Good evening, church family. Thank you for coming tonight. Please stand if you're able. We'll start on My Sins Are Gone. You ask me why I'm happy, so I'll just tell you why. Because my sins are gone. And when I meet the scoffers who ask me where they are, I say, my sins are gone. They're underneath the blood on the cross of Calvary, as far removed as darkness is from dawn. In the sea of God's forgetfulness, that's good enough for me. Praise God, my sins are gone. I was at the old time altar where God came in my heart and now my sins are gone The Lord took full possession, the devil did depart. I'm glad my sins are gone. They're underneath the blood on the cross of Calvary. As far removed as darkness is from dawn. In the sea of God's forgetfulness, that's good enough. Praise God, my sins are gone I'm living now for Jesus, I'm happy night and day Because my sins are gone My soul is filled with music, with all my heart I say I know my sins are gone There underneath the blood on the cross of Calvary As far removed as darkness is from dawn In the sea of God's forgetfulness that's good enough for me Praise God, my sins are gone Good to see you at the back this evening. Let's go a little more to prayer. Father, we ask again for your blessing on the service this evening, be it the rest of the singing, the special, but most of all, we ask you to fill Nick with your power as he preaches in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. Please join me on once for all. ♪ Free from the law, oh happy condition ♪ ♪ Jesus hath bled and there is remission ♪ ♪ Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall ♪ ♪ Grace hath redeemed us once for all ♪ ♪ Once for all, oh sinner receive it once for all ♪ Brother, believe it, cling to the cross, the burden will fall. Christ hath redeemed us once for all. Now are we free, there's no condemnation. Jesus provides a perfect salvation. Come unto me, O hear His sweet call. Come and He saved us once for all. Once for all, O sinner, receive it Once for all, O brother, believe it Cling to the cross, the burden will fall Christ hath redeemed of God, O glorious calling. Surely His grace will keep us from falling. Life at His call, blessed salvation, once for all. Sing it out. Once for all, O sinner, receive it. Once for all, O I'm just curious, is anyone here older than 89? I think Hank became our oldest. I think Hank became the oldest church member we have now. Who was the one before that, Brother Tovar? But I don't remember how old Brother Tovar was, but I don't think he was 89. So if you weren't here this morning, it was a blessing Hank joined the church after the morning service or during the morning service. As far as the prayer request, the new one is the blue one on the back table. So again, we always pray for preaching and Cindy's health, Brother Wynn and his family's safety. David, I mentioned this morning after talking Thursday so when at 645 Saturday bus visitation and so on in at 1045 then back in your place for Sunday school and church. I did, some of you asked me if they're going to do something for Easter. They are, so if you have stuff, either eggs or candy or stuff that you want to get ready. I'm hoping the price of eggs gets a little lower. I used to always go and buy six to ten dozen eggs. I had a bunch of chickens back then, but now six or ten dozen eggs, you'd have to cash in a gold bar to be able to buy them. They are much cheaper now than they were a few weeks ago, but I'm still praying they go a little lower. For those of you that asked me about Easter, Brother Bejo said they will do an Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday. Some of you saw the thing set in, I believe it was in the back of the church on Wednesday night. They're having a contest and that is a prize that goes to the one who gets the most points or brings the most visitors or something. So that was what that was for. Mrs. G is having a test on Wednesday the 26th. So keep her in prayer. And then again, if you have something that can come off the prayer list, let me know. Someone that needs to go on the prayer list, let me know that as well. But again, don't forget to be faithful. I started announcing that, and then I pulled all my cards out of my Bible yesterday and forgot to stick them back in. But the next thing that's on the schedule will be April the 26th, which is the piano recital. That is at 2 p.m. Tissa said that probably won't last but about an hour. So if you were planning on going to Fiesta, that won't mess up your plans for all of Fiesta. It's not going to last over a long time. But that is on the 26th of April. Sorry, getting around a lot slower these days. Please stand if you're able. We'll sing All Creatures of Our God and King. All creatures of our God and King Lift up your voice with us and sing, Alleluia, Alleluia! Thou burning sun with golden beam, Thou silver moon with softer gleam, O praise Him, O praise Him! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Thou rushing wind Thou art so strong The clouds that sail in heaven long Oh praise Him Hallelujah Thou rising morning star ♪ In lights of evening find your voice ♪ ♪ Oh, praise Him, oh, praise Him ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ And all ye men of tender hearts ♪ ♪ Forgiving others take your part ♪ ♪ Oh, sing ye, hallelujah ♪ Ye who long pain and sorrow bear ♪ Praise God and on Him cast your care ♪ Oh, praise Him, oh, praise Him ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ Let all things their Creator bless ♪ ♪ And worship Him in humbleness ♪ ♪ Oh, praise Him, alleluia ♪ ♪ Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son ♪ ♪ And praise the Spirit three in one ♪ ♪ Oh, praise Him, oh, praise Him ♪ Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah We're doing the offering at the end of the service, so ushers, they already know that. I just forgot to tell this young man. Mr. Yaller said that I got a couple of the prayer requests that I remembered when I went back to sit down. Brother Yaller's not feeling good, keep him in prayer. Brother Houser also, he had went to see his grandkids, and when he came back, he wasn't feeling well. And then Mrs. Houser went back home to visit relatives, so keep them in prayer as well. So are you ready for another one? Yes, sir. Shouldn't have let you sit down. I wish I had given him more. By and by, when I look on his face, beautiful face, thorn-shadowed face, By and by, when I look on his face, I wish I had given him more. More, so much more. More of his life than ever gave before. By and by, when I look on his face, I wish I had given him more. By