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all right we are concluding tonight as brother Huyck mentioned the book of Acts man it's been a great book to study and very adventurous and a lot of a lot of great things that we learned from this book here now just giving you a couple of just a little bit of a review from from chapter 27 which is about two weeks ago we had pastor Burzins preach last Thursday and then the week before that we were going through chapter 27 if you remember in chapter 27 you had basically Paul was on the ship along with the other prisoners they're being transferred over to Rome he's gonna appeal to Caesar and they get caught in the storm the ship basically is completely broken because of the storm but every man's life is saved and I'm amazed at how as we study sometimes books in the Bible how relevant it is to us you know because if you think about it you know our church to a certain extent was physically destroyed but you know what every man's life was saved you know nothing happened to the actual church itself you know the ship was broken and you say well what happened after that well if you remember everyone just kind of floating around in the ocean until they reach the island of Melita and what are we doing right now we're just kind of floating around okay you know because we don't have a specific building to meet in right now but it's all right you know every man's life is saved we can still serve God and so it's exciting how relevant this is to even our situation now where you know you have the ship being destroyed and broken but every man's life is saved you know sometimes you go through a tribulation you go through a difficulty in your life and the first thing you think about is like man why is this happening to me or when is this gonna end or you know what is God doing here not really realizing that God actually has other plans okay because here's the thing is Paul along with the prisoners and those who are you know delivering them their destination is Rome that's where they want to go Paul wants to go there because he wants to appeal to Caesar he has business that he wants to do there but this is not Rome this is Melita this is a different island basically God is taking them off course for a specific reason and we'll get into that in just a bit now look at verse number one first and foremost we're gonna see Paul's encounter with the venomous beast or the serpent and verse number one it says that when they were escaped then they knew that the island was called Melita and the barbarous people showed us no little kindness for they kindled the fire and received us everyone because of the present rain and because of the cold and when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks okay which by the way you know a synonym for a bundle of sticks is a faggot okay look it up okay when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire there came out a viper out of the heat and fastened on his hand so what do we see here well he we see that he takes this bundle of sticks he throws them into the fire and what comes out of that fire but a serpent now how do we apply that to 2021 well when your pastor throws a bundle of sticks into the fire by preaching against them you know what you're gonna have the enemy which is the serpent that old serpent which is the devil come out and try to attack us right it's exactly what happens you know the bundle of sticks are made to be burned we're explaining to people that they're meant to be burned they you know that that's all they're good for and yet what happens is that a viper comes out of that fire you know out of the pits of hell and latches on to our church latches on to me and and we see that happening look at verse number four and when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand they said among themselves no doubt this man is a murderer whom though he has escaped the sea yet vengeance suffereth not to live so you know they see they're like oh yeah yeah this is karma right here you know basically what they're saying yeah this is Michael Johnson right here okay this barbarian Michael Johnson who who literally went on Facebook and said that you know God is judging me for attacking men of God and all these things and this is why it's happening to me so what do you you act like an unsafe person oh that's right you're you're not saved so we see some very superstitious people here and making this claim now first and foremost I've already made that application but just know this is that anytime you kindle a bundle of sticks you preach against the sodomites you attack that which the world deems as being politically correct or you know that which the world steams you know mark it down you're gonna be attacked now here's the thing Paul he gets latched on by this Viper what does he do he just shakes it off just like kind of shakes it off now here's the thing I'm pretty sure it hurt though I'm pretty sure it was painful I'm pretty sure it was not comfortable he sunk in his teeth through his skin it probably stung a little bit it was probably a little inconvenient it probably he probably felt a little bit of pain but you know what he didn't die okay and what this shows us is this is that you know when we are serving God and we're doing that which is pleasing unto the Lord and Satan attacks us you know what obviously it's gonna hurt a little bit obviously it's gonna be a little inconvenient obviously it's gonna be a little stressful it's gonna it's gonna bother us a little bit but at the end of the day our lives shall be saved okay at the end of the day we can just shake it off you know and you know a lot of times Christians and pastors don't want to throw the bundle of sticks into the fire because they don't want a Viper jumping out and biting them they're too scared of the snake the venomous poisonous snake that's gonna bite them but here's the thing you know Paul's probably thinking well if it's my time to go then it's my time to go the state bites me and that venom surges through my veins and I die then there we go well you know life's over there you go I go to heaven but he's thinking I was like well I guess I'm not dying so I'm just gonna continue do what I'm doing and you know that's my attitude right now right you know if people want to kill me and they want to threaten me and blow up my church