're praying start at one side start at road and you can do that you can pray for your fellow church members pray for your missionaries people say well I'd like to help the missionaries you can help them you can do more than send them 50 bucks a month by getting on your faith and bringing their name before the
[43:12] Lord of glory you can pray for them and you need to pray for them they would rather have your prayers than your money the government messes with the money exchange rates and all that stuff well I know guys went to mission field 20 years ago with X amount of dollars and they've been on the field faithfully and their mission before it hasn't gone up because they're out of sight and out of mind and what they were getting 20 years ago is about 40% of what the equipment would be or what they need now we don't even think about it like that I've been overseas and we were thinking about it then and you know can I just show all these things pray for a handful I know it's popular you know mentality but we're really not on vacation 12 months a year for 24 years we have a home we have a church we have children we have grandchildren we leave all behind we've been in some unseemly places we've been on the side of the road with motors blown up and everything else and she got to complain about it so I can't because I'm a man and she's not going to
[44:27] I can't and we just do what we got to do and we survive some things and we have survived some things that we know about and who knows what we don't know about in one it's not because uh oh the virgins need a new motor everybody pray maybe I'm sure that problems have been prevented it's not because people pray according to a need it's because they pray like preemptive strife you know and God takes care of them and keeps us out of stuff and good times outnumber the bad thousands of wine and I believe it's because people pray amen I asked one time I said hey we got extra weed we're on the other side of Mississippi that's a big river far from here and uh and uh and uh we're on that side of the country and I said to her hey we got a week open between meetings I said anything you let go you know and she said home I'm gonna go home I'm gonna get out of this motor home amen pray for us we pray for you alright so we're talking about your Bible we're talking about getting in deep just kick everything up a notch whether it's your Bible reading your prayer life what about church attendance something we see these days church attendance is pretty sporadic by people that have been saved a long time we understand that people start out slow
[45:52] I mean I came in church from the county jail and that first Sunday instead of going back to the clubhouse I went to the church house preacher preached I'd never heard anybody raise their voice in church as a kid I'd never seen anybody step up from behind the pulpit in church as a kid I never saw the loudest thing in church when I was growing up was my dad snoring and I don't say that to my dad worked 80 hours a week he was the finest man I ever met in my entire life the church was dead at a hammer at 4 o'clock in the morning whatever that means I don't know what it means but you know what I mean he was dead amen I go to a little church and it was exciting people were glad to be saved and I went whoa this this is I've been looking for something real all my life amen God put me in a King James Bible reading church and we're not charismatic and we're not Bible people it's scriptural to get excited about the
[46:57] Lord and when a preacher got done he said alright we'll see I'm going back here at 6 o'clock tonight I had no idea if he was in the church this night I elbow the guy next to me I said oh what oh he serves that's it we have a service midweek we have a service and I had an opinion to me either I'm going to do this with the same energy that I pursued being a paratrooper in the army or a one percenter in the motorcycle either I'm going to give it my all or I'm going to go find something else to and I what are you saying you made up your mind day one you're going to be a preacher are you kidding I made up my mind if they're going to meet and open that book that tells me about the sinless son of God that left glory you might think you cleaned up pretty nice you might think he got something when he got you I know what he got me and I can't figure it out to this day 31 years later every service
[48:11] I can be there I'm there and when I'm not there I'm somebody else's somebody else's church we're talking about church attendance if your church attendance sporadic add a service add Sunday school add Wednesday night amen make up your mind just add a service or two amen you listen people can stay in the shallow end of the pool the baby end if they want but why it's not near as much fun amen how do you get in deep I'll tell you how just kick everything up a notch just kick all the standard stuff you're here on a Tuesday night you know what I'm talking about just kick everything up a notch you'll be glad you did I believe it you might be surprised wow this is cool yeah amen and now my attention is long because I'm so spiritual this is the most exciting thing I've ever seen in my life yeah but a lot of times it's kind of boring have you forgotten the rest of your life at work old days a lot of that was pretty boring wasn't it
[49:20] I'm getting used to the silence here amen I didn't say I like it I'm getting used to it though verse six verse six says this so well we got we got getting in and then getting in deep verse six says and when they had done this done what the Lord told them to do they enclosed a great multitude of fishes and their net break there we go he said let down your net but they only let down one and guess what they they had so many they couldn't haul them in verse seven and they beckoned unto their partners which were in the other ship that they should come and help them and they came and filled both ships so that they began to sink verse eight when Simon Peter saw it he fell you know
