Amen. Thank the Lord. Thank the Lord for the good song service. Thank the Lord for the good number that has come out to be in the house of God tonight. Thank the Lord for those in our parking lot. Pray that this evening will be an evening which will be a blessing to you as a born-again child of God. I would invite you to turn in your Bibles this evening. First, I have two Scriptures, one in Matthew 6 and one in Matthew 7, praying that the Lord will use His Word tonight to encourage the saints of God that have gathered in this place this evening. The Bible says in Matthew 6, I'm going to begin reading at verse 19, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. I want to drop on down to verse 24 where the Bible says, ìNo man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, take no thought of your life, but you shall eat For what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body what ye shall put on? Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Now, just stop for just a moment and listen to what Jesus Christ is trying to encourage those around Him about. Where we're at right now in this life, I know as Brother Rick's prayer pointed out, there are those that are burdened down with things that we can't even Imagine, there are those around us who have faced many a great difficulty. And there are those around us who are facing these difficulties without, without Jesus Christ. Look at where we're at. Everybody that walked in and asked how I was doing tonight, I said, I'm blessed. You know what, I don't just say that as something to throw out in the air for you to grab a hold of. I really know that I'm blessed. And I'll dare say that I look out over this congregation, we're all blessed. God has been good to us. Yet in these times and in our lives, all through our lives, there are things that come in that try to disrupt our harmony, our peace, and our joy. This virus that has come upon the scene here in 2020 is not the first thing that has been faced by God's people. It's not the worst thing that many of God's people have endured. Many of God's people. as you look upon the wall, during the dark ages, have gone through a whole lot more than what we are going through now. Yes, in the days to come there may be times of great persecution before the Lord takes us home. I don't know, but this one thing I do know, I know who holds tomorrow. Not only do I know who holds tomorrow, but I know that everything, according to Romans 8, 28, that He puts before us is for our good and His glory. I know that. I believe that. I trust that. So therefore, the Bible says, lay not up treasures for yourselves down here, but lay them up in heaven. Listen, there's where it's going to matter. Things that we do down here, as my daddy used to say, don't amount to a hill of beans. But the eternal things, the blessed things, that's going to count. The Bible says in verse 26, Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubic to his stature? And why take you thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, They toll not, neither do they spend. And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore... Here's the encouraging word that Jesus Christ leaves for the saints of 2020. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field which today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe ye, O ye of little faith? Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek. For your Heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, And all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. In Matthew chapter 7, in verse 7 the Bible says, Ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you whom, if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask of a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, How much more shall your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask Him? Therefore, all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, and this is one of the key verses I want us to get a hold of tonight. Therefore, all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so unto them, for this is the law of the prophets. Our most gracious and divine Heavenly Father, dear God, as we humbly come before Your throne tonight, we do thank You so much for the day which You've given us, the time of sweet fellowship and communion with Thy people. As we gather around Thy Word this evening, we've sang the songs of praise and I pray, dear God, they have brought glory to Your name. Now, dear Heavenly Father, and pray for Thy Word as it goes forth. Help us tonight, dear God, to be encouraged in Thy Word. Help us to look forward to better things. Lord, I pray that You will just bless our love for one another. Lord, may it be sweeter and sweeter as the days go by. Father, may we be that individual who for better terms. Lord, exhorts that individual who is maybe now even feeling that so many fears have overwhelmed them. Help us, dear God, tonight to be a church family that will reach out and touch and bring that calmness. This world surely will not offer that to any of us. But we know that as Thy children, dear God, we have much to offer each other. We have much to look forward to. These dark days, dear God, let us not look at the darkness, but let us look at the brightness that is about to come upon our eyelids. Let us rejoice in the joy that awaits us. Let us be thankful. Lord, I praise You tonight for watching over this church family down through this year. Lord, there have been many, many sorrows and heartaches all around this country