or do whatever they want okay well if it's my time to go then it's my time to go but you know what if that doesn't happen then I'm just gonna keep doing what I'm doing this is what everyone keeps asking me all these reporters what are you gonna do now what are you gonna do now now that you know your church is blown up and are you gonna tone it down are you no why if I can survive this and you know like probably survive a lot of things and you know what if God's the one by the way they didn't spare my life God spared my life because my life is in God's hands and if God wants me to go today then I'll go today and look folks dying is not the worst thing that can happen to you if you're a Christian it's actually the best thing that can happen to you for me to live is Christ and to die is gain that's why Paul's able to shake it off now look you know you're gonna have people like these like like these people in Melita these barbarous people who are like oh yeah this guy's yeah this bad things happening to him he's a murderer he's a criminal karma's getting in but goes around comes around you're attacking men of God you know this is what you get for preaching against this and preaching against these people exposing these things you're gonna have people like that okay and look sometimes that is true is it not you know sometimes God can judge it because you have sin in your life you're doing something wrong you know he's not pleased with you but you know what after you've examined yourself you examine your church and you say well as far as I know we're serving God I don't have sin in my heart I'm not harboring things I'm not stealing from the offering plate I'm not sleeping with prostitutes and doing cocaine or something like that why I'm just doing the best that I can to serve God well I guess God's not punishing me he's removed the hedge of protection like he did the job in order to prove me to refine me in the church and to do a greater work okay and you know what let those people think that let the unsaved people think oh you got what you deserve and you know what I'm thinking I guess you're right because what I guess what God wants me to deserve is rewards rewards and an honor from the Lord and you know I'm just racking it up in the millennial reign right now I mean look folks in these days there was no social media there's no YouTube so someone who reviled you literally had to do it like face to face now because of social media we can literally double up and rack up the rewards because you have people all around the world that can revile you on a comment section on death threats here and they're just like multiplying the rewards for you so you know what if you're saying that that's what I deserve them thank you but we see that so he latches on to him these people are like this is what he deserves he's probably just a murderer but you know we need to block out those people who say things like that you understand because obviously unsaved people have no idea what they're talking about they're unstable and unlearned and they can rest the scriptures a lot of the times but here's the thing when Christians say that when people who are saved say I'm not talking about Michael Johnson he's not saved I'm talking about like when Christians who know the Word of God say that then there's a problem okay then you have a complete hypocrite then you have people who just don't know what they're talking about and let me just say this there's people there's pastors who maybe I've gone back and forth with who we did not get along with you know what I mean because we've had differences of opinion even those individuals have put the differences aside and contacted me say hey I'm praying for you the enemy's attacking you in your church I'm praying for you our church is praying for you obviously because they're saved men they understand that these things are real and look folks I mean sometimes God allows us to get bit by a snake you know God allowed Joe to be attacked and all his children died he lost all his resources and his riches and yet in the midst of all that Joe did not curse God in his heart nor did he charge God foolishly you know he understood that God had a plan here understand what it was all gonna be he lost everything but yet he understood God is still righteous he's still just you know just let him do whatever he needs to do okay and here's the thing we should count on a privilege the fact that God will allow Satan to attack us in such a way and let me just remind you resist the devil he will flee from you he's got to keep resisting you know there's only sometimes you can only stand and just like take the the fiery darts and the doubts and all these things and the attacks and the comments of the threats sometimes all you can do is stand and but you know what that's the best thing that anybody can do and just not move and say I'm not gonna change I'm still gonna do what I'm doing win souls preach the Word of God have Church under a tabernacle you know and that's it but just remember is that God said to Satan has thou considered my servant Joe you know it's a certain extent God is saying about our church has not considered first works Baptist Church you know and look folks we're only three years into the church plant okay you better buckle up because the next three years or five years this is happening at the very beginning of the existence of our church who knows what's gonna happen in the long run okay but I've noticed that everything always comes like in three and a half years increments for some reason in fact I was just explaining to like some of the guys that years ago when we were part of a church plant we literally lost our church building three and a half years into the church plant just like us we lost our building three and a half years into the church plant the only difference is the reason we lost it this is because they blew up our church that didn't necessarily happen before well look at verse number five he says he shook off the beast into the fire and felt no harm I mean that's pretty that's crazy right there he's just like into the fire and he's just fine okay now the Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 12 10 therefore referring to Paul he said that he took pleasure in infirmities and reproaches and necessities and persecutions and distresses for Christ's sake