[50:21] Peter probably thought he was a pretty good fellow I mean by all accounts you know he was he was a hard working fisherman and and all that he wasn't a heathen like you know them Levi the old tax collector Peter was a hard working guy in the fishing business with his partners here and but I'll tell you what just happened right there when he saw that number of fish based on we caught nothing last night but the Lord two ships are about to sink this is what he said what are he fun depart from me for I am a sinful man you know what Peter just did he just got it in perspective and I tell you what it helped every one of us if more often than we do we would get things back into perspective say what do you mean it's remembering who he is and who you are you get things in perspective it gets a little easier to let him steer the ship to let him guide your life but we don't look at him like that we look around we look at everybody else 2 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 12
[51:34] Paul put this in there for a reason right for we dare not make ourselves of the number or compare themselves with some that commend themselves but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise beloved the stupidest thing you're going to do is start comparing yourself with others there's always going to be somebody less spiritual than you if you're using them as a judge you'll get satisfied with yourself I got news for you there's always going to be somebody more spiritual than you I remember when I came to church a brother said to me find somebody more spiritual than you and hang out with them and you'll mature I looked at a room full of people I go everybody in here is more spiritual than me he said well it should be easy and it was so what did you do I shut my mouth and I opened my ears and I didn't pretend like I knew more than I knew I listened to people that had been at it for a while I listened to people that God had called and I quit thinking of it like a business or a club and I learned something because I'm in awe well that's the next point because I got it in perspective don't do that to me like that amen sometimes that's exactly what we need sometimes that's why we have a meeting once in a while get a little concentrated dose of church every night
[53:01] I know you're busy you're too busy you're just like me when you don't have church you waste time amen to some degree we all do amen so this is good this isn't going to hurt you none amen we just you know what happens when we get things back into perspective I'll tell you what happens we quit majoring on the minors we quit making mountains out of molehills we quit making a federal case out of every little stupid thing and we forget that that's what the devil wants verse 9 context Peter there in verse 8 he said when Simon Peter saw it so it says for he was astonished he was astonished and not only him and all that were with him at the draft of the fishes which they had taken let me remind you these are professional fishermen probably very good ones in other words they've been catching fish long before
[54:15] Jesus came along it would take Jesus coming along for a fish to get on my hook that's it I'm not good at it but that this is what they do but they had never never seen a catch like this no one ever had and what does it say it says he was astonished all that were with him they were astonished let me just say it's time beloved for us to get back in awe of God here's what makes it easy here's what makes it easy for me the Lord of glory would save a wretch like me that blows my mind amen I don't even get it I've been reading the Bible for 30 years I don't even get that I'm glad he loved me first I'm glad he commended his love toward us and while we were yet sinners I'm glad but boy I'll tell you what it's a good thing he's who he is because there ain't no human being that done it and perhaps for a good man some would die but not like he did and not for all of us and not become sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of
[55:28] God in him nobody else would do that I'm in awe of God can let me ask you remember can you remember when you I mean really we're flat out in awe of God not ask if you saved you love God amen or what you've done I'm talking about just in awe of God this is what helps me and I apologize for the singing in advance oh Lord my God when I in awesome wonder consider all the world thy hands have made I see the stars I hear the rolling thunder thy power throughout the universe displayed help me out cover me up help me out then sings my come on I'm serious my Savior God to thee how great thou art how great thou art then sings my soul my
[56:34] Savior God to thee how great thou art how great thou art I should have had brother Pina come and lean that wouldn't that have been good amen but I mean that's what we need to do consider we need to yeah okay we're we need to go back and think about him and what he did all the worlds the stars everything he did and so let me just say are you still in awe of God or have you you know kind of just gotten used to him amen cool off a little bit we get cooled off here's why the cares of this life are very very real I'm not discounting any of that but I'll tell you what when you get in a church service the word of God is open and preach you sing those hymns it's time to get back in awe of God it's time to address
[57:37] I mean what could possibly go on it doesn't say greater is he that is in you than he is in the world amen all right verse 9 again it said for he was astonished and all that were with him notice they were all astonished but they are also in one accord we need to get back in one accord amen yeah I just moved into a Lutheran church it sounds like or black church yeah back down south of Virginia yeah I've been in some of them I'm preaching them too it says in Acts 24 and when they heard that they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God which hath made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is let's try that in one accord you follow follow my lead Lord thou art
[58:38] God come on Lord thou art God which hath made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is I like that let's try that again Lord thou art God say it like you mean it which hath made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is now I could sit up there and recite that amen and I did and it's good and it's Bible but wasn't it cool to hear everybody in one accord like the early church that's what it said David wasn't that did that I don't know but I tell you what it's important that we be in one accord