and by, when he holds out his hands, Welcoming hands, nail-riven hands, By and by, when he holds out his hands I wish I had given him more More, so much more More of my love than I e'er gave By and by, when he holds out his hands, I'll wish I had given him more. In the light of that heavenly place, light from his face, beautiful face, In the light of that beautiful place I wish I had given Him more More, so much more Treasures unbounded for Him I adore And Bob went, look on his face I wish I had given him more I will serve thee because I love thee. You have given life to me. I was nothing before you found me. You have given life to me. Heartache, broken pieces, ruined lives are why you bled and died on Calvary. Your touch is what I long for. You have given life to me. I will serve Him because I love Him. He has given life to me. I was nothing when Jesus found me, but he gave life to me. Heartaches, broken pieces, ruined lives are why he bled and died on Calvary. Your touch was what I longed for. You have given life. To me You have given life to me It's always a blessing to have our missionaries come and speak for us and again brother Nick I was here for Sunday School. And if you missed that, you ought to go back and watch that online. It was a good message. And then Sunday morning service, he preached this morning. And then Hank joined the service afterwards, or during the service, and that was a blessing. He's going to come preach to us again tonight. Make sure you grab your King James Bibles, pay attention, and listen. And every once in a while, just yell it. Not you ladies, but every once in a while, you guys can yell amen. It would be a blessing. What a blessing. In case you don't want to say amen, I've come prepared to amen myself. Amen? Well, the Lord is good. The Lord is good all the time. Amen? It's just a real blessing. Thank you for your prayers for Natalie. I got to talk to Patty a little bit this afternoon. She wanted me to say hello to everyone. And I told her, I said, it's just not the same without you here. So she wanted to come, but with Natalie's situation with her heart right now, unstable and the condition that she's in, she just didn't want to leave her. We didn't want to leave her there. But she's coming along and we appreciate your prayers for her. And the Lord has been blessing us with doctors, put doctors, very smart doctors around us. and helping Natalie as well. Amen. There at the church, I'll just give you a little bit of a blessing. We have a young family, a young couple, and they were really struggling in their marriage. As a matter of fact, they were separated, and actually they had never been married before, but they had a son together, and both of them had trusted Christ as their Savior. They both got baptized as well, And now they came to me and they said, Pastor, we want to do right. What do we need to do to get married? Amen. So we started the process there. So it's a real blessing to see God's hand working. And it wouldn't be possible without your faithful prayers and support, all these missionaries that are out on these boards here. You can have all the money in the world, but without God's power, without God's people praying, I mean it's not going to get done and so we thank you so much for your prayers and it's just a blessing to be here for a little while tomorrow morning I'll be leaving again and going back home and appreciate your prayers for that tomorrow and everything just pray that at 9 30 The man who's supposed to bring me this device will be able to make it there, and everything will go good, and I'll be able to take that back to Mexico with me. That'll be a blessing, so please do that. And I'm sure praying for you all here as well. Don't think that we're just wanting to receive the prayers. We're praying for you as well here, and it's a real blessing. Francisco, it's good to see you tonight. He came here for the first time this morning. He's back here tonight. What a blessing. And that's a blessing. So if you have your Bible, please stand for the reading of God's Word. Romans chapter number 15. Romans chapter number 15, verse number 5. If you're able to stand, please stand. And if not, that's okay. Romans 15, verse number 5. Tonight I'd like to preach on this topic. I have for a title here, The Mind of a Christian. The Mind of a Christian. And I'd like to give you something here tonight. Hopefully it'll be a blessing to you. Romans chapter number 15 and then verse number 5. Romans 15, 5. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus, according to Him. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Lord, thank you so much for your goodness and blessings. Right now, we're here, we're ready to hear your word, Heavenly Father. I pray that you'd help us to put away all the distractions that could be around us in our lives right now, and just focus on what you have for us tonight. I pray and ask, Heavenly Father, that you would help us to leave different than we came here. I pray that we go to our homes tonight, and we would be a different person walking through the door. I pray and ask for your love and your grace to be over each one of us. Help us to be more faithful to you, Heavenly Father. Give us the mind of Christ. And I pray that your hand would be with each one of us and that your blessings would be over us. Thank you in your precious name we pray. Amen. You may be seated. The Bible says here in verse number six, that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then over here in 1 Corinthians chapter number two, we were there this morning actually, 1 Corinthians chapter number two, and the Bible says here, 1 Corinthians chapter number two, In verse number 16, the Bible says here, for who hath known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. That's what we need, the mind of Christ, amen? Just hit a few things here and then, like I would say to our people at our church, you know, we get finished here and we'll go get some tacos, amen? But most of the taco player, maybe we can hit a taco truck or something. But right here, the Bible shows us that there is a mind of Christ, but we have the mind of Christ. And the mind of a Christian, I just want to give you something tonight. Don't be tricked by the devil. He likes to define us according to our weaknesses. Are you with me? He likes you to think of yourself in your weakest state. He likes us to think that we're defeated, but let me say this, and I'm going through trying to get help and things like that for PTSD and all that, and the devil likes to define me, likes to make me think that I'm this guy that