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you you you you You know, that's right Good evening everyone. Welcome back to Mountain Baptist Church. Take your Mountain Baptist Psalms hymns and spiritual song books the blue folders there in your row and Turn to song number 11 We'll sing holy holy holy And if you would stand we'll sing song number 11 Holy holy holy Lord God almighty Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee Holy holy holy Merciful and mighty God in three persons blessed Trinity Holy holy holy All the saints adore thee Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea Cherubim and seraphim Falling down before thee Who word and art and evermore shall be Holy holy holy Though the darkness hide thee Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see Only thou art holy There is none beside thee Perfect and power Love and purity Holy holy holy Lord God almighty All thy work shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea Holy holy holy Holy Merciful and mighty God in three persons blessed Trinity Let's pray Heavenly Father the Lord again, we just want to thank you God For our church. Thank you for your word. Thank you for our pastor I pray Lord now that you would just meet with us help everything that we do to be Glorifying to your name. We love you and pray all this in Jesus name. Amen. All right, maybe seated and In your mountain Baptist song books turn to page number one Page number one in your song books will sing Psalm 11 page number one And the Lord put I my trust I'll say to my soul Flee as a bird to your mountain Below the wicked bend their ball Make ready their arrow upon the stream That they may privately shoot at the upright and hard if the Foundations be destroyed. What can the righteous do? The Lord is in his holy temple The Lord's throne is in him his eyes Behold his eye. Let's try the children of man The Lord tried the righteous By the wicked and him their love and violence his soul His soul Upon the wicked He shall rain snares fire and brimstone and Horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their for the righteous Loveth righteousness his countenance Doth behold doth behold the upright In the Lord, but I might trust Amen Welcome back to Mount Baptist Church on this Sunday evening and I just want to get the soul winning numbers So I think brother Brother Wade had 13 this past week So we're adding them up. Is that right? brother Richie Okay, I'm gonna go with what you said. So And then what we have did we have any during the week Saturday to That's 15 any others during the week and then today Brother Rob we had one and then one so two is there any others? If you had one so three to 18 total All right, well good job with the soul winning yeah, yeah brother way it is So praise the Lord for that and then as far as announcements go We Have regional sewing times this week so Monday Tuesday Wednesday Saturday, there's a Women's prayer meeting on the 22nd and the men's prayer meeting on the 29th And then this coming Saturday December 16th the Parkersburg, West Virginia solving marathon and so that'll be coming up. So be in prayer for that and then Our chapter memory for the month is Luke chapter 2 chapter memory verse for the week is Isaiah 9 6 for unto us a child is born unto us a son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful counselor to the mighty God the everlasting father the Prince of Peace and What happened to the Christmas songs? Like you didn't sing any Christmas songs today Like one or two this service have you have you sang any Christmas songs this service yet? That's not a Christmas song Do you go let me ask you a question, let me ask you a question if you were going caroling Would you pick that song you're gonna go holy holy you're gonna do that at a door I Got the Grinch we got the Grinch's as our song leader There's a lot of Christmas songs to get through between now and Christmas Anyway, so pregnancy is being prayer for Alyssa Anastasia and Tabby And then be in prayer for all those that aren't feeling well as far as just sicknesses going around all that The offering box is in the back there if you want to give Tyler an offering mother babies rooms for the mothers babies only who's reading tonight But David's gonna be reading 1st Corinthians chapter 12. We're gonna be continuing our study through the through the spiritual gifts and so For a day, we'll come and sing one more song. Is it a Christmas song? You all right take your song books And turn to let's see Yeah, okay, all right well turn to song 425 Song 425 We'll sing no room in the inn Christmas song just another one second one. We've done tonight and Sing song 425 No beautiful chamber no soft cradle pan No place for me No No No No No Bless you should hear at heaven's gate There is no room for thee No, sweet consecration No seeking his part No Humiliation no place in the heart No Thought of the Savior No sorrow for sin No prayer for his favor No room no room for Jesus Oh give him welcome free Oh Bless you should hear at heaven's gate There is no room for thee No one to receive Welcome No bomb to relieve him no staff but a spear No Seeking his treasure No weeping for sin No Pleasure No room no room for Jesus So give him welcome free Bless you should hear at heaven's gate. There is no room for thee All right, take your Bibles and turn to first Corinthians chapter number 12 First Corinthians chapter number 12 in your bowels. We'll have brother David come read that for us First first Corinthians 12 we found your place. Amen And the Bible reads not concerning spirits or gifts brethren. I would not have you ignorant You know that you were Gentiles carried away under these dumb idols even as you were led Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God called Jesus accursed and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost now there are diversities of gifts But the same spirit and there are differences of administration with the same word and there are diversities of operations But it's all but it is the same God who's looking all in all But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with all For the one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom to know that to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit to know the faith by the same spirit to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit to another the working of men Miracles to another prophecy to another discerning spirits to another diverse tongue kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues But all these worketh that one and the self same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will Whereas the body is one and hath many members and all and all the members of that one body being many or one body so also is Christ for by one spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews and Gentiles for they be bond or free and Have been all