for when I am weak then am I strong and let me just say this is that when you go through a trial like one that we're going through now it's imperative it's important that you shake off the serpent shake it off why because we see that when he shakes it off the the barbarians they're like oh man this guy I guess he's like a righteous person or they say to God or whatever but obviously it catches the attention of people because they're expecting for you to just completely lose it right they expect for you to just do they expect for our church to just completely disband have no unity whatsoever all this is gonna stop them we just blow up the church and this is gonna stop first works Baptist Church then this will stop him from preaching this will stop people from congregating folks our church literally grew because of this because the more they afflict them the more they grew but here's the thing you need to shake it off and it doesn't mean it's not gonna hurt doesn't mean it's not gonna be uncomfortable it just means you just have to endure the pain you gotta endure the sufferings endure the inflictions and and and do it because why well obviously the reason we need to endure this time is because of the fact that you know God has a bigger plan what is the bigger plan what is what is the purpose of all this why did God allow this to happen to our church I'll tell you why so the message can go that much further I was able to get on info Wars and preach the gospel on info Wars and preach the Word of God on info Wars and you know what hundreds of people heard that message you know what God is concerned with he's like care less about our building he can care less about the building he doesn't care about our stuff he doesn't care about Eric's violin he doesn't care about the piano he doesn't care about the pulpit don't worry we'll get you new violin he didn't care about those things you know he cares about souls you know what there's all in order for us to reach a multitude of people our price needs to be paid there's always a price that needs to be paid if we're gonna reach a lot of people sometimes God has to offer you up sometimes he has to offer your possessions your comfort for the sake of the greater good you know what sometimes he even offers our own lives yeah for the greater good because you know at the end of the day it's not about us it's about the Lord okay look at verse number six so keep in mind these barbarous people they're just like oh yeah he's a murderer this guy's wicked but then look how fast they just changed their opinion on Paul how be they they looked when he should have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly but after they had looked at great while and saw no harm come to him they changed their minds and said that he was a god so it's just like two extremes here the guy is a murderer he deserved this oh you didn't die oh yeah that guy's a god he's deity but it shows you how unstable people can be how easily persuaded they could be that's why the LA Times and that queer who wrote that article about me can literally just completely lie on that article and just tell nothing but lies no facts whatsoever no journalistic integrity whatsoever and there's people out there that will believe it because people are easily persuaded now again people who have like a brain in their head people who have we actually want to reach are gonna read every like this is a stupidest article I've ever seen this is exactly what the LA Times does okay and the people who want to believe that nonsense would have hated me before the LA Times or before the bombing so who cares what they think but people easily change their minds based upon a circumstance it just shows you the nature of people now go to second Corinthians second Corinthians chapter four if you would now keep in mind like they're going to Rome and then they get caught up in this in this island here they're wet they're cold they're uncomfortable they don't have a ship but God doesn't really care about that you know he cares about he cares about the people in that Island so he's probably thinking well you know you guys aren't gonna need this ship I got something else prepared for you anyways so let's just destroy it let's just save the parts enough that you can you can float to the island and then he's gonna run into a bunch of people there that he can do great miracles preach the Word of God to that's what God cares about look at second Corinthians 4 verse 3 says but if our gospel be hit is hit to them that are lost in whom the God of this world had blinded the minds of them which believed not lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine into them for preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves servants for your for Jesus sake for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ but we have this treasure in earth and vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us so obviously these people are thinking that he's a god but that's just gonna give an opportunity for him his foot in the door to actually show him who the true God is and that's what we want to do I want to I want God to use this situation so that he just opens more opportunities for us to get people safe to preach the Word of God to be able to get more people safe because here's the thing they're blinded yeah and you know what all these people are doing is just giving me a bunch of publicity we made national news I put Elmani on the map no one really knew about Elmani until pastor Bruce Mejia the hate preacher came along and now everyone knows about Elman now here's the thing it's it's the goal would be that people would hear the message and even if let's say they're saved well at least we get them a little closer to what we believe because here's the thing they want to publicize this because they want people to be deterred from me but normal people who want the truth are gonna like what I'm saying they're gonna love what I'm saying I've gotten hundreds of emails hundreds of messages of people are like we stand behind you 100% they're not even Baptist people Baptist preacher Baptist Christians just regular people they're like we stand 100% behind you and we don't know what God is doing necessarily we don't know who's who got who God is specifically working on you know but we have this treasure in earthen vessels and