Good morning. Standing on the promises of Christ my King Through the eternal ages let His praises ring Glory in the highest I will shout and sing Standing on the promises of God Standing Standing on the promises of God, my Savior Standing, standing, I'm standing on the promises of God Standing on the promises that cannot fail When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail By the loving word of God I shall prevail Standing on the promises of God Standing Standing, standing on the promises of God, my Savior Standing, standing, I'm standing on the promises of God Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord Bound to Him eternally by love's strong cord Overcoming daily through the Spirit's sword Yeah, I'm standing on the promises of God Standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior Standing, standing, I'm standing on the promises of God Standing on the promises that cannot fall Yeah, I'm listening every moment to the Spirit's call Resting in my Savior as my all and all I'm standing on the promises of God Standing, standing Standing on the promises of God, my Savior Standing, standing I'm standing on the promises of God Oh, I'm standing Thank you, Vicki. Good morning, everybody. I'm standing on the promise of God today. That is, that he'll give me what to say when I need it. Sometimes you study and study and study, and guess what you end up with? Nothing. And so he goes, I'll fill your mouth when you open it. So perhaps today is that day. So let's go to the Lord in prayer, please. Father, thank you for each one that came out this morning expectantly, expecting to hear from you. Not the words of a man, but the word from the man, Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ, the God-man. the son of man, the one who fully identified with each one of us, paid for the sins of all mankind. And so as our qualified substitute, did everything for us that the divine nature requires of us. And so we enter into a finished work salvation. And today, Father, we stand before you in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, your very own righteousness, as those who are accepted in the Beloved, your Beloved Son, in whom you are well pleased. And you're well pleased with each one of us, not because or by what we've done, but by and because of who Christ is on our behalf. Thank you for your great faithfulness. Thank you for getting us through tough times. As we look back, we went through some things, but you got us through. Yes, once again, you delivered us. Many of the afflictions is righteous, but you deliver him out of them all. So Father, we're grateful and we're thankful. And it's by your precious promises that we become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption which is in the world through lust. So Father, bless the Word of God as it goes forth for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ, God Almighty who put on flesh. so that we might, who have flesh, born of flesh and blood, might be even as He is for all eternity on earth and forever. In your heavenly kingdom, in Jesus' name we pray, amen. I've entitled the message this morning, perhaps I have, it could change, it's still subject to change. I'm gonna call it Team Jesus. Or revival or survival? Probably a little of both. I do have a verse that I want to open up with, and it's just a verse of instruction and warning. I know that this is one of Brad's favorite verses because he never stops reciting it. Ecclesiastes 5 on. Guard your steps as you go to the house of God. and draw near to listen. You thought I wasn't listening to you, didn't you, when you say that? I was. I was thinking that's, what's your name? Brad, oh Brad, that's Brad's verse. It's like Matt's verse, Psalm 90, 12. Teach us, Lord, to number our days, that we might present a heart full of wisdom. So this is as important as that one. They go together well, don't they? Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools. For they do not know that they are doing evil. Do not be hasty in word. impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God for God is in heaven and you are on earth therefore let your words on earth be few good word good word of God absolutely for me and for you for us all together so here I'll ask you to say something this morning say this after me repeat this I have come to to hear the word of God from the Lord himself, and I'm sure he will not disappoint me. Amen. These are final greetings from Paul in Colossians chapter four, and from those on his team, team members. So Team Jesus, actually. Team Paul is Team Jesus, because Paul is the man, is Jesus' man on the earth. He is the primus pelus, which is the tip of the spear. And God is piercing through the darkness and the veil of darkness with this man, Paul, who's in prison in the darkness of the Mamertine prison in Rome. And he is going to present the word of God at the highest levels of government. And it's going to go throughout the universe. Yes, it is. Supernaturally. Kind of like the internet today. They didn't have it then, but it still worked the same way. It went everywhere under the heavens. How did it do that? Oh, it just kept on resonating from person to person to person, just like it does today. Only it's mechanized and it's digitized. But it's the same thing that happens then. Only most of it, much of it is controlled by the Prince