made to drink into one spirit for the body is not one member but many and if the foot shall say Because I am NOT the hand I am NOT of the body Is it therefore not of the body and if the ears shall say because I am NOT the eye I am NOT of the body is it therefore not of the body if the whole body were an eye where the hearing and if the Whole we're hearing where are the smelling but now but now has God But now hath God set the members every one of them and one in the body as a head Please them and if there are all one member where is the body but now are they many members yet? But one body and the eye cannot say into their hand I have no need of thee nor again the head to the feet I have no need of you Nay much more of these much more those numbers of the body which seem to be feeble are necessary Those members of the body which we think to be less honorable upon these people still more abundant on it Now uncommonly parts have more abundant comeliness For our company parts have no need but God have tempered the body together having given more abundant honor to the partners lack That there should be no schism in the body But that the members should have the same care one for another For the one members suffer and all the members all the members suffer with it or one member be honored all the members rejoice with It now you have the body of Christ and members in particular and God is set in the church first apostles Secondarily prophets thirdly teachers after that miracles doing gifts of healings Helps governments diversives of tongues or all apostles or all prophets or all teachers or all workers of miracles of all the gifts of healing Do I speak of tongues do I'll interpret but covered and receive the best gifts and yet so I am to you a more excellent way Let's pray dear Lord. I thank you for this opportunity to come back to your house But you feel past with your spirit and help us all to learn something Jesus name. Amen Hey man, it's here there and first Corinthians chapter 12 and we are continuing a study through spiritual gifts. This is probably one of the harder ones I guess to talk about just because usually when you think about working a miracles you think of basically Like the feeding of the 5,000 walking on water like those type of things and those definitely applies miracles But I'm gonna be getting into how this applies how this would apply today and How this would still be a gift that that people in the church can have even today and in all of that now Looking there in verse Let's let's look at verse 8 it says for to one is given by the Spirit the Spirit of the word of wisdom To another the word of knowledge by the same spirit to another Faith by the same spirit to another gifts the gifts of healing by the same spirit To another the working of miracles so Again, last week we talked about the healings and how obviously there's miraculous type of healings or healings that cannot be explained by Basically the course of nature if you will And so but then there's just healing in general as far as the ability to heal someone physically you have Luke the beloved physician you have people that just And there were also can heal spiritually and emotionally and all of that and then there's working of miracles now Look down at verse 28 and you'll see that that God Is setting these these gifts if you will in a certain order? And so in verse 28 It says and God had set some in the church first apostles now the one thing you have to realize is that There are no more apostles that are alive right now I mean, obviously they're alive because they're in heaven right but there's no one walking around as an apostle today So you may say well how in the church are the apostles first? Well, the apostles wrote the New Testament so therefore the apostles are still first in the church because the Bible is first in the church and so therefore we have the the words of the prophets and the apostles that we Do everything now obviously they were under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and so it's the Word of God So that's how that was still applied today in the fact that the apostles are first in church, but then you have Going on from that. It says secondarily prophets thirdly teachers So prophets I believe which we haven't got to that one yet. That would be next week. Lord willing Prophets can also mean a preacher. So someone that would be essentially like the pastor, right? So a pastor I think is you're getting into a prophet and a teacher, right? You're getting into both of those You're preaching but you're also teaching at the same time and so those kind of go hand-in-hand with the title of pastor But you could also have people that are preachers that aren't pastors and you can have people that are teachers that aren't pastors, right? so Those things can go without being a pastor as well. So So those are there first then it says after that miracles then gifts of healing Helps governments diversity of tongues and then it's getting into the fact are all apostles are all prophets are all teachers are all workers workers of miracles Have all the gifts of healing do all speak with tongues do all interpret? So the answer is no obviously with any of these gifts. It's not like everybody is just gifted in all of these or Or there's like one gift that everybody is just gifted in that one thing No, everybody has different gifts according to several, you know Basically, it talks about he divided it every man severally as he will so God wants if you have a certain gift Or you're really good at a certain thing that's in this list. Then you know what God has given you that But not everybody we're on all gifted the same Everybody in the church has the same value meaning everybody in the church is valuable to the same extent But everybody has different offices different abilities different gifts all of that and that's really what this chapter is dealing with Now when it comes to miracles, okay Well, first of all, there's diverse types of miracles. So let's get that down first is that there's not just like One type of miracle so go to Hebrews chapter 2 Hebrews chapter 2 Hebrew chapter 2 in verse 1 Hebrews chapter 2 verse 1 It says therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time We should let them slip for if the words spoken by angels was steadfast and every transgression and disobedience Received a just recompense of reward. How shall we escape? How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto Us by them that heard him So you think about the Lord Jesus was preaching this but then it was confirmed by them that heard him So you think about the Apostles obviously we're dealing with here God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with diverse miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will So when you think about this this really gets into the idea that especially at the beginning you may ask