[59:42] I said it the other day I'm going to say it again we're not in competition with each other it says in psalm 133 and verse 1 behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity I know that true because I've been on the other side of that too how miserable puts on the devil's face when brethren aren't dwelling together in you Paul wrote it like this in Philippians chapter 1 verse 27 let your conversation be as it becomes the gospel of Christ your conversation ought to adorn the gospel your conversation might be on social media your conversation might be in texting or emailing your conversation might be talking on the phone but I'm going to tell you something beloved you need to understand we've got a call here that what comes out of our mouth ought to adorn the gospel of Jesus Christ in other words there's just subjects we shouldn't be talking about and each other is one of them doesn't the
[60:48] Bible say it's an abomination is so discord among the brethren pretty sure that's still in there Proverbs 6 amen word gets around make sure it's the right word that's getting around that you stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the face of the gospel this world needs the gospel your family needs the gospel you need the gospel I trusted it I got saved really think that's all there is to this why would it say grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ thank God for the gospel if it wasn't for the death burial the resurrection of Jesus Christ we wouldn't even have a purpose down here let alone eternity amen all right so it's amazing and believe me I'm in a lot of churches 48 47 48 churches a year it's amazing what can get done when they're in one accord and it's amazing what happens when division rules and I see it all amen all right you ready this is what you're waiting for that's the ball you don't trust me do you verse 10 and so also as James and John and the sons of
[62:22] Zebedee the sons of Zebedee which were partners with Simon and Jesus said unto Simon fear not from hence forth thou shalt catch men verse 11 says and when they had brought their ships to land they forsook all and followed him for what to get others in that's what we're here for that's what he left us here for they were successful fishermen they had two ships full of fish he said this is not as important as getting others in follow me and I will make these fishers of men yeah fish yeah yeah they taste good yeah they might make you a profit put some money in your bank account ain't gonna survive the end of this life but you get a soul you have something to do with getting a soul of Jesus Christ to live forever now if I gotta explain to you which is more important we need to go way back to square one with you and I'm not gonna do that from here
[63:28] I think you got the drift my preacher used to say got the drift snowball not to me personally no amen it says in Luke 14 verse 23 and the Lord said unto the servant go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in and my house may be filled listen there's people that aren't gonna come there's people that'll never darken the door of a church till after they get saved we can't just wait around for them to come I got saved in jail I would have never came to church amen I wrote that book to get the gospel to people they're not gonna come to church unless they get saved somewhere amen that's the same way with your co-workers your neighbors your relatives you know people that are on their way to hell and we're gonna have to figure out how to get them in hey and if we give it our best shot and we set a good example for them we shoot our own talk about shooting yourself in the foot
[64:29] Christians destroy their own ability to be a light to a lost and dying world by their conduct outside of these walls too often remember Lot Bible says Lot was just that tells you God different than us and but Lot didn't have a testimony that could get his daughters that were married in amen the only ones that went with him the ones that had no choice that didn't turn out well either what a rotten testimony for a guy that grew up under a friend of God amen why do you think that stuff's in the Bible tell us if it can happen to them it can happen to them well that's old testament yeah you do well take heed of that amen amen all right so let me ask you what are you doing I'm really getting right close what are you doing to get others in and one way to do it is just set a good example like I said to lost folks to your kids to church fellow church members set a good example amen so in this court among the brethren is not only setting a bad example it's still an abomination to God you need to be more careful about that than you are we all do you hear me you don't want to be guilty of that do you so talking about getting in now the most important thing you ever get in is getting in
[66:03] Christ Bible says therefore if any man be in Christ he's a new creature old things have passed away behold all things have become new so you know I hope everybody in here is saved but if you're not you need to get saved here's why because you might be doing fine in this life you're not going to be doing fine in the next one if you die without getting in Christ and if you are maybe everybody in here is you know people that aren't some of and truth be known sometimes I wonder if we could care whether some end up in hell or not but that's the carnal side but truth of the matter is we don't want to see we're just chickens sometimes we're just don't know how to deal with the awkwardness invite them to church but give them a track but realize this world's watching this world believe it or not is looking for something real and everything that the devil throws at them is just counterfeits and phonies and they see through it and they get more and more discouraged and you and
[67:21] I have a secret and it's not supposed to be a secret so let's do something about getting some others in while we can father thank you for grace thank you for liberty thank you for this precious church and the opportunity to preach to them some of these people have been saved longer than me been through the Bible more than me I acknowledge that God I sure do thank you for the opportunity to open your precious infallible book and do my best to minister to them and I pray it please to you and I pray for these folks in Jesus Christ's name amen and amen