Thank you sister, appreciate that good singing. I'm glad he touched me, amen. If you really got it, it changes you, amen. And I appreciate that again. I appreciate all of our singers and musicians and all of you being here. Good to have Brother Salazar with us. I'd called him several years ago when we had tried to start a Spanish ministry and we had some of our preacher boys going down and preaching, and we tried to have someone interpret for them, and that didn't work out well. And so, someone had given me Brother Salazar's name and said, you need to call this guy. He's got a lot of guys in his church, he trains guys, and, I think he can help you. So I called Brother Salazar and he said, well, when you come out here, and I said, I'm coming out there for conference. He said, well, come a little early. And I think they had something going on. And Brother Jimmy and Miss Sheila came with me. And they loved them. They didn't love me, but they loved Brother Jimmy and Miss Sheila because in Spanish, he was senor dinero. So they liked senor dinero very much. And so we had flown out there, took an early flight, got out there, and they had the conference that night. And the thing about the Spanish folks that we don't get, when they go to church, man, they go to church. We're not talking about no hour. We were there all night. And they had preacher after preacher after preacher. And we hit, and they're three hours, is that right, Brother Jose, three hours behind us here? So about 12 o'clock, you know, we're up in the balcony and we're doing this. And there were thousands of people there and Brother Salazar said, and Brother McDaniel, you're gonna come back to the church and we're gonna have a meal. You're gonna come back, right? And I said, yes, sir. Whatever you say, preacher. And so it was after midnight, I think, when we got over there and ate. I said, preacher, if you don't mind, we're gonna go back to the hotel. We've only been up 24 hours. And so Sunday, we went, and they have, now think about this, we have an English church with a Spanish ministry. They were a Spanish church with an English ministry. And he said, would you preach to the English? And I said, sure. And so preached early that morning, had Sunday school, and he said, I want you to preach to the Spanish church. And so I did, and I'm like, well, this is probably not gonna go well. And like I said, he probably, It made it sound a lot better than I did. But he introduced me to Brother Jose. And he said, this is the guy that I've been praying about. And so we sat down, had lunch, and talked. And Brother Jose, Miss Arlene flew out here. And we kind of showed him. And understand this, this was 11 years ago. when there weren't that many Spanish ministries I know Gospelite had one but that was about it and so there weren't that many Spanish folks around here but you know I could see that we were having a bigger population and so my dad many of you know my dad lived in Mexico for many years and I had gone down there several times and every time I'd go I'd take tracks and hand them out. I mean, man, they were just eating them up. And I had just started pastoring the church and I thought maybe I missed God's will. I mean, I really had a burden for the Spanish people and I thought maybe I just missed God. Maybe I shouldn't be pastoring here. Maybe I should have been a missionary to Mexico. But then I remember that just as clear as day, the last time I flew out of Mexico City, it was like the Lord spoke to my heart and said, I didn't want you coming down here. I wanted you to have a burden for these people. And so from there on, we started taking on more missionaries to the Spanish-speaking people than probably anything for several years, and then I saw more Spanish-speaking people moving in here and I said we got to do something we got to have something we got to have a gospel witness and so brother Jose and Arlene the boys flew out here and kind of did a prospecting trip and I remember he he said I'll pray about it and I'll call you that's all I saw he told me so I'm trying to be you know patient and do the godly thing and be patient and finally I'm like were you coming or not he said still praying and about a month he said we're coming And never asked, what's the salary? What's the benefits? Where we gonna live? He just said, we're coming. And I thought then, here's a man to move his family across country to no one they knew. And a couple things, that that showed me that he was God's man, and God wanted to do something with him. But also showed me that he had been trained. Because see, ministry's not a profession or a vocation, it's a calling. And so, I knew then that God had given us the right man. So, Brother Salazar, Brother Jose had asked about Brother Salazar coming and preaching one of his anniversary services, and they never could get things connected just right. And finally, they got all the stars aligned and everybody's schedule connected. And so, he was here for his 11th anniversary service. he's he's meant a lot to me obviously meant a lot to Jose and Arlene and the boys being their pastor