sometimes you got to break the vessel in order to get that treasure out you understand go back to acts 28 look at verse 7 in the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island whose name was Publius who received us and lodged us three days courteously and it came to pass that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux to whom Paul entered in and prayed and laid his hands on him and healed him so when this was done others also which had diseases in the island came and were healed who also honored us with many honors and when we departed they laid it us with such things as were necessary and after look what it says three months just want to put that out there guys just in case hey they could do this for three months so after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the aisle whose sign was castor and Pollux so what do we see here we see that God had a different plan yeah you got to go to Rome but hold on a second we're gonna take a detour to this island so that you can heal people the Word of God can spread the barbarians can hear the gospel I'm sure he preached them he's there for three months I'm sure a great work was being accomplished there right okay and look you know they probably weren't planning to stay there for three months yeah and let me just say this hey we need to be as flexible as possible during this time don't be the old IFP don't go old IFP on me right now okay we're just like now we need our four walls and the carpet and you know those things are nice but right now obviously it's not we know we can't have it sorry you like you know be flexible okay and this hopefully this will help you to just appreciate church that much the more and remember the church is not the physical building it's the people but if you can make it through this I'm telling you you're gonna come out strong you're gonna come out with you know passing with flying colors it's gonna be great but just know this like for example when Joseph was taken into Egypt thought a lot of evil that was done into him a lot of betrayal a lot of conspiracy against him and this took place for years on end and then he realized God allowed this to happen to save much people alive so Joseph was able to see outside of the scope of his own trials and recognize this is for the greater good game for the greater good I'm gonna continue reading 2nd Corinthians 4 verse 8 he says Paul says this we are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair this by the way I think of this I'm like this is our church right here cuz like we are troubled on every side but we're not distressed cuz we're still laughing about it we're perplexed like these people are stupid like what the heck is up with these mayor's like who gave you this job but we're not in despair cuz I didn't vote for you persecuted but not forsaken so yeah there's people who want my head on a platter they want to destroy my life they want to destroy our church but we're not forsaken cuz Jesus said I'll never leave you no forsaken cast down yeah you know sometimes you get a little down but not destroyed always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus what it says that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body for we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh so then death worketh in us but life in you so in order for us to bring life to people who do not have eternal life we have to die sometimes death needs to be brought to us our possessions our conveniences the things that we like the things that we love the the comforts that we have our reputation whatever it is death needs to be brought in order for us to give life you know what so be it why not why live a life of just pleasing this world and being just this political Baptist where you just pleasing both sides and you never have trials you never have troubles that's a that's a lame life to live give me death so that so that by my death I can bring life to others Philippians 2 16 says holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain nor neither labored in vain yay and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith I joy and rejoice with you all Paul's like if I if I if I if God's willing to offer me and sacrifice me for the greater good and so be it I will rejoice and enjoy with you all okay look at verse 12 chapter 28 so look you know they had plans but you know God had other plans for him and it worked out to his glory people were healed they had the word of God preached unto them and then he ended up giving them another ship I got another ship and it was it was fine and you know what we're gonna get another building okay don't ask me when because I have no idea but it's gonna happen because here's the thing is we been praying for a building and you know what if we ask God for an egg will he give us a serpent no no he's not gonna give us a scorpion if we ask for food he's gonna be he's gonna give us what we desire because we're praying according to his will so I'm not worried if we're gonna find a building or not I believe God can provide he can prepare a table before us before our enemies look at verse 12 and landing at Syracuse we tarried there three days and from thence we fetched the compass and came to Regeum and after one day the south wind blew and we came the next day to putioli where we found brethren and we desired to tarry with them seven days and so we went toward Rome and from thence when the brethren heard of us they came to meet us as far as at by forum and the three taverns whom when Paul saw he thanked God and took courage so you know we never want to just like look at these stories and think well Paul is just so like hardcore he's just so filled with the spirit he doesn't need encouragement he could get bit by a viper and nothing's gonna happen to him he's a regular human being just like us you know regular human beings get discouraged regular human beings men of God need encouragement they need someone to say I'm praying for you okay and what does that do that that refreshes them okay and you know what like I'm really thankful for like my pastor friends I got the best pastor friends in the world okay pastor Anderson pastor Jimenez pastor Robinson pastor pastor Shelley pastor Thompson these men have been like have gone over and above to like be there for me you know I mean just not only just a phone