[0:00] Amen. Thank you very much. You can have a seat. Our first preacher tonight should be able to verify whether or not Blake ever made a profession of faith. He is the pastor at the church.
[0:12] He was the pastor at the church where Blake made a profession of faith, where Blake got saved. Pastor David Thomason, would you come and preach for us? Thank you, my brother. Thank you. Very good. I've never seen missionaries give such fast reports and updates.
[0:27] I didn't know that was possible, but I'll tell you what, Brother Gardner, you've done something, right? And I might have several more from Vision Baptist. We support five, but that number will increase. That's pretty good.
[0:38] You know, one thing's for sure. People don't get up. They don't get too upset if you are simple and short. Not at all. And otherwise, you know, it could be a problem. Brother Blake asked me to come verify salvation.
[0:50] Well, no, that's not what he asked me to do. I'm not sure that I can verify that. And I'll tell you one thing, though. He's been drinking a lot of coffee or something.
[1:01] I'm not sure what it is. But it is great to be here, to take just a few moments and certainly to challenge Brother Blake. I'll tell you, he's a fine fellow.
[1:12] And God's done so many miracles in his life. And we're grateful to God for that. And I did have a privilege to be his pastor there in South Carolina and his school principal as well. And I didn't have to suspend him more than a couple times.
[1:26] But anyway, he made it through. You know, all of us have the same goal in mind, I believe. You don't know me, and I don't really know you. But I believe those of us who know Jesus Christ is our only Savior, we have something in common.
[1:39] And that one thing is certain that Paul said as well. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith. I believe that's what you and I long for, is that we will finish strong.
[1:51] And that we will finish the work that God has given us to do in whatever area that is to do. The reason so many fail, though, is their failure for being faithful at the foundational things.
[2:02] It's nothing complex. It's where people fail with the very basics. And then I think something that we see all the time now, and I'd love to just challenge you with this especially, is the ingratitude that's about the Lord's work.
[2:19] It's a wonderful thing to be in God's work. We ought to be thankful that we get to be a part of it, the greatest work in the world. And the day that you and I are no longer grateful for what God has done, listen, the blessings are gone.
[2:32] And God blesses obedience, but God blesses a heart that's filled with gratitude. And be thankful. And I challenge not only Blake to challenge all of us.
[2:44] 1 Timothy 1, verse 12 and 13 says, And I believe here Paul's reminding us, Hey, for some reason God looked down and saw something about you and I.
[3:12] He saw potential that maybe nobody else saw. He takes the unlikely and does wonderful things with, miraculous things. If you study the life of Blake Young, I'm going to tell you, not everything adds up to be this great missionary.
[3:26] But, hey, listen, God was preparing him. Just as he's been preparing all of us to do the work he's called us to do. And a lot of that's unconscious preparation, things that you and I had nothing to do with, things that we couldn't choose to do, but God knew all along.
[3:40] And we ought to be grateful. Well, I've heard it said many times that faithfulness today creates opportunities for tomorrow. But I think there's something else you might could say to that. Gratitude today creates opportunities for tomorrow.
[3:54] If we're not grateful for what we have in front of us and the opportunities that God has given to us, why in the world do we expect to have any more? We ought to be good stewards with what God has given to us. And I believe that we have opportunities, and we'd better be good stewards of it.
[4:09] This is an opportunity for Blake and others to go to the mission field. It's opportunities for us to make a difference in the lives of people. But listen, whatever it is that God has called you to do, get busy doing it.
[4:20] And we know that our time is short. We know that. But stay close to the Lord. Stay close to Him. Stay away from, listen, stay as far away from the world as you can. I'm talking about personally.
[4:32] Keep a close walk with God. There's no substitute for having a close walk with God. Matthew chapter 7 and verse 13 and 14. Enter ye in at the straight gate, and wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction.
[4:45] And many there be which go in thereat, because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Listen, we are on the right path, but we've got to stay on the right path.
[4:59] I'm sick of it. Pastor Gardner is sick of it. We're tired of seeing people that God's called them. They spent thousands and thousands of dollars. They've made sacrifices.
[5:10] They've had people around them to make sacrifices to help them. But then they stop doing the basic things, being faithful to walk with God, and they never accomplish what God had intended for their life.