of the Power of the Air. the airwaves, who brings his message into empty souls and empty minds. Matiotis, which is the emptiness of souls or the vacuum of men's souls, ready to suck in anything that they hear and accept anything that comes from the media. the world's media. And we know who the prince of the power of the media is. It's Satan himself. So we come to hear the word of God from the Lord himself. These are final greetings from Paul and the others who have joined Team Jesus. Those who love and study the Word of God, the Word of Christ, and who know the mystery of Christ. We're going to really emphasize this from here on out to the end of our study in 13 Epistles of the 13th Apostle, the mystery of Christ. It's so important to understand what the mystery of Christ is. We're told that Christ himself is the mystery. Why is he the mystery? Because whether you know it or not, he's God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. And people think he's somebody other than that. And he's not. That's who he is, in a human body, who came to visit us for 33 and a half years so that we might know God. And in the end, what happens? He becomes the unified, consolidated, one God of eternity that we know. We met him here. He looked a little different while he was here than he looks now. And we're shown that throughout the scriptures in the book of Revelation in particular. What did he look like? His hair and his head were white like wool. And his eyes were like a flame of fire. Look right through you. He knows everything that you do. I know your deeds. And that they're incomplete. What do you mean you're incomplete? Oh, because I told you there were certain things that you should do, and you refused to do them, or to date you've left them undone. So do them. Whatever they are, do them. Whatever he tells you to do, like his mother said at the wedding in Canoe Galley, whatever he tells you to do, do it. Why? Because then you'll be part of the plan. on Team Jesus, because you do what he tells you to do. There's only one leader of every team, and the team is Team Jesus. He's the leader, he's the boss, he's the one that tells us what to do, and we do it. It goes well for you if you do that. And if you don't, it doesn't go well for you. So that's what we do. We do what he tells us to do. So these are final greetings. from those who love and study the Word of Christ, the mystery of Christ, who he is in reality. He's God Almighty. See, in the Old Testament, you wonder how they could even know who he was when he came as Messiah, although there were 333 detailed messianic promises and prophecies that he fulfilled in the days of his humanity. At the same time, to know him and identify him as God in the flesh, very, very difficult for them to discern. And they did not know what manner of person and who exactly he would be. See, there's all kinds of spirits opening doors and windows. Okay, but Paulette is officially in charge of the door. That's a good thing to be in the house of God, a doorman, or woman in the house of God. Better to do that than to dwell in the tents of the wicked. So anyway, Christ is God. In the Old Testament, Isaiah 9.6. What is his name? His name is Wonderful. Huh? His name is Counselor, Wonderful Counselor, or Extraordinary Strategist. He's the one that has programmed the universe, and all the events of human history are under his control. He's steering them all to God's end and final objective, for the glory of God. He's called Wonderful Counselor. He's called Almighty God. Who? Jesus, the one who is coming, who always existed as God, John 1, 1 to 3, who created everything in the universe, John 1, 3 and 4, and came unto his own, and his own received him not. But to as many as received him, to them he gave the right, a legal right, of sons to be sons of God, even to those who only or merely believe on his name, John 1, 12 and 13. So, wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, here's one, Everlasting Father? You sure we're talking about the same one? Yeah. That's the mystery. Christ is God. I'm going to tell you the mystery today. Christ is God. There's only one God. He's the Lord. He said, there is none beside me. I am the Lord. Are you teaching the doctrine, Jesus-only doctrine? No. I'm teaching the Word of God. That's what the Word of God says. You come to your own conclusions. Who are you going to know in eternity? An invisible spirit? Uh-uh. You're going to know the visible, knowable, palpable, communicable, all-powerful and all-wise God Jesus Christ, the one you met here, by faith, and came to know as the mystery man. God manifest in the flesh. vindicated in the Spirit, viewed by the angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, and taken up into glory. This same Jesus that you see going up will return in the same way that he left. So keep watching, keep your eyes on the skies. He's coming back. Almighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. One who will rule the earth for a thousand years, and then the universe, the kingdom of God. The king of God's kingdom is Christ. He will be the King of kings, even as He is the Lord of lords, even as He is the pastor of all pastors, the prophet of all prophets, the priest of all priests, the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords, God Almighty, Jesus Christ. who put on humanity, not just for 33 