can't make it out. Are you with me? But you know what, that's not the mind of Christ. And that's not the mind of Christ. You see, there are people here probably right now that your past, the devil has reminded you and reminded you and reminded you of who you used to be and what you used to be. And you know, it's a good thing to be reminded of who I am and what I used to be. Are you with me? but not to be dwelling on it. I'm not that person because the Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 5 17 if any man, the Bible says here 2nd Corinthians 5 17 therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature all things are passed away behold all things are become new you're a new creature in Christ if you have Jesus in your heart you're a new creature And if you don't have Jesus in your heart, you need to get him in your heart. He wants to make you into a new creature. I didn't realize how much my life had changed and how much, I should say, I didn't realize how much God had changed my life until a friend, when we were out doing training and we were out at the at the Oklahoma County Bomb Squad. I was stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, and we were training, getting ready for competition, and we were also staying up with our training as far as a team is concerned. I worked law enforcement in the Air Force, but then I got involved in an EST team, which is a emergency service team and today they give them really cool names like commandos and stuff like that but I'll just stick with the EST amen so it doesn't sound that impressive or anything but I mean it was it was pretty tough training and and one of our team captains from before back in when we were over in Desert Storm He came in to visit us. He got stationed somewhere else. So he was coming through town and he wanted to come out and see us. He found us out there at the range, at the bomb range. And we were out there training and he came up there and he's like, how's everybody doing? It's just good to see them again and everything. And then my new team captain, which is a good friend and known him for years, but he said, well, have you heard Nick cuss? Have you heard him insult people? Have you heard him cut people down? Have you heard him say all this and that and all that? And he said, no, actually, I haven't. He said, well, that Nick is gone. We don't know what happened to them. And I really didn't realize what God had done already in my life until he said that. And I said, well, praise the Lord, you know? I was saying praise the Lord on the inside, amen? But I said, well, only God could do that, amen? And listen to me, God can do that for you too. Amen? He can do that for you. You're a new creature. Don't be fooled by the devil and think that you are that person that you used to be, being reminded of your sins. Behold, the Bible says, all things are become new. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are new. But the devil likes to tell us and get it in our mind that we are still that old person and nothing is ever going to change. The wives that are in here, the devil says to you, that man will never change. Amen. Are you with me? But you see, if he's in Christ, that can be changed. Amen. God can change him. You need to beg God to change that heart. And so only God can do that, amen? The mind, our minds today are just so full of things. In Mexico City, they had a survey. I don't know what it is here in the States, but in Mexico City, they had a survey or they did a survey and they said that the average person in Mexico City spends an average of eight hours a day on their phone. That's a full-time job. And that's even with overtime, Saturday and Sunday as well. I mean, that's a full-time job. You know what? No wonder our minds aren't functioning as well as they're supposed to be, amen? Because we spend so much time here, we spend less time in the Bible. And to get the mind of Christ, we've got to spend more time in the Bible. Our minds are so full of things today, and there is a battle for our heart and our mind today. Satan is fighting for our mind and our heart today. Just as he did with Eve, he got her to thinking that that was a desirable thing to have, all the trees that they could eat of, and he got her to focus on the one they couldn't touch. Are you with me? He gets you and I to think about the thing that we don't have. Are you with me? Satan does that to us, he does that to our minds, and then we get discontented, and then we go after that thing, and whatever it takes to get it, that's what we try to get. And not much has changed with Satan today. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. And it's still the same thing today. You know, our mind is so full of things today, the world, the flesh, the devil, they all want control of our mind and our thoughts, and to get me distracted from who God is in our lives, and who the new creature is that God has made in us. Our heart gets loaded down. Look with, if you would, with me and Mark chapter number seven, Mark chapter number seven. The Bible says here, Mark chapter number seven in verse number 20. The Bible says here, Mark seven in verse number 20. And he said, that which cometh out of the man that which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness, all these things come from within and defile the man. You see, talking about our hearts. And the Bible says here, evil thoughts, out of the heart proceed evil thoughts. You see, our thinker is that heart. Whatever's in there, that's what's gonna come out. We've gotta be careful about what we let get in there, amen? But our heart, with somebody that has a heart like this, they're loaded down. This person has got a heavy heart, and they've got a heavy life as well, and that life is inconsistent with God. But our heart is also wicked. Here's another thing about our heart. Jeremiah chapter number 17, the Bible says here, Jeremiah chapter number 17 in verse number 9. The Bible says here, Jeremiah 17, nine. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Our hearts are are wicked, desperately wicked. That's what the Bible says. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? In the Spanish Bible, instead of saying desperately wicked, it says perverse. uses the word perverted, perverse. And that's the truth. Our hearts are desperately wicked. So we've got to do everything we can to make sure that that heart stays clean. But the Bible says in verse number 10, I the Lord search the heart. I try the reins even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. That's a key thing there because the Bible says according to his ways. In the Sunday school class, I was talking about John 14, 6 and saying that Jesus is the way. the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me. That's what Jesus said. And you see, he's going to judge us. He says here, I, the Lord, search the heart. I try the reins even to give even to give every man according to his ways. OK. So we've got to get out of our way and get into God's way. Amen? And Jesus said, I am the way. Amen? We've got to get into Jesus. Amen? His way, not our way. You see, sin in our heart is like a cancer. I mean, bitterness, wrath, anger. We've got to get rid of it. Are you with me? Jesus said to put it off, put it off. Don't let it hang out there. Get rid of it immediately. And yes, we are forgiven. Jesus cleans us, amen. And if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He's the one that does the cleaning, but we've got to decide to get rid of it. Are you with me? We have to, it's like, if we confess, confess is not, confess is, I'm guilty, I did it, I did it, I did it, I'm sorry. And confessing, that's confessing, amen? It's not like, well, you know, I'm not perfect. That's not confessing anything. Confessing is guilty, guilty. I did it, I did it. You know, somebody steals something, I stole it, I did it. I broke that, I did it. I'm sorry. Amen? And that is confessing when we say, I did it. Look at Ephesians. I mean, this is all good, amen? The Bible is all good. We just got to get in there, amen? The Bible says in Ephesians chapter number 4, Ephesians chapter number 4, And it's a good idea to read our Bibles every day. I mean, if you want a blessing, you want your blesser to get filled up this week, you gotta read Romans chapter number six, Romans chapter number seven, and Romans chapter number eight. Read those three chapters every day this week. I mean, that'll fill your blesser. It'll fill your blesser and it'll and and and and God will begin to work in your life in a way that I mean just it's unbelievable. And so the Bible says here and in Ephesians chapter number four verse number 11 and he gave some apostles and some prophets and some. evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith. and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, I mean, people are waiting around the corner to deceive. These people are blind, they don't know what they're doing. I believe they're agents of Satan. You know that thorn that Paul had in the flesh? There was a messenger that Satan sent to him. I mean to just aggravate him day and night. I almost said dia y noche. So if a little Spanish comes out, I'm sorry about that. But we don't normally speak in tongues here, amen? But speaking the truth in love. It says here, speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things which is the head, even Christ, from the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, making increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart. Who, being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanliness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ, if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, that ye put on the new man which is after God, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. And be ye angry and sin not, let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you." I mean, these are just tremendous verses right here, but do you see how many references were made to the mind, about the mind, renewing of your mind? We need to put on the mind of Christ. You've got to get rid of the anger, put it off! Bitterness, put it off! Let go from that bondage that Satan himself has put us under just because he's messed with our mind. Are you with me? The Bible says here, that he says here, let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. I saw the doctor the other day and he said, now have you had any thoughts of hurting yourself or others? And I said, well, I mean, does traffic count? If you're in traffic. But you know where those anger outbursts come from? Right here. Right here. It's been cooking right here in our mind, in our heart. Got to get rid of it. Sin in our heart is like a cancer. It weighs us down. It'll eat you alive. That's what cancer does. It eats you alive. Several years ago, I have the privilege of killing 18 rats at our house. I don't know if I've ever told you all this story or not, but I mean, we had our stuff in storage boxes and things like that in an area where we had it in storage at our house. And I mean, just one little piece of candy, you'd be surprised how many rats were alerted by that. Just one piece of candy that was out or whatever, I don't know. But there were some little food products in there, candy and stuff like that. And so anyway, I mean, we've got rats. And they stink, they smell. I mean, they go to the bathroom all over stuff. They can't control their bladders or anything. So, I mean, they just wreak havoc on whatever they touch. It's just horrible. You know what? Sin does the same thing. Imagine what it's doing in our hearts and in our minds and and all that but anyway so I set out on a mission to kill these rats and so I went to the I went to the hardware store right around the corner from the church there where we live and so I went there and I said I need a rat trap and And so he said, OK, all right, here's a rat trap, OK? It's got a screen around it. It's got a little thing in the middle. And it's got two flaps on there. If that rat sets off the trap, what will happen is the flaps will go down and it'll stay stuck in there, OK? And so anyway, I said, I need that trap. It looks good. I think that'll work. I had no idea what I was dealing with here, okay? I was not a professional by any means. So I took that rat trap there and I set it in there. I set it in there and I put some bait on that thing. And man, I was thinking, boy, in the morning I'm gonna have me a rat and I'll get that thing and we'll be done with our problem here. So I went down there in the morning and there was no rat trap. And I thought, what in the world is that? I mean, I put it right there, you know. I should have taken a picture probably to say it was right there. I didn't see the rat trap. I couldn't find that thing. I mean, it was gone. I mean, these rats are not just... they're thieves too, amen? I mean, I paid good money for that rat trap, and they took it. And I thought, man, I'm dealing with some professionals here. I mean, the rats in Mexico City, they're different than other places, I think, you know? I began to think that. So then... I went looking for that thing. Can you imagine that? I am looking