and around this world. But You have blessed this little church family. And Father, I praise You tonight. Lord, I pray now that You'll bless Thy Word as we go forward. Help it to be an encouragement to those around us. Help us to look for better things ahead, Lord. And not always be looking upon the hardship and the heartaches of life now. Lord, help us to be faithful. Lord, as we look toward a new year being Thy will, Lord, I pray that You will bless in that new year that's coming. Lord, when we began that new year, may we go into it with a great anticipation of wondering just what You're going to do for us next. Lord, I praise You tonight. We pray for all the hurting. Lord, I ask You to bless them. Bless us here tonight, Lord. Help us to rejoice. And Lord, forgive us our sin in Christ's name. And amen. Better things ahead. Emmanuel, my dear church family, we have come through a lot in this year of 2020. As we look into this last Wednesday service of 2020, there have been anxieties, anxiousness, It has abounded in most peoples the world over because of the virus and all the other things that are going on with our elections and some of the awful things that we know have had to have happened. You wonder, well, what can we do to change it? Well, I look at it like this. I still believe what God's Word says and He sets people in authority and in power. I do know that and I trust that. And I look at all these other things that are going on in our world today. The chaos with financial situations and institutions. People are just seemingly at their wits end. Fears have mushroomed into full-blown antagonism, where hostility, and in many cases hatred, has caused ill will. People for this, people against that. We look at the shape of our government, the situation with our local leaders, with mixed messages sent out. We have been concerned over our financial well-being, our health, our loneliness, and yes, fears have overwhelmed many in this year. But I know this, God's Word said there's better things coming ahead. That keeps me moving forward, amen? That keeps me looking up knowing that somewhere just around the corner, God has His plan ready to unfurl before the very eyes of His people. What can we do? What can you do? as individuals that make up this body. I'm talking to each and every individual. I know we're here as a collective body, but I want each individual to realize that this message is for us. Beginning with this pastor, and all the way through this house and into the parking lot. What can we do in 21? What can we do in 21? What steps should we take to increase our joy and our peace in the year to come? You know, as I said in my study this past week, and just thinking about all the different things that have happened this year, the things that we have done as a church, and I know that there have been many things that have caused a lot of disruption in people's minds, their hearts. But I believe as we look forward, there are several things that we can do to make this new year in which we are just about to embark upon, well, there's one more day in 2020, then 2021 begins. So what can we do As we look forward to these next two days to get through tonight and tomorrow, what can we do as an individual to make 21 look better as far as we are concerned as Christians? This world, the Bible says, is only going to wax worse and worse. We know that. Sin and the total depravity of man is going to continue to escalate. We're going to continue to see darkness in high places. I'm talking about in the powers that be. We're going to continue to see evilness spring forth. Those things are going to happen. The Bible tells us that. The Bible also tells us that pestilences are going to come. That's what we have seen in 2020. This virus, this is what the Bible terms as a pestilence. These sicknesses that are going to come are coming in the last days and that is today. Look up. Amen. But what's something that we can do as an individual to make our joy and our peace and our tranquility even sweeter? I believe one of the first things that we can do is we can increase in understanding others. Amen? Understanding our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Our church family. As we look forward this year to come, may we as individuals try to be more understanding of others' concerns, others' fears, others apprehensions. You know when I say that, I know there are individuals that look at me and they say, well wait a minute. It's not my fault that they are so apprehensive or so much anxiety build up in them. It's not my fault, but it is the fact that we are our brother's keeper. We are our brother's keeper. And we are to be an encouragement to those around us. And the one way that we can do that is try to walk in their shoes one day. Try to stand in their place. Put yourself as an individual. Yes, maybe your Christian fervor is so much more mature than other people, but yet there are those that are not nearly as mature as some are. And we need to sometimes just look at life through their lenses. We all are at different levels of faith. and different levels of maturity. We all differ from one another in varying degrees. But look with me at 1 Thessalonians for just a moment. In 1 Thessalonians in chapter 3, 1 Thessalonians in chapter 3, the Bible allows us to understand that we need to stand fast in the Lord tonight. And since everybody is a little bit different in their faith as far as their strength is concerned, as far as their maturity is concerned, if we are going to stand fast