call but just publicly standing with me publicly defending me publicly defending our church not ashamed of us you know because I'm sure there's Baptist pastors out there who feel for us and they're praying for us but they're not gonna give me a call they're not gonna go on their sermons and say we stand with first works Baptist Church and pastor Bruce Mejia no way cuz they don't want the persecution my pastor friends are like spring it we'll take some of that person cuz you think my pastor friends in their churches they're smart they're thinking we want to capitalize on these persecutions capitalize on these rewards cuz they know what's up they know that there's reward did they know that I'm getting rewarded heavily and they're like hey I'll fly yeah okay you guys remember when Bob Gray Jr. was just like I'll fly out there you know if you ever you needed it and then he backstabs me like the next day my pastor friends are completely different they literally said I'll fly out there and I know they will yeah if you need a sweep if you need to set a tent up or something like that they're like I will fly out there and help you out with that if that's what you need great pastor friends and you know what there's been times throughout the week or maybe I get a little cast down a little discouraged a little hopeless and I promise you okay the instant that I feel that way I always get a phone call from one of those guys my phone rings like literally at that moment and they're just like praying for you I love you I mean we're here for you you guys are an inspiration to us and then my spirits are lifted and I'm refreshed you know and so you know Paul I'm sure he's feeling a little lonely here you know he's like putting in all this work he's healing people and he's tired I mean doing the work of the Lord is tiring sometimes you know it's just like a rollercoaster of events is taking place here but then he finds brethren he finds brethren and in the three taverns and he thanks God and and what does he do he takes courage you know and by the way that's why it's important you come to church you stay in contact with one another we're gonna have activities life goes on we're still gonna like serve God and have fellowship folks this is not the end of our church God's helping to build our church actually is what he's doing okay but you need to like stick it out stay in contact don't isolate yourself obviously this is not happening but just this is preventative okay take courage right go to the prayer meeting ladies with you know I miss Esther's house okay you know go come to the prayer meeting men with brother hike okay let's do those things so we can so we can take courage and move forward okay so he receives courage and look you see this throughout the Bible where Paul's spirit is refreshed by the coming of Titus or Paul spirit is refreshed by the coming of some brother in Christ why because sometimes a word fitly spoken in due season how sweet it is you know which by the way is important that's why it's important to your spirit filled because you never know who's going through a hard time and then like you just say something they're just like wow you just gave me life you just said the right thing at the right time and encourage them etc look at verse 16 and when we came to Rome the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him and it came to pass that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together and when they were come together he said unto them men and brethren although I have committed nothing against the people or customs of our fathers yet was I delivered a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans he's like hey I'm innocent but for some reason these people say I'm guilty I'm actually the victim here but they're trying to make me as though I'm the criminal here I'm the one being delivered to Rome for something that I did not do verse 18 who when they had examined me would have let me go because there was no cause of death in me if you remember you know the Jews of late sought to slay Paul and kill him because of the fact that he was reaching Gentiles and you know he went before the Jews and he tried to like plead his cause and vindicate himself if these are getting kind of warm you guys can turn it down if you want I see people are people are losing their eyebrows and stuff you know he's trying to vindicate himself and they ended up working against him because in the process of trying to vindicate himself you know as soon as he said it was reaching the Gentiles they're like oh no this guy needs to die or whatever you know and so you know people are trying to kill him and he's basically saying like I've done nothing amiss look at verse 19 but when the Jews spake against it I was constrained to appeal them to Caesar not that I had ought to accuse my nation of he's like they forced me in a position where I had to go to Caesar I had to come to Rome not because I'm trying to accuse my own nation of anything wrong but because of these people they're trying to kill me so in order to avoid death at the hands of these people I appealed it to Caesar so I could come over here okay verse 20 says for this cause therefore have I called for you to see you and to speak with you because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain I like what he's saying here you know he's picking his words wisely he said look why am I here because of the hope of Israel that's why because I'm preaching the Word of God and you know what any individual who has asked me any magistrate reporter who's asked me why is this happen to you I said because I preach God's Word are you being a little deceitful there because you really just preach it against the side of my that's preaching God's Word you can't preach God's Word without going through Leviticus 20 13 and Romans chapter 1 and every other scripture about that you have to talk about those things okay and that's part of preaching God's Word you know just letting a rip and and and talking about the the common sins of this world not the common sins but the common things abominations of this world and calling it out and exposing it for what it is you know and it needs to be preached on more because of the fact that so many pastors out there are so weenie they're so scared they don't want their their nice building to get blown up so they