(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We're gonna be singing nothing but the blood. Welcome to Bible Believers Baptist Church. You can find your seats and grab your song books and turn to page number 212. We're gonna be singing nothing but the blood. Song number 212, nothing but the blood. Let's sing it together on that first. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. For my part in this I see. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. For my cleansing this my plea. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Nothing can force an atone. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Not of good that I have done. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. That's all good. Well, we'll start again on that fourth, my bad. This is all my hope and peace. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. This is all my righteousness. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh, precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Amen. Good to see you, brother Robert. Could you open us up in a word of prayer? Amen. Our second song is going to be song number 449, To God Be the Glory. Song number 449, To God Be the Glory. Song 449, To God Be the Glory. Let's sing it together on the first. To God be the glory. Great things He hath done. So loved He the world that He gave us His Son. Who yielded His life and atonement for sin. And opened the life gate that all may go in. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. Let the earth hear His voice. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. Let the people rejoice. Oh, come to the Father through Jesus the Son. And give Him the glory. Great things He hath done. Oh, perfect redemption the purchase of blood. To every believer the promise of God. The vilest offender who truly believes. That moment from Jesus apart and receives. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. Let the earth hear His voice. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. Let the people rejoice. Oh, come to the Father through Jesus the Son. And give Him the glory. Great things He hath done. Great things He hath taught us. Great things He hath done. And great are rejoicing through Jesus the Son. But purer and higher and greater will be. Our wonder, our transport when Jesus we see. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. Let the earth hear His voice. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord. Let the people rejoice. Oh, come to the Father through Jesus the Son. And give Him the glory. Great things He hath done. Alright, welcome back to Bible Believers Baptist Church. We're going to take some time to go through the bulletin one more time here. And it's been a great day in God's house today. And did anybody have a salvation while we were out there today? Well, we tried. We definitely tried. Well, not a lot of doors were opening. I think I had like two people answer the door while we were out. But anyway, you know, God rewards us for our labor. Amen, right? So if you don't have a bulletin, I'm not sure if we have any left, but hopefully you have your one from this morning. Do we have any bulletins left, guys? Anybody? Okay, all gone. And by the way, we had 48 in our services this morning. Somebody counted 52. I kind of tend to go with the higher number for some reason, but we can do like, we'll do the median or whatever. We'll do the ones in the middle. But anyhow, we had a great day in God's house this morning. And so we had six salvations yesterday, and we heard some great preaching from Deacon Russell on Friday. So it's been a great weekend, but it's coming near to the end. But this is just the start of great things at this church. So great things he has done, and he's going to continue to do great things. Our verse of the week is Psalm chapter 67, verse 4, where the Bible says, O let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon the earth. Selah. And sorry for some of the mistakes that are inside the bulletin, but basically to sum it up, just wanted to let you know that if you need any kind to talk to me about anything spiritual or just anything in general after the church service, I make myself available to you. And if you want to talk to me, feel free to come up to me and just ask me and we can take some time and talk about spiritual questions or, you know, whether, you know, we want everybody to make sure, we want to make sure everybody that is at this church is saved. So if you're not 100% sure that you're on your way to heaven, you might have some doubts about that. Please ask one of the ushers or you can talk to me after the service and, you know, you can just get that straightened out for good. We have these things called communication cards and if you want to fill one of those out and you have a question or anything like that, you can just drop that in the offering plate as it goes and I'll read those after I get them. If you want to update your information, maybe just, you know, just be added to, we have a directory actually here if you want to be added to the directory or if you want your birthday to be able to be in the bulletin because on the back page here, we have a spot for birthdays and anniversaries and we'd like to fill that up and wish you a happy birthday and a happy anniversary and things like that. So if you want to put your kids' birthdays or your birthday in there or anniversary, feel free to do that. If you just have a prayer request that you want to drop in there and have me pray for, you can mark it private so it doesn't get put on some list that everybody sees. But anyway, we have those communication cards. If you need anything, just reach out to me and I'll be happy to help you. And our service times are 10.30 a.m. for our morning service on Sundays, the preaching service, and then 3.30 p.m. for our evening preaching service and we have a 6 p.m. service for prayer requests and Bible study. So that'll be on Wednesday. Brother Josh Tapp will be preaching for us this Wednesday. We're a family-integrated church and that means the children and infants are welcome during the church services. Please do take them to the mother-baby room if they're being too distracting in the services or you just need to feed them or whatever you need to change the diaper and all those things. And we're trying to work on that mother-baby room. We're going to get something where you can have the music and the preaching piped in there. But if you have a smartphone, you can just subscribe to our YouTube channel, Bible Believers Baptist Church. And if you look for the one, I think the last I saw it had like 88 subscribers. But if you just go on there, you can listen live on your smartphone. But we'll have something in there soon. There's a few things that are still lacking here. So we'll get that stuff ironed out as time goes on. So anyway, please reserve the back rows for families with young children. Please don't leave your children unattended and watch your children at all times. And in that mother-baby room, it's not for dads and moms to go in there. It's just for moms, okay? We only have one room for that. And then please make sure you're cleaning up after yourself when you leave if you have a big mess. And when you have a big family, sometimes big messes come with that. So if you wouldn't mind just picking up your stuff and throw it in the garbage. And we'd appreciate that. If anybody wants to volunteer to help clean the church and maybe be someone that closes or something like that. We got lots of opportunities to serve here. So we'd appreciate it if people could step up and do those things. And lawn care and the lawn, we actually have grass and a yard out there. So sometimes that needs to be mowed like once a week probably right now. But it gets watered, so it's going to grow, amen, like any plant. So anyway, we don't have online donations available yet. But that is something I'm going to be working on, getting done in the next couple of weeks here. And then please silence your cell phones if you would at this time. The tithes and offerings that came in for last month, I think that that's an accurate number. I'm not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure it is. And then the salvations for this year so far is 47. And for this week is eight. And then of course we have a new month that we started yesterday. But let's see, July 19th, if you're interested in seeing Pastor Anderson preach, the closest I can get him to you is Spokane, Washington. How far is that from here? Is it three hours and 15 minutes as the crow flies? So if you really want to hear Pastor Anderson preach, he's coming for his tour. And he already had it planned out before this church started and stuff like that. So if you want to go see him preach, 6.30 p.m. at Sure Foundation Baptist Church in Spokane, Washington. And then he's also visiting in Vancouver, Washington. So you could drive three and a half hours that way and then come home and then go three hours and 15 minutes to our church. And that's on Thursday. He's going to be preaching at our church at 6.30 p.m. in Vancouver, Washington. And we'll have the eighth annual Red Hot Preaching Conference that's going to be kicking off on July 20th, the same day. So that goes for the whole weekend. If you don't know what that is and you want some information about that, just see me after church and I'd be happy to help you with that or any of the guys around here. Pastor Jimenez will be preaching at Sure Foundation Baptist Church in Vancouver, Washington for our fifth year anniversary. So he's the one that started our church down there in Vancouver seven years ago as Verity Baptist Church in Vancouver. And then after two years, I was ordained as the pastor there. But he holds a dear spot in our hearts and we all love Pastor Jimenez. And so I invited him to come kicking and screaming because it's right after the Red Hot Preaching Conference. And I know that he doesn't like to go travel anywhere after that. But just because it's me and you, he loves you guys. He's willing to come preach. So let's show up in big numbers and show up there at 7 p.m. if you get a chance to come. He's a great preacher and you don't want to miss it. And then if you want information on the soul-wanting trip to Toronto, we do have a schedule for that. Happy anniversary once again to my beautiful wife. It's going to be 23 years of holy matrimony. And we