and he's meant a lot to me and been a help and encouragement to me and so I asked him if he'd stay over and preach to us tonight and so he'll do a great job and he'll help you and you you encourage him so you you ameners don't get quiet and then if it gets a little rough it's okay I I don't know exactly what he said last night in Spanish, but I can tell a couple of times it got kind of rough. And you know what they did? They said, Amen. They do amen though. And they do an amen, amen. So if you want to encourage him, just amen him a lot, right? And it'll be a help. But he'll help you tonight. Preacher, if you'd come and preach, we so appreciate you. Well, I think this thing is on. Is it on? Yes? I've I've traveled pretty much all of the world and I've I've come to understand that P.A. men are the same all over the world in Asia, in Egypt, in the U.S. I mean, there's just something special about the P.A. man. Last night we had somebody in charge. I don't know who was in charge back there. Right. What a blessing to be here. And I I love Brother Mike. I love his heart. Somebody that began a multicultural ministry, Spanish-speaking people and Korean people and as well, you know, the preacher so-and-so, he loves Spanish-speaking people. He loves Korean people. Brother Mike loves people. Period. And that's the way it is. And I'm so thrilled to finally have been able to coordinate to be able to be here. Please be patient with me. I speak probably in English. maybe six, seven times throughout the year, different churches, different Bible colleges. And so, if I say something that you don't understand, I'm not being creative, I just don't remember how to say it. Believe it or not, I, English is my first language. When I started preaching in Spanish, I couldn't go two, three minutes. I would have to ask my father-in-law, who's from Ecuador, and I would have to say, how do you say, you know, and they would help me. And so, I'm still learning Spanish. I've forgotten all my English. I'm a mess. But anyway, you know, one of the things that I'm very conscious of when I go to a church is the pulpit. And I think you've noticed that if Mike ever lends me one of his suits, I could tailor it and get three out of it. You know? But I'm always very conscious of, you know, I go to these places where I was in Atlanta, preaching in Atlanta. They had a pulpit. The pulpit was shaped in the form of a cross, and it reached up to here. I said, Lord, I know I've always asked you to hide me behind the cross, but this is ridiculous, you know. So I appreciate that I can at least see the first row here, you know, and that is a blessing. Thank you preacher for your heart. And I wanna once again congratulate brother Jose and the 11th anniversary. I think we all understand and it's very difficult unless we have our head in the sand that our country is in trouble. After the pandemic, 40% of churches in America closed. 40%. And we're not starting churches anymore. I mean, thank God. You ought to thank God for your church and for preachers that just, you know, whatever comes in. Some folks said, you know, well, preacher, people got cold and, you know, so many months not being in church. And they and I respond and say they didn't get cold. They were already cold. They were just looking for an excuse. And they found it. COVID exposed who we really are. And I hope that after three years of everything we've been through, I mean, I don't know about you, but I'm not the same person. I'm not. It's difficult to go through something like that and not get a hint that maybe the Lord is trying to tell us something, you know. And so I'm excited about things to come. We live in exciting times because, you know, We could interpret all this and be in panic and fear, you know, but we know how the story ends. There was a professor of eschatology, future things or the last days. And he was a very prominent scholar and professor. And that was the subject he taught for years in seminary. And he went to a gym. And his grandson was playing. And he got there early, and there was this man that way up in the bleachers, and he was reading something. And there's nobody else there, and he says, well, sir, what are you reading? And he said, I'm reading the Bible. Oh, that's wonderful. And what are you reading? I'm reading the book of Revelation. Wow. You know, this professor of eschatology said, do you understand it? He said, absolutely, completely. And the professor says, Lord, well, I have it. I don't understand it wholly and completely. And I've been teaching it for years. And he asked the man, well, what does it say? And the man said, well, you know, after a lot of bunch of little doodle-daddle here and there, what this book basically says is at the end, Jesus wins. And boy, you know, he went back and he says, that is the most simplest explanation of the book of Revelation. In the end, we win. Jesus wins and there's great hope in that Well, I don't have a lot of time. So if you open your Bibles with me to the book of Philippians, please the book of Philippians We're gonna pretty much stay in in this first chapter and And just look at a few truths here. I want to speak to you tonight on the subject how to rejoice in your church and how to rejoice in your church. Please stand for the reading of the scripture. Paul and Timotheus, the servant of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons, speaking to the leadership. Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. always in every prayer of mine for you all making requests with joy for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now being confident of this very thing that he which began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ even as it is me for me to think of you all because I have you in my heart In as much as both in my bonds, in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are partakers. Of my grace, we're saying for God is my record. And the Greek word there means witness. God is my witness. How greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. Father, thank you. Thank you for your love for the church. Us as imperfect, as frail, as weak and inconsistent as we are, you love your church. And I pray that tonight you would help me to be a help to these wonderful people. That in all you would be magnified. You would be exalted and they will leave here more committed to you and to serving you in the church. In Jesus name. Amen. Maybe seated. I love church. I have been pastoring Montecito Baptist Church for 44 years. A lot of my colleagues are pretty much already handing their ministries over to somebody else. And, you know, I'm hoping the Lord will give me maybe 10 more years if Jesus doesn't come back first. And of course, Mrs. Salazar, you know, she she sees all my friends, you know, just handing the ministry to somebody else. And she's like. Like you, like when, you know, like. I don't know, but I love church. You know, it's very difficult for somebody to say that they love Jesus and they don't love what Jesus loves. Jesus loves his church. So for somebody to say, I love Jesus, I just can't stand the people. There's something inconsistent about that. I'm in church on Sunday. I preach four times on Sunday. And for decades now, on Monday, I'm off somewhere. and preaching at church and I'm in church on Monday and I'm in church on Tuesday and I'm on church and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday I get back and we got active so we got church Saturday we got so we got church and I don't don't don't look at me like if you pity me like oh my goodness you know yeah so much church I mean everything in measure preacher you know everything in measure really who we on that Folks, church is rehearsal for heaven. Church is rehearsal. Anybody here going to heaven? I mean, what are you going to do over there? I mean, you're already looking at your watch. In church, church never ends. Never. And that's where you're going. And some folks are like, oh no, that's where I'm going? Yeah. Wake up. It is a blessing. I love Montecito Baptist Church. I mean, I you know, I can't be dogmatic about this, but I I decided a long time ago I will love only one woman in my life and I will love only one church in my life. I will not pastor any of the church. I used to tell the folks, you know, I dream of marrying the kids of your kids. And some of that is starting to happen. And I know what you're thinking, you're saying, wow, he looks so young. Thank you. I appreciate that. But as they say, it's not the model, it's the mileage. Paul is speaking to the Philippians. The whole theme of the book of Philippians is the joy of a Christ-centered life. That's the whole theme of the book. The joy of a Christ-centered life. Setting aside the situation and the circumstances, I've been to the maritime prison in Rome a couple of times. Folks, I went down there. I couldn't stand two or three minutes. It was awful. It was suffocating. And from that place, Paul is talking to us about rejoicing in the Lord from that place. You know, we we often say in our church, it's good to be in church, it's better to be in prison. It's better than being in the hospital. What a blessing to be in church. But as he speaks to the Philippians and note that he's talking to the leadership here, the bishops and the deacons, he says, you know, every time I remember you folks from Philippi, I remember you and emotions of gratitude and joy and praise to God. that I feel in my heart when I remember you all that just brings so much joy to me and worship and gratitude to God. You know, the Christian life is a life of gratitude. The book of Hebrews states and says that having received a kingdom as we have received, we should have grace, and the word is gratitude, and thereby serve God. Folks that don't serve God, they're not very grateful. We don't serve God because somebody imposes on us or forces us or pressures us. No. It's a love relationship. It's a life of gratitude to God. And so he he remembers the Philippian church and he he says every time I think of you all I My heart is just the emotions in my in my heart. They're filled with gratitude with joy So let me ask you something. What emotions are elevated in your heart when