[5:24] And then here's something. I've been thinking about several things, and it seemed like that in our meeting with all the men, they pretty much nailed everything I had to say. But it really is here, and I really did come with these things to say.
[5:40] This kind of fits what I'm trying to say. Don't be afraid of repeating the obvious. It's what most people have forgotten. And I know sometimes as a preacher, you feel like you're just saying the same thing over and over again.
[5:53] But the fact of the matter is, it's those simple foundational truths that people are failing to continue with. And they must. And by the way, not only for you, Blake and Bridget, but while you are repeating the things that are obvious that most people have forgotten, don't miss it yourself.
[6:13] Don't miss it yourself. Don't ever get to the place that you think, hey, I can make it. No, you can't. You can't not make it alone. Our emphasis, our theme this year in our church for 2021 is one word.
[6:28] Continue. Continue. What do you do after a year like 2020? You continue. In the things which we've learned, and we've learned many things, and we need to continue doing the things we've learned. Place the emphasis where God places the emphasis.
[6:41] I believe the main thing is soul winning. I believe bringing people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ is the main thing. And let's stay after the main thing. Remember, your highest calling is not the work of Christ, but your calling to be with Christ.
[6:59] We get so focused sometimes on what we're doing for the Lord, we fail to see what we should be doing with the Lord, not for Him.
[7:10] It's not about us. It's about Him. And we must be concerned about that. And Blake, as you and your wife go forward, and you get to Columbia, don't forget what God's called you to do.
[7:23] Don't forget that He's called you to walk with Him. Remember, the harvest is His. It's not ours. It's His. And there's a great harvest.
[7:35] And there's a great need for workers. But remember this is what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3, verse 6 and 7. I have planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase.
[7:46] So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase. Pastor Gardner touched on that earlier. It's not, we're not anything.
[7:59] Listen, it's not about us. We better practice humility. I said it halfway joking, but really there's always some seriousness to any joke. We can either humble ourselves as we're commanded to, or God will humble us.
[8:16] Remember who's harvest it is. Remember God blesses obedience, not disobedience. The most satisfying and fruitful place to be is where God places you. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than where I'm at right now.
[8:29] I wouldn't want to do anything else than what I'm doing right now. You see, because doing what God wants you to do is the most satisfying thing there is in life. Look, I'm not looking for something else. I'm enjoying what I'm doing.
[8:42] And don't compare yourself with others. That was mentioned earlier. In 2 Corinthians 10, verse 12, For we dare not make ourselves of the number or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves.
[8:54] But they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise. Comparison will do one of two things. It will make you boastful or discouraged.
[9:07] And neither one of them are the attributes of somebody that's going to bear much fruit. If the grass is greener on the other side, don't go there.
[9:21] Start doing what is necessary to make your parcel greener. Do something about where you're at. Quit looking over there. Listen, God's not limited to what's on the other side.
[9:34] He's not limited into what somebody else is doing. Hey, nobody has a monopoly on God, but I want God to have a monopoly on me. Remember, quitting is never an option.
[9:48] Dr. Lee Roberson said, Quitters never win, and winners never quit. It's impossible. You can't quit something and win. Whereas then again, for some people, it's hard for them to quit something they've never started.
[10:02] Let's get started and do something for the Lord. I better close it up. I'm sure my ten minutes are gone. 2 Timothy 3, verse 14, But continue. Thou are the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.
[10:17] I thought about you, Blake, and I thought about you, and I thought about my own life. And I'm saying this to you, but I said this to myself in preparation for this evening.
[10:29] You and I both have learned from many wonderful people. Many people have invested in us. Many. Both of us.
[10:41] There are no self-made men. We all are a sum total of many people's investment. Let's make sure that they get a fruitful return on their investment.
[10:54] That's what really matters. Bear the fruit that God intended for you to bear. And don't forget who it is that's in control of the harvest.
[11:04] Amen. Enjoyed that say, man? Blake, when I was a kid, some humorist said, the grass is green on the other side, but it's over a septic tank, so don't go there.
[11:24] I want to invite Brother Luis Briceño. He is a missionary starting a church in Miami, and he comes to us by way of Brother Daniel Sparks. Thank you, brother.