for the rat trap. It's got to be around here somewhere. Well, I found it, and I told him, I said, you know what? There was no bait inside that thing. They ate the bait, and they took the trap, and they hid it from me. And he said, oh, yeah, he said, he said, estos son los conejos de San Fernando. And they call them rabbits, not rats. I mean, they're just huge. And I said, what? And I hadn't seen one before, but I know they're there. And so anyway, he said, oh, you should try this one. So I tried this one. Oh, it's the sticky kind. It's got this glue on this thing, and that's the best thing you can get for these things, okay? Even if you have little mice or something like that, they can't get out of this thing. Well, anyway, I put that down there. I put it down there. I was almost ready to take a picture. There it is. That's the evidence. It was there. I went back down there in the morning and it was gone too. And I found it. And it had two little feet still stuck in it. They chewed their legs off to get out of that trap. I thought, oh man, those are some big feet in that thing too. I thought, wow. Man, these things are something else. And I told him, I said, they ran off with this thing. And I said, there are two feet in it. I showed it to him. He said, oh, you've got to tape it down to the floor. You've got to tape it to the floor so they can't take off with it. And so anyway, I'm in a learning process here. That learning curve for me, I mean, it's slow and round like that. So anyway, I got one. I put the tape on it and everything. And I said, boy, we're going to get some rats tonight. So I went down there in the morning, and there were six rats on this trap. I took a picture of them. Nobody would believe me if I said, and they're all still alive, and they're looking at me like this. and I took their picture. It's like, we didn't have selfies at that time yet, but I mean, I could have taken a selfie with them, but anyway, they're all looking at me, and they're standing there like this, so I got me a bucket of water, took that trap, poof, dumped it in there. And there they go. So they went to rat heaven or wherever they are from, purgatory probably. So anyway, I mean, so I'm thinking, OK, well, that was six, but they weren't that big. They were little ones. And so so anyway, I put another trap down there to see if there are more. And and I mean, I just I was up to I got 17 rats. And so, long story short there, I decided I'm going to clean out all these boxes and all the stuff that's in there. Anything that they touched, it was destroyed. That's got to go in the trash and all that. So, I mean, they chewed up wires that were inside these boxes and everything. They just destroyed everything. You know, sin does the same thing to you. But you know what you got to do? You got to get in there and start cleaning it up. You got to clean up the damage. And you do that, Jesus said, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. You just gotta say, you know what, I'm guilty, I'm guilty, let's get this cleaned up. Let's deal with this one, let's deal with this box, amen? So anyway, I'm in there cleaning up, and I've got all this stuff out, and Patty's not here to confirm all this for me, but man, it is, I mean, so here we are, I'm down to the last box. And when I put that box, I had this something that I was setting these boxes on so I didn't have to bend over and get into those boxes. But when I set that box down, I felt something move in there. And I just went, ooh, like this. I don't know how loud it was or anything, but Patty heard it from outside. And she came running and shut the door to the bodega, the storage place where we had that stuff. And I was like, I was looking at her, I was like, oh, wow. And our dog, Buster, he was barking in there, and I thought, I didn't scream that loud, did I? And when I felt that thing in there, I was just woo, like this. And so she said, honey, I'm praying for you. And I'm like, thanks. Now I'm stuck with this rat in here. I'm sure this is probably the mother lode right here. I found the male. And I'm not kidding, he was probably that long without his tail. That's just the body. And I could not put my whole hand around him. I mean, that was how big he was. I mean, that's big. I don't think I've ever seen any rat that big. So anyway, here we are. I'm in there. I'm looking. I'm like, wow, I just got abandoned. And I'm in here by myself. And she said, I'm praying for you. And I'm like, oh, thanks. I turned around and there's the the female. I mean, the guy's wife. You know, he's probably she's probably mad because I'm the guy that killed her husband. I don't know. But, just looking at me, and I'd never seen a rat that close in my life. And there it was, on top of that box, looking straight at me. And I thought, oh. And Patty said, I'm praying for you. And I just looked like that. And I'm like, what do I do? How am I going to deal with that? That rat sprang and took off and jumped. And I have a pitchfork, and I had Pitchfork in there, and I thought that's the old that's my only weapon They won't let you have guns there or anything or else. I would have shot that place up probably so anyway here I got the pitchfork and that rat I've never seen this before but it ran straight up the wall and I thought, they do that? Oh, I can't believe that. And I'm like, I wish I had this on video. I could be a millionaire by now. And so anyway, there goes that rat. He goes across, and he runs across this thing, comes down. It's a she. And so anyway, she comes around that way, and I went, pow, like that. And I got it. And they went, ah! I mean, it screamed like you couldn't... Our dog was going crazy trying to get into that place. And she said, honey, are you okay? No, the rock got me. And so, anyway, there we were. And I got it. I got it. Man, I walked out of there like the hero, you know? Got them all, 18 of them. But you know what, sin, it just destroys. It's like that rat, you know what? Some people have a mind like a rat nest. I was almost gonna give Brother Sells that name for the title, but I decided, no, he's very creative. He'll come up with something good and be very distracting, right? And so anyway, but those, but you know what? We allow our minds to get full of all this garbage. That sin destroys everything that it touches. You see, it's not just the sin of commission, it's the sin of omission as well. You know, like the sin of commission is when God says no, and we do it. The sin of commission is like God says, thou shalt not steal, and we take something. Don't lie, and we just let it go. Ah, but it