you think of this church? You know some of you are like looking at me to preach her I better not even tell you man I Because there are some people in this church. Look, let me just from the very beginning say I know no one in this place. Except Mr. Dinero. He taught me that. I'm sorry. I'm just following the preacher here. But you know, I think to begin with, and every time that this evening we speak about the church, I want you to understand one thing. You are the church. You. You know, we speak about the church sometimes, we have the luxury sometimes of speaking about the church and usually negatively as if we're not part of it. Well, the church, you're the church. You know, I dare to say that if I were to take anyone here aside and say, hey, talk to me about Curry Baptist Church. I mean, tell me something about this church. Well, preacher, I'll tell you. In this church, there's some wishy-washy people. And there's this and there's that. And usually, you would start talking about somebody else, not yourself. You want to know how this church is doing? It's very easy. It's not difficult. How is this church doing? It's very easy. How are you doing? Well, that's not fair, preacher. Of course not. You are the church. The church is the congregation of what you and I bring here. What did you bring here tonight? Because what you brought here tonight in whatever spiritual state you're in is what this church is made up of. And Paul is here speaking about how he rejoices in the church. You know, we tell people out there, there's nothing better than to live for Jesus Christ. Jesus didn't just come and give us life. He came to give us abundant life. The word abundant means superior, better. There's nothing better than to live for Jesus, nothing. You know why people don't live for Jesus? They think there's something better. There's nothing better. And we tell people all that. And then visitors come to church, you know, and they don't know. They've never been here. And then worse yet, that today people, you know, are church shopping. I can't stand that. What is that? Church shopping. That's why we've dabbled and really sank deep in trying to market the church. Folks, this is not a business. The church is a living organism of which Jesus is the head. We're living stones, the Bible says. But folks come and visit? And they're here for the first time? And this is what they see in all the people in the church. And they're like, whoa, somebody told me that this is a great place. Somebody told me that living for Jesus is the greatest. And it looks like these folks don't like being here. They're probably forced them. They don't seem to be having a good time. I don't want that sickness. The Bible speaks about where there's two or three gathered in his name. Notice he didn't even say 10. He said, just give me two or three. Does God know us? Man, does he know us? He knows very well that this place could be full of people and Jesus is not welcome. You know, I'm scared about the messages that the Lord gives to the seven churches in the book of Revelation. And you know, we it has its application. We sometimes we're so winning. We say, you know, Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart. Please let him in. And it has its application. But that's not what it's talking about. It's talking about Jesus knocking at the door of a church where he's not welcome. People having church and Jesus is not welcome. You know, the church of Sardis, he says, you know, you have, you have a name that you live, but you're dead. Whoa. I mean, you think, you know, this, this ministry, this church has a fame. Uh, what a great church. What a, what a fired up church. What, what an incredible church. And, and Jesus says, not according to me, they're dead. You know, something very obvious that God sees things very different than the way we see them. He sees beyond the facade. And those things scare me. But you are either the blessing of your church or you are the problem of your church. Jesus loves his church. Look at what's here. And again, I don't know anybody. I don't know anyone here. But I do know that churches are just full of sinners saved by grace. And Jesus, with all of your inconsistencies, with all of your failures, with all of your disobedience and mine, with all of our weaknesses, he loves this church. I tell preachers, hey, the church belongs to someone. Be careful. Don't mess with the bride of Christ. I was messed up in gangs and my life was a mess. I was sitting at a bar when I was five years old. And I remember my parents suffering the shame of having to go take me out of jail. I remember the doctor sewing up some stab wounds that I have on my chest. And my mom over there crying and the doctor saying, you stupid kid. that much more and you don't live. God has been so good to me. And you know that in the middle of all that and what God has done, we ought to understand what God has done for us and what he has made us part of. I love the church because Jesus loves the church. I had a dream and sometimes in my dreams, God lets me do what in real life I can't do. So I, in that