never fight. No, I'm just kidding. But we still love each other. And we're going to celebrate our anniversary this week and go someplace special, a place that you know not of. But anyway, and if you want to see the upcoming preaching schedule, just reverse July 23rd and 30th, those two spots. So Brother Larson's going to be preaching on the 30th. Brother Conlon, the 23rd. We'll get that fixed in the next bulletin. But that's the preaching schedule for the upcoming time. And that's all I have for announcements. If you're a first-time guest, please, if there's anything we can do for you, please let us know. And we thank you for coming to our church. We appreciate you coming here as a first-time visitor. And with that, we're going to turn it over to Brother Robert. He's going to lead us in a psalm, right? Psalm 117. I'm going to open your Bible Psalm 117. Only two verses, so we'll sing it through twice. Psalm 117. O praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise Him, all ye people, for His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord will do forever. Praise ye the Lord, praise ye the Lord, O praise the Lord, all ye nations, praise Him, all ye people, for His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord will do forever. Praise ye the Lord, praise ye the Lord. This time we'll receive the offering. I just want to come forward here. Cody, you want to pray? Father, thank you so much for all these soul winners going out and doing the first works, Lord. We just pray that you continue to bless this church, Lord, and we also ask that you bless the offering and the offerer, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Good afternoon, everybody. If you could please turn your Bibles to Acts chapter 15. Or, yeah, Acts chapter 15. Acts chapter 15. Acts chapter 15 reads, And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bear them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us, and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why tempt ye, God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me. Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name, and to this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down, and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up. That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things, known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God, but that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely Judas, surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren. And they wrote letters by them after this manner. The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia. Forasmuch as we have heard that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised and keep the law, to whom we gave no such commandment. It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things, that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication, from which, if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well, fare ye well. So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch, and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle, which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words and confirmed them. And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the apostles. Notwithstanding, it pleased Silas to abide there still. Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they do. And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. And the contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder one from the other. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed unto Cyprus. And Paul chose Silas and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. Brother Paul, would you give us a word of prayer, please? All right. Can you hear me now? All right. All right. So I'm preaching a sermon called, A Next Man of Mantality. And I'm going to explain the concept before I get into the scriptures, but I'm going to go through several scenarios in the Bible where there was something lacking that someone stepped up. That's really the point I want to get across for this sermon. Different situations and you're like, well, why is it just a next man up? Just be patient, ladies. There's some next ladies up, too. But what is the definition of the term next man up? In the sports world, next man up refers to a true team when one player can take over for another seamlessly. So basically, when something's lacking, then someone steps up and fills that role. Like, say, the starting quarterback gets hurt, then there's a backup quarterback. But that person just needs to be ready to go. And maybe your time isn't yet to do certain things, but there's going to be a time when you can step up and be in fulfilled roles. And so in church, it's really important for us to have people that are willing to step up and do things that they're not used to doing. But if you're not ready to do that, if you haven't already been trying or getting ready to do certain things, it's going to be hard. But even if you don't know how, I mean, some people are pretty good at just winging it, right? There's some people out there have to know everything before they'll try something, but some people can just wing it and get through it. So not everybody's like that, though, but it's nice to have those people, too. But, you know, in an X-Men situation, the team isn't dominated by stars. So there is no stars. We're all equal with Christ. And just because I'm the pastor of the church doesn't mean I'm better than anybody in this church. And so, I mean, there's no, obviously there's people that have to do certain things, but, you know, we don't need to be dominated by stars. We have a lot of guys that can preach in our church. And I like to give opportunities for men to step up and preach. And I think that, you know, we probably have the most men preaching in our churches out of any of the churches that are doing it on a regular basis. And I give opportunity for that. So, you know, instead of, well, you know, a next man up mentality also means no excuses. So we should always be ready to rise to the occasion and step in and fill in positions that you're not quite necessarily, like song leading. I mean, song leading is a hard thing, and it's nerve-wracking, and it's scary if you're not used to doing it. But, you know, there's people in our church that are, we took, we did a class just recently, and people that were way out of their comfort zone were willing to do it anyway. And you know what? It's way out of my comfort zone, too. But I've had to do it, and it's just kind of one of those things that, like, hey, if somebody needs, like, say the song leader's sick and the piano player can't play, then what are you going to do? I mean, just have no music? We've got to have music. So we're supposed to come into his presence with singing, the Bible says. So can you step up and fill that role? Well, these are things that I just kind of want to impart to you because it's going to be a while before I'm able to be up here on a Sunday again. I'll be up here on Wednesdays, but, you know, I just want everybody to have this mentality at this church that, hey, someone can need, you know, there might be somebody gone, and then are you able to fill that role? Are you able to step up and have that next man or that next woman mentality? So, you know, when a player's number is called, that person's not overwhelmed, being thrust into a situation that they're just like a fish out of water, like, I can't do that. So, for instance, you know, there's obviously everybody I'm sure is familiar with football, but the New England Patriots, I'm just going to use an example. The New England Patriots, as much as people hate them, they do have this system of nobody's so much of a star that we can't operate and win without you, and they've proved that over the years. I mean, they've had their starting quarterback go out, and their next quarterback, even though he's not as good as Tom Brady, stepped up. Matt Cassel stepped up and led the Patriots to the playoffs anyways. And, you know, that's just an example of, you know, a team that just has everybody ready to go. So, if there's something you're not doing that you would like to start doing, well, start preparing for that, and then if the need arises, then you can step up and fill that role. That's what we need at this church. We need a next man up mentality in this church. So, I'm going to go through some scenarios here in the Bible, and Acts 15 is where we're going to start in verse number 36. So, the first next man up scenario is Paul and Barnabas have a split, and the split is over John Mark. If you were paying attention towards the end of that passage, it says in verse 36, And some days after, Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city, where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. So, they've already been doing mission work together for a long time now, and Paul's like, Hey, let's go. Let's go again. Let's see how the churches are doing that we started, and Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark, who I think is also the author of the book of Mark, by the way. And it says, But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. So, John Mark quit on them in their first missionary journey. And it says, And the contention was so sharp between them that they departed asunder one from the other, and so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus. And by the way, Mark was, I think, a relative of Barnabas, so, you know, he was kind of, you know, favoring him because I think he was his nephew or something. But anyway, it says, And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. Now, so you have two guys here that are working together closely, but they have a problem with the other one. You know, and sometimes split happens. Not everybody's going to, you know, agree about everything all the time. And the Apostle Paul, I think, you know, even though we don't really hear much about Barnabas for the rest of the Bible, but you do see all the things that Paul accomplished, but that doesn't mean that God stopped using Barnabas. It doesn't mean that God stopped using John Mark, because if he's the one that penned the book of Mark, which I think he is, and also Paul later on, and we'll go to that here next, but Paul later on asked for Mark to come back to him. And so, and just because someone fails you one time doesn't mean they're always going to be a