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Let's find our seats, take our songbooks, turn to song two. Two hundred and sixty-three. Two, six, three. We are singing verily, verily, two hundred and sixty-three. Sing it out on the first. Oh, what a savior that he died for me. From condemnation he hath made me free. He that believeth only serves him, he, The everlasting life. Verily, verily, one and two. Verily, verily, one and two. He that believeth only serves his truth. The everlasting life. Two hundred and sixty-three on the second. All my iniquities and hymn were laid. All my iniquities and hymn was laid. All my iniquities and hymn were laid. All my iniquities and hymn were laid. Verily, verily, one and two. Verily, verily, one and two. Verily, verily, one and two. He that believeth only serves his truth. The everlasting life. One hundred and fifty, I confess my lord. Though weak and simple, I believe his word. Oh, what a message that we shall provide. That everlasting life. Verily, verily, one and two. Verily, verily, one and two. Verily, verily, one and two. He that believeth only serves his truth. Good, sing it out on the last. Though all are worthy, yet I will not bow. For him that loveth, he will not question. He that believeth only gives a shout. That everlasting life. Verily, verily, one and two. Verily, verily, one and two. He that believeth only serves his truth. The everlasting life. We pray that you would help us to grow and learn today. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Turn to song 246. Two, four, six. 246 on the first. Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed through his authentic mercy. He shall live forever again. Redeemed, Redeemed. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed, Redeemed. He shall live forever again. Redeemed and so happy is Jesus. The angels perhaps we can tell. I know that the light of his presence. If we both continually dwell. Redeemed, Redeemed. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed, Redeemed. Redeemed, Redeemed. On the third. I think of my prosperity. I think of him all over the world. I sing for I cannot be silent. His love is a theme of my soul. Redeemed. Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Redeemed, Redeemed. Redeemed. He shall live forever on. On the last. I know I shall see in his beauty. The King is my God. I'm not going to die if my God stops you. Redeemed, Redeemed. Redeemed. I'm not going to die if my God stops you. Redeemed, Redeemed. Redeemed, Redeemed. He shall live forever on. We'll get one for you. The verse is sweet, John 10. The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that ye might have life and that ye might have it more abundantly. That's a good verse there. We like that. If you open up your bulletin, you'll see our service time Sunday morning service 10.30 a.m. And of course, we are glad that you're with us on Sunday morning on the Lord's Day Sunday evening service tonight at 6 p.m. We'd love for you to join us. And then our Wednesday evening Bible study at 7 p.m. If you look at our sowing times, our main sowing times on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. And then we have additional sowing times on Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 2 p.m. So if you'd like to go sowing, there'll be an opportunity for you to be able to do that this afternoon. If you are a first-time guest, if it's your first time here at Ready Baptist Church, we're glad you're with us. We have a gift we'd like to give you as you walk out of the church building this morning. As you go through our foyer, you'll see a little table set up. On that table, you'll see these little gift bags. Please grab one on your way out as a gift from us to you for being our guest this morning. There are several resources in this bag that we'd like you to have, but the one I'd like to highlight is this documentary that our church made. It's called Being Baptist, very well made, very interesting, we think you'll like it. We want to give this to you as a gift, so please make sure you don't leave here this morning without grabbing one of those on your way out. And if you are a guest, we'd ask that you please take a moment and fill out the communication card, which is inserted in your bulletin. If you need a pen, just raise your hand and one of our ushers can bring you a Very Baptist Church pen. We'd love to have a record of your attendance, and we would actually like to send you a little gift, but we need your information to do that. So please take a moment to fill the card out. If you look at the announcements there, we of course are a family integrated church. What that means is that children and infants are always welcome in the service. We do not separate children from their parents for any reason. We do have mother-baby rooms and daddy rooms available for your convenience. All of the rooms have comfortable seating, they have monitors set up so you can watch the service and listen to it. If you're not sure where those rooms are at, you can look at the back of the bulletin and you'll see a layout of our church building. It'll show you where the mother-baby rooms are, where the daddy room is. It'll show you where the restrooms are. If you need to be baptized, please let us know on your communication card. You can check off that you'd like information about baptism, and we'll follow up with you in regards to that. If you look at the announcements and upcoming events, of course we've got the three series we're going through. Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night. This morning we will be in our second part of helping people reach their full potential, and we encourage you to be back tonight for Numbers chapter 2. We started a series in the book of Numbers last Wednesday night, and of course we start, last Sunday night, and of course last Wednesday night, the book of Galatians. So we encourage you to be here for all of that. We want to invite all the ladies to come out to an elegant afternoon tea in honor of Mother's Day, and you can sign up on your communication card. It is a Saturday before Mother's Day, Saturday, May 13th at 3 p.m. in our fellowship hall, and it's a very nice event and we think you'll enjoy it. There will be a gift basket valued at over $50 that will be given away, and you can sign up on your communication card if you'd like to volunteer and help with the Mother's Day tea. It's a huge event and there's a lot of work that goes into it. We've got some sign up sheets in the foyer. If you go out in the foyer on the table you'll see several different sign up sheets for different things that you can do. You can help wash teacups or decorate or serve tea, help clean up or bring baked goods. All those things are back there, so please go by if you would and look at that and maybe sign up to help with something there. And then of course the next day on Sunday, May 14th is Mother's Day, so we'd love for you to make plans to be with us on Mother's Day. And the children's choir will be singing on Mother's Day in honor of Mother's Day of course, and then we'll be giving out the VBC t-shirts for all the ladies and girls in attendance. So we have the girls shirts and then we'll give out the men's shirts on Father's Day, but make sure you're here on Mother's Day for that. And then of course we have the recordings for the choir. Tonight there's going to be about 10 minutes after the service in the fellowship hall there'll be a time to record the choir, so if you can help us with that we'd appreciate it. We're going to do that for three weeks in a row tonight, April 23rd, and then next week, April 30th, the week after that, Sunday, May 7th. If you have any questions you can see Brother RJ, but if you can help us with that for the choir we'd appreciate it. Children's Choir, they've got practice today at 5.15 in the playroom. It is for ages 4 to 12 years old, and of course they're singing for Mother's Day. There's other things there for you to look at. Please don't forget to turn your cell phones off or place them on silent. There is a PE class this Thursday, April 27th for the homeschoolers. If you look at the back of the bulletin, birthdays and anniversaries for the month of April this week. We have Ms. Lindsey Johnson's birthday on April 25th, Brother Alan Courtney's birthday on April 26th, Noah Sweeten's birthday on April 28th, and Brother James and Ms. April Villa have an anniversary on April 28th as well. Praise Report, Money Matters, all those things are there for you to look at. I think that's it for all of the announcements, so we're going to go ahead and sing the chorus of the week, which is the insert in your bulletin. And we'll sing, oh it is wonderful to be a Christian, as we prepare to receive the offering this morning. Sing it out on the first. Life has purpose, now it never had before. There is meaning to each day and year before. For a joy and peace I can't explain is mine. Since I found new life in Christ my Lord divine. Oh, it is wonderful to be a Christian. Oh, it is wonderful to be a Christian. Oh, it is wonderful to have your sins forgiven. Oh, it is wonderful to be a Christian. Sing it out on the second. I can go directly to the Lord of Prayer. He has told me I may boldly endure there. And He listens as His promises I give. I find mercy there and praise there every day. Oh, it is wonderful to be a Christian. Oh, it is wonderful to have your sins forgiven. Oh, it is wonderful to be redeemed, justified forever and in style. And the hope of Heaven's glory's written sound. Where I'll live with Christ forevermore I know. That is why the things that birth may easily be. My eternal age is better far than old. Oh, it is wonderful to be a Christian. Oh, it is wonderful to be God's Son. Oh, it is wonderful to have your sins forgiven. Oh, it is wonderful to be redeemed, justified forever and in style. Amen. Good singing. We'll have the guys come up and help us with the offering at this time. And let's go ahead and bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, Lord, we do thank you for allowing us to gather together today. Lord, we pray that you bless the offering, the gift and the giver. Lord, we ask that you meet with us as we open up your Word and learn from the Word of God this morning. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter 3. 2 Peter chapter 3. If you do not have a Bible, raise your hand and an usher will bring you one. 2 Peter chapter 3. We will read through the entire chapter as our custom. 2 Peter chapter 3. Just keep your hands up and an usher will bring you a Bible. 2 Peter chapter 3. The Bible reads, this second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by the way of remembrance, that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this verse, that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts and saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the Word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water, whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years is one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but his longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are thereon shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless, and account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable rest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. Let's pray. Father God, thank you for this day, and thank you for this opportunity to come together. Please bless, Pastor, and the message. Let it bring glory and honor to you. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen. Amen. All right, we are there in 2 Peter, chapter number 3. I'd like you to keep your finger there in 2 Peter, if you would, and either go with me to John, to the Gospel of John, chapter number 10, or if you'd like, you can just look at your bulletin, because the verse I want to show you is actually the verse in your bulletin, John chapter 10 and verse 10. Either go to John or just look at your bulletin. Of course, last week we began a series entitled, Helping People Reach Their Full Potential, and we're going to spend the next several weeks talking about how to reach your full potential, and I want to begin this morning with the subject of how to help you reach your own potential. Now, as the weeks go on, we're going to get very individualized into reaching your potential. We're going to talk about reaching your potential as a wife and as a husband, as a father, as a mother, helping your children reach their full potential. We're going to talk about all sorts of different things, but I thought that we would begin, of course, last week we had an introductory sermon on the idea of untapped potential, and then this morning I want to preach a sermon that really should apply to every single person here, whether you're male or female, young or old, leader or follower, how to reach your own personal potential. In John chapter 10 and verse 10, the Bible says this, The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. This is Jesus speaking. He says, I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. And of course, the Bible tells us and Jesus tells us that he came to give us life. And of course, that is a reference to salvation. But Jesus not only come to give you new life, he also came to help you with your current life. He came to make your life better. And I want to preach on this subject of how to reach your potential, how to reach your own full potential. Let me just begin by giving some kind of introductory statements regarding this. Let me just say this. Of course, none of us are meeting our full potential. Not anyone here could say that they are meeting their full potential. We talked about that last week. Like the Apostle Paul, we should all be able to say that we have not yet attained, that we are still trying and attempting to better ourselves. So none of us, of course, are meeting our full potential. However, with that said, let me say this. Some of us are embarrassingly coming short of our potential. Though there is none of us that is meeting our full potential, there are some here, and you know who I'm talking about. I'm just kidding. There are some that are not meeting their potential at all, not even coming close to it. And I want to help you with that. And I think something that people don't understand, and this is maybe, if I could help people understand one thing regarding this idea of your own potential and what you are accomplishing in life, it would be this. And I'm going to do my best to try to communicate it to you, and by God's grace, He'll help me to be able to communicate this in a way that it'll make sense to you. But I don't know how else to say it other than this. I'm just going to say it this way. You and I need to understand that just because you are a blank, fill in the blank, just because you are a husband, just because you are a wife, just because you, this should really be a humbling thought if you listen to what I'm saying to you this morning, just because you are a mother, just because you are a father, just because you are a pastor, just because you are, it doesn't matter, fill in the blank, just because you are a, you fill in the blank to whatever it is that you identify with and that you're doing in life, just because you are a blank does not mean that you are a good blank. You understand what I just said? Simply the fact of physically having a child and now you are a father does not in any way, shape, or form make you a good father. Just because you are able to trick a young lady into walking down an aisle and saying and repeating I do and now you have a piece of paper that calls you a husband, please understand this, does not in any way, shape, or form mean that you are a good husband. Just because you're a mother, just because you're a wife, just because, if I could get people to understand this, I think we would solve half the problem. Because I feel like sometimes people have this idea and maybe they've never really thought about it and that's what I'm trying to get you to think about right now, it's this subconscious thing, but you think oh I'm a wife now, oh I'm a mother now, oh I'm a husband now, oh I'm a father now, oh I started the business, oh I got the job, oh I got ordained, oh I accomplished, you got the position, but please understand something that just because you are a fill in the blank does not in any way, shape, or form mean that you are good at that position. Let me say this and this should be humbling to you as well. I know it humbles me. Some are better blanks than others. Are you listening to what I'm saying? Every man in this room should hear what I just said. There are some husbands that are better husbands to their wives than other husbands. There are some parents, please hear this, please hear this. There are some parents that are better parents to their children than are other parents. And I don't know what that does for you or what sort of motivation or whatever it does for you, but it breaks my heart to think that my wife might be stuck with a mediocre, half-hearted, barely making it, barely successful husband because she just happened to be tricked into marrying me. It breaks my heart to think that my children might be growing up in a home where they're going to be set up for failure and set up with a disadvantage because they happen to have a father who did not care enough to try to become the best father that he could be. Because you have to understand that just because you are a blank because you have to understand that just because you are a blank does not mean that you're succeeding there. And it's a thought that I don't think many people realize. I don't think, I'm going to go in and say this, you're going to accuse me of tooting my own horn or whatever and you can do whatever you want. Not all churches are created equal. Some churches are better than others. Some pastors are better than others. Some pastors' wives are better than others. The truth is that none of us are meeting our potential, but some of us are drastically failing. So the question that I want to begin by asking you is this. The question that you should ask yourself and I should ask myself every day is am I reaching my full potential? Am I reaching my full potential? In whatever area you find yourself, not all soul winners, some soul winners are better than other soul winners. You say, I don't like you talking about pastors. Okay, let's put it to you. Some church members are better than other church members. What I want to do this morning is I want to give you, I'm going to do my best to do this. I don't know that I will actually succeed at this and we may have to pick this up at another time. But I want to give you 12 statements regarding this idea of helping you reach your full potential. I hope you'll write them down. The truth is that those of you who probably don't need the sermon will write them all down and those of you who need the sermon will not. And that says something to why you are where you are. I want to help you. It may not feel like I'm helping you, but sometimes we speak the truth in love. I want to speak to you on the subject of how to reach your full potential. Another title for this sermon might be why you suck and what to do about it. But, you know, you call it whatever you want. 12 statements to help you reach your full potential. Number one, to reach your full potential, you must be growing spiritually. Of course, we need to begin there. We were in 2 Peter chapter 3. I'm not sure if you're still there. If you went to John with me, go back to 2 Peter 3 verse 18, please. To reach your full potential, you must be growing spiritually. 