just don't want to talk about it but he's telling them he's like hey I'm here because of the hope of Israel I'm being bound because I'm preaching God's Word look at verse 21 and they said unto him we neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee neither any of the brethren that came showed or spake any harm of thee that's weird he's like we even know what you're talking about no one said anything about you like we haven't even heard anything about this but look what it says in verse 22 but we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest for us concerning this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against now here's the thing check this out Paul is a pretty famous guy I mean he's turning the world upside down and in his camp he's well known but we're in Rome he's unknown so even though he's put it in work he's doing a great job and like man he's he's doing more work than all the Apostles he's traveled far further than any of the Apostles he's preached the Word of God in further regions than any of the Apostles he's doing a great work you know at the end of the day all the people that the only thing that people know about in Rome is the sect the message Jesus Christ think about that so what is that what does that tell us well this shows us that it's all about the Lord because here's the thing obviously they know about the Lord because of Paul's labor right he reached someone who reached someone who went to Thessalonica from Thessalonica went to Rome because they're our brethren in Rome they're safe people in Rome so somehow the gospel spread to that region through someone's efforts understand but here's the thing no one knew who Paul was there like we didn't we haven't even heard about this what do you we don't even know who you are like we didn't get any letters from Judea no one wants to kill you here but you know regarding your message though we have heard of that we have heard of this sect we have heard of this message you know why because God can care less about our reputation he can care less about making us famous he can care less about what people think about us you know we must decrease the he may increase so who cares if anybody finds out who I am or our churches we just care that people get the message now hey you know when I was on Infowars I put a plug in for the new IV they had a timer on there so I had to make sure I had to like breeze through the gospel and I was like I'm number two you know I'm not the only church there's new IFP churches find yourself you put that plug in because if you're gonna find out about a church it's better to find out about a new IFP Church if you're gonna join yourself to a congregation new IFP is the way to go obviously you know but at the end of the day you know people are just gonna hear the message sometimes and they're gonna find out about Jesus which is the most important thing okay and they're like hey but tell us about this sect though tell us about this group of people tell us about this belief this religion this you know this God tell us about that we don't care about you you know whatever they were trying to do to you that doesn't concern us I want to know about the message okay so it's showing us that you know what we're just an instrument in God's hands to just further the message even out there more and more let me read to you from 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 verse 4 says but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God so he's saying look we need to make sure we approve ourselves as the ministers of God and not just pastors all of you guys Christians period he said in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses so you got to show yourself a Christian throughout these things you gotta approve yourself as a servant as a minister of God in patience so don't complain right in afflictions in necessities we need things well approve yourself as a minister of God in your necessities in your distresses in stripes in imprisonments into molts in labors in watchings and fastings by pureness by knowledge by long-suffering by kindness by the Holy Ghost by love and fame by the word of truth by the power of God by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left by honor and dishonor prove yourself as a minister of God by honor and dishonor right look at this by evil report and good report so when people are given an evil report about you prove yourself as a minister of God don't back down don't kowtow don't say well I didn't really mean that there's just you know I didn't know that this church preached that doctrine like standards again that's what my pastor preaches and I agree with them 100% as brother as Ulysses Fernandez on the news said you know that's what God said that's what God said hey amen by evil report so what is this telling us we're gonna get evil reports people are gonna lie about us people are gonna slander us lie about us and just make up all manner of evil against us well you know what the Lord reward them according to their works approve yourself as a minister of God by evil reports and good reports as deceivers and yet true he's like when they want to say that we're lying and we're to say deceptive and we're deceivers and all these things let them say whatever they want to say God knows that we're true he says as unknown yet well known yeah we're unknown but we are well known to a certain extent now as dying and behold we live right like we're just dying bearing about in our bodies of dying of the Lord Jesus but yet we're still live we're still living as chastened and not killed as sorrowful yet always rejoicing it's not bad to sorrow you know it's not bad to lament but you know sometimes because sometimes you have to do those things but yet we're still rejoicing as poor yet making many rich yeah we lost our building we lost all these things like we're just kind of wandering about sheepskins and you know huh so whatever and dens and caves and stuff but you know what through that we're making a lot of people rich though because we're preaching the gospel we're giving them saved they get eternal life so through our poverty many are being made rich through that right it's worth it as having nothing and yet possessing all things isn't that awesome yeah but here's the thing we possess all things though did you know that the kingdom