and a half years, but for all eternity. Why? Because he's going to be living among those who are God and men with human, glorified human bodies for all eternity. God put on humanity so that humanity can put on deity. That's the mystery. You are the what? Body, body, body of Christ. Do you know what the mystery is? And there's many other things. No Jews or Gentiles, but all one new man in Christ. No distinctions, no human distinctions or designations of human beings. There's no separation of any, because all have the same privilege, all have the same opportunity. That salvation is intended for all, for God desires all men to be saved. and after salvation to come to a full knowledge of the truth. What's the truth? The mystery. Hidden from ages and generations past, but revealed through one man, Paul, taught to the others and then to all of us through them. through him in particular, through Paul in particular, who was stoned to death, enlisted and taken into the third heaven, where he heard unspoken, spoken words, never spoken before, the mystery of Christ, who Christ is, the true identity of Christ. See, most people, and I would venture to say most of you, think that there's two gods, or three. There isn't. There's only one. Does that blow your mind? Have you thought that before? Why do I think three of them? And I talked to one. I talked to that one called the Father. Well, that's Jesus in his designation and manifestation as Almighty God, the Everlasting Father. So I talked to him. Jesus said, if you don't honor me, you don't honor my Father, because the Father and I are the same. John 8, just read it this morning. I'm all the way up to John 8 in my New Testament readings, and it's been like six weeks, so I should read it three or four times during the course of the year. How you doing with yours? Some of you aren't listening, some of you aren't following my reading plan, but you are on your own, and you have been for years, and you do it all the time, which is wonderful, and I'm not asking you to follow mine, I'm asking you to follow one, and mine, if you don't have one of your own. So do it, please. And there are no excuses. You can say, oh, I do this, or I do that, and I come to church, and I do all, you don't even open the book! Shambhonya! You get a big sham on you. Say, what's that? Shame on you. And you won't have anything to say about it. You'll say, yes, sham on me. Sham on you, sham on me. In the end, it only takes a few minutes. Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though you have 31,762 verses in the Bible, I've only asked you to read a couple hundred, 300, 400, 500 of them a day, and then think on them for a little bit, and I'll bring you along beautifully in my plan. But if you don't, I won't. If you don't, I can't. And if you set your foot in the house of the Lord and you're not more ready to hear these types of messages where you're being instructed and corrected, even reproved and rebuked for the things you say you do and you're lying, what good's it gonna do you in the end? None, because then you'll be one who says, Lord, here I am, and he says, never mind. He's not gonna say anything about sins, that's for sure, but it'll be evident that you did not exploit the equal privilege and opportunity that was yours, and that you never learned the mystery, who he is and who you are in Christ. Once you know who you are in Christ, there's no problem with motivation or incentive to press on to the mark of the prize, the upward summons of God issued by Christ. Jesus, we're gonna fire you, Paulette. You might as well just stand by the door the whole time. I'm kidding. We're looking for a new place, and we just got kind of a lead that there's this real little church somewhere, and we're gonna go look at it sometime in the near future. See if that's a possibility. We don't know what God's gonna do. He's full of surprises, isn't he? Truly. I could tell you about some of them that dawned on me recently. But Jesus is God, and you are the body of Christ, before I get too carried away. So let's go to Colossians verse 1-7, 4-7. This is about Tychicus and Onesimus and Mark. Remember Mark, John Mark? Let's see what that door is doing. It's not catching at all, huh? Okay, it should be fine. If not, I'll drop the mic and go back here and kick it. Make sure it's closed. So, verse seven, Colossians four, verse seven. Paul says, I want you all to know what I'm going through, giving you an update on my circumstances and on my condition. He says, as to all things concerning me, your Bible probably says all my affairs, but it's all things, ta, which is a definite article, things, things, concerning, kata, regarding or concerning. And he says, Eme, or from Ego, which means me, all things concerning me. He says, which shall be, future active, third person singular, shall be made known to you. I didn't say I didn't have exegesis, because I exegeted all of it, but I said I didn't have a message, but it's coming out okay. And he says, by, to you, shall be made known to you by Tychicus. Little Mr. Tychicus. You remember Tychicus Acts 20 verse 4? Or Ephesians 6.21, he's mentioned. And Colossians 4.7, he's mentioned. And 2 Timothy 4.12, he's mentioned. And Titus 3.12, Tychicus is mentioned. And that must mean he's a pretty important guy or a very important team member of Team Jesus. He must have been an important team