2 Peter 3, 18. And please understand something. I'm not sitting here telling you that I'm the greatest pastor ever. I'm not saying that, but I am telling you this, that I'm doing my best to try to be the best pastor I can be. I can tell you this. I think you've got the greatest pastor's wife alive right now is the pastor's wife in this church. We should all be striving to be the best version of ourselves. That needs to begin with reaching our potential. And how do we do that? We reach our full potential. Number one, you must be growing spiritually. 2 Peter 3, 18. But grow in grace. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to Him be glory both now and forever. Amen. Just because you are a Christian does not mean that you are a good one. Just because you are in church does not mean that you are learning. Just because, look, just because you're saved does not mean you're growing. So we are commanded to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to Him be glory both now and forever. Amen. Now you're there in 2 Peter 3. Go back to 2 Peter chapter number 1, just a couple chapters back. 2 Peter chapter 1, look at verse 5. The Christian life is a life of growth. We should be adding to our Christian life. Notice it's emphasized here in 2 Peter 1 and verse 5. The Bible says this, and beside this. Now the this there is referring to your faith, what saves you. Now the this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, notice it, add to your faith virtue. And to virtue, knowledge. And to knowledge, temperance. And to temperance, patience. And to patience, godliness. And to godliness, brotherly kindness. And to brotherly kindness, charity. The idea here is that we start with faith but we're supposed to add because we're supposed to grow, grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior. We're supposed to add to our faith virtue. And we are to add to virtue, knowledge. And we are to add to knowledge, temperance. And we are to add to temperance, patience. And we are to add to patience, godliness. And by the way, I'm not preaching on that list but that list is given in that order for a reason. And one of these days I will preach an entire series just out of that one list because I think it's worth noting what it is that we're supposed to add and the order in which we are supposed to add it. But I only want you to notice for now that you are supposed to be adding to your Christian life. You say, why? Verse 8. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful. Notice it, in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because we're supposed to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So the Christian life should be a life of growth. We're supposed to be adding to the Christian life. So here's the question I have for you. What are you adding to your faith? What are you adding to your faith? Because if you're not growing spiritually, if you're the same today as you were spiritually this time last year and this time the year before that and you've not really grown, nothing has really changed in your Christian life, you will not reach your full potential. To reach your full potential, to reach my full potential, we must be, number one, growing spiritually. Now you're there in 2 Peter chapter 1. I'd like to use verse 3 to also speak on the second point. And like I said, I've got 12 of them and I'm not sure that I'll make it through all 12 and do our best. I said, number one, to reach your full potential you must be growing spiritually. Here's number two, to reach your full potential you must develop personal character. Here's number three, to reach your full potential you must develop personal character. Notice it again there, 2 Peter 1.3. According as his, excuse me, not again. I want you to see it. You're there in 2 Peter 1. We read verses 5 through 8, but I'd like you to look at verse 3. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him, notice it, that hath called us to glory and virtue. Now we saw it in verse 5, it was the first thing that we're supposed to add. 2 Peter 1.5, besides this, giving all diligence add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge. Now if you and I were writing the list, we would say add to your faith knowledge. We would probably say the first thing you should add to your faith is knowledge. The Bible tells us the first thing you should add to your faith, even before you add knowledge, is virtue. You say, why? Because if you're going to, because God understands, because Peter understands that if you're going to develop, if you're going to reach your full potential, you must develop personal character. Virtue is defined as behavior showing high moral standards. The word virtue means to have character, means to have integrity, means to have honor. You say, what does that mean? It means you're an honest person. It means you're a person with integrity. You're not hiding anything. You're not deceptive. You're not lying. Obviously, when we talk about character, we're talking about things like lying, stealing, cheating. These are things that should not characterize the Christian life. But let me just say this because I would imagine that in a church like this, on a Sunday morning at Verity Baptist Church, the vast majority of you here are probably not stealing at Walmart. I mean, some of you probably are, but the vast majority probably aren't. So I would hope that that would go without being said or if you are, you at least know it's wrong. But let me just help some of you godly people or good people who still have a lack of character because having a lack of character is not simply lying, it is also a withholding of the truth. You say, well, I don't lie. Yeah, but do you deceive? I don't steal. Yeah, but do you kind of just take more than you should? Because showing up late to work and clocking in as though you were on time shows your lack of character. Taking an hour and 50 minute lunch when you've been given an hour lunch and getting paid for those 50 minutes shows your lack of character. Taking credit for something you did not do or shifting the responsibility for something you did do shows your lack of character. Go to Acts, if you would, Acts Chapter 17. You've got Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Acts Chapter 17. And I've got to ask you the question, are you a person of character? Are you a person of integrity? Are you a person who tells the truth even if it makes you look bad? Tells the truth even if it puts you in a bad light? Because that's what a person of character does. Now, not everybody has character. And like I said in my introductory statements, some of you were raised by some really bad parents. And I know you don't like me saying that and it's not right for, you know, in our culture, in our society where everybody gets a trophy and everybody is great. You're not supposed to say that some moms are bad moms and some dads are bad dads, but I'm here to tell you something. Some moms are bad moms and some dads are bad dads. And some of you, unfortunately, were raised by bad moms and bad dads and you've become a bad mom and a bad dad. I'm not trying to hurt your feelings. I am trying to wake you up a little bit. The fact that there is a reality that not everyone, in fact, I would say the vast majority of people are not just living this upstanding, zealous life of truth and justice and this tendency to do right. Most people are lying and stealing and cheating and being lazy. Acts 17, verse 5, are you there? But the Jews, which believe not, moved with envy, took unto them, notice they were looking for a certain type of person because they needed somebody to do something bad. So they took unto them certain lewd fellows, that word lewd means wicked or vulgar, an obscene person, they took unto them lewd fellows of the baser sort. That word baser sort is the King James English version of saying a low life. And I'm just highlighting for you the fact that there are people out there who are lewd likes. There are lewd people out there, fellows of the baser sort. So the question is, are you one of them? Are you someone that tells the truth, walks with integrity, does what's right, and when you do something wrong you own up to it and you take responsibility? Are you the type of person that's often shifting the blame and giving excuses, why it wasn't my fault and why it was this other individual? Are you the person who is giving credit where credit is due? I mean, these are all matters of integrity. I mean, if somebody thanked you for something you didn't do, what would you do? You don't think this happens? This happens all the time. This happens all the time around here. I mean, I've known and I've been