to yourself Well, why were all these miracles and wonders done? In the book of Acts or even in Jesus day because it was confirming the word because in Mark chapter 16 When Jesus is ascending up into heaven Mark 16 20 says and they went forth and preached everywhere the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs Following amen. So that's how the book of Mark ends is the fact that these signs and wonders these miracles if you will We're gonna follow to confirm the Word of God. It's basically validating it It's validating and saying this is the Word of God this is true. This is right These guys are apostles right because Paul's constantly saying am I not an apostle and he talks about the fact that The signs of an apostle are with him right meaning that he's validated by these type of things But now we have a more sure word of prophecy So go to 2nd Peter chapter 1 2nd Peter chapter 1. So why don't we need a lot of these these? Great miracles and everything because not every miracles created equal if you get my point in the fact There's some miracles that are a lot more extensive than others I mean, would you say that a parting of the Red Sea is probably a little more extreme Than some of the other things that were done right now You could argue that and say I think that that's more miraculous or this is more miraculous or whatever But I think there's some that you would say that You know, you would count that as being more miraculous like where it can't be answered by physical means or by nature or whatever Ultimately people are always going to try to explain it away any type of miracle that's done In 2nd Peter chapter 1 verse 19 It says we have also a more sure word of prophecy Where until you do well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn Daystar rise in your hearts knowing this first that no prophecy the scripture is of any private interpretation For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man But a holy man of God spake as they are moved by the Holy Ghost So the prophets they spake as they remove out Holy Ghost the Apostles spake as they remove out Holy Ghost And now we have it all written down It's been confirmed by Signs and wonders and miracles and all that now, let's just get a definition of miracle Because there's obviously miracles that we would see in the Bible and like You know the feeding of the 5,000 walking on water like all these different things where you'd say that's miracle turning the water in the wine These miracles and it's specific specifically says that raising the dead But here's just a dictionary calm definition of miracle, okay, I'm not going to the NOAA 1828 dictionary I'm just going to dictionary calm. Okay, so An effort an effect or extraordinary Event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause Another definition would be such an event Or such an effect or event manifesting or considering as a work of God or it's just a wonder or Marvel Okay So a lot of cases what you're dealing with here you're dealing with Works or workers that are very powerful or do Marvelous or wonderful things and something and a lot of times that case is the fact that they're They can't be explained right? It's kind of like how did that happen? How did you do that? Okay So when you deal with miracle, obviously if someone's walking on water, you're gonna be like, how did they do that? That's a wonder That's a marvel but then there's other cases where We're gonna still say that but at the same time we can understand how it can happen It was just how did how is that going forward meaning? This is that? Jesus talks about go to John chapter 14 John chapter 14 Don't have this in my nose, but I was just thinking of it John 14 verse 12 It Says John 14 verse 12 It says very rarely saying to you he that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also in greater works Than these shall he do because I go on to my father and the big thing that he's bringing up Is that the Holy Ghost is gonna come and we're talking about this the gifts of the Spirit here But why are we getting into is what's the work of God? That you might believe on him right when they said Tell us the work of God that we know the works of God that we may do them Right, and obviously the people that are saying that aren't saying it necessarily sincerely, but he said this is the work of God That you believe on him that has sent him right the idea there. Is that the work of God is what? soul winning getting people saved now when you're dealing with greater works than these I Don't sometimes greater doesn't necessarily mean like higher quality or maybe I Guess magnitude as much as maybe quantity right think about it as far as Jesus obviously got thousands of people saved But think about now and the fact of how many people are in the world Just how many more people are in the world compared to what we're back then in The fact that you could be dealing with the fact that hey You know greater works or you're gonna you're gonna do with the Holy Ghost. I mean think about the Pentecost 5,000 people getting you know like you have 3,000 5,000 you got you got multitudes of people getting saved and Especially since they're going to the Gentiles right because the Gentiles are gonna hear it, so What I'm gonna be getting into ultimately is that a great miracle worker in a lot of cases it is winning people to Christ the work of the Great Commission and the idea of obviously We're all called to do that and it's not saying like well are all America workers of miracles therefore not everybody's a soul winner The idea is the magnitude or the the power behind that as far as like some people are gonna be doing these Magnificent type of works if you will and some people may just be on the sideline with that and it's not saying like they have more value than the others actually it puts the Teacher above that So it's not like trying to elevate this as far as like hey This is gonna get the most rewards or whatever okay, but I just want you to think about that when it comes to a miracle worker It's not necessarily dealing with walking on water or turning water in the wine Let me give you an example okay in the Bible go to Mark chapter 9 Mark chapter 9 And this is clearly something that cannot be explained in the physical realm Now a big term that people would use is metaphysics Right metaphysical, which is just meaning like the spiritual type of realm or things that are Can't be explained in the physical realm okay, and So when you're dealing with miracles I think in a lot of cases you're dealing with working things that are a spiritual matter like spiritual workings and one of those Would be casting out Devils okay? Would anybody say that's that's physical or spirit or I mean you would all say that's a spiritual event that's happening So let's look at Mark chapter 9 and I want the first thing I want to show you is that casting out