failure. You know, we fail sometimes. Sometimes we're not ready. Sometimes we're not ready to step up into the situations that we need to step up to. But, you know, that doesn't mean that that person is forever to be discarded, but Paul kind of had that frame of mind that it's like, hey, if he quit once, I can't count on him again. You know, and is he wrong? Probably not wrong. Because most of the time, yeah, if someone's going to fail you once, they're going to fail you again, but we've got to be able to give people second chances, and God gives people second chances. So, that's the first scenario. So, Silas steps up and takes over Barnabas' spot, and Barnabas takes somebody else, but Paul, you know, someone else was ready to jump in with Paul and say, let's go, let's confirm all these churches, and that's exactly what he did. And Silas, you know, Silas was with Paul, you know, for a long time after that. So, he was ready to step up and fulfill that next man scenario. He was ready to be a missionary right away. He's just like, all right, I'm picking Silas. And then they went on and visited the churches. So, the next man up scenario number two is Demas quits and John Mark is restored. So, really interesting. Turn to 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 9, 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 9. So, here's another next man up scenario. So, Paul eventually teams up with Demas, this guy, and there's a kind word said about him earlier on in the New Testament, but eventually Paul gets to this point here in verse number 9 where the Bible says, Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me, for Demas hath forsaken me. So, Paul has somebody else quit on him, and his name is Demas. And so, most people don't name their kids Demas for a reason, because Demas hath forsaken me. I don't really know how many people named Demas, but anyway, it says having loved this present world, and that's the attachment that he gets is that he loves this present world. He forsook Paul and decided, you know what, I don't want to be a missionary anymore. I just want to go back to my old life in Egypt or whatever. So, he had forsaken him and it says, and is departed unto Thessalonica, Crecans to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with thee. So, this is years later and he's like, Take Mark and bring him with thee, for he is profitable to me for the ministry. So, you see, Demas had forsaken him and he's like, well, here's John Mark's time to step up again. And Paul's like, hey, send me him. So, obviously, Mark turned himself around and got himself right with God. And then he became a person that Paul was able to count on later on. And then he steps up and, you know, when we fail sometimes, sometimes we just have to wait for our next chance to step up again. Because, you know, I don't want to have this mentality where if someone fails me in one way, in some task I've been giving them, you know, that I'm just going to discard them forever. I don't feel that way. But it is nice to be able to count on people as the pastor and like when someone drops the ball just because they just aren't paying attention or, you know, being diligent about their work, then it is frustrating. It makes you not want to have to count on that person again because if they keep, you know, and I'm not someone that's just like, well, you failed one time so you're done. I'm done with you forever. That's kind of what Paul was like until he changed his mind here. But, you know, people could still be used and, you know, I give people lots of chances. But, you know, eventually, if someone just continues to fail me in some way, shape or form when it comes to like duties that I've, tasks that I've given them and things like that, then I probably will just have someone else take over that task. But that doesn't mean you should give up if that's someone that, you know, if it's someone that, you know, is looking for a second chance, you got to, you kind of got to earn your way back in, right? And so, and it's like that in sports too. Some people, you know, like I was just thinking who's that Seahawks quarterback now? Russell Wilson left the Seahawks. You guys probably don't know what I'm talking about but you don't know any football stuff. But Russell Wilson left the Seahawks and everybody was like, oh no, Russell Wilson left. And then this guy that was a highly touted draft pick years ago didn't do great when he first started as quarterback of the Jets. And then he stepped up and, well, he just, he was a bench warmer for like the last nine years pretty much. And then he had his like greatest season ever and broke some of Russell Wilson's records. And they were able to count on him. He stepped up when the time came and even though he failed in the past, he's shown fourth as a great player later on. So, but just because someone lets you down or church lets you down doesn't mean that that person's trash. It doesn't mean that they're bad. You know, if people quit, they can make a comeback. And that's why like, you know, I don't think it's right to just berate people that leave our church for no reason. You know, or maybe they just, maybe they do just love this world. You know, that's fine. You know, that's your choice to do. The only time that I would get up and preach against somebody is if someone did our church dirty and they, you know, need to be marked or something like that. But not everybody that leaves our church gets marked. You know, that's another lie and fallacy that people like to make up. But there's plenty of people who have left our church that I've never mentioned from the pulpit or never talked bad about. And it's because I hope that someday they do come back. Someday I hope they do get right. And, you know, people can even do things that are bad and still apologize and come back later and earn their way back in. And all you have to do really to earn your way back into a church is apologize. You know, say, and take some ownership of the things you do. Because, you know, nobody wants somebody around that's always going to just be a pain in the neck. So, but, you know, you can change. People can change when they get this kind of mentality and they can make a comeback. So, even if they leave and even if they quit, they can be welcomed back. But, you know, people have to humble themselves. And that's a hard thing for people to do. They always want to blame the pastor. They always want to blame, you know, church members or something about the church that made them quit. But really, in all reality, it's that they're weak. And if you leave a new IFB church to go back to an old IFB church, it's probably because you couldn't hack the soldier life of the new IFB. That's just the reality of it. And, you know, that's fine if that's what you want to do. But then when you try to drag people out with you or talk trash on our types of churches because you just couldn't cut the mustard, why can't you just say, you know, it's just not for me? But certain people just like kind of get this idea that they have to get the last word in or something. It's a strange world that we live in where someone can't just leave a church and be normal, you know. Even some of the people that left this church are dragging people's names through the mud. They're going to their work and trying to get them fired, trying to get them kicked out of their house. And it's just like, why can't people just be normal? You know, why can't people just leave a church like, well, hey, well, I didn't know that this church was like that or that they believe this. Then they can just leave, you know. There's plenty of deadbeat Christian churches around here that you can go to. There's plenty of, you know, like I'm sure there's a lot of churches in the valley here. And, you know, they're not like this church. So, I mean, you don't have to go to this church. Go someplace else. Go to Week Sauce Baptist if you want and just, you know, have fun just not doing anything for God. But, you know, if you want a country club, if you want a clique that you can clique with or people my own age that can relate to me or whatever, then go ahead and do that. But don't sit there and talk trash on people and run their name through the mud and run this church's name through the mud just because you were too weak to hack it. Or you just, maybe you just weren't saved, you know. That's what I think the situation was with a few of the people. But anyway, so even, you know, and look, even if all men forsake you, God can still make up a hedge and help you to stand in a gap. So, that's a good lesson here that, you know, at some point everybody might forsake you. People might forsake me. I don't know. But you know what? Everybody forsook Jesus and fled. They ran away. His own, his main disciples ran. And then only a couple of them followed and Peter was afraid and denied him. I mean, look, you know, this life is hard as a Christian and people are going to let us down. Fellow Christians are going to let us down. Fellow Christians are going to backstab you, but that's not God's fault, okay? Just remember that. Don't blame God for what other people do. And don't blame God because some tragic thing happened in your life. It's not God's fault. It's sin's fault. And this world is riddled with sin. Next man up, scenario number three. So, we had John Mark, after being denounced, stepping back up and, well at least, I don't know if he ever came back to Paul, but Paul was asking for him. That's a good sign that he kind of got his act together, right? And next man up, scenario number three, is when Joshua is replacing Moses. So, here's a literal next man up situation here. And Moses was a great man of God. Moses was a great prophet. There was nobody like Moses in the Old Testament. Nobody. And let's look at Numbers chapter 27 verse 17. And let's look at when Joshua replaces Moses. Now, obviously, Moses represents the law, the Old Testament, and Joshua is a picture of Jesus Christ. But in reality, Joshua was not a better leader than Moses was. Joshua was not, you know, and I still think he was a great man of God, but everybody just obeyed him and followed him because of the fear of the Lord, because that next generation was taught right, and Moses did a good job. I mean, the people that he was, you know, basically pastoring over kind of sucked. You know, a lot of them, you know, it said all of them that were up to