player. along with the others that are mentioned here and elsewhere, by name numerous times at key junctures. the trials of Paul and with regard to the establishment of the early church. These were very important men that went around teaching and declaring the truth of God's Word, and as they learned it from Paul, they would go and tell others and teach others and raise up others to head small churches and homes and cities across the Roman Empire as the Word of God rolled on. to every place under heaven. By divine design, it was not going to stop until it got here. And it's not going to stop here. It's going to go on to the end of human history. I mean here, in this place, with some of you wonderful believers in Christ and wonderful disciples of Jesus Christ, who know that there's nothing else in life that will satisfy you. No, not family. No, not children. No, not career. No, not money, honey. Only Christ. Come to that conclusion, nothing else will satisfy. So don't be satisfied with anything else but Christ, because your future is so bright. We have no idea. Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man the things that God's prepared for those who love him. Do you love him? He asked Peter three times, do you love me? Yes, Lord. Do you love me? Yes, Lord. I ask you, do you love me? He said, yes, feed my flock, my sheep, my lambs. Are there any lambs you need to feed? I think there's a few in everybody's life. A few lambs to feed. There's a few lambs to feed. Feed the lambs. He said that to pastors, yes, to apostles and to pastors, but also it all has application because none of us are any different. We're all in this thing together, don't you know? And if you don't, shamania. So Tychicus must have been an important team player, to be mentioned so many times. along with the others who are mentioned by name, and with regard to the establishment of the early church. They were very important. They went to the different churches and stayed there for periods of time and taught the Word of God that they learned from Paul. For example, Tychicus, in 2 Timothy 4.12, Paul sent to Ephesus, and he sent him there to teach, and he stayed there for a good long while. And, but also Tychicus was, according to this passage and others, he was the spokesman or public relations man for the Apostle Paul. Because he says that everything that you need to know shall be made known to you, future active, indicative, third person singular, to you, to you, by Tychicus, and he says, then he calls him the beloved brother. He is the one that is loved of God, loved by believers, and loved of Jesus Christ, the true God. and the one and only God, Jesus Christ. And he says, and faithful minister. He's a faithful minister. Pistos, P-I-S-T-O-S from P-I-S-T-I-S. Pistos, which is the verb, pistos, is the noun. It is faith, but translated, should be translated because it's an adjective rather than a noun. a characteristic of an individual. No words are wasted in the New Testament on insincerity, for here and elsewhere the adjective is used that is invested with the same important meaning. It means full and faith. He's the faithful minister. It means full of faith, P-I-S-T-O-S, rather than P-I-S-T-I-S, which is the verb, and pistos, P-I-S-T-O-S is the noun. It means full of faith, which means full of truth, which means full of trust in God. Confidence, courage, stamina, security, identity, destiny filled with virtue proven reliable tried and true a man you can count on that's what he is he's a man you can count on for the truth to proclaim the truth to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help him God and he's Paul's public relations agent and a witness of Jesus Christ the kind of men and women that we should be like that we should be We should likewise be, and for the same reason, because of the Lord, because of the word, because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ on our behalf. He's never once left us in the lurch. He's never left us or forsaken us. In Hebrews 13.5, though many be the afflictions of the righteous, he delivers us out of all of them. In Psalm 34.19, So he says, he calls him the faithful minister, the beloved brother, the faithful minister. This is nice. I hope God refers to us this way. And then he calls him the sundulos, the sundulos, which is the fellow slave. He goes in, fellow slave, all of us servants. and yet unprofitable ones. The Lord instructs us how to think about ourselves, even in our service to the Lord. We're slaves of the Lord. servants of the Lord, but unprofitable ones, in the final analysis, at best only doing what we are required to do, and nothing more. In Luke 17 10, Jesus says to his disciples, so likewise when you shall have done all the things which are commanded you, you say, we are unprofitable servants. You'll be paid handsomely for your duties, Paulette. Just turn in your slip at the end. We are unprofitable servants. We've done that which was our duty to do, that's all. There we go. Just needs somebody bombastic to slam it, like Frank. Thank you, Frank. Anyway, so did you hear that last point? He says, Jesus says in Luke 17 10, so likewise you when you shall have done all the things which you're commanded to do say we are unprofitable servants. We have done that which was our duty to do. Think about what you've done in service to the Lord and you say I've barely