[11:35] I appreciate you so much. God bless. Yeah, I appreciate the heart behind that message, and I appreciate the heart of this church for missions. And I'm Brother Luis Briceño, planting churches. I was introduced like that before at other churches.
[11:47] We're going to plant churches in Miami. I'm originally from Nicaragua, but I know Nicaragua, but I know that I'm here in the south, so it's okay to say Nicaragua. That's all right. But I came to Miami as a two-year-old, and as a teenager, I went through depression.
[12:02] I had suicidal thoughts, and praise the Lord, I had a friend who cared enough for me to invite me to a Bible study, so don't discount the value of an invitation. But at this Bible study, I put my faith and trust in Jesus.
[12:13] I was radically transformed from the inside out. I was born again. And then I decided to leave Miami. I went to the Tampa Bay area to get trained for the ministry, and I left for 17 years.
[12:26] And for 17 years, I've been studying and been training for the ministry to church plant. And I told myself when I left Miami, I'd never come back. And I moved back in May of 2020 to church plant.
[12:39] So pray for me. It's been exciting. God's able. And even though I'm from Miami, I know how they think. I know how they are. But when I got back in May, I looked around, and I was like, whoa, there's a lot of Philistines, and there's a lot of Ninevites here.
[12:51] So pray for me. But God's doing a wonderful work there. We started church. We started the Life Baptist Church of Miami Lakes in August. And we're averaging about 13. We have a good core there. And I've been begging God for laborers, and I'm so thankful for the Sparks family.
[13:06] And we just want to do a good job for the Lord. And we just pray for us as we can, for us to do only what God can do. And that's to turn Miami upside down with the gospel one person at a time. And to save Miami.
[13:17] I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now would live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
[13:27] So that's a wonderful message that we have. And we have a wonderful Savior. Amen. Thank you, God. Well, thank you. All right. Brother Holloway did give you the mic. Come on up.
[13:37] This is Brother Randy Holloway. Brother Holloway, I just want you to know that when he texted me, he called you Randy Hollow. And so if you'd like to flunk him in algebra, this is Brother Blake's algebra teacher.
[13:52] And don't let that, don't hold that against Brother Holloway. He's a good man. Just because Blake doesn't know math is not your fault, Pastor. Ten minutes.
[14:06] He must not know that I'm a Baptist. And to make matters even worse, I'm black. The book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah chapter number two.
[14:20] I want to read some verses there. I really love these historical books. When we think about the sequence of events in that Zerubbabel was called by God to go back to rebuild the temple.
[14:38] He was subsequently followed by Ezra, who understood that you need more than just a building, but you need to be able to worship correctly inside the building.
[14:49] So Nehemiah came back to restore the worship in the temple that Zerubbabel had built. Well, after the temple was built and the worship was restored by Ezra, Nehemiah then was called to go back to the same place and build the wall.
[15:17] In verse one it says, And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, some say Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king.
[15:29] That wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been before time sad in his presence, because that could lead to death, by the way, for a cupbearer to be sad in the presence of the king.
[15:50] Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart.
[16:02] Then I was very sore afraid, and said unto the king, Let the king live forever. Why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my father's sepulchre, lithe waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire.
[16:29] Nehemiah was basically saying, How do you expect me to smile and be happy when my people are perishing? When my city is in ruin?
[16:44] When the city that God called forth by David and built by Solomon was in ruins, and you're expecting me to be happy?
[16:57] I can't do it. In other words, church, what I see is a man here with a bird. What I see here is the heart of a missionary who's not content with the condition that his people are in.
[17:18] It doesn't matter what the country is, whether it's China or Nicaragua or Japan, the people need help. And we cannot smile when our hearts ought to be broken.
[17:34] Then the king said unto me, For what hast thou, of what dost thou make requests? So I pray to the God of heaven.
[17:47] I want to encourage you, Blake, as you go toward Columbia. Even now began to pray that God would give you wisdom as to how to minister to the people there in Columbia.
[18:05] He said, So I pray to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king, If it please the king, And if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me.
[18:21] How about that? If thou wouldest send me. Now this is an earthly king sending Nehemiah to a people that needs help.
[18:33] Now if an earthly king can have a burden of sin of somebody that he really doesn't know to a place to help people, what do you think about our heavenly king?