the age of 20, you know, over the age of 20, at the time when they refused to go in and take the land, died in the wilderness because of their unbelief. So look at Numbers 27 verse 17 says, Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd. So they're talking about Moses is going to die here. And so God says you need to, you know, take Joshua. Look what it says in verse 18. It says, And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation, and give him a charge in their sight. So this thing was done before the whole congregation. And, you know, Joshua, we read earlier today, if you were paying attention, that Joshua, it says, was the servant of Moses. Joshua took care of Moses. He ministered to Moses. He was one of his young men, and Moses trained him to, you know, to be in leadership. And, you know, Joshua was the one that led the children of Israel against Amalek. So obviously from an early stage in the wanderings, Joshua was stepping it up. So it says, look at verse 20, And thou shalt put some of thine honor upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord. At his word shall they go out, and at his word shall they come in, both he and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation. And Moses did as the Lord commanded him, which was like Moses, that's exactly how he was. And he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest, before all the congregation. He laid hands upon him and gave him a charge as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses. Now, me taking over as the pastor of this church wasn't exactly that dramatic or anything. But, you know, it was, you know, it's basically Pastor Messler retired and he wanted to resign. He actually wanted to retire like a month ago. And I was like, please will you stay on so we can get some things figured out here. And he agreed to do that. And, you know, all he got is a bunch of grief for it. And, you know, that's just a shame that, you know, after giving 10 years of his life here to help this church that, you know, some of the people that he thought were his best friends were backstabbers. It's unfortunate. I mean, he's kind of gone through this for the last few years, but he hung in there. And, you know, what I think that Pastor Messler did is he wanted to put this church in the hands of someone that he knew was going to take and carry the torch on to the next generation. And so, you know, I don't want to let him down. I don't want to let this church down. And I want this church to succeed and not to fail. And look at verse, let's look at Deuteronomy chapter 34 verse 5. Deuteronomy chapter 34 verse 5. So Joshua stepped up. I mean, what a great position that Joshua had to be. You know, he had to fill some big boots, right? He had to fill some big shoes with Moses because Moses, again, was a great man of God. And Joshua, you know, to step up into that position, that's what's required. When someone steps in and takes on the position of some other pastor, that's, I mean, that's basically what it's talking about here. And Deuteronomy 34 verse 5 says, So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab over against Beth Peor. But no man knoweth his sepulcher unto this day. And Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eye was not dim nor his natural force abated. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. So the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands upon him, and the children of Israel hearkened unto him and did as the Lord commanded Moses. So the people followed Joshua because Moses had imparted some of his power upon him. And the laying on of hands is a doctrine that's important. We believe in the laying on of hands. Obviously I was already a pastor when I came here. I've already been ordained before. So it wasn't something that needed to take place here. But it is an important part of succession when you're talking about, so like we have all these church plants, but someday I'm going to lay hands on men and ordain them to take over those churches. And people need to be able to step up into those roles and do those things. And really those things are going to hurt our church. Because usually the best, hardest workers and the people that you can count on the most are the ones that end up taking those positions. And so it's kind of a love-hate type of thing that you have to do. Like Pastor Mendez has talked about this before, where his best families that are working the hardest in the church and helping him do all these things are the ones that he ends up having to send to these places to fulfill the role. But that's just the way it is. And you know what, when that happens, then someone else needs to step up and fulfill the role that that family or that man or those people were doing. So that is the next man up mentality. So Joshua stepped up and the people followed. It says, And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do, in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all of his servants, and to all the land, and all the mighty hand, and in the great terror which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel. So Moses was a great man, but he was succeeded by another great man. His name was Joshua. And Joshua was willing to step up and do those things. But Joshua just didn't arise out of a vacuum or something. He didn't just appear and all of a sudden Moses has this guy. It was a lifetime of him training that man and him serving Moses that put him into the position to where he was able to step up and do that. So some people just want to take shortcuts and do things the easy way and ordain themselves or they think it's just some quick ordination process and people want to demand to preach. Those are the people that I avoid the plague. If someone just is self-willed, not being self-willed is one of the qualifications for being a pastor. We shouldn't be self-willed. Is that all you're looking for is the title? Is that all you're looking for is for people to say, oh, look, there's the pastor because being the pastor is much more than that. Being the pastor is caring for people, caring for your sheep, caring for your flock, praying for them. What did Joshua do? He led people in. He led people out. He commanded them to come in and command. So there's a lot of things that a pastor has to be. You're a wedding planner. You're an interior decorator, a remodeler, a roofer. There's just so many things that pastors have to do. You're a wedding counselor, a marriage counselor. You're just a counselor in general. There's a lot of hats that pastors have to wear. You have to preach. You have to teach. You have to lead soul wedding. I mean, pastors do a lot of different things, and so if you want to be a pastor someday, it's not something that's easy to do. It's not as easy as people think it is because people will look at me and they'll be like, oh, you know, you don't work. It's almost like people look at me like as if I don't have a real job. It's weird to feel like to have people, and I don't think people realize that they're doing it, and they just will say like, well, I got to go to work or whatever, and it's like, well, you know, what do you think I'm doing? I'm working too. It's just a different kind of work. It's actually a lot more stressful than just a regular job where you punch a time clock, but I'm not trying to, you know, it is what it is. That's what the job is. So next man up situation or scenario is Elisha chosen to replace Elijah. So here we have another man of God replacing, you know, being chosen to replace, you know, one of the most famous prophets in the whole Bible. So when you talk about the prophets, what does the Bible usually say in the New Testament? You know, Moses and Elijah, right? So Moses and Elijah kind of represent the law and the prophets, and Elijah was obviously a great prophet, a great man of God, but his time, you know, ended at some point, and, you know, he was taken up into the chariot and so on and so forth, and he's going to come back again someday, but look at 1 Kings chapter 19 verse 16, 1 Kings chapter 19 verse 16, and we have this story where Elijah was feeling sorry for himself, and he was depressed because he thought he was the only one that was really still serving God the right way, and, you know, we can get to feeling that way sometimes, like, you know, everybody's, you know, falling down on the job, and nobody's doing what's right. Everybody's doing what's right in their own eyes, and, you know, God kind of had to have a little chat with him. It was just like, you know, there's still 7,000 people who haven't bent the knee to Baal. There's still people out there that believe just like you do, and they have a passion in their heart to be godly just like you do, so when we start thinking we're the only ones, then that's a dangerous place to be, right? Look at 1 Kings chapter 19 verse 16, it says, And Jehu the son of Nimshi shall thou anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah shall thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. So what's he doing? He's anointing him to take over for Elijah. And it shall come to pass that him that escaped the sword of Hazel shall jail him and Elisha is going to get the rest of them. So these are bad to the bone prophets. These aren't like, you know, you look at the so-called prophets of today with their pink shirts and their pink tea and lemonade and their shoe-shining ways and their gravy guzzling, you know, they're just weak. And, you know, you get a guy like Elijah and he's calling fire down upon people and destroying them. He's slaying the prophets of Baal. He's mocking them as he does it. And look, let me tell you something, there's nothing wrong with mocking a false prophet. Elijah did it. Did God get mad at Elijah for doing it? He didn't. He's like, you know, where's your God? Is he like taking a nap or something? And they're just like slashing themselves. And he's mocking them as it happens. And when we do stuff like that, people are like, that's just not a very godly attitude. It's like, well, you know, Elijah had a pretty good reputation, didn't he? And what really matters is does God think you have a good reputation? Because who cares what other people think? I mean, the prophets in the Bible, they preached some really hairy, really hardcore sermons and did some really, you know, extreme, they would do like, you know, or laying on one side for six months