the devil is considered a miracle by definition in the Bible, okay So in Mark chapter 9 verse 38 it says in John answered him saying master We saw one casting out Devils in thy name, and he followeth not us any for He we for for bad him Because he followeth not us but Jesus said forbid him not for there is no man which shall do what a miracle in my name That can lightly speak evil of me for he that is not against us is on our part So clearly it's it's equating casting out a devil with Being a miracle okay now you can understand how that would make sense right casting out a devil That's a miraculous thing when you think about the fact That's a spiritual right you're not able to just physically go in there grab the devil and pull them out right So that's a spiritual event I Mean think about what has to take place for that to happen for a devil to be cast out Go to Mark chapter 3 Mark chapter 3 Jesus Explains the idea because they were saying that he was casting out people with Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils And he's talking about how ludicrous that is okay? This Is all spirits I mean obviously he's using a physical example to explain the spiritual, but this is all happened spiritually So this is obviously Jesus is defining it as a miracle And in March chapter 3 and verse 22 it says in the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said He hath Beelzebub and by the Prince of the Devils cast thee out devils And he called them unto him and said unto them in parables How can Satan cast out Satan and in fact Kingdom be divided against itself the kingdom cannot stand And if a house be divided against itself the house cannot stand and if Satan rise up against himself and be divided He cannot stand but half an end no man can enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods except He will first bind the strong man, and then he will support He will spoil his house really I say to you all sin shall be forgiven unto the sons of men blasphemy and blasphemies whithersoever Wherewithsoever They shall blaspheme, but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness But is in danger of eternal damnation because they said he hath an unclean spirit so get the picture here They're basically saying you're casting out Devils with the devil, and he's explaining how ludicrous that is that doesn't make any sense And he's saying that you have to be stronger than the man that's in the house in order to Like if you're gonna go basically break into a house and spoil it you have to be stronger than the person That's in the house. You have to bind them first. You have to take them out So when it comes to casting out a devil you have to have the power in Order to bind that devil in order to bring them out So it's a powerful event spiritually speaking for this to happen Now how do we do it? And I'll say this I believe that a lot of people may have cast out Devils and didn't know it when they were out soloing And Here's how we do it with the Word of God so go to Matthew chapter 8 and verse 16 people are still being possessed with Devils by the way This hasn't gone away They're still gonna be Devils in Revelation. I mean Devils are gonna inhabit Babylon after it's destroyed I mean, there's still Devils around there were Devils still around in Paul's day after the resurrection You have the sons of Sceva and you have those familiar spirits those unclean spirits that were leaping on them so they're still around today and They're still possessing people But here's how you get rid of them. Here's how you cast out devil with the Word of God Matthew chapter 8 verse 16 When even was come they brought out him Brought brought out brought unto him many that were possessed with Devils and he cast out the spirits with his word and Healed all that were sick So how did he cast out the Devils I mean think about it when they do they say in the name You know in the name of Lord Jesus Christ, I command you to depart, you know, obviously but With the Word of God, that's how you cast them out Okay, now this could be very much that you're just preaching them the gospel and you're giving them the Word of God and the devil Is coming out of them and then they get saved and now they can no longer be possessed with the devil Because the Bible says greater is it says little children it says year of God little children and I've overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world a Believer cannot be possessed with the devil because the strong man's in the house, right? I mean, it's kind of like you the guy that would bind the devil is living inside of you because you are the temple of the Holy Ghost So God is living inside he's dwelling inside of you. So therefore the devil has no place and There's no possible way for them him to be there so when it comes to a miracle that can be done is is casting out a devil now Think about this you say well, okay Anybody could just use the Word of God so this doesn't seem to be Necessarily a spiritual gift. Well, let me ask you this in Jesus day were there devils that they couldn't cast out? There were weren't they? You had the one where it says this only cometh out by prayer and fasting there had to be This increase in faith and power that was involved there for them to cast out certain devils So you can see how this what you're gonna get into is the idea of the power of the Holy Ghost and this idea of This boldness and power is a certain gift that's there in order to do these great Kind of works that maybe some others wouldn't maybe have the gift to do. Okay? So We see that casting out devils is a miracle. So therefore If there's still devil's out there and we can still I mean you'd have to say we can't cast out devil's in right You'd have to say that's done away with we can no longer cast them out They just they just roam freely now and there's no way to get them out. Well, I Believe that there's just a lot of cases you just don't know that they're they have a devil I can give you stories of Times that we're out so many and I could tell you I can't tell you unequivocally but I could tell you that I'm pretty point positive that this person was possessed with a devil and When the Word of God was given to them that stopped Now in the one case that I'm thinking of the person didn't get saved but you can kind of think about the story where the devil leaves a man and Then comes back with seven other unclean spirits more evil than himself right more wicked than himself so You can see that there are miracles that can still be done And I want you to see here that this is something that he was giving power He was giving power and authority to his disciples to do this in Luke chapter 9 Luke chapter 9 and verse 1 Luke chapter 9 verse 1 I'm kind of just using as I'm using this as an example Because I just want you to see that there are miracles that can still be done I'm not saying that I can go