[18:48] As it relates to sending us. And the us is you and I. He said, And I said unto the king, If it please the king, And if thy servant have found favor in thy sight.
[19:06] And boy, we have found favor. If you are a preacher of the gospel, you have found favor. If you are a child of God, you have found favor.
[19:19] That thou wouldest send me into Judah, unto the city of my father's sepulchers. And I conclude with this, he says, that I may build it.
[19:35] That's really, Blake, why you're going. You're going to build a work for God. And I want to encourage you, my brother, that God would sustain you and I believe that he will.
[19:55] I know that he will. He's a faithful God. That as he leads you, many years from now, we'll see a great work for God because he sent you and because you build a work for him.
[20:16] Amen. Well, all I got to say is, I need to plug in. That's good.
[20:27] We're going to take an offering and let's have a word of prayer. Thank you very much, Brother Holloway. Thank you, Father, for what you're doing in our midst. Thank you for how you use the offerings given by your people at this church.
[20:40] And we will give you praise and honor and glory for what you're doing and what you're going to do. In Jesus' name, amen. Brother Holloway, I have a text that just came from one of our men that says, I wish that man had taught me algebra.
[20:55] There you go. The next preacher is Brother Brian Cooper. He is the pastor of Richmond Hills Baptist Church.
[21:06] Come on, Brother Cooper. He is the church where Blake and Bridget actually came from to come to our church. And they support, all these guys support a lot of our missionaries. I didn't tell you this, but Brother David Thompson as a young man lost his wife.
[21:22] And the Lord's given him a great new family and everything, but what a tragedy to go through. Brother Cooper lost his dad about five years ago. These are men acquainted with grief, but they still love Jesus.
[21:34] Amen? Amen. Brother Cooper. Thank you, Brother Austin. I appreciate that. Isn't God good? The greatest days we have to serve the Lord are the days that God has given us to serve Him. You know, many times we often think, you know, I could have done more for God had I lived during this time period.
[21:47] I could have done more for God if I was living in this circumstance. But the greatest days that we have been given to serve God are the days that God has given us to serve Him. Stop looking for a better opportunity, amen, and just do what God has given you to do.
[22:01] I want you to take your Bibles if you would please and turn to the book of 2 Timothy this evening. The book of 2 Timothy. I love the books of 1 and 2 Timothy. For a long time I've always tried to look at these books as if I was the young man that Paul was talking to.
[22:16] I'm learning that the days go much quicker the older that I get. And I'm thankful that God has given us the privilege to serve Him in this time, the days that we've been given.
[22:28] And I think about the days of Paul there as he pens this note to Timothy, this young man in the faith that he has mentored and encouraged. He's at the point where he's getting ready to go be with Jesus.
[22:41] And aren't you thankful that one day we're going to all put the sword down and we're going to be with the Savior. And one day the Lord will send Gabriel to blow the trumpet and you and I are going to be called up together.
[22:52] I'm looking for the upper taker not the undertaker. Amen. You and I are going to be called up together with the Lord in the air. Amen. I'm looking forward to that day. And by the way we do not live for this life we live for the life to come.
[23:04] We do not serve for this life we serve for the life to come. But Paul is pinning these words to Timothy and he says to Timothy listen, know this that in the last days perilous times shall come.
[23:15] We're going to get to verse number 13 which will begin our text tonight. But he says know this that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of themselves more than lovers of God.
[23:26] If you continue to read you'll see all that takes place and if you would you could compare to what is taking place in the world in which we live. God's people need to be reminded often we are never to keep our eyes on the culture we are to keep our eyes on the Christ.
[23:41] Amen. The Bible tells us here though as we get to verse number 13 he's gone through this list and I won't take the time this evening to go through it with you but if you've studied your Bible at any time you've seen the list here.
[23:54] And then he says but evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived but continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
[24:18] All scripture is given by inspiration of God. All scripture is given by inspiration of God. Every dot every T every word is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness.
[24:35] Blake that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished. In other words God said you will have everything necessary to accomplish my will. He says thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
[24:47] But I love the first verse of the next chapter. He says you've been given all that for a purpose. I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.
[25:02] Preach the word. The same word that he said was given by God. Preach that word. Preach the word. Be instant in season out of season reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
[25:14] For the time will come where they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lust shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and they shall be turned unto fables.