in the Lord, we are going to have to do it together, amen? In other words, we are going to have to uphold those that are not necessarily as strong as others are. You're going to have to encourage them. You know, anybody can browbeat somebody when they're down, or when they're scared, or when anxiety is overwhelming them. Anybody can overpower them with their own will. But when it comes to a church family, when it comes to brothers and sisters in Christ, listen, I believe one of the greatest things that we can do as a church family is stand together. Stand together. I hear our men pray all the time. They're always praying for the brotherhood. They're always praying for our togetherness, our communion together, our love for one another. Don't let those just be words. It goes out in a prayer. Put action to those prayers. Put feet on those prayers. And be sure that we are exactly what we are praying. The Bible says here in chapter 3 verse 1, When we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone, and sent Timotheus, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith. That no man should be moved by these afflictions, for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto forbearly. When we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation, even as it came to pass, and you know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know of your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain." You know what I believe tonight? That Christians the world over have been tempted by the tempter. I believe tonight the world over, not just in our area here, but the world over, listen, the tempter is tempting Christians and they are being tempted and their faith is being shaken. They are being sifted like Peter was. Where do you stand here tonight? Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all of our affliction and distress by our faith. For now we live if you stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God again for you? For all joy wherewith we joy for your sakes because of God, before our God. Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith. You know what that means? That means He's wanting to be there to encourage them along, to build up their faith, to bolster up their courage. That's what God's people need tonight here in America. That's what God's children need tonight all over this world. They need each other bolstering each other up. In other words, encouraging them in the faith that their faith be not shaken. There are many people tonight whose faith has been shaken just because of the fears that have been promoted by all kinds of different avenues. Those fears are real. Those things are real that we are looking at in the world tonight. But we serve a God of heaven. We serve the great I Am, and the great I Am has promised us certain things in His Word as it concerns our lives and our daily walk. In chapter 4, in verse 6 through 8, here the Bible says this, that no man go beyond and defraud his brother. Now, I'm going to stop right there for just a minute. That means, you know, that go beyond. You look at that in the Greek and you find that phrase, and it means to overreach. Don't be an overburden to your brother or sister. Don't go beyond. Don't overstep certain limits. To go too far, to go beyond what is right. That's what that means in that phrase there in the Greek. We've got to be careful with each other. We got to love one another and encourage one another and uphold one another. That's what we are doing tonight. That's what we need to do with one another. We need to increase our understanding of others' feelings and concerns. The teaching that the Apostle Paul was bringing to those at Thessalonica was one of being understanding of others. Be careful with the feelings of other individuals. I've had men to look at me and say, well listen, people need to grow up. Yeah, give them time, they'll grow up just like you did. We all have been there when we needed a little growing up to do. We've all been in that immature state as a Christian, and what would have happened if everybody would have treated us the way we treat some individuals? See, that's what I'm saying. As individuals, we need to look and make ourselves accountable to each other, to encourage one another. to uplift one another. And for that very reason, you know, as I've stated here before, when a man gets up to give a devotion or a lesson, listen, that devotion and that lesson should be something that is encouraging and uplifting to the saints of God. You leave the pastoring to the pastor. You just try to be an encouragement to the saints of God that are gathered here and that are hearing what you have to say. Be an encouragement to them. Be an encouragement. We are to be uplifting and exhorting. You know, go with me if you will to James for just a moment in chapter 3. James in chapter 3. Look at verse 13 with me. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among us tonight? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness and wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly and sensual and devilish. For where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. That's what the devil wants to get in this church. He wants us to get to tearing and biting and devouring against one another. He wants us to get our hearts hurt or our feelings hurt every time somebody says something. That's what the devil wants. But listen. This is where God's people can step up. Think about others. Think about what our opening scripture was. Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself. Listen, we need to stop and think about that. What if you were the one who were in a position of being fearful, filled with anxiety, antagonism? What if you were the one that you thought nobody cared to listen to what you had to say? You see, I believe that's where we as a church family can always continue to build up one another. And we as a church family can always continue to grow together in when we stop to consider others. Listen. Be careful with the feelings of others. And I believe that's one of the greatest things as we look to 21. As we think about us as a church family, we are one unit. We are one unit. We are a family. People, you don't realize it, but you're my family. More than you'll ever know. More than you'll ever know. You're my family. And as I sit and I look at each one of you, I sit and I wonder, what is that one going through? What is this one experiencing right now in their lives? They seem to be broken. Folks, that's taking time to notice. And we know what we need to do. Number one, we need to pray for that individual. Number two, we need to consider their emotional state, their state of being. We need to stop and consider these things. Don't be like the man down the road that says, listen, they need to just grow up. Don't be like that. You know, in Colossians chapter 3 verses 12 and 13, there in 13, the very first part of that talks about forbearing one another. What does that really mean? It means to put up with, it means to endure, to forbear, to suffer, to bear patiently. To have patience with in regard to their errors. and weakness. Now, that's the actual Greek rendering of this verse in Colossians 3.13. That is the actual Greek wording that comes forth. That we are to be encouraging those individuals. We need to realize that not everybody is just as strong a Christian as you are. Not everybody is just as mature as you are in the faith. There are different degrees of everybody in this house. Do you know what it depends on? Number one, it depends on how much of the Word of God you get. Number two, it depends on how much of the Word of God has you. Amen? That's what it comes down to. But when we look at being long-suffering toward others, it means to be long in spirit. And for this very reason we exhort those who speak as teachers and for those who give devotions to speak with careful thoughts of others, to uplift, to exhort, to encourage. That's where we need to be even this every time that we are given the opportunity to be a blessing. Now secondly, we need to increase our love for others within our church family. I'm talking about a Christian love. In Colossians chapter 3, I'm going to go back to our text again in Colossians chapter 3. Look at it with me here. I still hear folks turning, I'll wait just a second. The Bible says in Colossians chapter 3 verse 12, put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved bowels of mercies and kindness and humbleness of mind, meekness and longsuffering. All these things have to do with increasing our love for each other as an individual You look at individuals in this house. We all make up one group, but I want you to think about yourself and another individual in here. I want you to look at what this says. We are to be bestowing mercy upon each other. Kindness and humbleness of mind and meekness. long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. And if any man ever quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also you are called in one body, and be you thankful. Let the Word of God, excuse me, let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks unto the Father by Him. Now, just for a moment, that little word admonish there. It means to caution or reprove gently. That's what that word means. To put one's heart, to put in one's heart, exhort and love. You know, as we exhort or build up each other's faith and resolve, let us do it for love's sake. Amen? Let us do what it says in Ephesians 5 and 2, and walk in love as Christ also have loved us. I look at that Colossians in chapter 2, and there the Bible says, "...in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Now, I've got a lot more scriptures that I could turn to, and I've got them written down here, but I'm not going to have time tonight, because I want to move to my last point here in just a moment. You know, as we look at this and we understand that our love for each other needs to be growing every day. Every time we're together, you know what? Boy, I'll tell you what, I missed you all Sunday. I missed our church family Sunday more than you'll ever know. I miss many tonight that aren't here. Listen. Our love for each other needs to grow, amen? You say, you know, don't say that I don't think we're loving enough. I'm just saying I guarantee that there's room for growth for all of us to love more. We've not arrived yet. Amen. We've not arrived yet. We need to love one another more. This truly will make 2021 a better year for the Saint of God and His church. A deeper love for our fellow servant in Christ. A love that transcends all superficial afflictions and love. In Philippians 4 and 5, the Bible says, Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. What does that word moderation mean? It means gentleness and patience. What does that lead to? It leads to love for one another. That's how we show more love. Show more love. Let's try our best. Let's try our best in 21 to... I don't know how it's going to happen, but I'm sure that we can muster out some