done even what he asked me to do. A lot of things he asked me to do I haven't done and so the things that I have done I can say I've only barely done them. I haven't done much. He's done it all. And also, likewise, in reciprocal love and obedience for him. We're unprofitable servants. We've only done that which was our duty to do, that is to hear and believe his word. Nothing more than to love one another with his love. So he says, and he is a fellow servant or fellow slave In the Lord. Teamwork, as you know, I told you this would be Team Jesus is one of the titles and then the other one is Revival or Survival, but this is Team Jesus. Teamwork is the way of the Lord. There's only one team, and what is that team? Team Jesus. You want Team Jesus? He handpicks in churches across the land those who are team members, his team members, with the pastors of the churches, and the board of deacons, and with other individuals that he raises up, like a lady in each congregation that teaches women how to submit to their husbands and love their children, and how to live the Christian life, and the role that God's assigned to them as women, the powerful role God's assigned to them as women, like he did with Judy here. I don't discount that, I don't feel any, there's no competition between us. She has her ministry, I have mine. Some people would say, aren't you a little jealous of Judy? And I say, heck no. I wouldn't want to have to live with Dan. That's her cross to bear. No, there's no competition in the body of Christ. None! Everybody has their portion in Christ. Judy has a wonderful ministry and impact that the Lord's raised her up in these, the golden years of her life. Imagine that. Get somebody else ready for the next generation. And that's what I'm understanding too, is my role, to find somebody, to locate that person, and identify that person, maybe even issue the call to some young person that we're not going to be here much longer, and somebody needs to carry on. They've stood on our shoulders, and now they go far beyond where we went. You could preach the mystery, every message, and show them who Christ is. You say, well, doesn't everybody know who Christ is? Isn't he God's son? In one sense, he is. He's God Almighty. Wonderful counselor. almighty God everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The end of his government will have no end. The extent of his government will see no end, no limitations at all. So teamwork, that's where we were. Team Jesus. He handpicks and places believers together, each one with a variety of gifts that complement one another and energize and synergize the body of Christ so that The sum is greater than the individual parts, if you were to add them together. Each one having his or her gift from the Lord. And you say, I don't know what my gift is. Why don't you by now know what your gift is? It's because you're not in the Word. And if you're in the Word, you would be able to identify your gift. That's the only way you identify, is through the Word. Each one playing his or her role. Each one supporting the other. Each one happy to help. Each one esteeming every other one as being better than themselves. You doing that? That's how the church works so well, with such humility. And humility is power-packed, because what it does is it gives deference and gives way to the Lord to do what he wants to do, as he sees fit to do it in his perfect timing. Romans 12 10 it says be devoted to one another in brotherly love we see that operating here but we want to see it more and more and more give preference to one another in honor we see that happening here but we want to see it more and more and more the Lord does Romans 14 19 says let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edify another. We're here to edify one another. Let's build each other up to a maximum degree in our most holy faith for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ. And also, no man left behind. We don't leave anybody behind. That means we don't write anybody off. We just keep praying for those who need our prayer, for the Lord to strengthen those who need His strength and His endurance, His staying power to press on. either day-by-day, moment-by-moment, day-by-day, week-by-week, year-by-year, until they die, until the Lord comes. So they might finish well, along with a continuous revival of strength in their soul. Not mere survival, but revival. of truth and reality in their soul and dynamic, powerful presentation of Christ right inside of these human bodies of ours. Verse 8, he says, next, this is Colossians 4.8, He says, for I have sent him to you. Who? Tychicus. For this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances, and that he may encourage your hearts. Every one of us is here to encourage others. He says, I sent to you all unto Tychicus. the same, that is, for the same purpose, that you might know the things concerning us, and he might, that is, Tychicus, encourage, which is parakaleo, which we did before in the previous chapter, the hearts, kardias, the deep inner recesses of one's soul where he understands the truth of God's Word and where it resides and circulates and is available to be applied. the circumstances and situations of life from the heart of you. He serves, Paul says, as my official spokesman, who I trust to accurately communicate the situation and the need in