[25:29] But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. Paul, I can see him as I get a little more.
[25:42] I've been in the ministry serving the Lord, my wife and I for over 20 years now and the longer I'm in it, I know there are many who are longer than I am in the ministry but the longer I'm in it, the more that I love it.
[25:54] I love what God has given me to do. I said to the group of men that were sitting in the office just a moment ago, I'm not a preacher because I can't do anything else. I'm not a pastor because I didn't have anything else to do.
[26:05] I'm doing this because God called me to do it. I'm doing this because this is what God has put into my life and Blake, if God has called you to be a missionary and God has put that call upon your life to go to Columbia, don't settle for anything else.
[26:17] Don't step aside for anything else. Don't step down to do anything else because what God has done to you and what God is doing in you is the most important thing, the most important work in our life.
[26:28] When I think about these words, I think about the fact, Countin Zinzendorf said this, he said, be born, preach the gospel and be forgotten. The most important work that we are involved in is the work of the Lord.
[26:43] By the way, it is not God building your ministry. It is not you building God's ministry. It is God building his ministry. You and I are just tools that the Lord uses. Jesus came to his disciples there at the coast of Caesarea Philippi and he said unto them, he said, whom say men that I am?
[27:00] He said, Peter said, some say that you're John the Baptist or Elijah or Jeremiah and Jesus stopped him and he said, but who do you say that I am? You see, the fact of the matter is we have a world that needs Jesus Christ.
[27:13] Amen. We have a world that needs to know the gospel because if they do not trust Jesus Christ as Savior, friend, based upon the word of God, then they will spend eternity separated from God forever in a place called hell.
[27:25] This world needs Jesus Christ, friend. But if the world is going to get the gospel, if we are going to be faithful at the work that God has given us, friend, it is not the work that we decide to do.
[27:36] It is the work that God is doing in us. He said, whom say ye that I am? And Peter said those words, thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Aren't you thankful, friend, that our faith is not built upon a movement?
[27:48] It is not built upon a denomination. It is not even built upon a culture, friend. It is built upon an everlasting God who stepped out on nothing and created everything before time was, he was.
[28:00] The Bible says that Moses said, who am I supposed to tell Pharaoh sent me? He said, you tell him that I am has sent you. Aren't you glad that there is never a time in the culture that God does not exist?
[28:13] I'm thankful that wherever we are, God can meet us there. Friend, you think about going to Columbia, Brother Blake, you need to understand that the most important part of what God has given you to do is that you be the man that God desires for you to be.
[28:26] Be the man of God. Be the man of God. Don't live to impress those around you. You've developed relationships here and Blake met Bridget while she was at our church and the best thing about Blake is her.
[28:39] Amen? You've developed relationships here but you aren't going to Columbia because of the relationships that you have here. You're going to Columbia because God called you there.
[28:52] And friend, when God places you there, it'll be only God that moves you from there. There are many people who allow the crisis to move them. There are many people who allow the challenges of life to move them but it is only the Christ that should move us.
[29:09] Be the man of God. How are you to be the man of God? Love Him. Walk with Him. The Bible said, look, verse 13 tells us, but evil men and seducers shall act worse and worse and deceiving and being deceived but continue thou in the things which thou has learned and has been assured of.
[29:30] But listen please, knowing of whom thou has learned them. It is God that has led you to this point and it is God that will lead you through tomorrow. Be the man of God. Love Him. Love your wife.
[29:42] Your first ministry is your family. Love her. Encourage her. Help her minister. You minister together.
[29:53] You don't leave her behind. You serve together. Love your family. And love the people God has given you. My dad said to me, he pastored the same church for 34 years before the Lord called him home and he said to me, Brian, he said, if you'll love God's people, they'll love God.
[30:10] He said, you love God's people the way God loves you and they'll love God. He said, be the man of God. Then secondly here, he says, look in verse 16, all scripture is given by inspiration of God. I got three minutes and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
[30:27] You're not only to be the man of God but you're to preach the message of God. He said to Peter as he asked that question, whom say men that I am, whom do you say that I am?