or whatever. It's just like, I mean, they just did some things in the Bible. Elijah, Ezekiel wasn't even allowed to cry for his wife when she passed. I mean, God asked these prophets to do some pretty hard things. And, you know, it's not because a true prophet and a true, you know, man of God is going to get persecuted. And then people look at that and they're like, well, they must be doing something wrong. No, they must be doing something right. If you're getting persecuted, you're doing something right. You're not doing something wrong. But that's the attitude of 99% of Christians out there is that, oh, well, people are talking bad about Bible Believers Baptist Church. They must be doing something wrong. No, we're doing something right. We're doing something good. We want people to get saved. We want people to learn the Bible and we want people to get baptized. We want to teach the Bible to people. We want as many people in this area to get saved as possible. So, look, when that's the mission, there's going to be opposition. No doubt about it. But let's skip down to verse 19 in the text here. It says, so he departed thence and found Elisha, the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with 12 yoke of oxen before him. Why do you think God picked Elisha? I mean, Elisha, he just rolls up on him. He's plowing with 12 yoke of oxen. I mean, oxen are huge animals. Have you ever seen an ox before? They're huge. They're like big giant cows that are strong and they have horns and whatever. And he's plowing with them this field. And, you know, obviously that's a picture of, you know, hard work, you know, and he's actually really working hard when this happens. So, it's good when you get caught working, right? It's a good thing. So, he wasn't, you know, sitting under a tree having somebody wave a fan on him and being fed grapes by his wife or something. He's out working by the sweat of his face and getting it done. And it says, so he has 12 yoke of oxen before him and he with the 12. So, not only are the oxen plowing, but he's also plowing with the 12. He's actually doing the same motions that they're doing and working hard. And it says, Elijah, excuse me, passed by him and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back, for what have I done to thee? You know, he just, he's always just like got some Clint Eastwood type, you know, comment to make, you know, what have I done to thee? But he just walks up like while he's working and just like throws his coat on him. And then he just walked off. And so, but he understood what that meant. Elijah knew that he's being picked, right? And it says, and he returned back with him and took a yoke of oxen, slew them, boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen. So he's quitting his full time, he's quitting his full time job. You know, when you start burning your implements, the tools that you need to do your trade, he's not looking back. And it says, and gave unto the people and they did eat. Then he arose and went after Elijah and minister, see how it says ministered unto him? He's helping him. He's not like some wet behind the ears punk that's like, yeah, let me get the chance to preach, Elijah. Give me the chance. So like that's not how he acted. Because there's a time of training, there's a time of learning, and then at some point you're going to get turned loose. But listen, you have to be able to lead people, but you also have to be able to be a good follower before you can ever become a good leader. And so he's literally following oxen and like working with him. It's like he's getting his workout done or something at the same time. But I think it's really interesting because Jesus Christ said, he that, you know, if he just put his hand to the plow and looking back is not worthy of him. And so he, you know, if you think about it, this kind of picture is what a lot, and I wonder if that's where he's kind of thinking about, Jesus is thinking about this scenario, because once you've burned all your instruments, there is no going back. So Elisha made sure that he had no instruments to go back to. There's no second plan. He's saying I'm going to serve the Lord, I'm going to minister under Elijah, and I'm going to do the job that it takes to become his replacement. Because when he threw the mantle on, that's what he understood. Now, let's see, let's look at 2 Kings chapter 3 verse 11. 2 Kings chapter 3 verse 11. And here's just another little quick thing about what, how Elisha was. It says, But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord that we may inquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha, the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. So how did this king know Elisha? By what he did before. What did he do before? He poured water on the hands of Elijah. That's just ministering to people. He washed his hands. It's like, here's some hand sanitizer. I mean, what does that even mean? Well, it just means that he ministered to him. And so that's the type of person that has the next man up mentality, is that they're going to, you know, they're going to do what it takes to become what they need to become and become that next man up. So, number 5, the fifth scenario here, we've got Jesus is gone and Peter steps up. So, you know, and when Jesus is the greatest man that ever walked the face of the earth. Jesus Christ is the son of God. Jesus Christ is God. There is no really stepping up to be what he is, but, you know, in reality, all Christians are called to step up as Christ is gone. Look at Acts chapter 2 verse 14. Acts chapter 2 verse 14. And while you're turning there, I'm just going to start reading in Acts chapter 2 verse 14. It says, But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and said unto them, Judea and all you that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you and hearken to my words. This is a far cry from the Peter that went back fishing. He didn't burn his fishing poles and feed everybody the fish that was left over. Peter, you know, he kind of had like a, you know, he had some nets that he had stored away just in case. And so Peter was told to quit working. When Peter was supposed to start following Jesus, they were supposed to be done fishing. But where does Jesus find them? You know, he goes to Galilee. They're all fishing. Peter's gone back to work. He's been humiliated. He denied Jesus Christ three times. But then here we are in Acts chapter number 2 after Jesus restores him and says, Feed my sheep. Feed my sheep. Feed my lambs. And Peter was restored. And even though he had a great fall and did some, you know, made some mistakes, he's warming himself at the world's fire. He's letting some little maiden boss him around and tell him, you know, make him feel bad and all this other stuff. And, you know, he denies him. He does deny him. He denies him three times. And we would say, that's really bad. But Jesus still can use people that make mistakes, can't he? And here's Peter standing up, lifting up his voice, preaching and speaking loud. And he's saying, hearken to my words. That's a far cry from what he was in John chapter 20 and John chapter 21. He's a changed man because what the power of God has come upon them. The Holy Spirit has indwelt the believer and has given them power from on high. And it says in verse 15, For these are not drunken, as you suppose, seeing as but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Who's going to prophesy? Your sons and your daughters are going to prophesy. And your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams. And all my servants and all my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit and they shall prophesy. What does prophesy mean again? It means to preach. So who's preaching? Young men, young women, handmaidens. And look, that is the situation that we're in today though, isn't it? God is still saving people. He's still putting His Spirit in people. He's still sending out handmaidens and young people. Look, you don't have to be an older person to preach the gospel. You can be a young man. You can be a handmaid. What's that talking about? Like a teenage girl, right? Children, young men. I mean, children can preach the gospel. Anybody can do it. And so if Peter can do it, anybody can do it. That's the picture that I see here is that Jesus is gone. He's left us here to do the work. And you know what? We need to step up as individuals and do the things that God has asked us to do. What? Preach. Well, I'm a woman. I'm not supposed to preach. No, you can't preach. That's what it says, right? But you can preach the gospel. You can preach to your children. You can preach to other people the Bible and tell them how to be saved. It says in verse 18, All my servants and all my handmaidens will pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy. They're going to do it. And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and notable day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. So every single one of us can be a Peter. Every single one of us can be what this scenario talks about. We can all step up and preach the gospel. We can all be the next man up or the next woman up. It says women here too. So we can all be like Peter, and even though we're not sufficient, and even though we make a lot of mistakes, even though our life might have been hard at some times, and maybe we're still trying to overcome some of our issues, Peter just got done overcoming his issues. I mean, we beat ourselves up over things, but you know, God's already forgiven us for it. You know, and when we mess up, all we have to do is go to God and confess our sins to Him. And He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That's what the Bible says. So why do we beat ourselves up and put ourselves through guilt trips that we don't need to do? Just confess your sins and be done with it. And then go back to doing what you're supposed to be doing, just like Peter did. Peter failed. I mean, he failed miserably, didn't he? But God still said, you know what? Not only are you going to be an apostle, but you're going to be a pastor. So I mean, you can screw up pretty bad, and God can still use you. I mean, denying Jesus in front of people, that would seem unfathomable to us, but have any of you had to say that you believed in Jesus in front of people that were ready to kill you for it? That's a different situation. You know, we can be all raw, raw