order that it might elicit the proper response and generate the prayer and subsequent provision of from the saints, who when they hear what he has to say, because they stand ready to help in the cause of Christ, will spring into action in prayer, and likewise, in meeting any urgent need. And that's exactly what would happen where Paul was concerned. He would be supplied with everything that he needed by the churches. Next, he says, in verse 9, he says, and with him, not only Tychicus, who's a member of the team, Team Jesus, but Onesimus. Who was Onesimus? Carl knows. Who was he, Carl? Philemon's slave that ran away and went and joined up with Paul, went and joined Team Jesus. He left Team Philemon and joined Team Jesus. But he has to go back. That's why Paul wrote the letter to Philemon, saying, forgive him, accept him as a brother. He's more valuable to you now than ever. because he is a believer with truth in his soul, a dynamic part of Christ's body. So he says, and with him, with him, with Tychicus, Onesimus, the faithful, he's called the faithful too, because he's full of the truth, full of the word, full of faith. And beloved, he's beloved also, he's Agapitos, Agapitos, he's beloved, he's a beloved brother, Adelphos, Agapitos, Adelphos. Then he says, who is from you, from your ranks. And then he says, who will, along with Tychicus, he says, they will inform you, all. The whole account or story. In the mouth of two or three witnesses, every matter is established. So two or three telling the truth is better than one. Why? Because one cannot corroborate. I was just reading in John chapter eight this morning about Jesus saying, if I testify myself, my testimony, though it is true, It does not have the impact that it would have if there were not two witnesses, and you have two, me and my father, and even a third, the works that I do. Three, the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every matter be established. One cannot corroborate by himself, but only with another, that is the facts, as they appear. Thus the truth by corroboration by independent accounts that tell the whole story, making it both understandable and believable. Actual, factual, true, and accurate by the accounts of two or three witnesses. Because you go, he said this when he said this too. Oh, then he forgot to say this, but he said this, so this enhances this that he said. And they said this, this, this, and this. And this one said this, this, this, and this. And they corroborate, they agree completely. It must be true. Independently, they did so. They did not. They did not commiserate to corroborate. In other words, they didn't meet and say, this is what we'll say. No. No, they're independent reports of the same things to get the full story. So we got Anisimus and Tychicus. I know you wanted to hear all about that, didn't you? Very important for your spiritual life and your testimony in Jesus Christ along with that of others. God does it. He coordinates all of that and corroborates his word in your soul and through your mouth to others. That's how it applies and in many, many more ways. So, thus the truth, by independent accounts, makes it factual, actual factual, true and accurate. Verse 10, he says, Aristarchus, here's another one, we heard about before, we studied about him in Corinth, he was from Corinth, he was one of the leading citizens of Corinth and the one who financed the Apostle Paul while he stayed in Corinth for a year and a half and beyond that, and then the others as they came. my fellow prisoner send you his greetings and also Barnabas's cousin mark here's a good case study then he says in parentheses here about whom you received instructions if he comes to you welcome him interesting huh wonder what the story is on him i'll tell you what it is here in just a moment see here We have these who are sending their greetings along with the greetings of the Apostle Paul in this epistle that's going to the Colossians, who he is instructing in the mystery and the true identity of Jesus. against the false teaching of the Gnostics, who do not think that God came in the flesh or the flesh of his son, but it was an apparition. And the worship of angels and will worship and all kinds of asceticism. Taste not, touch not, handle not. All things that will perish with the using that people do all the time. Except for the people who live in the vast community of the dead in the cemeteries of the world. They're the only people that don't do those things. So don't think that that's what God's after, that you quit doing this or stop doing that or start doing this or that. That's not what he's after. And by the way, men, don't feel condemned if you smoke, because God didn't say you're not allowed to smoke. It's not smart to do so, and you will probably succumb to it eventually, but He doesn't care if you smoke. And neither do I, and neither do other people here. You stink. if you smoke, but it doesn't matter. And don't think because I quit smoking, by the grace of God, against my will, I have to tell you the story. I'll tell you the story. Now, we'll finish with this because we have so much more. I need to talk about all the greetings of Mark and Mark and who else? Mark and Sparkle Farkle, remember them? I'm not going to talk about that today. I'll tell you this story. We pray on Tuesday night for just 15 minutes, but it's a very