turn water in the wine And I'm going to start performing miracles like that I think there's people and you know when people say that type of something. They're just like no these you know They can still do it. Well show me then And you know usually they'll show you in some video somewhere where it's like some kind of charlatan type of setup Where they just put it together and and make it up right or everybody's in on it right the Benny Hinn stuff where it's like They have all paid people that are up there that are pretending to get healed To make it look like it's some kind of healing experience I want to throw a black mamba at Benny Hinn You're like hey heal that I'm not gonna do it. It's gonna be like y'all man. You got a restraining order. Pastor Robbins got a restraining order from Benny Hinn He's gonna be looking out in the audience who's got the black mamba But to be honest though These people that like try to claim that they're like some miracle worker They're an apostle or they're like you know They got the gift of healings and stuff like that like they're beating people over the head and slaying people people in the spirit They're all a bunch of charlatans But it's been taken away from the actual gifts that you could have as a Christian to be someone That's gifted at healing or someone that's gifted at Doing great works and marvelous works For the Lord and I think this really gets into someone that is it that it has this great Strength and boldness in the spirit you think about the idea that boldness in general is one of those things that some people really struggle With just as much as faith, right? Having the gift of faith Meaning like you're you have like this confidence This trust that you just innately you're just like yeah, that's gonna happen and then other people are just like I hope so I know he's able but I you know, I'm not sure but then you get into the fact that I think with these miracles is that there's a lot of stuff that has to be to do with the strength that you have in the spirit in order to do these these marvelous works and There are people that are going to be stronger in that than others Now in Luke chapter 9 verse 1 it says then he called his 12 disciples together and gave them power and authority over all devils And to cure diseases and he sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick Now when it's talking about preaching the kingdom of God, you know There's people out there like well preaching the kingdom of God and preaching the gospel two different things Except for the fact that it says right after that when it tells you it tells them what not to take and all that in verse 6 it says and they departed and went through the town's preaching the gospel and Healing everywhere Because preaching the kingdom of God and preaching the gospel are the same exact thing Just as much as the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are the same exact place As much as the kingdom of David and the kingdom of Israel is the same place It's just describing the same thing in a different manner So We see that he's given them power over all these these devils and he's also sending them out to preach the gospel Now in chapter 10, so he does that with the 12 right in chapter 10 in Luke We see also that he sent out 70 others So it wasn't just 12 that he sent out to go soul winning and to do all these things. He had 70 others So a lot of times we were like well, where did Barnabas come from? Where did all these other people come where you know, where did Luke come from? Where did all I mean there were 70 of them Outside the 12 that were out there doing a lot of these things that the 12 were doing Now that doesn't make them the 12 it doesn't you know, obviously there's that distinct 12 Judas fell, Matthias came in, but where was Matthias? Probably in the 70 He had to have been there from the baptism of John or he wouldn't even have qualified But there was at least two that qualified that they put up for the candidacy But in Luke chapter 10 and verse 1 it says after these things the Lord appointed other 70 also And sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whether he himself would come Now the thing that I want you to notice here with these 70 is that it tells us what happens when they come back They have kind of like a report To give to the Lord and I want you to see what Jesus says here because do we not understand I guess what I want to clarify is Casting out devils a miracle Yes by definition Casting out devils is a miracle Okay Well, look what it says in Luke 10 and verse 17 In the 70 returned again with joy saying Lord even the devils are subject unto us through thy name And he said unto them I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and Nothing shall by any means hurt you Not withstanding I Want you to notice this right here, right? He's saying you have power of the devil's I mean Satan, you know He's like I beheld Satan fall from heaven as lightning now Obviously, I believe that that will happen in the future But he speaks of it in past tense because he's speaking of those things would be not as though they were but either way He's saying not only the over devils but over scorpions serpents and anything that would harm you right? Not withstanding in this rejoice not That the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoice so he's not saying necessarily don't rejoice at all in that he's saying Almost to the extent that you're not rejoicing over that is how much you should rejoice and what he's about to say It says But rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven think about this What did he send them out to do to cast out devils heal the sick but what preach the gospel You know, what's a miraculous event is when someone gets saved? When someone passes from death unto life you want to talk about raising someone from the dead, how about they'll never die again Because when you raise someone from the dead you heal somebody that could all return That's what Lazarus as much as that's a miraculous story obviously that he was written from the dead he died again physically and Same with everybody that was raised from the dead But when you get someone saved and they're passed from death unto life That never changes what's more miraculous So sometimes I think we have to we have to look at the perspective of Jesus here Okay Rejoice in that. I mean that's miraculous for sure and I still think we can cast out devils. Okay, so I'm not saying that's gone away But even if you cast out a devil, you know What's more miraculous if you got that person saved and their name is sealed unto the day of redemption That is what you should rejoice in rather So with that in mind you think about the works of Christ and the miracles that were done Greater works Which I eat it right he shall do greater works than these and you think about the quantity The field is ripe