and tough and look down at people in the Bible that have made other mistakes, but you know, we weren't in that situation. And so we don't know what it feels like to have actual fear that you're going to be killed for preaching the gospel or for preaching or for being friends with somebody. You know, and that day may come for us. And we need to be able to, even if we do fail, we need to be able to pick ourselves back up and be that next man up, be that next woman up. So here's the next woman up scenario. I didn't want to leave you ladies out here completely, so I kind of mixed it in. You see where I mixed it in at the last point, where there's men and women preaching. But now, I'm just going full-blown woman here. The next woman up, right? So in the time of Esther, go ahead and turn to Esther chapter 4, Esther chapter 4. In the time of Esther, there's this evil man named Haman who's trying to destroy and kill every single Jew on the planet, basically. He had it set up in all these different provinces where the king had this, you know, he had, you know, kingdoms all over the place. There's Jews all over the world that were dispersed into different areas. But he had them ready to be killed all in one day. And one person is able to step up and try to do something to stop it. And this is kind of where we come into the conversation here. Esther chapter 4 verse 8, and it says, And he gave him a copy of the writing of the decree which was given at Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther. And so Esther's the queen here. She replaced a queen that was rebellious to her husband and he chose a new queen. But God, I mean, even though the word God is not in the book of Esther, he's all throughout the book of Esther. And his plan and the things that he has implemented, do you think that that didn't happen for a reason that Esther wasn't chosen to replace that queen? Vashti, the rebellious Vashti. But it says, And declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king. So Mordecai, her relative is telling her, you need to go into the king to make supplication unto him and make requests before him for her people. Like, you're the only person that can save him, Esther, is what he's trying to say. And it says, And Haytac came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Again, Esther spake unto Haytac and gave him commandment unto Mordecai. All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces do know that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death. So if you go when you're not called to talk to this king, what does it say is gonna happen? You're gonna be put to death. She's relaying this back to Mordecai, like you know that if I do this, I'm gonna be killed. And it says, And it says, And it says, And it says, And it says, And it says, And so if the king holds out the golden scepter and says, And so if the king holds out the golden scepter and says, Hey, I'm giving this person a stay of the death penalty here, it says, But I have not been called to come unto the king these 30 days so Esther has not been called to come see the king for 30 days and maybe kind of weird not to see your wife for 30 days, but Okay Verse 12 it says and they told to Mordecai Esther's words Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house More than all the Jews for if thou all together holdest thy peace at this time Then shall their Enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place But thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom For such a time as this so he's telling her You can make the decision to not go and you're worried about getting killed But here's the situation if you don't do it someone else is gonna step up and help God's gonna make somebody else rise to this occasion, right? But she is the one that has the choice to rise to the occasion right now And her life is on the line and she knows it and here and and then and then so what do we know happens? Well, she goes in he pulls out the scepter and gives her what everything that she asked for and and basically What Mordecai or not Mordecai what Haman tried to do? That was done unto him and he was actually the last of the Amalekites through a relative he was a relative of Good night. What's the guy's name? Agag he was an a gag guy so God kind of got his revenge on Amalek at the very end by this guy Haman who wanted to kill all the Jews and So and all him and all of his ten sons were sons were hung and killed and then all you know Basically, the Jews didn't have to get killed there and then Pete God's people lived on because of the choice that Esther made And she stepped up when she needed to step up and took care of it And you know and and it says and who knows whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this and ladies You might not be Queen Esther. You might not be in the position of a queen where you can make this a decision like this This is obviously a once in a lifetime situation a once in the Bible type of situation But you might not be in the same situation She was but maybe you were brought into the kingdom for such a time as we're in right now because this world has gone insane and We need more than anything now for women to be women and For women to step up and do the roles that they've God's called them to do God's called women to a special place and and Don't take it as like oh well We're just to me look don't let the world tell you what a woman really is because they can't even explain it Anyway, can they when you ask him what it is? Well, you know, they just they don't want to they don't want to answer the question Because they think that someone that has mutilated themselves and puts makeup on and grows their hair long Is a woman that that's not a woman that's a man All right, you can do whatever you want but internally you'll always be a man whether you want to or not and a sissy man a weak man a weird man, but We need women to be women today We need women to rise up and raise their households like God asked them to do I talked about that earlier in the sermon this morning But maybe God put you in this time in 2023 to be the woman that you need to be for this world to see that there is still some normal people left out in This world there is still some normal people that are raising their families, right? I mean we had that that weird drag show done at our at our conference where all these freaks are outside getting married or whatever against the law by the way and You know, they're taking pictures of all our families as we walk into the church and what are we what we're dressed to the nines You know suits and ties ladies and dresses looking feminine and you know kids looking normal All the little girls are wearing dresses all the little guys are wearing suit, you know, not maybe not suits But they're they're dressed nice. All right, they look like they're going to church and then you have a bunch of freaks over here You know Looking weird and wearing all kinds of fishnet stockings and trying to get children to look at them and get married and all this other Stuff it's like you can say you get you're getting married all you want But you know what? You're gonna have a you're gonna have a divorce in hell Where God's gonna send you anyway, but the point I'm trying to make is that everybody in those pictures They use those pictures for their Facebook profile pictures because they were so professionally done And you know what? We looked like walking in there. We looked normal We look good, you know, it's like man. That's some good pictures like So what they don't I mean they think Look at these hateful people it's like normal people are gonna look at that website where they put all those pictures because they have one with us as the hateful fundamentalists looking normal and then like You know These antifa people dressed in like it was like 90s maybe 90 degrees outside or something wearing full You know Military gear and tack vests and ski mat pink ski masks With ar-15s as if we're just scared of them or something I don't know anybody that was scared or any of you guys scared that were there. I wasn't scared You know because I'm not afraid of them They're they're a bunch of pansies You know, but that's not normal You know what? We we were the normal ones and anybody with two eyeballs could see that And they have like these people driving by honking horns like as if you know, oh I was like that's the same car I kept saying that's the same car that just drove by five minutes ago What are you paying these people to give you a honks or something? And I'm telling you there were multiple cars that were the same exact car But you know what? We had a lot of people walk up and say What are these people doing like just normal people just like maybe riding their bikes or whatever we even have like this car full of Mexicans pull up and They're like, is this a is this like a protest or something and They were like, yeah, these people are hateful these people were this these people were that and and they hate gay people And he's like what they hate gay people. He's like I hate gay people too It was so funny they felt like they totally just set him up and just made him look really dumb but look people Nobody thinks that you know, the radio the television all these broadcasts are gonna tell you, you know These these companies are pandering to them by making the rainbow profile as their profile picture or whatever look That's just a dog and pony show. Nobody likes them They have to pass rules for people to like them and people still don't they have to pass rules So we won't hate them, but we still do Everybody hates them. They're vile. They're reprobate and AIDS is a is a curse sent from God Against them and monkey pox and whatever else that they're carrying. They're disgusting. They're filthy freaks They're a filthy faggots and they're gonna burn in hell, but you know back to the women. I'm sorry about that, but I'm just saying That look we need to see you know, God put us here Not just to preach the gospel all those things are true to preach to do great exploits for him but he also wants us to show what a normal family looks like and So we need to be as normal as possible and when people see us all dressed up and looking nice and going to church People admire that more than you think that they do You know people admire that more than they think that they do and you know in a time of gender bending and role