[30:39] Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, the Son of the living God. And the Lord said to him, he said, Peter, blessed art thou for flesh and blood had not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven. And he said, and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
[30:55] There is only one message the world needs. There is only one truth that the world needs and that is the message, that is the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Do you understand that our mission, if it is not, if it is not centered and focused on God is doomed to fail.
[31:13] Whatever we attach ourselves to, if it is not attached to God, there is no hope for it. Friend, I have learned over the last year, preacher, we've learned, pastors, we've learned. Listen to me, we can't do this thing without God.
[31:25] We can't accomplish anything without God. Listen, there are times over the last few months I couldn't get out of bed without God. Friend, it is not about you and it is not about me. It must always be about Him.
[31:35] The message is the gospel. Don't change it. Listen to me, don't program God out of it. Don't practicality God out of it. You just preach the word, be instant in season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
[31:48] And then he tells us this, that we are to be the man of God, that we are to preach the message of God. Then finally, Blake, stay faithful to the mission of God. Stay faithful to the mission of God.
[32:04] There have been times that every one of us have dealt with discouragement. There have been times that you've been discouraged. There have been times that I've been discouraged. And there have been times that the devil has told us, what is it worth?
[32:15] But you remind yourself of this, that the greatest work of God is always the personal work of God. It's what God is doing in your life.
[32:28] God's not going to lead you to leave you. God only leads you to lead you. God brings you to a point to take you to the next place, to take you to the next spot, to make you, and I'm not talking about geographically, I'm talking about personally.
[32:47] And you'll find that some of the darkest moments of your life, some of the loneliest moments of your life will be the moments that God did his greatest work in your life.
[32:59] You see, it's not who men say that I am, but who do you say that he is? Is he your message? Is he your mission?
[33:10] Friend, do you understand? Brother Stephen Carrier, where's he at? Raise your hand, Brother Stephen, there he is. He came to our church and preached and I wrote something down in my Bible. I know, Brother Austin, it's hard to believe, but I wrote something down in my Bible that he said.
[33:25] He might have stolen it from someone else, like Brother Jeff or something, I'm not sure. But he made this statement and I've never forgotten it. He made this statement, he said, anything that we can, anything that we do for eternity, can never be undone.
[33:43] What life are we living for? We're living for a life that's far beyond this earth. We're living for an eternal work because anything we do for eternity can never be undone.
[33:57] God's man, stick with God's message and stay on God's mission. Amen. Blake comes out of a broken home and a messed up background and every reason to be hurt, every reason to be hurt and bitter, but God saved him, rescued him, even working out a lot of the problems in the family, going to send him down to a place to help people just like him.
[34:31] That's who our God is. Amen. Does the work of grace in us to go take it to another group of people. You three preachers, I just want to say thank you very, very much.
[34:42] I think you did a fantastic job. In my honest opinion, you did a great job. I was very blessed by having you guys here. I'd like to have you back sometime to preach. Not very often it will take you on as pastor, you're than me, but every now and then.
[34:57] But I'm very happy to have you here. Blake, as a church, where'd you go, Blake? You're here somewhere. Back row Baptist. But anyway, we love you. We are very proud of you. And you are one of my favorites.
[35:09] I have many, but you are one of them. And we're praying that God will use you. Pray for the guys that just landed in Arequipa.
[35:20] They are getting all set up. They got their houses today. Stephen Underwood leaves Sunday, I believe it is. He'll be flying Sunday night down to Lima and then on to Arequipa.
[35:34] We have a lot of other missionaries that everybody knows they're all trying to get out of here, but COVID keeps messing with things. And so pray that we can get rid of the rest of them and they can get back to where they ought to be.
[35:46] Pray for the missionaries as they raise support. A lot of meetings get canceled all the time on them, making it that harder. So pray for them if you would in all of that. I am really looking forward to preaching Sunday morning.
[35:58] I'll be in the book of Proverbs. I'm going to preach how to succeed in unstable times. And so I hope you'll be here for that. Sunday night, I'm breaking the book.
[36:08] I will not be in Jeremiah. Instead, we're going to talk about how to overcome strongholds in our lives. And I really believe the Lord will work in our lives. I hope you'll invite somebody to come and be with us.
[36:19] Let's have a word of prayer. And then I guess we won't have a word of prayer. Trent, you might want to make an announcement. Come make your announcement, then you do it.