more love for each other. I'm sure that we can squeeze out just a little bit more when it comes to love for the brotherhood. Like I said, I don't know. I mean, this is a loving church, but I'm sure that we can love just a little bit more. May God help us to do that. Now, lastly, this evening, we're going to increase our love for this community, amen? You know what that means? I know this past year, it was, man, that thing was, it was just like a shot out of a can and it was gone. People are afraid to open their doors to you, I understand that. People are afraid to get you too close to speak, and I understand that. It was a hard year for visitation-wise. But we still showed our love, I believe, to this community. I believe we have proven our love to this community, and I believe we can do more. I believe we as an individual church family, as individuals that make up this body, I believe each and every individual and show more love in this community. You know, in Matthew 19 and 19, what did the Bible say here now? Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Folks, that's where we need to come to terms with. We need to love each other. We need to love our family around us, our community. I'll tell you what, this Laurel community is a wonderful community. Thank God for pastoring at Laurel, the Emanuel Baptist Church. And I'll tell you what, I long to see people in this community saved by the grace of God. Amen. Why? Because I love them. I don't want to see people die and go to hell. I want to see people saved by the grace of God and on their way to heaven. That's what I want to see tonight. I want to see people that we have got in the community now. We have some new families in the community that have been visited, but yet I want to see them encouraged by the love of this body for one another and for them as well. increase our love in this community. Now, I'm coming down to a close here. We as a church body are required by God's Word to be such a light in our community that our love is known to one and all. This is the mark of this church family right here, right now. You have shown down through the years throughout this whole area. But you love people in this community, in this little country setting. This church has shown and proven her love all over this part of the country. What am I saying? Just keep it up. Amen. Keep showing that love to this community. Listen, the love of Christ that we need to be portraying to this community is what makes a difference. It's what makes a difference. As I said, this is the mark of this church family. All down through the years and throughout all this area, you have proven to be a loving church. And as the pastor of the Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church, I'm very thankful and I'm very grateful for your continued diligence in showing love to one and all. Just keep it up. What does Romans 13 and 8 say? What is it, the one thing that we owe all mankind? To love. Owe no man anything but to love one another. For he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. You know, there's some things in this world tonight that has got people, I know, has got people shook up. There's people all over this country who actually know, well, I can't say that they know, but there's some things that happened back in November that wasn't right. I'm not going to get political tonight, but I'm telling you, as far as the political system is concerned, it's a farce. But God's still in control. Amen? God's still on the throne. He's still in charge. And I know this has tore up a lot of people, and there's a lot of people ready to do whatever it takes to make it right. I know that. What are we to do? We're to pray for our country right now. Amen? We're to pray for this country. We're to encourage one another, listen, don't put your roots down here. Listen, we're just pilgrims passing through. We're just that wayfaring stranger that I like to sing so often. We're going to be passing through one day here soon. But while we're here, we need to really consider each other's feelings. We need to consider each other's fears. Not everybody's the same. I know grown men that are petrified of darkness. I'm not afraid of the dark. But, you get me out on a ridge somewhere, by myself in the dark, and I hear something coming up behind me, I often get a little scared. But, listen, like I said, we're all different people. And we're all at different levels of faith. Increase your faith. That's the reason why the apostles said, Lord, increase our faith. There was a reason why that was said, so that they may be stronger. That's what we need to pray for one another. Let us encourage one another. Let us do everything in our power this coming year to make this church even brighter than she is. Can it be done? That's a high order. Am I going too far? Sometimes a pastor does that. But I tell you, I love my church family. I want to see nothing but the best for this body. I want to see all of our families growing. I want to see them growing spiritually. I want to see us growing more in love for one another. I want our togetherness to be even that much sweeter. Folks, I don't know about you, but I really missed having church Sunday. Broke my heart. Made a long day. Boy, I missed it. You know what I missed? I missed seeing the faces of my brothers and sisters. Oh, I worshipped in my home. I praised my God in my home. But the one thing that was missing was you. That's the way we need to look at it. May God help us is our prayer. Let's all stand, please.