part of situations where four or five people are all being thanked for something that one person did. And not only are four or five people being thanked for something that one person did, they're being rewarded for something that one person did. They're being given gifts for something as a thank you for something that this person assumes all these people did, and the truth is, one person did it. Or one person did the lion's share. What would you do in that situation? Because I tell you what I've seen people do in that situation. Nothing. Now here's what a person of integrity would do. They would say, listen, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. But honestly, I've got to let you know that I had nothing to do with this and so-and-so was actually the person that did it. Or I had very little to do with this and so-and-so was the person that did the lion's share of the work. And if you're thinking anybody, if you're going to give a gift to anybody, it should be so-and-so. But no, I've seen people just sit there and stay quiet and take credit for something they didn't do. And then awkwardly walk off silently. You say, Pastor, what do you do in a situation like that? What is your wife doing in a situation like that? We're people of integrity, so we just keep our mouths shut because we don't really care as long as God knows what we did. But I'm not asking about me, I'm asking about you. What would you do? Because what you would do in that situation shows a lot about your integrity. And here's all I'm telling you. Here's all I'm telling you. You may not like it and that's fine. Some of you are failing in life because you cannot, you cannot, you will not, you cannot have God's blessing on your life while you have low character. God will not bless you. God will not help you. You are struggling with your children. You are struggling in your marriage. You are struggling with your finances. You are struggling in life. And it has to do with the fact that you're a dishonest person. So I'm just telling you that if you want to reach your full potential, number one, you've got to be growing spiritually. That will help you with your character. But number two, you must develop personal character, personal integrity. You must be the person that says, look, I mean, just, just, just a couple of days ago, I had somebody text me and the individual that texted me, they don't know who they are, but they were very respectful and this was not any sort of thing, but they were asking me a question. They're saying, pastor, I was told X, Y, and Z by so and so. I'm just confirming with you. Is that the case? And this was a situation where I honestly should have been the one to tell this individual this. I'm the pastor of the stinking church. You want to know how I responded? Yes, that is the case. I'm sorry. I should have told you. You know what their response was? No problem. Not an issue at all. Thank you very much. I'll change the schedule. That's how a person of character interacts. Hey, I'm sorry. I should have told you that. You know what I didn't say? Well, I was really busy and I got blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. That's what a lacer, a baser sort person does. Well, it's not my fault. It's that person's fault. It's not that hard. Hey, I'm sorry. I messed up. I should have told you. No problem, pastor. God bless. I'm just telling you, you might want to learn to develop some character in your life where you don't take credit for things you didn't do and you do take responsibilities for things you did do. You don't steal and you don't cheat. You don't lie. You're not deceptive. You don't tell stories that aren't true about you to try to make you look good. Just saying, go to 1 Corinthians chapter 9. You're there in Acts. You go past Romans. Keep your place in Acts, if you would. Keep your place. We're going to leave it. We're going to come back. Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians. Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians. It was supposed to be a nice sermon, but then I got pissed off right before the service, so I just figured, well, let's just go with it. It must be God's will. 1 Corinthians 9. To reach your full potential, you must be growing spiritually. To reach your full potential, you must develop personal character. Number three, to reach your full potential. You say, why would I care about this? Because not everyone that is a blank is a good blank. Because just because you are a mother does not make you a good mother. Just because you are a father does not make you a good father. And it's not fair to those children to be set up for failure because you're lazy and you like character. Because you're lazy and you don't want to grow spiritually. So please listen to this. To reach your full potential, you must grow spiritually. You must develop personal character. Number three, to reach your full potential, you must develop self-discipline. You must develop self-discipline. This is taught all throughout the Bible. I'll just show you one verse that highlights it. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 27. Paul says, but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection. What does that mean? I bring my body into control, lest that by any means when I preach to others, I myself should be a castaway. You say, what does discipline mean? I preach an entire sermon series on discipline and it goes with the idea of character and I'm not going to do that, but let me just briefly say it this way. Discipline is doing what you don't want to do that you should do and discipline is not doing what you do want to do that you shouldn't do. And I'm just here to tell you that if you're going to reach your full potential, you're going to have to at some point learn to develop some self-discipline. Temperance, self-control, bring my body into subjection, make myself do what I don't want to do but I know I should do and make myself not do what I do want to do but I know I should not do. You will never reach your full potential while you live a life that is not discipline. To reach your full potential, you must develop self-discipline. Number four, go to Philippians if you would. You're there in 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Philippians chapter number three. 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Philippians chapter three. To reach your full potential, you must be growing spiritually. You must develop a personal character. You must develop self-discipline. Here's number four. To reach your full potential, you must have a singular focus. To reach your full potential, you must have a singular focus. Notice here, the apostle Paul, we've said it last week, probably one of the greatest, I mean not probably, definitely one of the greatest men who ever lived. Probably one of the greatest Christians who ever lived. Definitely the greatest evangelist, missionary, whatever you want to call him that ever lived. And here's what he said, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended. We focused on that last week. Why don't you notice this this week. He says, but this one thing I do. But this one thing I do. He said, but this one thing I do. He didn't say, but these ten things I dabble in. He said, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. And here's what I'm telling you is that if you're going to reach your full potential, you must have a singular focus. There's a book that I picked up in an airport once called The One Thing. It caught my eye because I saw the title and it reminded me of Philippians 3.13 when Paul said, but this one thing I do. And it's a very good book. I definitely recommend it. It's a business book written by Gary Keller, who's a real estate guy. Let me just give you some quotes from the book. He said, success demands singleness of purpose. He said, you need to be doing fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects. He said, you can become successful with less discipline than you think for one simple reason. Success is about doing the right thing, not about doing everything right. He said, it is not that we have too little time to do all the things we need to do. It is that we feel the need to do too many things in the time that we have. And all I'm saying to you is this. If you're going to succeed in life, you're going to have to narrow your focus down to just a few priorities and stop trying to get everything done. You're trying to do everything and you suck at all of it. Here's all I'm saying. I'm just saying, if I was a plumber, I'd focus on being the best plumber I can be. If I was a homeschool mother, I'd focus on being the best homeschool mother I could be. If I were a pastor, which I am, I would be trying to be the best pastor I can be. I'd just focus on one thing, and when you focus on one thing, and I'm not saying focus on one thing your whole life, but maybe focus on one thing in every area of your life. And you might just focus on just one thing in every area of your life. There are not that many areas of your life. And if you just focus on that one thing that God has called you to do and get good at it and become successful at it, hey, you will reach your full potential. But while you're trying to dabble in this and dabble in that, and you're distracted on all these things, you wonder why you're not succeeding in any one thing. To reach your full potential, you must have a singular focus. This one thing