life of the past, I was very violent. I was, that's why I almost got killed so many times. God has performed a miracle in my life. I talked to my, my kids. I talked to my, my grandchildren. I taught, they don't believe, not dad, not dad. I'm glad they never knew me like that. But one day I dreamed that somebody was flirting with my sweetie. It was a dream. And God in my dreams allows me to do what in real life I cannot do. And I found out and I beat the holy snot out of him. Holy. And I remember in the dream he said, you're a preacher. I said, that's right. You know, you do whatever you want, you say whatever you want about me, do not mess with my bride. Don't mess with the church of Jesus. Do not mess with the bride of Christ. In 44 years of ministry, wrong or right, I've never seen somebody turn against the church that it goes well with, and not one person, not one. You don't mess with the church of Jesus Christ. The church belongs to him. Now it'd be totally different if we understood church and if we were happy and rejoicing about we gather together. Amen. Paul, why did you rejoice in this church? Well, my time is almost over. And that was just the introduction. I think preacher warned you. We're used to services long. But anyway, Paul rejoiced in this church, the Philippian church for the following reasons. First of all, look at what it says there in verse four, always in every prayer of mine for you all making requests with joy. Paul rejoiced in the church because he prayed. He prayed. You know, everywhere I go in the churches I go to, I always say this, talk little, pray much. Talk little, pray much. Well, I think nobody asked you. And folks are always giving their opinion and talking about, you know, but the truth is that during the week, you don't have the decency. of dropping on your knees and praying for this man and for his family and his wife and the whole leadership of this church, you don't have a right to give an opinion about anything. Unpraying Christians are defeated Christians. I'll repeat that, unpraying Christians, Christians that don't pray are defeated Christians. Tell me a defeated Christian is gonna have joy. Now, when I talk about joy, I mean, you can sit here and you hear this and, you know, I'll say, hey, how many are happy here? Amen. Well, how many haven't told their face that they're happy? I mean, some people in church, they look like if they were baptized in lemon juice. Goodness. But it's very hard to have a smile on your face when you're living in defeat. Very difficult. We have issues, we have challenges, we have problems, we have needs. Look at how James describes a non-praying Christian and I want to remind you the book of James was written to Christians. This is Christians and look at what he says to Christians and how he describes a non-praying Christian. From whence come wars and fighting among you? Why are the brethren fussing? You know, one day when I get to heaven, I'm gonna ask God, Lord, why did you put all kinds of things in the Bible that don't apply to any of us? He's talking to us, amen. And he says, why are the Christians fussing? Come they not hence even of your lust? That means your desires. That war in your members, that there's an internal war that is taking place. And it's taking place because of your lust. You lust and have not. And look at the description here, you kill and desire to have. And you cannot obtain, you fight, you war. It's describing somebody that is in a struggle and for that reason, the lust and the envies and the things that he wants and he desires and not being able to obtain and that causes problems with other people. That's why they were fussing. But look at what it says here. It says you kill, you fight, you war, yet you have not because you ask not. And I'm praying a Christian cannot have joy. And I'll tell you that there's a lot of folks that claim to have great trust and confidence in God. You can tell me about that all you want. Just show me your prayer life. Show me your prayer life. And I'll show you how much you really trust God. I thank God for senior saints. Oh, they're a blessing. Oh, you know, they can't get around the way they used to. And I said that one time, and one of my guys said, Preacher, you're a senior saint. I'm in denial. But you know, what a blessing, Preacher, to have you. Preacher, I'm praying for you. I'm praying for you. I'm praying for you. Most of the failures that we have in our life are prayer failures. Men ought always to pray and faint not. We pray never and faint always. Paul rejoiced in the church because he prayed. Number two, look at what it says there in verse five, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. Paul, why? When you remember the church of Philippi was your heart filled with emotions of gratitude and joy and worship to God. Well, he prayed for the church. And secondly, he had established Relationship under biblical principles with the people in the church Folks let me say something Not everyone, and I don't know anybody. I don't anybody here, but not everybody in church is worthy of your friendship Our parents used