of God is for us those who are persecuted he says the kingdom of God is for them I don't care about this real estate here I don't care about the buildings here the kingdom of God is mine God says this is yours your name's on this is for you blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of God so once this all came by you know what it confirms man I mean I knew I was going to heaven because I'm saved but I'm thankful that God says the kingdom of heaven that's that's like for you as your name your name is on the lease and it's not gonna be leased out it's just gonna be yours so having nothing yet possessing all things go to first Thessalonians chapter 1 first Thessalonians chapter 1 it's all happens for a reason and obviously I'm preaching to myself do you get thoughts sometimes you kind of wonder you kind of doubt sometimes you're just like now what's going on but then you know you realize the reality of the eternal rewards you realize the reality of the eternal impact you're gonna make and then you think yourself screw all this take whatever you want take it all as long as I get rewarded okay but there's always a price to pay look at first Thessalonians 1 5 for our gospel came not into you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance as you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake and you became followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost so that you were in samples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia for from you sounding out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia but also in every place your faith to God word is spread abroad so that we need not to speak anything I take this as like the church that started our church saying you know your faith is spread abroad right because I'm telling you people are gonna be inspired by our church people are gonna get inspired by the preaching by the trial you know the that which they mean for evil in those in those news clips it's gonna inspire someone it's gonna inspire someone in our faith that faith is gonna spread abroad but look folks this is the price we pay for that there's always a price to pay you just have to be willing to pay it and here's the thing God's gonna make you pay no matter what but you don't want to lose your reward so don't quit so if he's already paid the tab just roll with it might as well just roll with it he's like yeah you're just gonna look folks and God is a God who answers prayer cuz we're praying Lord don't let them do that freak show on Sunday you know just send the rain send the rain don't let them do it and God's like I got a better idea I'll just blow up your church and that way they won't show up and the message gets spread even more and then people are gonna get saved it's gonna be great and we're just like dang all right yeah the church gets blown up it's just like he already did it so you know we can't really fight against that just roll with it might as well just roll with it go back to Acts 28 look at verse 23 when they had appointed him a day there came many to him in his lodging to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God persuading them concerning Jesus both out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets from morning till evening and some believed the things which were spoken and some believe not so what do we see here we see that this is just a common response in all places right cuz he's in Rome is like this was what happened in Jerusalem this is what happened in Thessalonica this is what happened in Athens this is what happened in Asia you know anytime you preach the Word of God some will believe and some won't you know what the message that's going abroad right now some people are gonna accept it and some people will not that's just the nature of the beast right and you have an amazing preacher like the Apostle Paul who's preaching the Word of God and even then there's still some people who don't believe cuz that's just the nature of the beast look at verse 25 and when they agreed him not not among themselves they departed after that Paul had spoken one word well spake the Holy Ghost by his eyes the prophet unto our fathers saying go into this people and say hearing you shall hear and shall not understand seeing you shall see and not perceive for the heart of this people has waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes have they closed lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand what their heart and should be converted and I should heal them be it known therefore unto you that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles and that they will hear it and when he had said these words the Jews departed and had great reasoning among themselves so what do we see here we see that the curse isn't subject to one timeline or geographical location right because this was said of Israel but he's in Rome and he's like well I guess the Bible is true even in Rome there's people who are just gonna reject the message no matter what and you know what the reason I say it's not subject to one geographical location or timeline is because we're in 2021 and people are still doing that doesn't matter well if we were in the days of our fathers folks a reprobate is a reprobate an open person is gonna be open to the gospel someone who's close to the gospel is gonna be close to the gospel doesn't matter what timeline what part of the timeline you're in in the history of mankind this nature of man is still the nature of man that's how it's always gonna be and so think it not strange when we see all these wicked individuals these reprobates these children of Satan doing what they're doing they've done this for thousands of years it's the same hatred because they're possessed by the same devil they have the same agenda the curse isn't subject to one timeline or geographical location and that's what Paul understood he's like wow even at Rome and it's just like a wake-up call for the Apostle Paul he's like yeah Rome that's where you're gonna write Romans 1 because he's gonna see this fleshed out even more right when he had said these things verse 29 the Jews depart and had great reasoning among themselves and then verse 30 and Paul dwelled two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came unto him preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concerned