Reversals a time where ladies are looked down on for for for loving children For loving their husbands and guiding the house a time when you know men dress like women and women dress like men when women wear their hair like men and men wear their hair like women God selected you to be born in this time and He still wants you to be the type of woman described in the Bible as a virtuous woman. He still wants that He's still I mean no matter what the public the Bible stands the test of time And it doesn't matter how you know, the Bible's that the line drawn in the sand and you know society's at a downward spiral, right But you we just need to still stay up here and we're good and whatever they're doing down here That's their problem, but we need to hold the line We need ladies that will hold the line and don't let them don't let people tell you Oh, you're your man's controlling you and that's why you have to stay home barefoot naked with the kids or whatever And naked barefoot and pregnant That was for that was for somebody out there Anyway barefoot naked and pregnant whatever but anyway Well, that's how they get pregnant anyway, so now am I turning red yet no It happens but anyway God wants Normal people he wants normal women and he wants normal families. You know this to 1.2 Children and five dogs and look this world's just weird man. It's weird Like I try to avoid hotels that say pet friendly like I made sure my room was not pet friendly I don't want some stinky dog rubbing its butt all over the carpet, you know in my hotel room right brother Josh They do that for a reason there's something wrong, you know, they got an itch that they can't scratch but anyhow Let's look at scenario number seven, let's move along here But this is about another one that steps up it's about Ruth and Ruth steps up let's look well, I see I'll just have you turn to Proverbs or Ruth chapter 3 verse 11 I just want to go through this scenario really quickly, but I don't have time to go into the whole story but it's Ruth and Boaz really step up if you think about it Ruth steps up to help her mother-in-law and Boaz steps up to fulfill this the role of the kinsmen redeemer and So there's two people in this story that are really important and they're important for for further generations but God bless Ruth and Boaz because of Them stepping up and being godly when everybody else was doing what was right in their own eyes because if you remember Ruth is written for the time of the judges So during the time of the judges is when this takes place and in the Bible in the book of Judges It says everybody's doing right that was was right in their own eyes Ruth wasn't even an Israelite. She was a Moabite and she refused to forsake Naomi when her husband died and Accepted Naomi's God as her God she believed on God and said that she'll make God her God and She worked hard and she gleaned in the fields and she didn't play the whore with the young men in the field That was one of the things that Boaz really liked about her cuz you know, she might have been watching Boaz, but Boaz is watching what she was doing too and You know, she was a hard worker and that's important, you know, I mean for people to look over that You know, I always say, you know, I picked my wife because she's a hard worker But she is a hard worker and I like that about her but you know There's this Chinese restaurant that we used to eat at and the the guy you know, he was there they were talking about like his it was a husband a wife that owned this place and the husband said, you know said well, like why did you someone asked him like, why did you Why did you marry? You know this lady and he was like I picked her cuz she's a hard worker That's why he picked her, you know, and she was pretty But you know, he picked her cuz she was a hard worker. So there's nothing wrong with that You know, she worked hard and he paid attention to that. She wasn't just like meandering through and oh, I'm so pretty Well, someone helped me glean all these fields. She was doing it herself You know and it takes takes two hard-working people to raise a family it can't be just one person doing it, you know both have to be doing it and Boaz was of the tribe of Judah and Where his distant relative Onan? was killed for not making the right decision to raise up seed unto his brother and Was killed by God for it. He spilled it on the ground and God killed him for it Why because he didn't raise up seed to his brother and God found that to be wicked Because there's this kind of there's this law where you know if a brother dies And you know if the brother brother isn't married then he would marry that that what his wife and and that first child would be You know, you know an in the name of the of the son that died And so it's just the principle that God has in the Bible and it was been going on since Genesis But God killed Onan for that But you know Boaz in the in the face of the same situation and he wasn't even the most nearest kin because it was it basically went brother and then whoever the nearest kin was to the brother was supposed to Marry them and raise up a child unto that son that died so We have Boaz Boaz accepted the decision to be the kinsman redeemer and God blessed him that or excuse me God blessed them both and put them in the line of Jesus Christ and They were King David's great-grandparents So now even though that first son, you know that the son which was Obed He you know, even though he was but I mean he was he literally was Boaz's son But he was in his name. He was the son of Ruth's first husband, which would have been his near relative or whatever So hopefully you understand that What I'm saying there, but you know, you think it doesn't matter that you're raising your children for God it does matter it matters in a tremendous way and obviously they raise their children and then David is a result of That second generation and a lot of people don't even really know their great-grandparents, right? But think about this he raised, you know They raised that child that child become the the father of Jesse and then Jesse brought forth David and obviously God loved David He was a man after God's own heart and we don't it doesn't really say what their child really rearing was like But what do we know about Ruth and Boaz? They were both godly faithful believers and Ruth was a Moabites She wasn't even allowed to go into the to the house of the Lord that you know in the Old Testament That was kind of the rule. So David was the one that was able to go into the house the Lord. But anyway The point is is that you know, you have these great-grandparents that raised their son they had a son and he had a son named Jesse Jesse was a godly man and We don't we don't realize what we're doing for a generation or to pass what we're doing right now But you know who does see that God sees that and he blesses the faithfulness Onto the third and fourth generation, doesn't he? And so God does care what we do with our lives God does care what decisions we make and how Ruth handled herself in all those situations you know and and and What do you do you think that honoring and obeying your husband and being a good and faithful wife is? Something that God is going to look favorably upon Well, he did it with Ruth didn't he? he did it, you know Ruth was faithful to God and Did things right? And so if you were to ask Ruth at the time if what she did When it came to the situation with Boaz and Naomi If she was if you were to ask her how important it was to God's kingdom Do you think that he would have you know that she would have known the blessings and and the promise that would have came? Forth because of what of how she behaved herself and the decisions she made because there's no doubt about it that that's the truth and so God raised up David and And there do you think the roosts in the book of Ruth is in the Bible for no reason? No, it's in there for us for instruction and righteousness is for us to see how we should behave You know if you're without, you know, God brought those two people together They were both faithful. They both made the right choices in a place in a time Where everybody was doing whatever they wanted and they weren't following God, right? So I had you turn to Ruth chapter 3 verse 11 I'm gonna read for you Proverbs chapter 31 verse 10 It says who can find a virtuous woman for her price is far above rubies What does God want you to be today as a woman? He wants you to step up and he wants you to to the best of your ability become a virtuous woman and You can read Proverbs chapter 30 31 and it's gonna tell you exactly what a Proverbs 31 Virtuous woman is I don't have time for this sermon to do that But there's only one person in the Bible that's ever called specifically a virtuous woman. You know who it was It was Ruth look at verse 11 where I had you turn it says and now my daughter fear not I will do to thee all that thou requirest for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a Virtuous woman so it wasn't just Boaz that knew it It was everybody in that city knew it and so does it matter ladies how you are in this life? It absolutely does and so if God says You know to love your chill love your husband's to love your children to guide the house and to you know Not have the the enemy You know shamefully reproach you for being an outlandish woman or some kind of woman that just doesn't care You're always back talking your husband. You don't want to do anything. He says I mean, that's just you know God is watching what we do and and that goes for husbands, too you know, but I mean I just want to focus a little bit on the ladies tonight because sometimes I you know Like I like there were some people like I said a couple weeks ago that were like You think that women are less than men I don't think that at all I think women have a way harder job when it comes to raising children. I see how tired y'all y'all are You know men have a hard job, too You know having the older responsibility placed upon you for whether you succeed or fail I mean you have to make the right decisions You have to lead your home the way that you believe God is leading for you to do that And those are hard things sometimes we don't know and and it's hard Sometimes it's hard to make decisions, but we got to make them You know and there's a lot of people that are gonna pay for our mistakes if we lead them in the wrong way as men so we got