effectual prayer. And then one night, all of a sudden, Denise decides she's going to pray for people in our assembly that smoke. Oh, God. Who wants to hear about that? And she did it every week. And I'm like, I really was crawling on the inside. Because, like I said, God doesn't care if you smoke. There's other issues involved, health issues, etc. Severe ones. Serious health issues. And issues for one's testimony with certain ones that are weak brethren that would tend to stumble when they see these things or think that, you know, maybe you don't have control, which you don't, over your own life. It's a fact that you're enslaved to something or addicted to something, it's a fact, but so are so many others to so many other things. So don't be condemned. So she would pray, and I didn't pray in sincerity, and I never initiated the prayer, oh please let us not smoke no more, Lord. Because quite honestly, I enjoyed it. Of course, you always enjoy what you're addicted to. You do enjoy things you're addicted to, or you think you do. You have nothing to compare it to. I smoked for 55 years. That's a long time. You say, how did you? Because I was 10 when I had a cigarette habit. And I smoked all through, I bought cigarettes from the time I was 10, by hook and by crook, and all through my life. And quit a couple of times for a few years, and that's all. For 50 years, because five years I quit. Of the 55 years that I smoked, I quit. And I don't want to hear about it. So what's happening? So Dan and Judy are praying. for me with great intensity. And so is Denise, and so are the other people praying for me first. I guess I have to be the example because I'm the pastor. And so all of a sudden the Lord tells me in my study, shows me in my study, this is the last week you're going to smoke. What? You're kidding me. Lord, don't you remember when I turned 50, because I remember I was sitting at Eaton Park in Dormont, and I said to the Lord, I said, this isn't about me, by the way, in case you're thinking, oh no, here he goes, he's talking about him. I'm talking about the Lord Jesus Christ and how he operates in our lives and the reality of the things that he does. He's God Almighty maker of heaven and earth. He's wonderful Counselor Almighty, God Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace, that's who he is. And when he speaks, we listen. When I was 50, I said, I guess, Lord, I got, now I got the last, I reached the halfway point. I'm gonna be 100 when I die, probably. But now that I'm 50, it dawned on me my mortality, and I go, okay, okay, Lord, I guess. Can you help me quit smoking? Or will you let me smoke a little while longer? And he gave me the green light to smoke a little while longer. I said, can I just at least smoke a little while longer? I don't drink anymore. or do the other things, but you didn't tell me not to smoke, you told me not to get drunk, or to succumb to pharmakia, and those things I've left behind, and those are gone, but with the cigarettes, can I smoke a little longer? And he gave me the green light, and I said, okay, I'm gonna smoke a little bit longer. But I didn't realize that he was going to use other people in the body to pray fervent prayers, and that he was going to command me to do something that I really didn't want to do, and empower me to do what I couldn't do apart from his power. And he did it. five weeks Tuesday. Don't be disappointed if I come to you and say, I smoked today, but the Lord won't let me, and I haven't, and I won't. And so he is faithful in very practical ways, in very personal and practical and powerful ways in our lives. So all of these things hearken back to the plan of God, the true identity of Christ and the body of Christ. He's going to conform us into his image by hook or by crook, by life or by death. Now I won't get to say it. I'll quit smoking when you pry that cigarette out of my dead, cold fingers. I won't get to say that now. And then, that part of my reward that dissipated because I was disobedient will be reinstated and I'll get the full reward! Now, yeah! Ladies and gentlemen, nobody will smoke in heaven, nobody will drink in heaven, that is, get drunk in heaven, because you'll be drunk all the time with undissipated enhanced happiness and well-being, way more so than you could ever have here with any of those things that we love so much that we won't let them go to experience the greater depth of capacity that Jesus Christ wants to impart to our souls. Won't you let him today? Let's pray. Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for your miracles. even when we don't want to do something you can still make it happen and bring it about in ways that only you know and only you can do only by your power we just thank you that that's the way you've operated in this world from the very beginning and you will operate that way in this world until the very end when you call it quits when you call us out when you call us up to be in your presence forever thank you father for your word thank you for the word that is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing and dividing us under the soul and the spirit of the joints and the marrow, and is a critic of the thoughts and intentions of our heart. We thank you for all these things. Vicki, if you would get ready, if I could have my ushers, please, Father. Bless the offering in Jesus' name. Amen.