was just a little white one. Doesn't matter, it's still a lie. And we cross that line. And then the sins of omission is when God says, go ye therefore, and teach all nations. You see, and we don't go. When the Bible says that we should forgive our neighbor, but we don't do it. We should forgive with all of our heart. And as we've been forgiven, and we don't do it. You see, that's when God says, you've omitted my word from your life. And you see the sins of omission and actually probably carries a heavier consequence because Jesus said today is the day of salvation. And if someone doesn't obey that, then their eternal place is hell. That's the internal punishment. I mean, they're condemned to a lake of fire, which carries a very heavy weight of not obeying God. And the sin of omission and the sin of commission. I don't read my Bible, I don't pray. Well, you need to start reading your Bible and praying because you know what? That's getting like a rat nest in your mind. And pretty soon you're gonna be starting to think all kinds of stuff going on. But what kind of mind does the Christian need? We need a renewed mind. You and I, we need a renewed mind. Even after the rat nest, you know, you had to clean it up. It had to be cleaned up. But you know what? After we got that thing, after we got it done, we went through the boxes and got all that garbage out of there. You know what? We started putting it in new boxes. Started putting stuff in new boxes and it started looking really nice in there. I thought, wow, I wouldn't mind spending time in here now. And it got to looking nice. But you know what? That renewed mind. Look what it says over here in Romans chapter number 12. I love these verses. Romans chapter number 12. The Bible says here, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. He's talking about the body, that we should present it as a living sacrifice. And then he says here, and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Now he's talking about the mind, body, now the mind. And he says here, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. And the Bible says here, for I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Right here. And we need a renewed mind, we need a sound mind, the Bible says in 2 Timothy. Right here, 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy, chapter number one, the Bible says here. I'll get there in a second. 2 Timothy, chapter number one. And the Bible says here in verse number seven. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. That's what he's given us. That's what he's given us. But you know what? Some people say, really? That's because we've let sin into our hearts. We've got our mind looks like a rat's nest and the rats have been in there wreaking havoc. I saved the best, the worst looking box. I mean, this this was the I mean, you talk about stuff that that was just all tore up inside that box. It was the worst one. And I think that was the headquarters of these people. You know, Satan, he gets in there and he just, we're not supposed to give place to the devil. We're not supposed to give place to him. Don't give place to the rats. Amen. Don't give place to sin in your life. Get rid of it. Get rid of it. Get rid of it as soon as possible. Amen. I mean, immediately, if not, Boy, there's gonna be more rats coming in, and then it'll start multiplying. Be not therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. But be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God, who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given in Christ Jesus before the world began. You see these verses right here, boy what a blessing, what an encouragement. Verse number 10, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immorality to light through the gospel. You see, we're not that old person anymore. And you don't have to live like that anymore, because Jesus broke those chains of sin in our lives. The moment that you and I trusted Christ as our Savior, 2 Peter 3.1, we need a pure mind, a pure mind. You know, if we stay off of this more, if we stay off of this thing more, we'll have a pure mind. a pure mind. There was a preacher preaching and he was giving this statistic and I think this statistic is in Mexico, I don't know, but he said that out of ten Christians, ten people that attend church, out of ten people that are sitting in a church or that come to church regularly, six look at pornography. That's a problem. That is a major problem. And we can't have a pure mind when that stuff is going on in our life. No way. People are, I mean, you just wonder, whenever I was training as a policeman, and they said, when you respond to a domestic violence place, They said, you need to always keep your eye on the wife. And they said, she's the most, I mean, even though she was the one that just got beat up and everything else, the moment she sees her husband being taken down by policemen or something like that, she will respond immediately. She didn't even have to think about it. She just responds to it. And you know, you and I, sometimes something will happen in our lives and we just respond to it and everything, but you know how we respond sometimes? When that garbage comes out. You know, and it's just a rat nest. And God wants us to have a pure mind. And one of the things that whenever I was praying for a wife, and I knew that, you know, hey, I want somebody who's going in the same direction as I am. I want someone that is headed in the same direction. And someone that will be going where the Lord's leading me as well. And the night that I met Patti, she was She came as she was chaperoning another couple that was in Bible College. The fellow was. And he was Franklin and Brenda Booth. They're missionaries now in Panama. But Franklin and Brenda, my wife Patty, before we even knew each other, she was with them as a chaperone. Well, I had just gotten back from Panama on Sunday, and this was like Wednesday, or Tuesday, or Thursday, something like that. And she came to the conference we were having, Brother Darryl Murphy, I think everybody here knows Brother Murphy, he was preaching that conference. So she was there, and I mean, when I saw her, the Lord's like, that's the one right there. And then when she saw me, she was like, the Lord said to her, that's the one right there. But I had to make sure we went out to Denny's afterwards. I went with Franklin and Brenda and Patty and we went to a Denny's and, you know, those Grand Slam breakfast 24 hours, you know, 24-7. And we went to that Denny's, but I needed to investigate to see if she was going in the same direction. One thing that I, first thing that I noticed about her was that she had a pure heart. She had a pure heart. I said, oh, I've got so many scars in my heart. I mean, I don't know if I could ever have a pure heart, but you know what? It's possible solo with God, amen? I almost said solo con Dios. But with God, it is possible to have that pure heart. The devil will tell us that there's no way you can have a pure heart. Well, you know what? Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. you and I can have that pure heart, and it's only made possible because of God. 2 Peter 3.1, the Bible says here, 2 Peter 3.1, the Bible says, this second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. You see, your pure minds. Oh, if we just had a pure mind, you know what we'd be thinking about more often? Boy, that family needs some help. You know, they They need some help out on that bus route. You know what, I could go out there and do that. That's nothing to get out there. You know what, I could drive that bus. You know what, what else needs to be done around here? When we start having a pure mind, you know what, things just open up to our eyes. God just opens us up and shows us so many things that need to be done that we can actually do. And you know, he's not looking for a perfect person because none of us are. The Bible says as written, there is none righteous, no, not one. You know what, and we need a spiritual mind. Romans chapter number eight, Romans chapter number eight. These are in the challenge verses that I gave you to read this week. And the Bible says here, Romans chapter eight, verse number five, the Bible says here, for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Isn't that what we're looking for? Isn't that what the devil promises? Life and peace? But he delivers death and chaos. That's what he delivers. You see, just opposite of a spiritual mind is a carnal mind, where we say, it's my way. or the highway. I'm gonna do it, but I'm gonna do it my way. No, Jesus said, I am the way. The way. We need to put Christ on, amen? Because he's the way. The spiritual mind seeks God first in everything. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. and all these things shall be added unto you. You see, we need that spiritual mind to be in us. The mind of a Christian needs to be a renewed mind, a sound mind, a pure mind, a spiritual mind, and a girded mind. I mean, where we take things serious. Okay, we gotta get this under control. We got to get our mind under control. When a soldier would gird himself before he goes into battle, when he was going to go into battle, he would gird himself. He says, when he tightens his belt, he's like, okay, we're going into battle. Before he puts on his helmet, he girds up the protective cloth that's underneath that helmet, because they were metal, so he would gird up that thing, and what it is is, He's got the killer face on, amen? We mean business, we're gonna do business now. And that's what you and I as Christians, we need to gird up our minds, get serious about the business that we're supposed to be taking care of. Getting this old rat hole all fixed up, amen? Getting it cleaned up, getting those rats out of there. and a willing mind. We need a willing mind. First Chronicles 28.9, the Bible says here. First Chronicles 28.9, the Bible says here. And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father. And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart. and with a willing mind, for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever. You see, we've got to seek it. We've got to go after that heart right there. We have to go after that mind. We have to seek that. And that's what God wants us to do. This morning, I don't know if you were here, but I gave an illustration with three guys that were here. Brother Howard has left. I wonder if I could get someone else to take his place. And then is Brother Jose here? Tonight, I don't see Brother Jose here. Okay, Brother Adam, could you help me out, Brother Adam? It was Henry. Henry's here. Come on, Henry. Amen. You know, in Bible college, they said, you know, be careful who you use, you know, for your illustrations. But if you don't have anybody else, just use what you got. Amen. So here's Henry. Okay, we've got Brother Adam here. And Brother Gallet, could I use you two as well? And if you could help me out here. And Henry, I want you to stand over there where Brother Adam is. And maybe somebody didn't see this this morning. I don't know if you didn't see it. But here is the landlord, okay? Henry's over here renting your house, okay? He's renting your house, Adam. And then you're going to stand right here, Brother Gallet. Here's the old land, here's the landlord, and he comes to collect the rent every month. Get up there, get that rent, you know? Pay him good. Don't shortchange him like you did Jose this morning, all right? All right, so then he goes back there, month after month, get back over there, month after month. It's just, man, he's happy now, right? Okay, get back over there now. You're gonna sweat it out for another month until you come up with it, and then you're gonna pay him again, right? I mean, this is a cycle that just keeps on going. But then, Brother Galet says, you know what? Hey, son, I'd like to buy that house you got. I mean, I've always been wanting that for an investment and everything. I know you could use the extra cash right now. So how about you sell that to me? So you all make an agreement, sign the contract and everything. It's all legal. Everything's good. So we're going to go tell your renter here that we made this deal and you're going to respect that contract that he has with him, OK? Then now you're gonna pay the new guy right this time. Yeah, you know what this morning. He paid this guy again Knowing that he sold it to him all right That's the reason why I picked Henry this morning. I was banking that he would might make that mistake, but anyway, so so here we go and Now you're the new owner all right and just imagine the old owner going up there and saying hey I want my money and Ah, see, he got wisdom this morning. He got wisdom. You know, you and I, we ought to get wisdom. We ought to get wisdom. We got to figure this thing out. But you know what? When there's sin in here and we don't have this mind, a girded mind, we don't have a pure mind and all that, we don't see this coming. He comes all the... I mean it's not just once a month. I mean He comes day and night. He doesn't stop coming. The devil keeps coming and He keeps coming and He keeps coming. And you know what we do? We