I do. Here's what I'm saying. Paul said, hey, I'm doing this one thing. Paul didn't say, I'm in the ministry, I'm an evangelist, I'm in full-time ministry, and I have this one thing, but then I've got all these other things, these other projects I'm working on. I think we should be busy and I think we should all be working, but everything you're working on should all be directed in one focus. And look, that one focus ought to be God. But if you're going to reach your full potential, you must have a singular focus. Here's all I'm saying. Some of you moms are too distracted. You're distracted with this and you're distracted with that. You're on YouTube and Facebook, you're doing all these things your kids can barely read. But you're distracted with all these things. Some of you dads, you're just too distracted. You've got this going on and that going on, you get up early and go here before work, and then after work you've got this appointment and that appointment, you've got this and that, and then you wonder why your marriage is failing. I'm just telling you, maybe try to focus on just one thing or just a few things and get really good at those things. And look, I've taught you this before and I'll just say it again. There are many things that I would like to do. There are many things that my wife and I would like to do. There are many things that we'd like to accomplish. Many ministries we'd like to start. Many things. Look, if I wanted to, and I don't want to, if I wanted to, we get enough invitations. I get enough invitations to preach around here that if I wanted to, I could get on a plane every week of my life and go somewhere and preach. You say, do you do that? Obviously, no. Honestly, I try to limit my preaching engagements to once a month, and if I can get away with two or three months without going anywhere, I do it. You say, what? Why? And here's what I'm saying. There are some things that maybe you'd like to do, but you have to realize that now is not the time. There are some things that you need to say no to, and there are other things that you need to say not now. I've got children at home, so there are many things that my wife and I would like to do that we say not now, maybe later. Not now, maybe one day. Not now, maybe once the kids are grown and out of the house. Once we've made sure we've succeeded there. Once we've made sure we've married them up properly. Once we've made sure that they're adults and they're serving God and they love the Lord and they're walking with God. Maybe once we've done focusing on this one thing that God has given us to do, then maybe once we open up some time, we'll do X, Y, and Z. But it's because of our focus that we often say no to some things and not now to others. I'm just telling you, especially some of you young men, it's got too many things going on. Too many things that don't matter. And too many things that are honestly making you fail at everything. And we're supposed to be impressed that you're doing everything, but you're not very good at anything. And if you're going to reach your full potential, you need to have a singular focus and decide, you know what, this is what I'm going to do. And if I'm going to do this, if I'm going to commit to this, then this is going to be the one thing that I do. Go to Acts, if you would, Acts chapter 4. If you kept your place in Acts, go back to Acts chapter 4. Please continue to keep your place in Acts there, Acts chapter 4. We're talking about how to reach your full potential. I'm giving you 12 things. I usually don't give you this many things, but we'll see how far we get. How to reach your full potential, number one, you must be growing spiritually. Number two, you must develop personal character. Number three, you must develop self-discipline. Number four, you must have a singular focus. Number five, to reach your full potential, you must control what influences you. You must control what influences you. Acts chapter 4 and verse 20, notice what the Bible says. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. Now the apostle Paul here is very, excuse me, Peter here is very specifically talking about the gospel, about the message of Jesus Christ, that he can't stop talking about Jesus because we cannot speak, we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. But this phrase or this statement is really a reality of life. Look, you don't need to tell me what you've been watching on YouTube. You don't need to tell me what podcast you've been listening to. You don't need to tell me what books you've been reading. I can just listen to your conversation and already know who you've been listening to. I can listen to your conversations and already know what you've been reading. Because it's a reality of life that we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. Please understand this. Whether you realize it or not, the things that you allow into your eyes and the things that you allow into your ears will influence you. They'll influence you. That's just the reality of life. So what should we do? We need to control what influences us. Lamentations 3, you don't have to turn there. I'll just read this for you. Verse 51, or you can jot this down for your notes if you'd like. The prophet said, mine eye affected mine heart. What you look at, what you listen to, what you're watching, what you're reading, these things will influence you. Some of you, all you do is talk about the stock market. You don't have to tell me what you're watching on YouTube. I already know what you're watching on YouTube. The only thing that comes out of your mouth is stock market, stock market, stock market. The only thing that comes out of your mouth is golf, golf, golf. Now, when the only thing that comes out of your mouth is, isn't the love of Jesus something wonderful? You don't have to tell me what you've been reading. I already know what you're reading. Because we can but speak the things which we have seen and heard. So when I decide, hey, here's what I want to focus on, here's what I want my life to be about, here's what I want to be successful at, here's where when I die, what I want for people to say, this was his success, this was his legacy, this is where he shined, look how he was a husband, look how he raised his children, look at how he passed his children. If I've already decided that's my focus, then I'm going to control the things that influence me to influence me in that direction. Because if I start allowing other things to influence me and come into my mind and into my heart, they're just going to pull me away from what I've already decided is my one thing. So here's what I'm saying, is you must control, if you're going to reach your full potential, you must control what influences you. You need to quit clicking on all those other videos. You need to just take a break or just delete Facebook. You must control what influences you. Number six, if you're there in Acts, go to Proverbs if you would. Keep your place in Acts, go to Proverbs chapter 22, if you open your Bible just right in the center, you'll more than likely fall in the book of Psalms, right after Psalms you have the book of Proverbs. Proverbs 22, you must control what influences you. Number five, number six, not only must you control what influences you, number six, you must control who influences you. Whether you realize it or not, just like the things that you watch and listen to will influence you, the people you spend time with will influence you. We can look at a lot of passages on this, I'm not going to take the time, just here's one example, Proverbs 22, 24, make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man, thou shall not go. Why? Verse 25, lest thou learn his way and get a snare to thy soul. You know the people that you spend time with, you will become like those people. Let me just apply it to parenting and why some of you need to just take this into your own personal life, the people that spend time with you will become like you. I've noticed whenever I meet a man who's highly arrogant and very prideful, usually when I meet his children they're arrogant and prideful. I meet a wife who complains a lot, then I meet the children, they complain a lot. Why? Because you learn the ways of the people you're with, so number one, be careful about the person you are and number two, be careful about who influences you. There are some people who you need to be kind to and nice to and be friendly but not spend a lot of time with. Because there's just not someone that I want to influence my life. If you're going to reach your full potential, you must control what influences you and you must control who influences you. Number seven, you're there in Proverbs 22, flip back to Proverbs chapter 20, we're talking about how to reach your full potential. Some of you are like, if I got to do all this, forget it. I know. You don't have to tell me. To reach your full potential, you must be growing spiritually. To reach your full potential, you must develop personal character. To reach your full potential, you must develop self-discipline. To reach your full potential, you must have a singular focus. To reach your full potential, you must control what influences you. To reach your full potential, you must control who influences you. Number seven, to reach your full potential, you must control your sleep. To reach your full potential, you must control your sleep. You know, the Bible says that we need to be careful about getting too much sleep. Proverbs 20 verse 13, we could look at a lot of verses on this subject, I'll just show you one. Proverbs 20 verse 13, love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty. Open thine eyes and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. Be careful about getting too much sleep. Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty. People that like to sleep a lot are usually broke. Lest thou come to poverty. They don't succeed in life, they're not successful in life, they're not accomplishing in life because they like to sleep. So don't get too much sleep. But with that said, let's balance that out. Do get good sleep. Ecclesiastes 5, you're there in Proverbs, go to Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes 5 and verse 12. Ecclesiastes 5 and verse 12, notice what the Bible says, the sleep of a laboring man is sweet. You get up and you work hard all day long and then you sleep and get rest. It's good for your body to rest, it's good for you to get sleep. Burning the midnight candle and all that is not going to make you as productive as you might think it's going to make you. And look, I get it, you know, if you're a business owner, I'm a pastor, I'm not a business owner, but my job is very similar to yours in the sense that nobody's telling me when to get up and when to go to work and when to do this, when to do that. I get that. Look, we're busy, we've got organizations to run, we've got ministries to run, I've got people to meet with and things to counsel. I'll be honest with you, I don't, you know, I've said this before, I don't take any days off. I don't say that to make you feel sorry for me or whatever. Honestly, the last time I took a day off was February 2nd, which was the day after my birthday and I spent some time with my family. The next time I take a day off that is scheduled on my calendar will be June 5th, my anniversary. I don't take days off. I'm not saying that to make you feel anything other than this. Let me just say this though, I do get sleep every night. I mean, I get seven hours of sleep every night. You say, why? Because I can't get up here and preach to 200 people while my mind is cloudy and confused. I can't study the Bible and write the sermons that a growing church like this needs while I'm just kind of like... That's how some of you go to work. Listen to me, it is immoral. Are you listening to me? It is immoral and wrong to have somebody pay you for your time and then you give him just the worst time possible. Just half distracted, half in, half out. You want to meet your potential? Get some sleep. Get to bed at a decent time. Get up at a decent time. Get some sleep. Be refreshed. If you get a day off, you have the luxury of a day off, take the day off and rest. Don't show up to work on Monday morning giving half your best. You know the Bible says you work for Jesus? I don't care where you work. You can work at McDonald's and you work for the Lord Jesus Christ. So give him your best. Reach your full potential. You must control your sleep. Number eight. If you kept your place in Acts, go to 2 Corinthians. Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians. I need to say this to some of you who are going to make comments and whatever. Look, I take time. I'll take afternoons off and spend time with my family. Or I might take a morning off here and there and spend time with my family. Don't feel bad like, oh, Pastor, I'm going to take a day off. I take time. I can't take a 24-hour period off because as soon as I decide I'm taking a 24-hour period off, I'll literally get seven calls, four divorces. You're just on the verge of happening and whatever. So it doesn't work. It's just in my life, it doesn't work. But I do rest. Do you understand that? I rest. I take time to be with my family. I probably, I mean, other than like men's preaching night, I have dinner with my family every night. Now, I may have to go make a hospital visit afterwards. I may have to go to a counseling session afterwards. But I spend time with my family. I make sure I get rest. I make sure that I'm not just like, I mean, imagine if I showed up to counseling, I'm just like, I'm not sure. You know, slurping a big gulp. Look, you've got to be sharp. You've got to be effective. Reach your full potential. You must control your sleep. Make sure you have good health. Number eight, to reach your full potential, you must control your thoughts. You must control your thoughts. 2 Corinthians 10. 2 Corinthians 10 verse 3, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Verse 5, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, notice it, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. You know the Bible says that the thought of foolishness is sin? If you're going to reach your full potential, you're going to have to learn to control your thoughts. You say, I can't control my thoughts. They're just going everywhere. I have all these things I want to do, all these passions and lust and dreams and whatever. Well, notice casting down imaginations. That's what that's talking about. You're a whole little, I just want to be a multimillionaire and live on an island somewhere. You need to cast down that imagination. That's not what God wants for you. Cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bring it into captivity every thought. You say, well, how do I do that? Part of that is controlling what influences you and who influences you. You understand that? Reach your full potential, you must control your thoughts, bringing into captivity every thought. Number nine, go to Ephesians. You're there in 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians. You notice how all these points are situated so you can just quickly go from one, you go from Acts to 1 Corinthians, from 1 Corinthians to Ephesians. You notice that? I don't know if you ever notice that. I'm sure you don't. But I'm just telling you, that doesn't happen with someone who's just kind of half paying attention just on his computer, just clicking things. Just saying. Ephesians 5. To reach your full potential, you must be growing spiritually. To reach your full potential, you must develop personal character. To reach your full potential, you must develop self-discipline. To reach your full potential, you must have singular focus. To reach your full potential, you must control what influences you. You must control who influences you. You must control your sleep. You must control your thoughts. Number nine, to reach your full potential, you must control your time. And look, I can preach a whole sermon out of any one of these points. I'm just kind of giving you just a quick overview. Ephesians 5.15. See then that ye walk circumspectly. What does that mean? Walk circumspectly. It means to walk wisely, to walk on purpose. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. That phrase, redeeming the time, speaks to the fact that there is value to your time. You've heard the phrase, time is money? It's true. It's not just that time is money, it's that time, everything that is scarce is valuable. And your time is valuable. And if you're going to reach your full potential, you're going to have to learn to control your time. Listen to me. Some of you need to just learn to just sit down, turn off all the distractions. When you're at work, sit down, turn off all the distractions and just get to work. When I go to work, and I work from home, but when I go to work, I walk into my office, all the screens, all whatever, the email, it's all x, x, x, x. I have my word document, if I'm working on a sermon and the Bible or Esort or whatever, my phone's on silent, and I just put my head down and get to work. Some of the people ask me, well how do you write three sermons a week? And I'm not, if you've asked me that question, I'm not, that's a good question, I'm glad you're asking. Part of it is you just put your head down and get to work. Sit down and get to work. I don't just write sermons all day. I've got other things I've got to do so when it's time to write sermons, it's time to just say, here's how most of you work. You're just kind of, you're on Facebook, you're on YouTube, you're listening to this while you're doing that, you're getting up and you're having your snack and you're reheating your meal five different times. You're getting all, and then you wonder why you can't have dinner with your family every night. Then you wonder why you can't get all your work done. Listen to me, when it's time to work, turn everything off and get to work. Get focused on what you're supposed to do, focus on that singular task and get it done. Don't be on YouTube and Facebook and listening to this and listening to that and doing all this and all that other stuff. Eating while you're working, that's not, look, you show up to my, I mean don't do it because we won't let you, but you know, show up to my office at home and watch me work. You know what you'll find? Me with a cleared off desk and a cup of water. I'm not just a bag of Cheetos while I'm working on my sermons, that's how some of you work. Getting, you say, well I need a snack, then take your 15 minute break and focus, look, focus, focus on your snack. It's time to eat your snack, eat your snack. Get it ate and get back to work. It's time for lunch, take your lunch break. Take your 30 minutes and sit down, warm up your food, focus singularly on eating your food, get done and then get