on the harvest when Jesus was risen from the dead now they're going down to the uttermost parts of the world and that it's like It's like you were working in this area. It's like now you have this area So you're just like just the sky's the limit on what can be done and the works that can be done Now let me show you another place where The works of Christ and how All these miracles Are also being coupled how it's kind of like ultimately the gospel. It's like this is being done This is being done and the gospel being preached right and how that's such a miraculous thing that's being done Sometimes we look over that but I mean think about that when when someone gets saved They were destined for hell Dead and trespasses and sins the moment they believe they've been washed from all their sins They're completely saved sealed into the day of redemption. The Holy Ghost takes up residence inside that person and there's you know, so That is a miraculous event and It's one of those events that does it ever get old Does it ever get old to win somebody to Christ I mean, it's kind of like one of those things just never that never gets old seeing someone come from death and the like that they realize oh Yeah, that was wrong. I believe this now I'm saved That is something and and sometimes I think maybe we don't look at as a miraculous event because there's so many people that get saved Throughout the weeks and year and everything but listen if you went down to some dead in the doornail Baptist Church right now and Someone came up and got saved. They'd probably be swinging from the chandeliers Because they'd be like someone got saved And listen We should all be that way but at the same time like there's got to be some efficiency in your motion too, right If you just like went crazy every time someone got saved you're like and you're going I gotta go to the next door though You gotta calm down go to the next door go to the next person, you know redeeming the time, you know You don't have so much time But that's what Jesus is saying to rejoice over don't rejoice because like you can step on Scorpions not be hurt by a serpent or that you can cast out devils. I mean rather I mean that's obviously worthy of being rejoicing over right but it's kind of like It pales in comparison that your name is written in heaven that your name is sealed in that book of life and that You can't be hurt from the second. The second death can't hurt you. You can't be cast into hell That is a miraculous event Now go to Matthew chapter 11. This is a story where John the Baptist is in prison and he sends messengers he sends two of his disciples over to Jesus and Notice what it says here in Matthew 11 verse 2 it says Matthew 11 verse 2 Matthew 11 verse 2 it says now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ He sent two of his disciples and said unto him art thou he that should come or look we for another Now Jesus is going to send back these disciples with information to show them why They should believe that he's he that should come. Okay That's what it says in verse five Or verse verse four, I'm sorry Jesus answered and said unto them go and show John again those things which ye do here and see the blind receive their sight and the lame walk the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear the dead are raised up and The poor have the gospel preached to them and blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me Now you may read that and listen I get it I'm not I'm not here to be like some over spiritual person be like no I've always saw the gravity of that situation But you may read that you're like the dead the dead raising from the dead You know the the blind seeing that's all miraculous, isn't it? But the last proof that he gives is that the gospel is preached unto the poor Just as much as when he sent them out two and two what is he saying, you know You can heal the devil you can heal or you can cast out devils heal the devil's can't do that They're dead, you know, they're done so but you can you can cast out devils heal the sick and Preach the gospel notice how that's always being coupled in what they're doing And Jesus saying you can this is great that you cast out that this is great that you can't be hurt You know, what's greater than that? That your names are written in heaven, you know, what's great in that all those people that you win their names are written in heaven That is what's miraculous and when he's giving a proof that he's that he that should come One of those proofs is that he's preaching the gospel to the poor. Let me ask you a question Can we still do that today? We still can and we still do and When you get into these miraculous events, I think of just like so many events Anna Split up. Am I Anna? Split go to the other sides So And I'm trying to use obviously I can say that but I believe the Bible is defining it that way It's showing you hate casting out a devil is a miracle but it's saying what's greater than that People's names being written in heaven now, I believe personally when it comes to their names their names are already written there They're just sealed there and that when someone dies in her sins, their names are taken out So they're no longer written there if someone becomes a reprobate they're blotted out. Therefore. They're no longer written there So When he says your name is written in heaven, that means it's not going anywhere right it is written and it's not going it's there So it's kind of like when it when he says Babylon is fallen It's fallen. He may look at me like it's not falling yet though But he says it in the present tense because it's not going to change so He doesn't say your name shall be written in heaven It says your name is written in heaven and it's not gonna be changing because he that ever cometh he will not blot out your name out of the book of life and Who is he that ever cometh but he to believe it that Jesus is the Son of God So it's by faith that you've overcome It's by faith that your name will not be blotted out of the book of life Therefore your name is written in heaven and that's what you should rather rejoice over Other than all these other things that are being done now What I have you turn so, uh, I Think you know when you think about okay who would qualify as someone that would be a worker of miracles Well, I think of Stephen. Okay, so go to Acts chapter 6 now Stephen You know nowhere does it say he's an apostle but I believe he was one of the first deacons so you had the seven it doesn't calm beacons, but That's what they are, I mean they're the servants of the church or the ministers of the church But Stephen I believe is a good example of somebody That would be like a worker of miracles in the church and What I think that's coupled with her you say well what signifies that how do you know Someone that has power in the Spirit of God And this can be shown