the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence no man forbidding him so this is like the end of his life right here and we see that further detailed in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 and I believe this is where he basically spent the rest of his life you know and that he have a great building or a great congregation to meet in not necessarily but you know what he was able to preach the Word of God to his very last breath no man forbidding him and you know what this whole trial does for us it helps us to realize how important preaching really is right it helps us to realize how powerful preaching really is why well because they're trying to kick yours truly out of El Mani not because I'm like I'm like a physical threat to anybody but because my preaching is a threat and they know the power in the preaching they know what the Word of God can actually do that's why all the forces of darkness are the forces of evil and Satan are trying to stop us because they know how powerful the Word of God really is they know how powerful it is to save an individual and they know how powerful it is to reform the mind of an individual to see it the biblical way the Word of God has power that's why they're trying to manipulate and gaslight the narrative to make me look like the enemy because of the fact that they want me out they want me they want me to go to Rome they want me to go somewhere else but here's the thing my preaching is gonna stay if I leave El Mani if we leave El Mani too late suckers we were already there for three years we've been plowing that field for three years we've been getting people saved there for three years our preachings there our converts are there we've already changed their minds it's already done and here's the thing if you move my location you think there's some sort of force field around El Mani where I'm just like I can't enter in anymore like what is this how can you you know they think they literally think like moving me out of El Mani is gonna solve their problem folks move me to wherever you want to move me to I can just come back like preach I can send an army of soul winners to just saturate El Mani again there's no stopping it no man will forbid us they'll try to stop us but no man can forbid his wife because God has given us the commandment to do so you know what if God commands us to do so no one can stop us yeah but we'll take your life but you know yeah but if you take my life someone else is gonna take my place right someone else you think you think I'm the only one who thinks like me in my church there's a group of men in our church who can preach just as hard if not harder than me who if they take me out of the picture one of the other guys will just take over and just keep preaching hard and if you take him out someone else will take their place look folks our church you know has ladies in it but there's a bunch of men hardcore men that are just like their pastor so yeah you take me out of the picture that's fine I spent three years training a bunch of guys they're just like me you're not you're not gonna be able to stop us no man can forbid us okay so Paul finishes life he finishes his life here and I believe that you know he don't behead him like you know they they often talk about on the historical things like yeah the Romans beheaded and why would they be had him he didn't do anything there'd be no reason to be had Paul for the Romans to be had Paul if they weren't willing to kill him when he was in Jerusalem why would they want to do so because they could care less about the Jewish customs right they're probably like well just let him stay here he's not hurting anybody just let him give him his own house and let him preach or talk about his little superstitious beliefs that he has you know jokes on them jokes on the people who wanted him dead because now he's just able to just like chill out and now he doesn't go anywhere but people come to him and he preaches the word of God unto them so what do we learn from the book of Acts well one thing is that it's very relevant to today we're living out the book of Acts right now we are living out the book of Acts it's it's there but we see that you know what we need to be like the Apostle Paul cuz I don't hear Peter being mentioned here at the end yeah you know you're John being you don't hear any of the Apostles being mentioned here the story literally finishes with Paul and his exploits and the things that he does that's not by accident but you know what Paul paid the price though didn't he pay a price to be in the limelight he paid a heavy price he paid the persecution the afflictions but you know what I guarantee you he's in heaven today and he doesn't regret any of it he's like I'm glad I went through all that cuz it pales in comparison to the reward that he received amen so if you get discouraged during this time in the months to come just know that whatever you go through pales in comparison to the reward you're gonna receive if you just endure all this man inspire has an award for a father we thank you so much for your word thank you for the book of Acts what an exciting book such an adventurous book and and thank you for the Apostle Paul Lord and all the work that you did through him and how you used him Lord I pray God that you'd help us to learn from him learn from the principles that we that we studied here in the book of Acts and Lord I pray God that you bless our church I pray that the message would ring forth so much further because of everything that's going on do pray for a building Lord and obviously it'd be nice to have a building but we're not gonna put a deadline to it we will continue to look and search and pray and meet and just wait upon the Lord that's that's all we can do and until then Lord please continue to bless us I pray that you would bless the people that we're gonna speak to on a weekly basis as we preach the Word of God and I just pray that you use this circumstance for your honor for your glory and we know that all things work together for good to them to love God to them who are the called according to his purpose and though they mean it for evil we know that when it comes to the Christian serving you you mean it unto good and I pray God that you bless us as we go on our way we love you so much we thank you pray these things in Jesus name Amen