back to work. Don't just be, I'm doing this and I'm doing that and I'm doing this and I'm doing that and nothing's getting done. Nothing's getting accomplished. Focus, work hard, control your time, get it done. Look, I'm just telling you, you know, we get a lot done here at Verity Baptist Church, but we get it done by focusing on one thing at a time. Not just kind of, ah, just doing everything, just eating, doing everything, having, taking a phone call, texting, I'm in the middle of a Monopoly game. What are you doing? Get to work. Control your time. When's the last time you read through the Bible cover to cover? Don't answer that. I'm not trying to embarrass you. You know how some people read through the Bible cover to cover every year? Sometimes multiple times a year. They sit down at a specific time and they just read. And that's what they're going to do right then. They're going to read. They're going to read the Bible. They've got their chart, they've got their plan, they've got their appointment, they've got it done. They just get down, they just get to work. You are going to have to learn to control your time if you plan to be successful. Mom, homeschool mom, we've got lots of you, right? We've got like 90 kids in our homeschool group. How are you homeschooling? Homeschooling on Facebook, YouTube. Is that the kind of education you want your children to have? Put the stinking phone away and focus on your children. Get to work! Control your time, control your focus. Number 10, go back to Philippians or if you're there in Ephesians, just by coincidence, nobody planned it this way, nobody thought this thought, but just by coincidence, you're there in Ephesians, next book is Philippians. That's where I'd like you to go. Philippians. Number 10, to reach your full potential. You must purpose, excuse me, you must pursue godly goals. Pursue godly goals. Where you saw this, but let's look at it again. Brethren, I count on myself that I'm apprehended, but there's one thing I do, forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forth into those things that were before. I press toward the mark. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. And look, we can preach whole sermons and a whole thing on goals and goal setting. I'm not going to do that, but I'm just asking this. Do you have any goals? What are you trying to accomplish in life? It's interesting to me that there are many people who just kind of wake up every day and just kind of live. You just live. You just wake up when? Whenever. And maybe you have a job, you go to work, you just clock in, eat Cheetos while you're working, clock out, just kind of go home. No direction. Nothing you're really trying to do. Nothing you're really trying to accomplish. What kind of life is that? If you want to reach your full potential, you need to have some godly goals and you need to pursue those goals. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Get some godly goals. Dream for yourself and your family. My wife and I, we've got some goals. We've got some goals for our kids. We've got some goals for this church. We've got some goals for you. This sermon is part of that goal for some of you. You must pursue godly goals. Number 11. Go to 2 Timothy chapter 4. Now you're there in Philippians, you're going to go past Colossians, past 1 and 2 Thessalonians, past 1 Timothy, into 2 Timothy. Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy chapter 4. We're going to make it. I got all 12. I had 15 but I took three of them off because I just... We're talking about how to reach your full potential. Number one, you must be growing spiritually. Number two, you must develop personal character. Number three, you must develop self-discipline. Number four, you must have a singular focus. Number five, you must control what influences you. Number six, you must control who influences you. Number seven, you must control your sleep. Number nine, you must control your thoughts. Number nine, you must control your time. Number 10, you must pursue godly goals. Number 11, you must read for personal development. You must read for personal development. 2 Timothy 4 verse 13. The cloak that I left at Troas... This is Paul speaking to Timothy and he says, Paul's in prison, he says, The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, one thou comest, bring with thee. Now it's interesting to me, Paul makes three requests. He's going to ask Timothy to bring to him, because he's in prison, three different things. The first thing he asks for is a cloak, an article of clothing. So he asks for something for himself physically. He was cold in the prison and he says, hey, that cloak, remember that cloak? The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, one thou comest, bring with thee. And the books. He said, I want you to bring me my coat and I want you to bring me my books. Now he's not talking about the Bible here because we'll see that he talks about the Bible in the next statement. He's just talking about just books that he wanted to read, books that he owned that he wanted to read. We might call these secular books. The apostle Paul was a reader. Does that surprise you? You read his letters? Of course he was a reader. He's a smart guy. The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, one thou comest, bring with thee. He asked for himself something physical. He asked for himself something intellectual. He says, and the books. And then he says this, but especially the parchments. The parchments are a reference to scripture. If you forget the coat and if you forget the books, don't forget the Bible. Bring me the parchments. He asked for something physical. He asked for something intellectual. He asked for something spiritual. And look, if you're going to reach your full potential, you must learn to be, you need to become a reader. You must read for personal development. Let me read a quote to you. This is a quote, I don't know who this is, so don't look him up and tell me that he's a mason or something because I don't care. But his name is Charlie Tremendous Jones. He was a personal and professional development expert. Here's a quote. He said, you will be the same person in five years as you are today, except for the people you meet and the books you read. You realize that? You realize that? From the moment you finish whatever schooling you finished, for some of you it was college, for some of you it was high school, for some of you it was middle school. From the moment you left the season in your life in which your job was to be a pupil and to be instructed and have people feed you with knowledge, from that moment, whenever that was, 18, 19, 20, 25, from that moment no one is really actively feeding you knowledge. I mean, unless you come to Verity Baptist Church three times a week. And what he's saying is, you will be the same person in five years as you are today, except for the people you meet. Remember, control who influences you and the books you read. Here's what the Bible says. You don't have to turn here. In Proverbs, the Bible says, a wise man will hear and will increase learning and a man of understanding will attain unto wise counsel. Here's a question I got for you. What is your intellectual growth plan? I don't even know what that means. Right. Why you should pick up a book and read it. What, let me put it in lamer terms, what is your plan to get smarter? What's your plan to get smarter? I don't have one. You don't think that's a problem? Well, let me ask you this. Do you think you're the smartest person in the world? And if you say yes, we've got other issues. I've got another sermon. Do you think you have it all figured out? I mean, let me ask you. Oh, you 20-year-old man, 22-year-old man, 25-year-old man, 28-year-old man, whatever it is, you got married. You think you got it all figured out in marriage now? Just because you are married, you think you are the best at marriage? Just because you have children, just because you have a baby, you think you're going to be the best father, the best mother? Then what's your plan to get better? If you're not the best and none of us are, then what's your plan to learn? What's your plan to grow? Look, it's amazing to me that people, they're in their 30s, they're in their 40s, they're in their 50s, they're just bumbling through life and never learning, growing. And then they watch other people. They're like, man, look at that guy. That guy's sharp. Look at that guy. That guy's succeeding. Look at that guy. Man, he's just, he's killing it. Well, he's killing it because he's probably growing and learning. He's probably getting good sleep. He's reading things that make him smart and strengthen his mind. He probably has developed discipline and character. He probably has a singular focus and you're not just like everywhere. I'm just saying what's your plan to develop yourself intellectually? Because you need to be growing. You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read. A wise man, that's the key, a wise man will hear and will increase learning. And a man of understanding shall attain into wise counsels. Look, I'm not sitting up here and acting like I'm sort of, I don't consider myself some intellectual, honestly. I read because I have to. I'll be honest with you. I read because it's impossible to get up and preach for one hour three times a week for decades of your life and have people come back and come back without inputting something