to tell us tell me who you hang with I'll tell you who you are I And Paul says, I rejoice because you and I have a bond. And this relationship, this fellowship is in the gospel. It's in the gospel. It worries me when when I hear people who say that are believers telling me, you know, preacher, I in church, I don't know. Sometimes I feel like a little bit more comfortable with people out there. Wow. Really? Really? And you'll always see this in any church and every church. Rebels, they hang together. And I don't know who they are in this church, but every church has them. Stay away from them. Stay away from them. The Bible in the book of Proverbs tells us that he who is a friend and he who has communion and friendship with the wise will be wise. By the way, you attract what you are. The problem in church is that we build friendships in church the same way we used to in the world, based on personalities, based on conveniences. You know, I've not seen Brother Mike for 11 years, the last time I saw him. But you know, he and I get together, it's like, man, we've been friends, like, tight forever. The Bible says that God is light. And the Bible says that if Brother Mike walks in the light as he is light, if I walk in the light, then and only then we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. You know, a lot of us, you know, and these people sometimes in church, they don't even let you rejoice. I mean, somebody will say, man, that was a great service, wasn't it? Yeah, but it was too long. Yeah, but you know, I didn't really appreciate the music. Well, did you notice this? And they're always trying to... Be careful who you hang with. The closest friends that you have in this church should be building your faith in Jesus Christ. Should be encouraging you to love the church. Beware of people that come and criticize the church. And by the way, who's the church? Who's the church? We're the church. Paul, why did you rejoice in this church? Well, he prayed for the church. And then he had built a relationship based on the gospel of Jesus Christ. Number three, verse six, being confident of this very thing. I love the way Paul spoke. I mean, he wasn't like, well, maybe, perhaps, I hope so, no. In fact, the Greek word means I am convinced I am persuaded. I know this for sure. I am confident that he that that he of this very thing that he that he which has began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Why do you rejoice in the church? Number three, because he didn't see people for who they were. He saw them for who God can make them. You know, preacher, when I come to church, man, I'm full of joy, preacher. I'm telling you. I mean, I'm bubbling with joy. But as soon as I see sister so-and-so, man, my joy is gone. So instead of rejoicing in the church, the church takes away your joy? Folks, we need to have an understanding of who we are. All of us, beginning with the one that's up here, we're all a work of God in process. All of us. None of us are what we should be. And Paul, he knew. You think that he rejoiced in the church because there was no issues and no problems? I mean, later on in the fourth chapter of this very book, he mentions a couple of ladies that were in leadership that were fussing with one another. That's novel. I know that doesn't happen in North Carolina. Yeah, right. There's issues, there's trouble. All of us are in the grace of God, just trusting in God's work in the life of every one of us. When our second daughter, who was my secretary for a while, and we have 10 grandchildren, she's giving me three of them. When she was a little girl, her mom bought her a shirt and the shirt said, be patient with me. Jesus is still not done. Amen. Now, part of the problem is some of us think we've already arrived. And that gives you the right to be talking and pointing out other people's inconsistencies. I mean, there's some people here, they think they're the fourth part of the Trinity. We're sinners. We're here by the grace of God. And Paul rejoiced in the church because he saw, and I know, folks, I'm no different than you. I mean, sometimes there's people that come and I say, Lord, I know you parted the Red Sea and you created the heavens and the earth in six days and you resurrected, but this guy, I doubt it. You've been there? And then just to have God shut me up. And all of a sudden, I see the grace of God come upon that life and transform it and do something great with that person and make him a trophy of his grace. And the Lord over and over says to me, what? What? You have anything to say now? I mean, can I or can't I? Well, preachers, because some people in church are scary. One lady told me that. Some people in church, they're scary. I said, ma'am, you're scary. Amen. Why did Paul rejoice in the church? He rejoiced because he prayed. Because he had built the right relationships with him. And because he didn't see them for who they were. but for who God can make them. Number four, verse seven. Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, and as much both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye are partakers of my grace. Paul says, how can I not feel like this about you? You're partners with me. You're co-participants in the defense and the proclamation of the gospel. You wanna rejoice in your church? Participate. Participate. Get involved. The most excited people in this church are those that are part of the team. I mean, they're there and they're serving and they see God's blessings and you rejoice. My father-in-law was serious stuff. I mean, 6'3", and almost the same width-wise. And he would just say, you know, preacher, worthless people, worthless Christians, they do nothing. Do something, you worthlessness and that. I had to kind of, you know, tone him down a bit. Kind of hard, he was 6'3", you know. What are you doing? What are you involved in? You ought to be serving God. And not only is he talking about being a participant, it's talking about the gospel. You know, number one reason why people don't show up for so winning. Number one reason, give me all the excuses. Well, the job. Well, you know, I'm very timid. I don't know how to speak. And then you get on the phone, you talk things that you ought not to be talking, but you're timid and you don't know how to speak. Bottom line, the reason why we don't go so when he's because we're selfish. We're self-centered. That's why soul winning is a life of the church. You get a church full of people that never talk to anybody about Jesus. Whatever excuse they give, their problem is they're egotistical and they're self-centered. You get a group of people that are self-centered, tell me there's not going to be fussing in the church. Tell me there's not going to be problems in the church. And so he's not just talking about participating. He was talking about their participation in the preaching and the defense of the gospel in chapter four. More than that, what an incredible promise we find. And you know, we claim it, but some of us don't have a right to claim it. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Finances in heaven, they don't operate according to this world's finances. There's no inflation in heaven. Amen. It says that you, we, and I, we, you and I, we can't be giving an excuse. Well, preacher, it's hard, you know, Biden and this, you know, stop it. Stop it. He promised that he would provide all your needs, not according to the world economy. Amen. But according to his riches in glory, which are infinite. Wait a minute. That promise isn't for everybody. That promise is for those that we're giving to the missions budget. In context, he's writing the Philippians and for some reason they had stopped sending him money and he says, you know, he doesn't judge them. He says, I know you had a hard to do it. I don't know what happened, but we're glad that you started sending them money. It's like the missionary saying, finally, brother Dinero, the check came. I admire missionaries. In the last month and coming, we'll probably be forking out close to $60,000 to $70,000 to help missionaries. And you want to be excited about church? Participate. I've been in Corinth maybe five times and there's a lot of images that Paul uses of sports because not far from Corinth is where the Isthmus games began that later on developed into the Olympic Games. So that's why he gives these vivid examples. Like in 1 Corinthians chapter 9, he says, I don't shadow box, you know. I swing to hit. I love boxing. Sorry guys, I love boxing. I don't like commentators. I love boxing, but I don't like the boxing commentators. Well, you know, I mean, if he would have kept his distance and used the uppercut and the jab and, you know, he never gotten in the ring. And all of a sudden, he's an expert. In church, there's a lot of commentators. They do nothing. Nothing. Folks, he invited me, I came. Yes, you know. They do nothing, but they're always commentating. Don't be a commentator, be a participant. Why did he rejoice in the church? Number one, he prayed. Number two, he built the right relationships by biblical standards. Number three, he didn't see them for who they were. He saw that God can change anybody. And number four, because they were participants and partakers in this grace, in the confirmation, defense of the gospel. And lastly, verse eight, for God is my record. How greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. He prayed for the church because he loved the church. Who's the church? We are. Do you love your church? Oh yeah, man, you know, preacher, this building, I love this building. No, I'm talking about the person sitting next to you. You know that loving is a command? We talk about the sin and disobedience of not tithing and not soul winning, not serving God and worldliness. We hardly hear about the sin of not loving. It's not a suggestion. A new commandment. It's a command. And the command is that I love my brother as he loved me. You know, you can be loving someone, but if you and I do not love with agape love, with his love, we're still disobedient. He's not asking us to love each other with this cheap, conditional, limited, merited love. We've allowed the world to teach us on this and we're having Christians