in different ways but I think gets into the boldness of Of Christians like in the idea that power of the Spirit and that boldness that comes with it And the idea that some people are really gifted and happy and tapping into that Can we all be bold of course and the Bible tells us all to be bold Again with all these gifts you could you know, it's I had to get the wisdom, but you guys don't have any wisdom Right, you know like if I were to say I had that it's like well Obviously everybody's gonna have the word of wisdom the word of knowledge and like have these things to a certain extent It's like well, I don't have to get the tongue. Can you speak English? Hey, you can speak a language. Are you literate? You know like that. That's a gift. You got you got something but When it comes to this I think of I think of Stephen as being an example of this In verse 8 it says and Stephen full of faith and power Did great wonders and miracles? among the people then there arose a certain of the of the synagogue which is called the synagogue of the Libertines and Cyrenians and Alexandrians and of them of Cilicia and Asia disputing with Stephen notice this in verse 10 and they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake and Then I said, I'm sorry then they they suborn suborn men Which said we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God and they stirred up the people and the elders and in the Scribes and came upon him and caught him and brought him to the council and set up False witnesses which said this man ceases not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place in the law and For for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall change the customs with with Which Moses delivered us and all that sat in the council looking steadfastly on him saw his face as it had been the face Of an angel, you know what that means is the countenance of him was just unmovable. I Mean He's he had the faith and power and boldness to just stare them straight in the face and tell them what's up That's a gift right there You say well then every preacher not every preacher has that I'm talking about you're going up to the magistrates. Okay. It's one thing to be bold in front of the choir Right. It's another thing to be bold in front of people that are ready to rip you to shreds And we should all be bold to that extent But we had the whole chapters chapter 7 to see the power that he was filled with when he preached to them And I think about that when you think about how that would affect us later on Dealing with end times, right the boldness that we're gonna need to have in the Great Tribulation and How being brought up the magistrates and kings and people in authority and not taking thought for what shall be said I mean think about that gets into the idea of being able to tap in where the allowing the Holy Ghost To tap in to what you have read and memorized and learned and being able to actually Let the Spirit do that type of work through you. I Mean would it not be a miracle if you stood up there and then you were just like knew exactly what to say and you Could stop the mouths of the gainsayers on everything. They said I Would call that a miracle especially from my old country bumpkin like myself getting up there if God could pull that out of me I would call that a miracle. I would call that a great marvelous work that's done through the Spirit of God That doesn't mean that I didn't memorize any scripture and I knew nothing, you know It's like you had to have obviously done the legwork in order for that stuff to happen In order for those great works and miracles to be done Listen if you're gonna do some some great works when it comes to soul winning and see some some great Spectacles when it comes to getting people saved you have to put in the legwork to just be going in day in day out and just winning people on a weekly basis and Going out and putting in the time to where you get those there's maybe there's opportunities where like that was magnificent That was some great miracle that happened there and you know what? I could probably almost guess that a lot of people a lot of soldiers here can probably think of a miraculous event that happened out soul winning where you're just like just everything aligned and just How it all worked out and there's these people got saved, you know Like the fan that the parents got saved the kids got saved, you know, like all that stuff where that stuff happens And that's why the Spirit of God and those type of miracles still happen I Mean I mean think about family members that you better just shut off to the gospel, but somehow Miracle happens. I think of my grandma. My grandma was a staunch Catholic and she was in a nursing home And I sent her letters before she ever got to that point where she was in a nursing home trying to give her the gospel trying to talk to her about it all of that and she was about at the point where When you'd go and talk to her, you'd be lucky if she remembered you right Because you're just in that dementia type of state, right? And I remember going there. I was like, I want to go in there by myself And I'm gonna try to give her the gospel. I Like made a point. I told my mom like I'm gonna go in there first I'm gonna try to give her the gospel and I Still to this day can't believe it Like I'm telling you the story and in my mind. I'm like that didn't really happen That's how Miraculous this event was is that when I went in there not only she did she know me she remembered my girls You know, she remembered them she could talk She could respond and I gave her the gospel and I asked her I said I said do you believe this now mind you most times she couldn't get out of word didn't know who you were or anything like that and I said, do you remember the letters? I sent you do you remember what I said in those and everything else and I was giving her the gospel and all that And I still remember this day when I said hey, but do you believe it? Do you believe this and she told me what she said? She said I Have to believe it because I because I want to be with you in heaven And it was like obviously just heart, you know heartbreaking because of the situation that we were in right there but it was just like I left and it was like enough to where when I when I prayed with her because she was getting to the point where she was kind of Losing the you could tell she understood what you were saying, but she couldn't really mount. She couldn't really get it out She was kind of getting it out, but she was kind of losing that type of Ability to do that and so I said did you pray that she said yes, and then right after that my mom went in it was just kind of like back to like It was hard for her to cognitively be there and I'm just like how did that happen? But you know what that was I believe God was opening up her mind for that one opportunity To just bring all that