just pay Him out. But the one who has the pure mind... The girded mind. The mind of Christ. He sees him coming a mile away. And he says, nope, I'm gonna run. But whenever the new landlord comes in, and this is Jesus, amen? We were, we... I'm sorry. I hope that I don't get struck by lightning tonight, brother. And well, you just got to use what you can. All right. Let's just say this is Jesus here. Amen. And now now he's not perfect. OK, he won't be perfect when he gets home either. OK, so just because I called him that. OK, but you know what? Sometimes we we went. The pure mind will always be faithful here. because the pure mind realizes I used to be over here. There's no way I'm gonna go back over there. No, no, no, no, no, no way. And people that are under addictions and things like that before they get saved, the reason why they don't have victory in their life is not because God failed them. God didn't fail them, we failed. to keep that garbage out. He said, put off the old man. Put it off. Put off anger and jealousy and rage and all that and wrath. Put it off. And when the devil comes, we just keep giving it out, shelling it out. Oh, new cell phone, new cell phone. And you know, it's funny how we have money for whatever we want it for. And then Jesus comes up and boy, we don't hardly have anything else to give to him. But the man who has the mind of Christ, when Jesus comes, says, this is the one. And he says, I'm gonna do it willingly. With a whole heart, I can give to him, amen? And when you're in that right there, and he comes up, I mean, he's gonna sneak up on us, he'll get you. Whenever you're up on the mountaintop, you know, most Christians, we get attacked when we're on the mountain, not in the valley. when they're in the valley, it's unbelievable, but when we get on that mountaintop, boy, woo, boy, isn't that the best, isn't that when something happens? You know, when we're gonna get, when he's gonna come visit us Sunday morning before we gotta come to church, get everybody upset with each other, we're all rushed and stressed and everything else, and then we're fighting, getting back here, and then you get to church, and man, woo, you know, you just, finally I can breathe you know a little bit maybe and then and then but we such a carnal state it's hard to or coming through and someone's gonna cut you off coming to church and everything all air if anything's gonna go wrong it's gonna happen right before church amen alright before you read your Bible something's gonna happen because this guy just keeps coming and coming and coming Amen? Well, Adam, you're not that bad of a guy, I know that. Okay, sometimes, amen. Well, we'll talk to Anne about that, yeah, yeah. We will keep that secret, okay? But the mind of Christ, if we have this mind, a clean mind, a pure mind, you know what? When it's time to give our tithes and offerings, when it's time to be at church, when it's time, and then we're looking for the devil, whenever it's time to do something for the Lord, okay, he's going to show up here. And you know what? If he never bothers you, you ought to think, what am I doing wrong? What am I doing wrong? And when the devil attacks us there in Mexico, I'd say, well, we must be on the right track, because the devil's right on our tail. Amen. But a pure mind, a pure mind, a girded mind, a willing mind, that's what a Christian needs. Amen? You can be seated. Thank you. Amen. They did a great job, didn't they? OK, we'll give them a hand. We can do that. Yeah, amen. And I hope the Lord forgives me, amen? I mean, since we're in San Antonio, y'all know what this is, right? What do they call this in English? I don't even know. The sign, what? Sign the cross, okay? So you know what it is, right? It's this. It's like this, and then it goes like this, right? You know what they're saying. Lord, help me to use this to fill this without using this and this. Some people in Mexico it goes over much better than here, but I Was dealing with a young man in our church, I'm gonna finish with this I was dealing with a young man in our church and a few weeks ago and he's not tithing or giving the missions and I realized that he had not been given the missions for a long time and which people can do whatever they want. But if they're going to be on staff, if they're going to have a responsibility in the church, well, there's an accountability there too. and just can't have anybody doing stuff. And so, anyway, he was helping me teach a class in our institute, and now I'm teaching that class, now I'm teaching his class. But he told me something, and this was very interesting, he was just being very honest, and he said, he told me this, he said, I like money. I mean, it's not that he has very much money, not that he has very much, but he says, I like it. And he just likes it, so that he'll always have money. He just likes to be able to have money on him, and anytime he wants to do something, or buy something, or something like that, he just loves to have that money. But then he realized that that was wrong. That was wrong. His love, you see, he's a new husband, he's a new dad, and he doesn't even realize that he's opening the floodgates. He's opening the floodgates for the devil to destroy his home. Just in this area right here, that's just one area of disobedience to God. But you know what? What the truth was, and he told me this, he says, I just love my way. I just love my way. And I don't like it when someone else tells me what to do. I don't like it. And I said, well, you know what? You love your money more than you love God. You love your way more than you love God's way. And that has to change. You've got to start loving God's way better than your way. You gotta start loving God more than your money. He doesn't have a car, but more than your car, more than anything else you have. And you gotta start loving God. You see, the first and great commandment is love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, all thy soul, all thy mind. And that's what God wants from us. And the problem with us is that we love all these other things more than we actually love God. And then we wonder why we don't have victory in our lives, and then we get discouraged, and next thing you know, but you know what? It starts with that renewed mind. Tonight, you can decide, hey, God, here's my mind, take it, renew it, please. I don't wanna stay like this anymore. Let's get these rats, let's start cleaning this place up. Start looking for the Lord, amen? Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we love you and thank you for your blessings, your goodness,