now that are saying just some really unbelievable things. Because this world has educated them in regard to love. Well, what's wrong with two guys living together and getting married as long as they love each other? deprivation, perversity. But the Bible says that he called, he says, God is my record. The word means witness. You know, the Bible talks about fake love. Fiend love. You can fiend it. Proverbs says when he talks to you, don't believe him. He has seven abominations in his heart. And most of us, our understanding of love is this. Preacher, here I am. Love me. He rejoiced in the church because he loved the church. And then he says, God is my witness. Wow. To call God as your witness? The one who knows you and knows every emotion and feeling that you have. Setting aside the facade. He calls God as his witness. God is my witness. How I love you with the bowels of Jesus Christ. Do you love your church? Right. Who's the church? We are. Between Sunday school and church on Sundays, we had like a brief time of some coffee and bread. And I went up there one time when we were on Avenue 43. And everybody was having a great time and drinking coffee and sweet bread. And there was this lady over in the corner by herself. And she was sitting over there like this. She was just sitting there and she had this look like, And I said, Preacher, what is this sister doing over there by herself? Everybody having a good time and she's over. So I went over there and I said, Sister, what are you doing here? You're all by yourself. And she said, that's exactly my point, Preacher. I sat here on purpose to see if somebody would come and say hi to me. And can you believe that no one has come? And I said, sister, I'm here. I'm shaking your hand. You don't count. Unbelievable. You know, sometimes I think the nursery should be here. Sensitive people. Delicate people. Paper mache Christians. We are soldiers of Jesus Christ. And all the problem is that we're still very self-centered and even the pretension of the love that we offer to others. It's the world's love. You love who loves you. You're kind to who's kind to you. How about when Jesus said love your enemies? He didn't say tolerate them. He didn't say put out. He said love them. That's a high order. It's a totally different message, but yes, it is, that is impossible for you and me aside from the Holy Ghost of God. I'm sorry, I've already gone beyond my time, but folks, look, let me just say this to you. You know, this church is what you bring, and you need to stop looking at other people. Because this church is what you are. You bring discouragement here? You bring a defeated attitude? You bring the world? And again, I don't know nobody here, okay? So don't, you know, and preacher hasn't told me anything about no one. But God knows. But let me tell everybody here, no matter where you're at, Jesus loves his church. He loves you. He loves you. He loves you like no one loves you. And the way it ought to be is that, see, you leave here today and you do something about what you've heard this morning and what your pastor preached and taught you. And then you walk out of here blessed. And then on Monday, you walk with God and you pray and you read your Bible. And you do the same on Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday and Saturday. And when you come to church on Sunday, you're not here, preacher. Here I am. Give me joy. No, you're bringing it. You bring the joy. Love you all. I'm gonna give the invitation to the preacher. Let's stand together. What a great message. You know what, as he was preaching I thought about this. The Bible said love one another. And he said it, it's a command. I thought about this. If we went through this book and we took everything God told us to do as a command To him that knoweth do good, doeth it not, to him it is sin. If we read that book, and everything God told us to do, and we'd be honest, and we'd say, you know what? He said, love one another. Hadn't done that, I need to get that right. Said, edify one another. Hadn't done that, I need to get that right. It says, forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, I messed that one up, I need to get that right. If you'd read that book and everything God told us to do and you'd do a checklist personal inventory of you and just whatever God says in this book to do that I don't do I should get right with him because it's sin. That's different isn't it? I wonder what church would be like. See, we like to use things in business that an organization is only as strong as its weakest link, or team only as strong as its weakest link. You ever looked in the mirror and thought you were the weakest link? Now, we have in our mind somebody else is. Boy, if they would do this or they would. But see, the thing is, the church is you and me. And that message was for us. It was for me. So Miss Suze is going to play somewhere on the altar. I want you to bow your head tonight. You need to come, you come. Get honest with God. The church isn't the building. The church is not the preacher. The church is you, and it's me. We're the church.