to remembrance and get saved. I believe my grandma is in heaven right now And to me that is a miraculous event I'd rather see that than water turned into wine And so sometimes when you think about miraculous events You gotta put you gotta you gotta put priority on what you think is more miraculous Now if turning water into wine got my grandma saved and yeah sure because a lot of cases miracles and signs and wonders The reason God is doing them is for a purpose and that purpose is so that he will be known so people will believe on Him because he's not willing that any should perish that it all should come to repentance who have all men to be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth And I believe God is doing everything in his power to get as many people saved as possible And that's where you see the reasoning for these signs and wonders that are being done, but Just evaluating that when it comes to that But I also think about you know that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel the idea of Just having that boldness to do it And go to Daniel chapter 11, I'll end with this In the end We're not in the end yet, right? I mean we're in the last days obviously according to Acts chapter 2, but I Don't believe we're even in the beginning of sorrows at the moment But at the same time it could be in our day, but I'll say this it's definitely in the future Even if it's not in our day and the idea there's gonna be great exploits done, and I couple that with workers of miracles and working miracles is great exploits and so Are Merrick working a miracles done away with I don't believe so sometimes you have to check and see what is a miracle What is more miraculous? Physical things that we see like that are definitely miraculous But does that diminish how miraculous the spiritual things happening are? Actually, there's more weight given to the spiritual It's just the fact that we cling to the tangible as human beings because seeing is believing right? Now in the angel chapter 11 verse 31 it says an Arm shall stand on his part and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength and shall take away the daily sacrifice And they shall place the abomination that make it desolate so the abomination desolation is being set up here So we're going into the Great Tribulation It says in verse 32 it says in such as do wickedly against the Covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries But the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits now. Do you remember? Specifically what has to happen for the end to come The gospel has to be preached unto all the world that is specifically the only thing Stopping Jesus from coming is that the gospel is is gonna be preached unto the world so when you think about doing great exploits What do you think about? Preaching the gospel getting people safe and by the way It's actually gonna state that maybe in a little different way than we normally see it But in and do in Daniel chapter 11 verse 33 it says may that that understand among the people shall instruct many Yet they shall fall by the sword and by flame and by by captivity and by spoil many days Now when they shall fall they should be hoping with a little help But many shall cleave to them with flatteries and some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and to make Them white even to the time of the end Because it is yet for an appointed time and I actually wanted to read to you in Daniel chapter 12 as well Just thinking about this when I talk about making them white It's talking about turning people to righteousness turning people to get righteousness imputed unto them by believing on Christ it says in verse 2 of Daniel 12 it says in many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall Shall Awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt and they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament And they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever because the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life And he that win his souls is wise Great exploits, I believe there's a lot of space there for miracles to happen within that when it comes to preaching the gospel And Not to say that you know while it's only for certain people to preach the gospel No, it's just the fact that there are certain miracles that are done Through the work of God I Mean what greater works can be done than preaching the gospel and getting people saved the Great Commission the first works So When it comes to this, you know, obviously this is probably the harder one We're like, how how are you gonna preach that one here in 2023? Well when you look at the definitions of miracle in the Bible as far as what would be considered a miracle I think that we can see that preaching the gospel and getting people saved and people getting saved is a miracle in itself But then you get into the quantity Of that, how about this you get into the quantity of the fruit? But also the quality when your fruit remains and then when you think about the Great Commission of getting them baptized and then getting them to You know do all things. What's our commanded you right and you get into that aspect as well as far as This person was lost then trespasses sins. Now, they're saved baptized in church learning now, they're going out and doing it That is a miracle so But yeah, we're gonna be going down the line through these and some of these I'm gonna be combining because some of these definitely go together but This is working miracles And I do believe this still goes on today and Lord, let's end with our word of prayer. Dear only father we thank you for today. Thank you for your word Thank you for this passage and Lord just pray that you help us to be soul winners for you and pray for for divine appointments and miraculous events to happen when it comes to the work and Lord just pray that you'd give us power and faith like Stephen had When it came to going against adversaries and being able to resist the gainsayers and Lord Just give us power in the Spirit of God and when we love you pray all this in Jesus Christ name men So brother they will come sing one more song and that will be dismissed All right, take your song books and turn to song 432 Song 432 in your song books. We'll sing angels from the realms of glory if you would stand we'll sing song 432 Angels from the realms of glory Wing your fly o'er all the earth ye who In creation story now proclaim Messiah's birth Come and worship come and worship Worship Christ the newborn King Shepherds in the field of biting Watching or your flocks by night God with man is now residing yonder shines the infant line Come and worship Come and worship Worship Christ the newborn King Sages leave your Contemplations brighter visions be my far seek the great desire Of nations ye have seen his natal star Come and worship come and worship Worship Christ