into this thing. Otherwise it's going to be like a lot of churches today where the passage is the same stories, the same things, over and over. Look, we all need to be growing, but what are you doing to grow? You might be a better employee if you were learning and growing and exercising your mind. Or a better business owner. Or just a better person. You must read for personal development. You must be growing. And look, if I was in real estate you know what I'd be reading? Books on sales and real estate. If I was in HVAC you know what I'd be reading? HVAC manuals. If I was a pastor you know what I'd be reading? Leadership books. If I was a lady who was about to have a baby, you know what I'd be reading? Books on having children. If I was a homeschool mom, you know what I'd be reading? I'd be reading everything my wife reads. I'm just telling you, you look at individuals and you say, man, they're really succeeding. Look at those kids. By God's grace, and I'm not saying this in an arrogant way or a prideful way and I'm not, please understand that, but by God's grace, when my children have been with other people, one common thing that people will often reference about my children, and I'm thankful for it and I don't even want this to go to their heads so just don't listen for one second, but one thing that people often say to me is, your kids are good conversationalists. They're able to communicate well. They have things they know and interesting things to talk about. That didn't just happen because we sat them out in front of a screen. You understand that? That didn't just happen because they just spent 12 hours just in front of a screen. Now look, my kids watch things. We let our kids watch things, but we control it. I'm just saying to you, you've got to have a plan to grow your mind. And if you say, well, I don't like reading. Okay, well, how about this? Can we just start here? The Bible. Read the Bible. I mean, if you don't read anything but the Bible, I mean that's good enough. Do that. Please don't go read some other book and not read the Bible. Read the Bible. That's the main book. That's the book. But you can't say, well, I'm going to be a Christian and not read. God gave you a book. It's what he gave you. Now you can put it on a tablet or put it on a phone and do whatever you want, but at the end of the day, it's a book. So read it. Number 12. I've got to be done. Go to Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes. If you kept your place in Proverbs, write up the Proverbs in Ecclesiastes. If you kept your place in Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiastes 9. We're talking about how to reach your full potential. Number one, you must be growing spiritually. Number two, you must develop personal character. Number three, you must develop self-discipline. Number four, you must have a singular focus. Number five, you must control what influences you. Number six, you must control who influences you. Number seven, you must control your sleep. Number eight, you must control your thoughts. Number nine, you must control your time. Number ten, you must pursue godly goals. Number eleven, you must read for personal development. Number twelve, we'll finish right here. Number twelve, how to reach your full potential. You must strive to produce excellence. When I was in the Air Force, we had the core values, and one of our core values was excellence in all we do. I like that. Excellence. Ecclesiastes 9.10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy mind. For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whether thou goest. Look, if you're going to take the time to do something, you ought to do it right. You should have this attitude of excellence. I'm thankful that one of the compliments that we get at Verity Baptist Church, that we often get when people visit from other places and other churches, one of the compliments we get all the time around here is, wow, this place has just ran very well. I mean, it's just really organized. Everything's just top notch. Everything's excellent. Look, that doesn't happen by mistake. We're not the church. It's just kind of like, well, service starts at seven. It's 7.08. I guess we'll get started. You know, what song do you know, pianist? What song? You've been practicing a song? Number three? Sure, let's do that one. That's not Verity Baptist Church. We saw it on time. Our song leaders show up. They're sharp. Good evening. Welcome to Verity Baptist Church. Let's take our song. They practice. They prepare. They're ready. Hey, I'm just telling you something. If I was going to pastor a church, I'd try to pastor the sharpest, most excellent church I could. And if I was going to run a business, I'd try to run the most organized and the most productive business I could. And if I was going to homeschool children, I would try to make sure that there was no school in this area that did a better job at educating my children than I. I'm just saying that if your hand finds something to do, do it with thy mind. And if I was an usher of Verity Baptist Church, I'd try to be the best usher I could be. And if I was a waiter at a restaurant, I'd try to be the best waiter I could be. If I was a janitor at a warehouse, I'd try to be the best janitor I could be. Just because you are a janitor doesn't make you a good one. And just because you're the CEO doesn't make you a good one. And just because you're the pastor doesn't make you a good one. And just because you're a husband doesn't make you a good one. And just because you are whatever you are does not necessarily make you a good one. And that thought should motivate all of us to wake up every day and say, I'm going to try to reach my full potential today. I'm going to try to do the best I can. That they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Ms. Barheads, I now have a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you for your word. We thank you for these principles. And Lord, I pray you'd help us. I am in no way, shape, or form standing up here saying that this is the greatest church, and I'm the greatest pastor, or anything like that. But we're striving for excellence. We're trying. I wish there'd be some people today that would leave this building today saying, I'm going to try. I may not be the best father, but I'm going to try to be a pretty good one. I may not be the best husband, but I'm going to try to be a real good one. I may not be the best employee that's ever lived, but I'm going to try to be the best employee I can be. Help us to put these principles into action in our lives. We love you. In the matchless name of Christ, we pray. Amen. Alright, we're going to have Brother Matt come up and lead us in a final song. Just want to remind you a couple of things. First of all, I want to encourage you to go by, you ladies, if you could help us. We've got some sign-up sheets in the foyer for ladies' tea. There's lots of different things you can sign up for. It is an event that is done with excellence, but we need your help to do it. So if you go by there and help us and volunteer, we would appreciate that. I want to encourage you to be back tonight, 6 p.m., for the evening service, the most exciting service of the week, Sunday night. We're going to be looking at Numbers Chapter 2. You might be thinking, what in the world could we preach out of Numbers Chapter 2? I think you might be surprised, alright? So come back tonight. I'm excited about the sermon tonight. I think you'll enjoy it. Numbers Chapter 2, Sunday night service. It's always, you say, is the Sunday night service as prepared with excellence as Sunday morning? Yes, it is. Every service has excellence. Every service is ready. Every service we're prepared to hear from God. So we encourage you to be here tonight. And then, of course, I want to encourage you to invite a friend. Bring somebody with you next week. Invite somebody to church. We're going to keep looking at different areas in our lives, how we can fulfill our potential and be the best version of ourselves that we can be. If there's anything we can do for you, please let us know. We'll have Brother Matt come up and lead us in the final song. Turn to song 101. One, zero, one. One hundred and one on the first. Earthly friends may prove untrue. Counts and fears assail. God still loves and cares for you. God knew we are full. Jesus never fails. Jesus never fails. And that in the day comes. Jesus never fails. And that in the day comes. Jesus never fails. Though the sky be dark and clear. Jesus never fails. Just remember he is near. And he will not fail. Jesus never fails. Jesus never fails. When the earth may pass away. But Jesus never fails. Good on the last. In life's dark and bitter hour. Love will still prevail. Trust is everlasting now. Jesus will not fail. Jesus never fails. Jesus never fails. When the earth may pass away. But Jesus never fails. Amen. Good singing. Before we leave here, if anybody has questions about salvation, church membership, or baptism, the pastor will be at the door. He would love to talk to you or direct you to someone who has trained you to talk to you about that. Ask Brother Johnny, would you close a prayer for us? Heavenly Father God, thank you for this church for our salvation. Thank you for this message, Lord. Father, I hope you help us to reach our God-given potential and bring us back to church safely tonight. In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen. Thank you.