to lead our families men and ladies be led of your husbands and and you know make wise decisions and raise your family for God and this Wicked and untoward generation because you know what he placed you here for a reason He placed us here for the kingdom of God in such a time as this So don't don't think that it's just not you know some flippant thing that God put us here He put us here in this time and this time in history to do what we're doing now and you're here and you're in the right place and You're you're making right decisions right now So we need to continue to do that and keep this ball rolling because the world's gonna get worse It's not gonna get better, but we can make our dent in this world We can make a dent in it and we can help So last scenario I'm gonna have you look at is Deborah and jail so And I'll be done judges chapter 4 so In a time when men are lacking in leadership in the book of Judges you have Deborah who's called a prophetess and she's a judge in Israel and In reality men are supposed to are supposed to be leaders in this world in politics and in the home and in the church and in this time like There's a woman that's ruling over the people of Israel and why because she has to Because obviously nobody else is doing the job everybody else is just doing stupid things and they're wicked and they're weak And it says in Deborah a prophetess the wife of Lapidoth she judged Israel verse 4 at that time and she dwelt under a palm tree of Deborah between Rama and Bethel and Mount Ephraim and children of Israel came up for her for judgment and she sent and called Barak and Barack wasn't Barack Obama the son of the Benoim out of Kadesh neftali and said unto him hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded saying God go and draw toward Mount Tabor and take with thee 10,000 men of the children of neftali and the children of Zebulun And I will draw unto thee to the river of Kishon Sisera and the captain of J the captain of Jabin's army with the chariots and the multitude and I will deliver him Into thine hand so she calls Barack the son of the you know this guy that's supposed to be leading and He's not leading But what it you know notice what she does though, she's not trying to get glory for herself She's trying to get a man to do what he's supposed to be doing in leading Now and she wasn't going you're so weak Barack Why aren't you coming to help us and you know? Why does a woman have to do your job and like that's not how she's she doesn't have that attitude But she has the mentality of I know that I'm only doing this because nobody else is so don't get the wrong idea ladies just because your man isn't leading the way you think he should doesn't mean it's your job to berate him and And make him feel as less of a man or whatever But it says and Barack said unto her if thou will go with me then I will go But if thou will not go with me, then I will not go so he's like you know this isn't his wife He's like I want you to come with me, and he's not gonna do it unless she goes So what she say and she said I will surely go with thee notwithstanding the journey that thou takest Shall not be for thine honor Or the Lord shall tell Sisera into the hand of a woman and Deborah arose and went to Barack and Kadesh, so You know women have got him this far You know and this is just a rare time in Israel's history where a woman is actually leading the children of Israel And she's not doing In a bad way. She's she still calls a man to try to lead the armies because she knows that's not her role But yet she is is making it happen because she knows that's what needs to happen That's what God wants, but it's funny. How God just allows He's not gonna allow Barack to get this this main victory because if a woman's already leading He's it's funny How he just lets a woman be the final nail in the coffin and in like in reality like this woman is the one that kind of Kills this captain that they're trying to Get look it says in verse 17. Let's look skip down to verse 17. So this battle happens. They all go to the battle And it says how be it Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of jail the wife of Heber the Kenite Who is jail the wife of Heber the Kenite? She's just some lady. She's just a regular lady, right? for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite and jail went out to meet Sisera and said unto him turn in my lord turn in to me fear not And when he had turned in unto her unto the tent she covered him with a mantle and he said unto her Yeah, he said unto her give me I pray thee a little water to drink from thirsty and she opened a bottle of milk and gave him drink and covered him again He said unto her stand in the door of the tent and it shall be when any man doth come to inquire of thee and say Is there any man here that thou shall say no then Heber are then jail Heber's? wife took a nail in the tent and took a hammer in her hand and went softly unto him and Smote the nail into his temples and fastened into the ground for he was fast asleep and weary so he died so Jail ends up being this gangsta and she just she does the job. What look and here's the thing We're living in a time when men are not wanting to lead and I'll just tell you this man. If we're not willing to lead God will just use whoever Will be willing to lead this is not how it should be. This is in a time when again people are doing what's right in their own eyes and Everything is going topsy-turvy and now women are like in our world today. What's happening? Well, women are taking over politics and Women are pastors. It's just like what in the world? And it's wrong and it's wicked but that should just tell us that we as men need to step up and do better But it also tells me that women can still do great things for God in These areas and obviously we should that I don't think that women should be in politics I don't think as Christians what we should do that women stick to just you know, taking care of your house Loving your husband raising kids for the next generation because you can raise a David you can raise a Solomon You can raise great men of God you can great raise a Ruth or an Esther in your house So isn't that so much better than like trying to you know, cut your hair short and boss them in around or something I mean, what what glory do you really get out of that? So I know I got to be done here But I just wanted to kind of impart this next man or next woman mentality in your mind you know men if we don't step up and lead then women are gonna lead in front of us and we don't want that and Women don't really want that either in this situation. That's not what Deborah wanted She just wanted a man to do what he was supposed to do and she kind of just coaxed him and then she's like had To go with him. It's like come on. I'll take you. Let's go and then he finally did and then God gave them the victory But she wasn't trying to you know, I don't picture Deborah's having you know A short bald haircut or something where she's just like some warrior or whatever. I Picture her as Long flowing hair and you know just doing the job. That's no man were able to do But if you get anything out of this whole Passage here or just whole sermon, you know out of all these examples. What is the main point? Well, the main point is that it doesn't matter how known or unknown that we are We were put into the kingdom of God for such a time as this and We need to be willing to step up to the plate no matter what part we play in the kingdom of God, but we were put in for such a time as this and God wants to use us but we have You know, but as we have seen through all these stories here God can use anyone that's willing to step up and fill in and right now this church has been under a spiritual attack And we need all hands on deck We need to be one big team here and have that next man up mentality and we need people to be here That's the point. I didn't get to make this morning because it's just my sermon was just too long But we need people to be here if you can be here Sunday morning Sunday evening and Wednesday evening and Just be here and step up and fill the positions that need to be filled. Then this church is gonna thrive But the minute you start saying well nobody's gonna miss me today It's not a big deal It is a big deal because when you're here, you're encouraging other people to be here and that is important You know, we're supposed to exhort one another so much the more as we see the day approaching So we're supposed to go to church more not less and especially in the times that we're in Hey, you know, we're put into this kingdom for such a time as this So let's just make the most of it Let's step up where we need to step up and have that next man up mentality. Let's pray Lord We thank you so much for this great church and Lord what the thank you group the great things that I know that you're gonna Do with that Lord I pray Lord that you just bless this congregation Lord and and Lord put wisdom and your Holy Spirit Into their heart and I just pray that everybody here would would step up in the places that need to be stepped up in and Lord you'd help us to have a One big team mentality here as far as that We're all on the same team trying to accomplish the same goals Lord That's to preach the gospel and to fulfill the Great Commission. We pray these things in Jesus name. Amen All right, our last song to be song number 272 the solid rock Song number 272 the solid rock Song 272 let's sing it together on that first. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame but holy lean on Jesus name on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand all other ground is sinking sand when darkness veils his lovely face I rest on his unchanging grace in every high and storm regale my anchor holds within the veil on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand all other ground is sinking sand his oath his covenant his blood support me in the Welming flood when all around my soul gives way he then is all my hope and stay on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand all other ground is sinking sand when he shall come with trumpet sound May I then in him be found dressed in his? righteousness alone faultless to stand before the throne on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand all other ground is sinking sand Amen good seeing brother robert out quarter because you close the word prayer You